Center Channel Speakers as Atmos

[GatorPigDog]

Theoretically, if you could... would there be any benefit using a center channel speaker (like a infinity rc263) as an atmos height speaker? asking for a friend, assuming said friend already bought a bunch of r263 speakers for the bed layer. Single row of seating in said friend's set up. Said friend appreciates any feedback.

 

[TLS Guy]

Theoretically, if you could... would there be any benefit using a center channel speaker (like a infinity rc263) as an atmos height speaker? asking for a friend, assuming said friend already bought a bunch of r263 speakers for the bed layer. Single row of seating in said friend's set up. Said friend appreciates any feedback.

Totally unsuitable.

 

[GatorPigDog]

why

 

[GatorPigDog]

Totally unsuitable.

not trying to be adversarial. just trying to educate myself. what's the harm?

 

[ryanosaur]

Couple points quickly...
These cannot be used in an upright orientation without deleterious effect due to the innate horizontal design of the speaker.
Because of the W-TM-W configuration, you(r friend) will still get some lobing using them as intended in the horizontal orientation, only more pronounced spreading them around the whole room.

You(r friend) would be better served buying good quality Stand Mount speakers for Mains and Surrounds, as well as possibly the Center. Those, plus good Subs would be much more preferable to a room full of Centers.

 

[GatorPigDog]

Ok. I don't have any friends. I have 8 Infinity R263 towers, 1 RC263 Center, and 3 Monolith subs. I'm asking if there's a benefit between mounting 4 center channel speakers with similar response on-ceiling vs 4 in-ceiling speakers.

 

[GatorPigDog]

Couple points quickly...
These cannot be used in an upright orientation without deleterious effect due to the innate horizontal design of the speaker.
Because of the W-TM-W configuration, you(r friend) will still get some lobing using them as intended in the horizontal orientation, only more pronounced spreading them around the whole room.

You(r friend) would be better served buying good quality Stand Mount speakers for Mains and Surrounds, as well as possibly the Center. Those, plus good Subs would be much more preferable to a room full of Centers.

again, just asking...

 

[Danzilla31]

again, just asking...

Center channel speakers were already a compromise speaker companies were forced to make due to space constraints with most people's living rooms.
They are already unless very well designed bound to have some issues with sound reproduction
The ideal setup is 3 identical towers or bookshelves across the front or 2 towers and the matching bookshelf in the line up
Now imagine a speaker with these compromises placed on a ceiling where speakers need to have great wide polar dispersion and off axis response something a lot of center channels already aren't know for
You'd be better off setting up bookshelves off the tower speakers lineup on your ceiling but really I'd prefer to go with a very wide dispersion speaker such as the JBL coaxial 8 inch version can't remember the name right now or JTR Noesis 110HT SL's I hope I got that name right Lol

 

[GatorPigDog]

Center channel speakers were already a compromise speaker companies were forced to make due to space constraints with most people's living rooms.
They are already unless very well designed bound to have some issues with sound reproduction
The ideal setup is 3 identical towers or bookshelves across the front or 2 towers and the matching bookshelf in the line up
Now imagine a speaker with these compromises placed on a ceiling where speakers need to have great wide polar dispersion and off axis response something a lot of center channels already aren't know for
You'd be better off setting up bookshelves off the tower speakers lineup on your ceiling but really I'd prefer to go with a very wide dispersion speaker such as the JBL coaxial 8 inch version can't remember the name right now or JTR Noesis 110HT SL's I hope I got that name right Lol

so would a 3-way center channel with good off-axis horizontal response be better if oriented to the MLP be better than an IC speaker?

 

[GatorPigDog]

 

[Danzilla31]

View attachment 37708

Nice setup you got there

You should so do a projector and put another tower in the center channel spot you won't regret it

So am I assuming by the way you have setup those center channels on the ceiling your ceilings are slanted making in ceilings not a viable option?

 

[GatorPigDog]

Nice setup you got there

You should so do a projector and put another tower in the center channel spot you won't regret it

So am I assuming by the way you have setup those center channels on the ceiling your ceilings are slanted making in ceilings not a viable option?

I haven't purchased the ceiling speakers yet. This would be the temporary set up while I build out an adjacent room as a true, dedicated HT room with projection. Then I'd probably drop the wides in a 7.1.4 system with a tower as the center. Seems like most of the information out here would suggest that a center channel speaker without ports would perform better than IC if given the ability to use it (which I could in either room). I've read a lot of your and TLS Guy's posts in recent weeks, and I respect your feedback.

 

[ryanosaur]

again, just asking...

And I was just answering.

Even as a temporary fix... I wouldn't do it. You can get better speakers for ceiling mounting and using for Atmos. The lobing/dispersion pattern is a real problem, which according to your plan is the thing you would have to deal with (rather than turning them upright).
For Atmos, you want more direct sound coming at your LP.
Standmount Speakers (bookshelves) would be better used. These do not need to be large or otherwise flashy. A majority of Atmos content is not the star of the show: it is supporting sound.
Likewise, though nice to have matching speakers, you do not really benefit from it in this situation. Surrounds, Rears, Atmos... these do not need to Timber/Voice match your Front 3.
Your aspiration is fine. Your choice to solve it by using Center speakers is far less than adequate.

 

[GatorPigDog]

The towers for surrounds weren't part of the original plan. They were just so inexpensive, I figured I might as well use them across the bed layer. I'll look to bookshelf speakers for on-ceiling.

I'm coming off listening to TV audio for the last 30 years. I have no frame of reference for what good home audio sounds like. I am the isolated tribesman in South America yelling at planes passing overhead. Thank you for the info.

 

[Danzilla31]

The towers for surrounds weren't part of the original plan. They were just so inexpensive, I figured I might as well use them across the bed layer. I'll look to bookshelf speakers for on-ceiling.

I'm coming off listening to TV audio for the last 30 years. I have no frame of reference for what good home audio sounds like. I am the isolated tribesman in South America yelling at planes passing overhead. Thank you for the info.

Hey we were all there at one point just like Ryan said I'd avoid the center channels go with the bookshelves which can be aimed at the listener position

When you build your own theater room are you going to bring these speakers in there? If not don't buy expensive bookshelves if you plan on upgrading your speakers for the new room

Save you some coin

 

[GatorPigDog]

Hey we were all there at one point just like Ryan said I'd avoid the center channels go with the bookshelves which can be aimed at the listener position

When you build your own theater room are you going to bring these speakers in there? If not don't buy expensive bookshelves if you plan on upgrading your speakers for the new room

Save you some coin

I'm not planning on using them in the new room. The Infinity R162 bookshelf looks like winner for temporary use. It's pretty cheap when Harman does their sales, and I could more easily redeploy those elsewhere in the house after my Frankensteining.