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Hi, I'm new to Home Theater and would appreciate advise on how to add a center speaker to my existing audio only setup. I have 2 channel setup using Jeff Rowland Synergy IIi which has bypass option and I'm currently using MBL 121 speakers. I have a spare Jeff Rowland 102 power amplifier which I would like to use if possible.
My current problem when using my DVD player connected to the audio preamp is that whenever there is dialogue's the sound volume needs to be increased and then when we have an action scene then it becomes much too loud to the extent I have reverted to using speakers from the LCD TV. Talking to some friends they tell me that most dialogue come from centre speakers and the surround sounds come from the L/R speakers.
As I understand I'll need to get a AV Processor when introducing a center speaker but based on some searches the majority are rather large and bulky due to the need to have 7.1 or 9.1. I'm looking for something more compact if at all possible. I will also appreciate recommendations for centre speakers. Preference is to have slim speakers which would sit well with my existing 37" LCD panel. I have seen some speakers from Monitor Audio Radius series but do not know if they are suitable.
Follow Ups:
Chris,
It seems that you do not have an AV processor yet. Many processors have pre-amp hookups so you can use it ahead of your stereo setup. You may want to try it first with just the phantom centre setting. It can actually work quite well. I have mine set up that way until I finish building my center speaker. I am not sure I even need it but have all the components to build it anyway. I would just look into a used 5.1 A/V receiver or processor. You can spend a little or a lot depending upon the quality you are looking for. If you are just using a DVD player and it has HDMI output you can get by with a generation older processor that does not have HDMI video switching.
I've been using my processor set to 'phantom centre' for years, but because of an impending upgrade to Blu-ray have decided to get a centre speaker.
When using the phantom centre, the processor has to take information from the centre channel and process it into the main stereo channels, and in my book it's a case of the less processing the better provided the centre speaker is tonally matched.
Best advice I can offer you then is to log into Ebay or Audiogon/videogon and search for an MBL centre speaker - doesn't necessarily have to be the same model as your existing MBLs as manufacturers tend to have a house sound which allows different models to be used together.
Best Regards,
Chris redmond.
If you're going to be happy with a centre speaker it has to match tonally with your L and R front speakers. You will find that voices will wander "on and off stage", from the L or R speaker to the centre or from the centre to the L or R speaker at times as the character moves on and off screen and if the speakers don't tonally match you will find your attention being drawn to that fact every time this happens. If you've got MBLs for your L and R speakers, I'd start by looking for something from MBL.
If you want a quick proof of my claim, hook your TV's speakers up to the centre channel output of your receiver/AV processor and try running with them acting as a centre channel for some time and see what you think. You'll need to match levels, of course, but I can assure you that it doesn't work well. That's why many people prefer the "phantom centre", ie no centre speaker.
Get a centre speaker that tonally matches your mains and you may very well feel quite positive about centre speakers. The matches first I tried, including using my TV's speakers, did not work well. When I eventually upgraded my main speakers in my HT system, I made a point of choosing speakers from a line with a tonally matching centre speaker and eventually added the centre. I tried several options before then and was unhappy with all of them because of the tonal change in voices moving into and out of the centre channel.
So, before you even start considering receivers or AV processors, think long and hard about just what speaker you can use for a centre and how well it matches your mains.
David Aiken
hes right about the center.if I was looking for a small home theather I always go to ebay to look for ideas.if you dont like ebay,at least you would know what you want.
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