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RE: What if you omit the center channel?

74.192.117.101

In Reply to: RE: What if you omit the center channel? posted by tgttgt on February 09, 2009 at 14:10:02

I agree with grant about the need for a really good center speaker in order to get the kind of sound you might really like. The problem is that with a small or even mid sized center speaker, you just lose most of the lower mid and bass content. When I switch my receiver between setting for a center speaker or no center speaker, this is easily observed. You would think that the sub would pick up the content that the center speaker cannot reproduce, but I have not found that to be the case, no matter what crossover frequency I select.

I am currently using a center speaker, but mainly because we have a lot of people in the room and thus must sit off-center in the room when watching movies. I am currently saving up for a really big and quality center speaker some day.

If your front L/R speakers are true full range speakers, you might also find you prefer the sound of dialog, especially male voices, by setting the receiver/processor for no center speaker.

Follow Ups:

Agree with the others who say... - cfraser 20:48:09 02/12/09 (3)
go big for the center, or skip it. A half-assed center, like I had for years, was more annoying than helpful. Several years ago the theory was you only needed "dialogue" drivers for the center, and they were often chintzy (but not necessarily unpricey!) 2-way designs that kinda missed all the vocal mids. Very unsatisfying...live and learn. They do NOT have to reproduce music well, that is not their point, but it sure doesn't hurt.

There is also the thing if you watch movies say ~10+ years old. Typically they have newer 5.1 soundtracks which I'd say about 95% of the sound, except music, comes from the center. So make it a good one if you like "classic" movies especially...they do not always include an "original" (stereo/mono) soundtrack.
- Mebbe............. - Kal Rubinson 07:16:16 02/14/09 (2)
  .........but I think you are generalizing a bit too much. OTOH, if you are mostly concerned about movies, I see the validity of your point. However, my concern is mostly for multichannel music and there I stand by the importance of having identical speakers across the front and, of course, they should be as big as necessary.
  
  Kal
  - RE: Mebbe............. - cfraser 07:50:18 02/14/09 (1)
    LOL, yes, I noticed you thought that way from another thread elsewhere we're both participating in. I was strictly talking movies there. I do not have any proper 3-channel "stereo" recordings. And so far haven't got any multi-channel music-only recordings I particularly like...I almost always use stereo for music. Except for music DVD/BD.
    
    So I suppose you're going to tell me to stand my CC-690v5 on its end now... :) I can't because my 151 is mounted at *exactly* the correct height, and thus I have to suffer with a horizontal center speaker. But this one "puts out", I can live with it.
    - Nah. - Kal Rubinson 08:39:49 02/15/09 (0)
      The CC-690v5 is one of the few centers in which the physics is properly dealt with. Putting it on end would reduce its performance. Tools for the task.
      
      Kal

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