Would a new center channel give me better sound?

[little wing]

Hi everyone,

My speakers are getting a little long in the tooth, especially my center channel. I recently reviewed the specs of my center and the frequency response is 90 Hz -35kHz +/-2db. In other words, no bass response. I do plan to upgrade speakers and amp within the next year. Looking at tower models from RBH. But I have two questions.

1. Would upgrading my center now give my system a noticeable improvement in sound?

I use my center for TV watching: movies, sports, etc. And occasionally will listen to some music in dolby pro logic II music.

2. How important is it to have your front 3 speakers matched?

Thanks for any responses.

 

[markw]

Centers are designed to do voice. Centers aren't supposed to do deep bass. That's what subwoofers and bass management circuits are for.

Anyhow, changing your center will most definitely change your sound. Note I avoided the use of "upgrading" and "improving".

As for the front three matching, many believe it's important for good sound. Some don't. I'm among the former.

 

[Swerd]

I agree with what markw says. Lack of bass from a center channel speaker is not a problem. It may actually work better.

When people say that the front 3 speakers should have similar sounding timbre, I think the mid range and higher frequencies contribute most to that.

1. Would upgrading my center now give my system a noticeable improvement in sound?

I use my center for TV watching: movies, sports, etc. And occasionally will listen to some music in dolby pro logic II music.

2. How important is it to have your front 3 speakers matched?

You can partially answer your questions right now. Find a brief passage of a movie with some dialog as well as music or sound effects coming from the front left and right speakers. Listen to it with your set up as is and pay close attention to the sound.

Then disconnect your center speaker, and tell your Yamaha receiver there is no center speaker. It will assign the dialog to the front left and right speakers. Listen to that same passage again, and you decide what works better.

Try this with a variety of movie and music selections.

 

[little wing]

Thank you both for the insight. With the limited frequency response of the speaker, I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything from the center channel. But you both bring up good points about what the center channel's main function is.

Swerd _ I will try your experiment.

Thanks guys

 

[DD66000]

The fact that the Kappa center has an offset tweeter from the mid-woofers is certainly better than a straight MTM center.
But improvements can be had with a center that has a true midrange driver, that is vertically aligned with the tweeter.
That is the main driver for voice.