Timbre matching front and rear speakers?

[EM3]

Ok I know it is important to timbre match the front three speakers. So that means with my new set up I will have to go with a Klpch RC 10. Not my first choice but other options are out. So I am looking at these rear speakers from Klipsch http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/rs-42.aspx well these are $400 rear speakers and are wide dispersion and that means any concert I listen to or 5.1 music may sound screwed up or not quite as directional. So I was wondering if I found some direct radiating rear speakers that weren't Klipsch how off would they sound? Now I know sound is subjective to the listener. Like these Polks http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Polk-...oductDetail.do

So I want to here from those that have rear speakers that do not match the fronts. Why did you go that route? If I should buy the matching ones let me know why.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by EM3

and are wide dispersion and that means any concert I listen to or 5.1 music may sound screwed up or nt quite as directional.

I'm lost on this 5.1 concert stuff. Mostly because any concert I've been to provided it's sound from the front only. Sorry if this derails, but honestly, having sound (directional or non directional) from the rear to me is completely weird with concert material.

My point is, what concert gives directionality of it's sound from the rear? Is this new? Maybe I'm missing something. I know the few 5.1's I listened to felt completely off to me. For concerts, I can't help but want a front stage ONLY.

[EM3]

Well I have a few dvd's and SACD's that are mixed into 5.1 and sound pretty sweet like Dark Side of the Moon and Queen greatest hits videos but these will not make up my mind.

Some stuff naturally sounds better with a front soundstage only.

[firestorm]

I generally listen to music in 2 channel mode, but even with 2 channel material that is matrix'ed to surround, it hasn't sounded awkward at all. It's been a while, but I recall hearing mostly echoes, the crowd cheering, and misc other things from the rear.

I have Paradigm Monitor 7 floorstanders up front, with a Paradigm CC-270 center (a step down from the Monitors), and Boston Acoustics HD-8 bookshelves in the rear. Both 'Digms and Bostons are fairly neutral sounding and both have metallic tweeters (titanium for the 'digms, and platinum for the HD-8s IIRC), so their sound is not vastly different, but they are different. All are typical directional type. To be honest, I notice a bigger difference between the CC-270 and Monitors 7s than anything with the Bostons. I also don't have a lot of 5.1 music, being limited to 3 or 4 concert DVDs and 5 tracks of 5.1 audio from the Blue Man Group Complex tour concert DVD. The effect from the center could be a result of it being a matrixed center in most cases and I don't recall noticing that difference with the 5.1 material.

With that said, I do have tentative plans to replace the Bostons with some kind of bipolar/omni directional speakers in the future. As it is, they're a little to easy to pinpoint with your ears at times (though not often), even with them behind you. I don't think the surround tracks are meant to be directional in most cases, if at all. But I've also had limited experience with omni directional speakers, so I don't know what changes or effects to expect.

I'm not sure about Klipsch and Polk, but from what little I know, I believe the Polks might be a little more laid back sounding, since the Klispchs have horn tweeters. Mixing brands has worked out great for me, but it just worked out that way, having bought the HD-8s years before (for a bargain I might add).