MAXIMIZING THE USEFULNESS OF A HOME THEATER WITH 2 CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKERS

[William Lemmerhirt]

All this needs is some Super tweeters for sssssweet highs. Highs like SSSSSSSSSS!

 

[DCS0760]

Get past the boiler plate / template argument of lobing. It doesn't hold much water with how most people use there home theater/audio system on a daily basis. You can also compensate by having some distance between the two center channel speakers. If lobing is the only argument against, then how does lobing affect the left right in a conventional set up?, and at what distance apart does the left right have to be to eliminate lobing. Again, the lobing argument is a stick you in the mud/spin your wheels attack against my setup; holds no water for an every day user.

You also get the benefit of enjoying all your speakers in a different way.

There are a billion different sound fields loaded into an av receiver, You now have a different usefull alternative speaker setup.

 

[Pogre]

How is it useful?

 

[rojo]

Get past the boiler plate / template argument of lobing. It doesn't hold much water with how most people use there home theater/audio system on a daily basis. You can also compensate by having some distance between the two center channel speakers. If lobing is the only argument against, then how does lobing affect the left right in a conventional set up?, and at what distance apart does the left right have to be to eliminate lobing. Again, the lobing argument is a stick you in the mud/spin your wheels attack against my setup; holds no water for an every day user.

You also get the benefit of enjoying all your speakers in a different way.

There are a billion different sound fields loaded into an av receiver, You now have a different usefull alternative speaker setup.

So you propose to separate two center channel speakers and what, create a phantom center out of their mono signal? What's the advantage over not having a center channel at all and allowing the mains to create the phantom center? shadyJ's argument should not be dismissed as "boiler plate". Having a single center channel speaker with a more consistent off-axis response is a far better solution. With two centers separated by enough distance to avoid the lobing issue, you've still got two point sources for dialog unless you happen to be sitting in a very narrow sweet spot. Dialog will no longer be anchored to the display, but will sound more like a car stereo because of the different arrival times and acoustic characteristics of the divergent sources. You'll lose a significant amount of plausibility in the reproduction unless the characters on screen happen to be talking in a bathroom.

This thread simply describes an epic kludge worthy of inclusion on thereifixedit.com.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Again, the lobing argument is a stick you in the mud/spin your wheels attack against my setup; holds no water for an every day user.

You also get the benefit of enjoying all your speakers in a different way.

There are a billion different sound fields loaded into an av receiver, You now have a different usefull alternative speaker setup.

And you still haven't explained the "benefits for an every day user"

Why do I need a new beneficial way to use my speakers? Pretty sure the implementations are mature by now.

A billion different sound modes? Yep. Every one of them useless. Just like 2 center channel speakers.

So scientifically speaking, what are these magical new benefits?

 

[Klipschhead302]

As I'm reading this conventional multi-channel norms would work fine. All the OP has to do is not install a center and run phantom with the mains and then he can do all he wishes simply by choosing stereo etc from the menu. In fact if there are only 2 listening positions in the back then phantom would work fine.

This is a solution looking for a problem.

 

[DCS0760]

the centers (2 speakers) can be used as a "center channel" in a 3.0 or higher speaker configuration

OR

as "independent front left and front right" for a 2.0 or 2.1 speaker configuration.

Please reread the OP and setup instructions.

 

[lovinthehd]

Still curious as to your particular setup to perhaps help explain why this is of value to you.

 

[TLS Guy]

the centers (2 speakers) can be used as a "center channel" in a 3.0 or higher speaker configuration

OR

as "independent front left and front right" for a 2.0 or 2.1 speaker configuration.

Please reread the OP and setup instructions.

So far you have not made the case that this anything but a complicated downgrade.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

the centers (2 speakers) can be used as a "center channel" in a 3.0 or higher speaker configuration

OR

as "independent front left and front right" for a 2.0 or 2.1 speaker configuration.

Please reread the OP and setup instructions.

Why on earth would I want my L/R to be that close together?

 

[shadyJ]

Its nice that you are taking an interest in improving center speaker sound, but you are ignoring a huge body of acoustic science which undermines your idea. Believe it or not, highly-qualified people actually study these things. You are not breaking new ground here, and it is hilariously arrogant of you to dismiss over a century of acoustic science in support of your pet theory.

