This was my response to another thread where someone asked why I always say don't waste your money on rear speakers and instead use it on better front speakers(and an amp)
I'm pasting it here, because I know someone's gonna ask why I don't like to use rear speakers, and now, I can just link them to this thread
Alot of people don't understand at first.
I will say that rear speakers are definitely a good thing when setting up a DVD video system and they have some sort of 5.1 or 4.1 surround sound processor.
But for everyone else that is setting up their system for music. Rear speakers actually do more bad then they do good if they have already setup the front speaker system properly.
Music is recorded in left to right Stereo with emphasis on frontal staging and imaging. Sometimes, very rarely, music is recorded in 5.1 surround for DVD Audio. Most of us don't have DVD Audio capabilities in our car(and if you do, you SHOULD have rear speakers)
So for this stereo recorded music you should have a stereo speaker system.
The goal in a well designed system for best sound quality is to have the proper Imaging and good stage depth.
Imaging- Imaging has to do with left to right and center sound. The "Image" of where the music is coming from can vary depending on where the artist wants. One really good song for an example of left to right imaging is Pink Floyd's "Money" Where you can clearly hear the "chaching" and the cash register's sound move from left to right. Then you also have a center image. Most vocals are supposed to be centered coming from right in the middle of the dash, under the rear view mirror.
If you've ever listened to Nora Jones, the recording has a very prominant center image.
Rear speakers can throw off this imaging BIG TIME,
Do this. Fade your speakers all the way to the rear and have the left to right balance at 0.
You will notice that you can clearly hear the left rear speaker more than the right rear speaker. Well when you have your front speakers faded in, that left rear speaker is pulling your imaging to the left. Not good.
This brings me to staging and stage depth.
When you go to a concert or even your home stereo and you have your music playing. Where is the sound coming from?
The front.
We want to reproduce this effect in our car. By having rear speaker's it make's it sound like it's coming from the center of the car, or in your head. This is where most people can't grasp the concept that this is NOT what you want.
What you want is it to sound like the band is playing on your hood(or at least your dash). The hood being the "Stage"
So ditch the rear speakers and you've now just fixed your problem of your left rear speaker pulling your image to the left, and you've fixed the problem of your rear speakers pulling your stage back into the middle of the car.
BTW, this might not apply to someone using coaxials and deck power. In that case, it is probably better to use rear speakers because that will help with loudness because a set of front coaxials being powered off a deck might not be loud enough for most. And chances are they are not too concerned about Imaging and Stage Depth.
If you are going to attempt to have a good system using amps and component speakers(instead of coaxials) then the above post applies.
Make sure to amp thos front components, deaden the front doors at the least(I rec.
www.raamaudio.com ) and use MDF wood baffles to mount your speakers to the doors.
thats why im gonna go active myself. (still trying to find a good setup)
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