Phantom vs center in bedroom?

[j_garcia]

No center in bedroom here as well.

 

[fmw]

Wow that’s the sized tv I’m trying to move to my main room but my tv stand had no room for a center, so I need another.
I’m between using a tv stand in bedroom or a dresser for more storage space. If I use plasma I gotra clean it, back full of dust and I can’t stack a center channel underneath it.

Then don't bother with the center. What really matters is the content of the TV show you are watching. Having a center channel at the foot of your bed is fairly trivial.

 

[Kingnoob]

Then don't bother with the center. What really matters is the content of the TV show you are watching. Having a center channel at the foot of your bed is fairly trivial.

Yeah It’s going to be fun to clean out a dirty tv have you ever done this to any electronics? I’d post in the tv section but it seems mostly unused .
Center may not be necessary although it will go to waste if I don’t use it . It might raise the tv too high , also . Phantom may be better choice !? I’m not missing much just a sony center ..

Sony SS-CN550H

Center channel speaker

www.crutchfield.com

 

[Kingnoob]

My living room doesn't lend itself to a surround system, so I run it in stereo. There's no center channel and the sounds from the speakers allows seamless transition across the front. If you can't find a center channel speaker that satisfies you, try phantom- it's not the end of the world if you don't use a center channel and using phantom is far better than using a bad center channel speaker. Hearing people speaking without sounding realistic is terrible. I have heard radio interviews with people who I know and when my attention wasn't on the interview, I have been startled by the sound of their voices, on occasion- it sounded as if they were in the room. That tells me my speakers do a great job with vocals.

Yeah I’m considering running my main room phantom also until I can find a cheap used tv stand . Tired of the 40” tv I keep falling asleep watching it.

 

[Kingnoob]

Depends also on how far apart the L+R speakers are. If the speakers are right next to the TV, then a centre channel really isn't needed and just run L+R for a phantom centre. If the speakers are well off to the sides, then it could be worth raising the TV up to use a centre speaker.

I ended up going phantom in my main set up first before the bedroom one any tips ?

@Kingnoob Here is some reading info to get better acquainted:
Best Home Theater Systems of 2023 (cnet.com)
How to Set Up a Home Theater System (lifewire.com)
home theatre set up - Search (bing.com)
Home Theater Setup and Calibration | Audioholics

any tips for running phantom?

 

[Eppie]

I ended up going phantom in my main set up first before the bedroom one any tips ?

any tips for running phantom?

Not really. The same tips apply to any setup for L+R. Experiment with the distance from the back wall and the amount of toe-on. Some speakers work well when pointed straight ahead (so that the center listening position is a little off axes from the tweeters). Others work well with the tweeters aimed at the main listening position. Some people use extreme toe-in where the cross-over point is in front of the listener. Use whatever suits your taste. Try and use some music that you are very familiar with to avoid any personal bias.

 

[Kingnoob]

Not really. The same tips apply to any setup for L+R. Experiment with the distance from the back wall and the amount of toe-on. Some speakers work well when pointed straight ahead (so that the center listening position is a little off axes from the tweeters). Others work well with the tweeters aimed at the main listening position. Some people use extreme toe-in where the cross-over point is in front of the listener. Use whatever suits your taste. Try and use some music that you are very familiar with to avoid any personal bias.

Thanks so far aiming the horn torward the mlp seems to have a center sound image 3D enough I can’t even tell there is no center . I have to raise it a few volume clicks to get it equal to a center .
Now I’m trying to decide which hz to x over my fronts 60-80 or 40/full range . My sub is mediocre .. my source is 2.0 so stereo .
Letting sub handle more bass should make it more localized but clearer mids from towers ?
I can’t hear a difference regardless what I set my fronts too.

 

[Eppie]

Thanks so far aiming the horn torward the mlp seems to have a center sound image 3D enough I can’t even tell there is no center . I have to raise it a few volume clicks to get it equal to a center .
Now I’m trying to decide which hz to x over my fronts 60-80 or 40/full range . My sub is mediocre .. my source is 2.0 so stereo .
Letting sub handle more bass should make it more localized but clearer mids from towers ?
I can’t hear a difference regardless what I set my fronts too.

You won't get the sub crossed high enough to effect the mids from the towers. Maybe the mid-bass a little. You don't usually get localization at 80Hz and below. If the you think the sub is mediocre then cross it low if you feel the towers are more capable. Otherwise 80Hz is most common. Whatever the towers are rated at by the manufacturer, cross the sub above that. If the tower is rated down to 40Hz you don't want it set to 40 or 50Hz because the bass is not usually flat to that rating. It rolls off towards the bottom so you want the sub to take over before the bass rolls off from the tower.

 

[Kingnoob]

You won't get the sub crossed high enough to effect the mids from the towers. Maybe the mid-bass a little. You don't usually get localization at 80Hz and below. If the you think the sub is mediocre then cross it low if you feel the towers are more capable. Otherwise 80Hz is most common. Whatever the towers are rated at by the manufacturer, cross the sub above that. If the tower is rated down to 40Hz you don't want it set to 40 or 50Hz because the bass is not usually flat to that rating. It rolls off towards the bottom so you want the sub to take over before the bass rolls off from the tower.

So set the tower to 50-60hz not full range if it’s rated down to 37hz?? So it’s flat ?
you almost need double bass on to run fronts full range because you lose bass output in fronts 20-49hz . (Which adds more acoustic issues and reverberations)
Is double bass useful for anything??
Lfe to lPe is set to 120hz .. default(I’m not sure what it does?

 

[Eppie]

So set the tower to 50-60hz not full range if it’s rated down to 37hz?? So it’s flat ?
you almost need double bass on to run fronts full range because you lose bass output in fronts 20-49hz . (Which adds more acoustic issues and reverberations)
Is double bass useful for anything??
Lfe to lPe is set to 120hz .. default(I’m not sure what it does?