 

[Pogre]

Get past the boiler plate / template argument of lobing. It doesn't hold much water with how most people use there home theater/audio system on a daily basis. You can also compensate by having some distance between the two center channel speakers. If lobing is the only argument against, then how does lobing affect the left right in a conventional set up?, and at what distance apart does the left right have to be to eliminate lobing. Again, the lobing argument is a stick you in the mud/spin your wheels attack against my setup; holds no water for an every day user.

You also get the benefit of enjoying all your speakers in a different way.

There are a billion different sound fields loaded into an av receiver, You now have a different usefull alternative speaker setup.

Here's the thing, when folks come here for help we try to give advice that improves, is cost effective and help the op squeeze the best possible, high fidelity sound their system can muster. What you're proposing is not the best possible sound that can be obtained from a system nor is it cost effective.

It also adds more complexity to the system and most "average users" won't even understand what's happening when they fool with adding an additional center channel (many of which aren't cheap) and splitting the signal like that. It's bad advice, especially is someone is new to hifi audio.

 

[DCS0760]

Pogre,

you can use bookshelf speakers, you don't have to use two center speakers.

I recognize that the means/setup I posted in the OP is complex, (this is why I mentioned the av receiver with two center channel connections to make it more user friendly) but so was the computer, calculator, etc .

the setup I described in my op allows you to "squeeze" the most out of your system "utility" and "enjoyment wise".

I addressed the "sound" dilemma argument in previous posts. (soundbar, lobing, etc.)

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Pogre,

you can use bookshelf speakers, you don't have to use two center speakers.

I recognize that the means/setup I posted in the OP is complex, (this is why I mentioned the av receiver with two center channel connections to make it more user friendly) but so was the computer, calculator, etc .

the setup I described in my op allows you to "squeeze" the most out of your system "utility" and "enjoyment wise".

I addressed the "sound" dilemma argument in previous posts. (soundbar, lobing, etc.)

But why do I want my LR that close together? Zero sound stage and imaging. You didn't answer that.

 

[Pogre]

But why do I want my LR that close together? Zero sound stage and imaging. You didn't answer that.

He also didn't state the value in it. I asked him that twice. I'd either have to buy another center channel or another set of bookshelf speakers to degrade my sq. Doesn't make sense.

OP, did you look up or research anything that was suggested to you? I think you might be surprised at what you might learn.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

He also didn't state the value in it. I asked him that twice. I'd either have to buy another center channel or another set of bookshelf speakers to degrade my sq. Doesn't make sense.

OP, did you look up or research anything that was suggested to you? I think you might be surprised at what you might learn.

Exactly. He referred to the original post which does not clearly state the added benefit other than people off to the sides having a good experience, and being able to use the dual centers as LR stereo speakers. Neither thing would be addressed properly by this setup. Great, he outsmarted a speaker selector switch.

Oh. And "squeeze" the most "utility and enjoyment". Huh, pretty sure any of the avr, or speaker manufacturers and any of the eggheads who've studied these things for the last 100years would have come up with this idea, instead of the crummy "conventional" setup most of us use. Also pretty sure my high level of enjoyment comes from setting up my speakers and electronics in the way they were designed. I'm all for bucking convention but geez...

 

[-Jim-]

The best use I found for a second center channel speaker was to use it as a center back channel in a 6.1 setup.

 

[speakerman39]

the centers (2 speakers) can be used as a "center channel" in a 3.0 or higher speaker configuration

OR

as "independent front left and front right" for a 2.0 or 2.1 speaker configuration.

Please reread the OP and setup instructions.

This sounds very similar to what we used to do to Fosgate 2-Channel amps known as mixed-mono wiring. But, the mono was used with a sub NOT a center. Trying to make some sense of what the OP is trying to say. Sure do remember my car audio days.......ohhh those were the times!


Phil

 

[rojo]

Pogre,

you can use bookshelf speakers, you don't have to use two center speakers.

I recognize that the means/setup I posted in the OP is complex, (this is why I mentioned the av receiver with two center channel connections to make it more user friendly) but so was the computer, calculator, etc .

the setup I described in my op allows you to "squeeze" the most out of your system "utility" and "enjoyment wise".

I addressed the "sound" dilemma argument in previous posts. (soundbar, lobing, etc.)

I like how you peppered this nonsense with "suspicious quotes". Saves the rest of us a lot of "trouble".

 

[KenM10759]

I need to see photos of this setup! My imagination is having trouble connecting to the whole concept.