On the myth of "the matching center channel speaker"

[vcautokid]

I agree about the same speaker all around if you can. I run Stealth 6 and the Airmotiv 6s second zone. Makes life very easy. Ideally you should have the same speakers all around but the front stage is most critical. I supported a recording studio that ran 5 B & W 802 speakers plus Subwoofers. It was epic.

[casey01]

Myself, having tried different center channel speakers in various configurations, manufacturers and designs over the years, I would tend to agree that even with all three L/C/R speakers from the same manufacturer, the idea of matching a center channel, particularly one that is smaller with a more limited frequency range AND horizontal is, at best, problematic especially with today's movie soundtracks which demand even more from the center speaker. Smaller center channels are also much more significantly sensitive to placement, especially vertically(under screen/over screen etc.) along with questionable tonal matching with larger L/R floor standing models. From my own experimentation in my environment, unless one can have the ideal set-up of the same vertical configuration across the front(which I can't), if one has to use a horizontal center and space limitation is not a factor, although still not perfect, center channels that are large, full frequency and similar in driver design and cabinet size to the L/R will help minimize the differences. I am assuming here one is using full range L/R speakers in their set-up and the large center channel I am recommending is from the same manufacturer.

[Chuck Elliot]

Technical reasons aside, going to 3 of the same speakers on the front was one of the best changes that I've ever made to my HT.

[novisnick]

OK guys,,,,,,,,lets just come out and say it!!

                                            Size Matters! 


                                                

[stiehl11]

I know people (and read reviews) using PC-1 speakers (and a sub) to run their theater with glowing results. Then again, if you're trying to power a room the size of an IMAX theater then these would NOT be the speakers you would want to use. The only reason to need a "large" center channel is if you don't want your sub doing any of the heavy lifting or you only have a 5.0 system.

[cawgijoe]

If you can go with the same speaker across the front, I think that's the way to go. Most people can't due to cost, size, placement.
The next best is a center channel from the same manufacturer and preferably from the same model line.

[yves]

Jun 8, 2015 9:35:48 GMT -5 melm said:

This is why I don't bother with a center channel. I have Maggie 3.6r's and it's not possible to match them. In my room, I get a beautiful phantom center which is, of course, coherent. Pans across the front speakers work perfectly with no discontinuities. The Maggie's, being front and back radiators, probably help.

Dirac has made the center imaging even better. So no expense and no complaints. It would be utterly impossible to put another flat panel vertically in the room at the center obviously.

Mel

I don't bother with a center channel either. The UMC-200 does an excellent job of routing it to the L + R.

[moovtune]

All of my speakers in my 9 channel setup are all from the same company, except the center channel. The center made to match, didn't match very well for me and what I have now sounds seamless to me for movies and the hundreds of 5.1 music discs I have also. As far as phantom center goes I think it may okay for up to 3 people if your left/right speakers are far enough away from the seating and far enough apart from each other. The closer together everything is, the more likely the dialog will seem to come from the speaker you're closest to and not from the center between them.
I've found the Warner Bros. video logo, which goes from the left speaker across the center to the right speaker as a quick test to see if your center speaker is drastically different than the L/R.

[jlamo]

I almost gave up on using a center channel but when I found a good deal on the seas Pendragons with the center I bought them and I was very suprised how well the center matches the mains. I think because the 3 tweeters in the center and mains are in a vertical pattern. The tweeters seem to play the highest frequency at the top tweeter and play lower frequency as you move down to the lowest tweeter . When I have some time I will try to use rew to see how each tweeter cross over to the next but any way I believe this is why the center matches so well.

[The Mad Norseman]

Interesting discussion!
I switched from my old/small center speaker to one from the same manufacturer (JBL), but from a different line, because I wanted something with 'more capability' and range than the smaller one was able to produce.
It just couldn't produce the desired SPLs I wanted in my large(r) size room.
So I switched from the small ES25C to the LC2 (which also fits perfectly!) and haven't looked back .

On panning voices and sounds I don't notice a timbre or frequency shift so that's good.
But I DO notice an ability take all the watts I can throw at it and still get clean, loud reproduction (when warranted) in my room.

[Deleted]

[Boomzilla]

Now THAT is one AWESOME home theater, @bmoney! Well done.

[Deleted]

Thanks boom

Side walls you see are also now treated. And of course behind the screen. Like a so:

[novisnick]

Looks great! I see I'm not the only person to love the carpet sliders for our subs!!

[Gary Cook]

The problem I found with using a phantom centre is the inability to raise/lower the volume of the centre when required. Which happens quite often in movies.

I have centre speaker specifically engineered by Edward (adelaidespeakers.com.au) to match the FL and FR that he also supplied. I gave him the specifics of the speaker location and the room and, as to be expected, it's a perfect match.

Cheers
Gary

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2015 18:26:25 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Looks great! I see I'm not the only person to love the carpet sliders for our subs!!

Carpet sliders are a godsend

[Chuck Elliot]

Jun 8, 2015 18:52:08 GMT -5 @bmoney said:

Jun 8, 2015 18:26:25 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Looks great! I see I'm not the only person to love the carpet sliders for our subs!!

Carpet sliders are a godsend

You're not the only one. I have casters on the subs in both my systems. IMO decoupling the sub enclosure from the floor is an improvement!

[knucklehead]

I owned ERT 8.3 speakers for 6 years. I tried a few other center speakers with mixed results - including a very good JBL S-Center - great dialog with that speaker. While the timbre was off it wasn't too bad. The best timbre match to the ERTs were a pair of Infinity center speakers - an IL36c and a Beta C360 - each is the same speaker as the other with the Beta being the newer model - both use the same CMMD drivers. The ERM 6.3 works great with the ERTs but isn't as good a match as the two Infinity speakers. I had all three on hand and ran test tones after test tones and both Infinity speakers were almost a dead-on match. The 6.3 is close - but not as close as those two Infinity centers. And if you ever get curious about how well an AV123 'Bigfoot' RSC200 would work with the Emo Reference speakers - forget that! Its not even close.

[Boomzilla]

Apparently I'm not the only one to get a better match from a different manufacturer's center channel... If you've got the time, it pays to experiment. I snag most of my centers from yard sales. I've owned JBL, Klipsch, B&W, Revel, Axiom Audio, Yamaha, and about a half-dozen more that I don't even remember. My two best have been a (small & cheap) JBL and the smallest Axiom. My two worst have been the largest Axiom (top of the line!) and the B&W.

Note that even the two worst were NOT bad center channel speakers - it's just that their sound signature didn't match well with my front main speakers. The sonic match is more important than the brand of center channel speaker.

[Boomzilla]

Jun 8, 2015 18:52:08 GMT -5 @bmoney said:

Carpet sliders are a godsend

I hadn't thought of those, but that would sure make it EASY to waltz my subs around for the best acoustic positioning. Thanks for the idea - Now I can try multiple spots without having to repeatedly lift the monsters!