Yes, the LFE is set to 120Hz. That controls the effects channel content (the .1 in 5.1) and should not get confused with the sub crossover frequency. If your towers are rated to 37Hz you could cross as low as 60Hz or 50Hz. Whether you want to set the fronts as large (full range) or small is up to you. Depends on the room, so you can try both. Changing the AVR from "double bass " to having the mains crossed over is pretty simple. Some people like the added the bass, others find it boomy. Since you don't have measurement gear all you can do is give both a listen and go with whatever sounds better to you.

 

[Kingnoob]

Yes, the LFE is set to 120Hz. That controls the effects channel content (the .1 in 5.1) and should not get confused with the sub crossover frequency. If your towers are rated to 37Hz you could cross as low as 60Hz or 50Hz. Whether you want to set the fronts as large (full range) or small is up to you. Depends on the room, so you can try both. Changing the AVR from "double bass " to having the mains crossed over is pretty simple. Some people like the added the bass, others find it boomy. Since you don't have measurement gear all you can do is give both a listen and go with whatever sounds better to you.

I’m going to try 50 then 60hz x over it seems like there in a bad spot for full range , one side of room had a door sized open hole so it’s in center of a room like null in the front left . I won’t be able to tell a difference between 50/60-80 but I can try both .

 

[MrBoat]

I have two 6.5" bookshelf speakers in my bedroom on custom height stands I move to a stereo arrangement closer to my bed when I want to listen in there. The biggest advantage to bookshelf speakers is the portability of them. The idea that they must permanently reside in some fixed position like furniture in a room, can often be the most limiting thing that can be done to them.

 

[Kingnoob]

Yes, the LFE is set to 120Hz. That controls the effects channel content (the .1 in 5.1) and should not get confused with the sub crossover frequency. If your towers are rated to 37Hz you could cross as low as 60Hz or 50Hz. Whether you want to set the fronts as large (full range) or small is up to you. Depends on the room, so you can try both. Changing the AVR from "double bass " to having the mains crossed over is pretty simple. Some people like the added the bass, others find it boomy. Since you don't have measurement gear all you can do is give both a listen and go with whatever sounds better to you.

I can’t tell any audible difference regardless of what I set towers as full ,60, 80 so I’ll probably let the sub handle all The bAss at 80.

I have two 6.5" bookshelf speakers in my bedroom on custom height stands I move to a stereo arrangement closer to my bed when I want to listen in there. The biggest advantage to bookshelf speakers is the portability of them. The idea that they must permanently reside in some fixed position like furniture in a room, can often be the most limiting thing that can be done to them.

yeah I got Andrew Jones towers i may have to flip them upside down to use them for phantoms mode in bedroom . Because if I use a non tv stand I can’t place them ear level gotta place them on a dresser.
dresser vs tv stand is what I’m worried about ? I don’t want to raise the plasma tv higher to fit a center then it will be too high.

 

[Kingnoob]

I have two 6.5" bookshelf speakers in my bedroom on custom height stands I move to a stereo arrangement closer to my bed when I want to listen in there. The biggest advantage to bookshelf speakers is the portability of them. The idea that they must permanently reside in some fixed position like furniture in a room, can often be the most limiting thing that can be done to them.

I plan on using bookshelves as surrounds but I got two pairs and bipolar Klipsch ones to choose from . Very tough decision these are two of them . Power vs refined vs dispersion.

 

[Kingnoob]

i use center in my bedroom

Tutuapp 9AppsShowbox​

The stand is preventing me.

Oh great, well as long as you already have it then yeah for sure use it. A lot of content is coded for surround sound now days, so you can usually expect the center to be playing.

Problem is fitting I got to rip the doors off my tv stand and then it will be too low knee height most likely.

 

[MrBoat]

Here's a thought that should make most audiophiles cringe. I set up bookshelf speakers On either side of my bed and aim left and right, at each ear and I lay in the middle of (It's a Cali-king full motion waterbed with the heater set just so) the bed. Center image is right there in front of my face and I can reach out and touch it.

Think of it as semi-remote headphones without the noggin in the way. Music only.

 

[Kingnoob]

Here's a thought that should make most audiophiles cringe. I set up bookshelf speakers On either side of my bed and aim left and right, at each ear and I lay in the middle of (It's a Cali-king full motion waterbed with the heater set just so) the bed. Center image is right there in front of my face and I can reach out and touch it.

Think of it as semi-remote headphones without the noggin in the way. Music only.

haah
My main set up used phantom center until I find a good enough tv stand used to fit a center. - a lost cause imo.
bedroom might have Phantom also …

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The stand is preventing me.
View attachment 60345

Problem is fitting I got to rip the doors off my tv stand and then it will be too low knee height most likely.

So build a riser for the tv and put the center under it?
I use a center in both our secondary(and main of course)surround systems, bedroom and kids media room, but neither rooms have any restrictions so why not.

 

[Kingnoob]

No center in bedroom here as well.

Phantom sounds really good so far. Just got it set up finally . And tv stand fixed , so I can set my receiver in there and a Blu-ray player maybe .

 

[Kingnoob]

So build a riser for the tv and put the center under it?
I use a center in both our secondary(and main of course)surround systems, bedroom and kids media room, but neither rooms have any restrictions so why not.

tv already is at max height for the distance I’ll be sitting away, Around 4-5 feet.
It will be way to tell I’d be better off ripping the doors of my tv stand and put a center between my towers with some sort of shelfs . I have a tower infront of the sub so I can’t set the center there . Not that it would work it’s not in the center , I’ll probably put a Blu-ray player there .
I’ll probably run phantom until I find something out for dual center stands.