How important is the center channel

[Jwheel]

I know that the center channel is the speaker that pretty much all of the dialogue get sent to but I've heard that roughly 50% of all the sound goes to the center channel. If this is true? Wouldn't the center channel essentially be THE MOST IMPORTANT speaker in any setup? Is is true that 50% of all audio is fed through the center?

 

[Die Hard Yammy]

Actually it's more like 75% of what you hear comes from the centre!

 

[Jwheel]

Wow, that's more important than I thought. I guess that isn't a speaker to skimp on then. That amazes me that 75% of all audio is sent to the one speaker.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Unless, of course, you are listening to stereo music - Then nothing is sent to the center channel and it all goes either left or right.

None of the front speakers should be skimped on and it actually is possible not to use a center channel at all - in that case the center channel audio is sent evenly to the left and the right speakers in your room.

 

[Jwheel]

How would one send the center channel info to the left and right front speakers? Haven't heard of that... Kind of cool acutally.

 

[BMXTRIX]

When using a surround receiver, in the setup menus you tell it that there is 'no' center channel speaker. The receiver then takes the center channel audio and sends it evenly to the left and right speakers. You create a phantom center speaker as the audio should appear to come from the center in this configuration.

Most often used when you have a plasma over the fireplace and no real room or access to wire in a center channel properly. You can put the center channel over the fireplace, but that may not be feasible.

I would definitely TRY to get a center channel in before opting for a phatom center first though.

 

[Jwheel]

I did buy a center channel this last weekend. I don't have it yet because my electronic store had to ship it from their warehouse. It is the Def Tech. CLR 3000. I hope it is as good as reviews claim it is. I'm just wondering what kind of improvement I can expect.

 

[sjdgpt]

A good center channel, one that matches the L&R speakers in design and timbre, may be the best single addition to your system that you can add. I would rate the center channel as being more important than the subwoofer, and maybe even the receiver as well.

 

[Jwheel]

Thanks for all the good information. I hope to have the center channel tomorrow or Wednesday. I hope it sounds great.