Dual Center Speakers

[AcuDefTechGuy]

As such adding a second center channel might not be so bad. As far as the gains? It would allow for a maximum of about 6dB more dynamics, but most likely 3 due to placement.

But wouldn't increasing the volume level do the same thing? For example, setting the Center Channel to +6dB and the rest of the speakers to +0dB?

 

[avaserfi]

But wouldn't increasing the volume level do the same thing? For example, setting the Center Channel to +6dB and the rest of the speakers to +0dB?

Well, not entirely. Simplified example there are other factors at play but this presumes all other things equal:

Say you have a center channel that distorts audibly at 105dB. If you have all your speakers set to 80dB and the center set to 86dB it will still distort at 105. Now if you add another center channel collocated (if the units are not collocated the gain will be about 3dB rather than 6dB) with the first the two combined will play at about 86dB when each alone is calibrated to 80dB. This means you would be able to play up to about 111dB before audible distortion sets in. So you can see the addition of a second speaker adds more dynamic capabilities. This is the same reason multiple subs are helpful in large rooms.

 

[Bugbitten]

For me, centers above and below the screen are simply a way to tie dialog to center screen.

It drives me crazy to be able to localize speach to the speaker instead of the screen. I have tried centers above and below the screen, right at the edge of the screen. I have tried different speaker brands, and center vs. bookshelves. I have raised and lowered the centers to match ear level.

Centers run in parallel above and below the screen does the job.

 

[fredk]

I agree with youy bugbitten. I had my centers (booshelves) stacked one on the other until I could build a shelf for the upper one. At times the dialog was fine, then it would drop below the screen and it just didn't sound right.

Centers above and below certainly anchor the dialog on screen.

I need to fix some of the acoustic issues in my room before I can make any sort of judgement on how the center effects music.

 

[R-Carpenter]

It's also a polar and horizontal dispersion of the loudspeaker that makes a tremendous difference in case of the center channel. Having a pair of vertically positioned 16 ohm (wired in parallel) centers instead of 1 horizontal will improve things quite a bit.

 

[DD66000]

I've read and been part of many discussions on this subject, and thought 2 centers wouldn't be good. The I got thinking about stereo tvs, like my old 31" that had speakers on each side panel, didn't seem to be a problem.

So today I pulled out my old center and placed it on top of my 65", with the new center still below the tv, and tilted back. Both are 3-way 24" tall vertical speakers.

So there are two vertically aligned speakers, one directly above the other. with the upper speaker up-side-down.

The result is that the voices are right at the horizontal center of the screen. I had to lower the center level 3db to compensate for the 2 speakers.

The only time I could detect comb filtering is when I ran pink noise and kneeled down and stood up. There was no comb filtering as I moved left to right and back.

While watching movies, or the hockey game the sound from the center speakers was as it should have been, didn't detect any filtering.

The chances I'll leave the upper center is small, as it just looks completely out of place. And the fact that the speaker below puts the voices almost to the center of the screen.

 

[the grunt]

So there are two vertically aligned speakers, one directly above the other. with the upper speaker up-side-down.

The result is that the voices are right at the horizontal center of the screen. I had to lower the center level 3db to compensate for the 2 speakers.

The only time I could detect comb filtering is when I ran pink noise and kneeled down and stood up. There was no comb filtering as I moved left to right and back.

I also tried this configuration and got the same results.

The chances I'll leave the upper center is small, as it just looks completely out of place. And the fact that the speaker below puts the voices almost to the center of the screen.

If you think that looks out of place you should see the tower speaker I’m running upside down above my TV.