 Unlike most typical speaker placements, surround speakers are often intended to radiate such that the sound reflects off walls so that the sound arrives at the listening position indirectly as a reflection rather than a direct wave.Often dipole (sometimes even quadrupole) speakers are used to do this, especially in small or home theater applications where an array of surround speakers as in a movie theater is not practical or possible.A common misconception is that surround channels are "rear channels."