fronts or center?

[slipchuck]

Hi everyone

I have an inexpensive home theatre system with 5 RCA speakers and just purchased a Sony 8" sub with built-in amp. I had an RCA reciever but it went on the blink and I bought a Yamaha RX-V363 reciever.
I would like to replace the RCA speakers one at a time as I can't afford the whole deal at once.
which would you replace first with a better speaker..... the center or the two fronts?
I am likely going to go with Energy as there are a lot of dealers in my area and they sound sweet (besides they are canadian

thanks for your help

slip

 

[GlocksRock]

Hello, and welcome to the forum

I would probably go with the left and right fronts first, and if you don't like the way they sound with the rca center, then just use the front speakers until you can afford a matching center.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum, slip!

I personally would replace the fronts first. You would get an improvement in stereo music, as well as in movie soundtracks.

 

[Midcow2]

I second Glock's and adam's recs

Replace the fronts first. Then when you replace the center make sure it matches the fronts to maintain timbre ( seamless front sound).

 

[no. 5]

I'm going to be different...

If this is mostly a movie system, replace the center first. The reason being, near as makes no difference, all the dialog will be coming out of the center, so what's more important, hearing the ambient sounds better or hearing the plot?

On the other hand, if it's a mostly music system, or if music is more important to you, replace the front left and right channels first.

 

[Missionman]

fronts mate. defo

 

[john72953]

I'm going to be different...

If this is mostly a movie system, replace the center first. The reason being, near as makes no difference, all the dialog will be coming out of the center, so what's more important, hearing the ambient sounds better or hearing the plot?

On the other hand, if it's a mostly music system, or if music is more important to you, replace the front left and right channels first.

Looks like you have been outvoted No.5. However, I think you made some excellent points in your post.

 

[jazzisnumberone]

Definitely front left and right.

 

[no. 5]

Looks like you have been outvoted No.5. However, I think you made some excellent points in your post.

Oh well, I tried... not everyone listens to reason I guess...

Thanks for the support though.

 

[Pyrrho]

I'm going to be different...

If this is mostly a movie system, replace the center first. The reason being, near as makes no difference, all the dialog will be coming out of the center, so what's more important, hearing the ambient sounds better or hearing the plot?

On the other hand, if it's a mostly music system, or if music is more important to you, replace the front left and right channels first.

This might be the best advice, but only if the current speakers are not good with dialog. Being good with dialog does not require frequency extremes, so it is possible that a cheap speaker might be okay with that. On the other hand, the music of the film will require both bass and treble, so front right and left speakers that are good would definitely be an improvement.

As for the suggestion that you have been "outvoted", that is no way to find the truth about anything in the world. It only gives you the majority's opinion, and the majority can easily be wrong. To find out the size of the earth, for example, taking a vote would be just about the stupidest method possible.

 

[murl]

Front L/R and use it as a phantom center

 

[Pyrrho]

Front L/R and use it as a phantom center

The problem with that approach is that it will only work well for a person sitting in the right location. If slipchuck watches movies with other people, some of them will probably be sitting off to the side, and for them, the dialog will not be "anchored" to the screen without a center channel speaker.