Sony A95L, K, J: Using Internal Speakers as Passively Driven Center Channel?

[oltos]

Has anyone done this with the A95L, K, J models by using a separate power amp and/or the center channel input on your AVR or multichannel (Okto? Exasound?) DAC?

If yes, how acceptably did the TV's speakers work with your main speakers when playing Dolby Digital or DTS MA center tracks from DVDs and BDs, respectively?


Off topic question: How far away do you sit from your 55" or 65" TV?

 

[Eppie]

Has anyone done this with the A95L, K, J models by using a separate power amp and/or the center channel input on your AVR or multichannel (Okto? Exasound?) DAC?

If yes, how acceptably did the TV's speakers work with your main speakers when playing Dolby Digital or DTS MA center tracks from DVDs and BDs, respectively?

Off topic question: How far away do you sit from your 55" or 65" TV?

I've seen the question here before but have never seen anyone who actually uses the feature. From looking at the on-line manual, there is a Center Speaker In connection for connecting to an AVR center speaker out and you have to change the TV speaker settings to Audio System. The AVR would power the speaker. I don't see a way of using a multichannel DAC as there is no line-level input on the TV to feed the center.

The TV is designed to use Sony's proprietary Acoustic Center Sync when paired with either a Bravia sound bar or one of Sony's AVRs that support the feature. This steers center dialogue to the TV speakers.

Personally, I don't see how a TV screen could match the quality of a good dedicated center speaker. Seems more like a gimmic. There are no frequency response graphs any where that I have seen for the performance of the built in TV speakers, so they likely sound like many other TV speakers. OK for casual use but not as good as a dedicated center.

 

[oltos]

Some said at another forum that the A95L has speaker level inputs, but I don't see it in the specs here.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/5048/a6f9968df0dfc633ebae36a3232e8f36/50488511M.pdf-

To be sure, I'd gladly spend > $2K on a center speaker if it could fit between the floor and below the TV's screen. But I don't have one of those reclining chairs which presumably can set my eyes to fall on the center of the screen, or ideally just below center.

 

[TLS Guy]

Your TV is way too low. The bottom of the TV should be 42" above the floor. TV speakers will be worse than not having a center. Left and right speakers are fine. My family room system does not have a center and it is fine.
One thing I do know, is that no center is way better than a bad center.

 

[Eppie]

Some said at another forum that the A95L has speaker level inputs, but I don't see it in the specs here.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/5048/a6f9968df0dfc633ebae36a3232e8f36/50488511M.pdf-

To be sure, I'd gladly spend > $2K on a center speaker if it could fit between the floor and below the TV's screen. But I don't have one of those reclining chairs which presumably can set my eyes to fall on the center of the screen, or ideally just below center.

I went to Sony's A95L page and clicked on manuals and selected the online user guide (not a pdf file). There is an image showing the centre speaker connection, which looks like it accepts speaker wire.

Speakers should be mounted so that the tweeter is ear level. The center can be a little lower but if more than 10 or 15 degrees it should be angled up at your head position.

TLS Guy is correct. My 65" is 40" from the floor which leaves room for a console and center speaker underneath. For single viewers, a phantom center (no center speaker) is fine. The center speaker is more important for those sitting off of center.