Center needed to match Old Linn fronts

[WMalinak]

Old Linn refers to my (1-owner) pairs of: Sara 9; Kan mk1; Kan II; Kan 4. They're not the oldest in our house, but the oldest in service.

Do you know their texture & timbre?
I am looking for Center suggestions/critiques that narrow the field...just not a good time to hear every candidate locally.

My sys#3: 5.1: Linn Sara (bi-amped); Kan surrounds; SVS PB-2000 Pro; etc.
My sys#4: 5.1: Linn Kan (fronts & surrounds); Monolith 10in THX; etc.
My plan -- buy/test on sys#3. If not good, try with sys#4; If still no joy, return.

Budget for Center is ~$400 (I know...that trick never works).
Needs to work in stand below TV (in 8 inch high, open back shelf).

Current candidates include:

1. Polk CSi A6 -- not really serious, but 50% of budget (sys#5 is 5.1, all Polk for kids' Xbox...Monitor 70, 40s, two PSW505, CS2, etc.)
2. Wharfedale Diamond 12.C -- new bits, unheard, though I really like some Wharfedale kit.
3. SVS Prime Center -- like the company, but leery of component match.
4. Monoprice Monolithic THX-365C -- issue with dimension for "shelf placement"; no clue on sound match.
5. Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 -- love their stuff; 2x budget; if Sara pair retires, B&W 606 is current front runner!

I skipped plenty of models from Jamo, Elac, Monitor Audio, Klipsch (nope), KEF (maybe later, if my LS50's move from stereo/vinyl duty).

Will you help by dicing up my list to get to Best Match?

 

[carlthess40]

I’m not a big believer of timber matching speakers, well to a point that is, for the center speaker, it does most of the work in HT setups, I look for a speaker that works for my room, not the other speakers. I room with a lot of hard surfaces will work will wire silk tweeters and sound really bad with horns, but in a heavily treated room, horns will sound great. I have 3 or 4 different center speakers. Each one works differently in my room. I have a small 2 way all the way up to a horn loaded Yamaha speaker that over powers the Cornwall’s that I used to have, and sometimes the smaller speaker does a better job with dialogue then the much larger speaker in a smaller room
Just my 2cents


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kini]

Pick out a few that use similar tweeter designs and try them out. SVS is easy with 45 day trial and shipping included. Crutchfield carries pretty much everything you're looking at and has a 60 day trial period with $10 return shipping.

 

[WMalinak]

I’m not a big believer of timber matching speakers, well to a point that is, for the center speaker, it does most of the work in HT setups, I look for a speaker that works for my room, not the other speakers. I room with a lot of hard surfaces will work will wire silk tweeters and sound really bad with horns, but in a heavily treated room, horns will sound great. I have 3 or 4 different center speakers. Each one works differently in my room. I have a small 2 way all the way up to a horn loaded Yamaha speaker that over powers the Cornwall’s that I used to have, and sometimes the smaller speaker does a better job with dialogue then the much larger speaker in a smaller room
Just my 2cents


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You suggest that my starting premise is wrong (matching timbre). That feels contrary to a lot of advice (others suggesting "same 3" across the front). However, my experience is similar in that "different is fine".
I have tried a 5.1 Kan setup (variant of my "sys#4") and it didn't quite work!
Yet, a Sara/Kan/Sara config was very good (my "sys#3"). I am experimenting with other Centers because the vertical placement is problem for Center=Kan and that I want to keep the Kan pairs intact. For fun, I tried a KEF LS50 as a Center -- non-starter until I really pushed the volume.

 

[WMalinak]

Pick out a few that use similar tweeter designs and try them out. SVS is easy with 45 day trial and shipping included. Crutchfield carries pretty much everything you're looking at and has a 60 day trial period with $10 return shipping.

Thanx...totally agree with trials and the list reflects favored retailers.
Hence my "plan" to fill 2 Center holes somewhat iteratively.
I was just trying to optimize by getting no more than a couple delivered at a time (rather than my list++), thinking I'd know what I want for each system when I hear it.

 

[WMalinak]

A little more help, please.
My list of Center Candidates (for "sys#3" with Linn Sara 9 fronts, etc.) has narrowed.

Should I be trying to match the Linn proprietary (from Hiquphon) tweeters?
Are any of my picks likely to go on sale?

More info...room size 6400 cu ft & open floorplan, often high volume but rarely full reference levels, center to seating is 15ft.

Any experience or deep thoughts on these 2?

1. ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UC52
   • Pluses: on paper feels like sound match, has preferred 3-way, MSRP matches $400 budget, front ports & size allow in-stand positioning, available locally.
   • Never heard these and Elac seems to have a lot of overlapping models.
2. SVS Prime Center
   • Pluses: I have history & respect SVS as company, good reviews, preferred 3-way, under budget (is $350), good warranty & return policy
   • Never heard this line, aluminum tweeter with Sara?

Backups are:

A. Wharfedale Diamond 12.C ($300)​

B. Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 Anniversary Edition ($800)​

C. SVS Ultra Center ($700)​

Thanx, Be Safe All
==>BillM

 

[WMalinak]

Currently demoing, in house

• B&W HTM6 (800)
• Wharfedale EVO4.CS (650)
• ELAC UC52 (400)
• ELAC DC62 (330 MSRP, sale to 220, arrived damaged from BB so less another 10%)

I need 1, but could use 2 (different Linn rooms that need kit).
I'll let you know.

Be Safe (and save your hearing)