Monitor Audio BX2s or BXFX for rears?

[Sean Mc]

Got a BX Centre speaker and BR5 floorstander fronts, and a Sony DH-820 AVR. My room is a bit higgledy piggledy, but is essentially 4 x 5 m square.

I'm going to buy either BX2s or BXFXs for the rears. But - I can find a better bargain for the BX2s on Ebay, or will pay £215-225 for the BXFXs.

They will have to be placed to the side of my head. Slightly in front if I get the BXFXs, or can be slightly behind if I get the BX2s (due to the wall layout). Also, one of the drivers of each BXFX will be more or less pointing at a wall, as I have an RSJ going over the ceiling/down the walls where they need to be placed.

My question then is simply which is the better? Do I really gain a better sound from the BXFXs, particularly when one driver on each speaker will not be firing into open air? Or would I be better off buying BX2s, and pointing them towards my head (and saving a bit of money at the same time)?!

Happy New Year!

 

[Paul.]

Not sure you would get any benefit using a BX2 over a BX1? The Sub will be doing the leg work with low frequencies anyway. I use BR1 as rear, they work well and take up significantly less space than BR2. I would use the FX if I could, but the left wall is a window and the right wall is 4m away so not practical. The BR1 are on Nexus 10 stands.

 

[Sean Mc]

Thanks Paul. BX1? I have that advertiser's-dream personality, in which I think BX2 must be better than BX1 - surely it's 1 better (I would have bougth a Marshall amp that goes to 11 if I could).

But yes, I take your point. Perhaps BX1 would be an even wiser choice. Hmmm?

 

[jonathanRD]

In terms of placement - (talking speakers to the side of you) I would prefer the surround speakers (if you are only going to have one pair) - to be slightly behind my head rather than slightly infront.

I have the BXFX's mounted on the wall in a 5m x 4m room - but because of a door - they cannot be positioned directly to my side or just behind. They are just in front of me - they still work fine - but I would rather them just behind me.

The front three speakers and sub do most of the work, so the BX1's should be fine as surrounds. The BX2's might be overkill, unless you can get them for a similar price to the BX1's and you have the space to mount them.

 

[mr malarky]

The BXFX's will give a bit more flexibility around positioning, since they can be set to either di-pole or bi-pole mode. May not be a concern straight away if you know where they're going to be placed but handy if you ever move in future.

 

[Paul.]

Thanks Paul. BX1? I have that advertiser's-dream personality, in which I think BX2 must be better than BX1 - surely it's 1 better (I would have bougth a Marshall amp that goes to 11 if I could).

But yes, I take your point. Perhaps BX1 would be an even wiser choice. Hmmm?

If you can fit an FX I would go fo that, but the BX2 will just go lower than the BX1. They all have the same tweeters and the cones are made of the same stuff. The BX2 is front ported wheras the BX1 is rear ported so this may bare some consideration.

 

[Sean Mc]

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful.

Paul, the porting may be the thing that swings it for me. One speaker will be backing onto a funny little enclosed wall space, the other a little less so. So I reckon having front ports may make things a little easier to control.

Thans again guys.

:beer: