New Speaker combination questions.

[Beta Man]

Anyone using a Center Channel speaker for a center-rear (for 6.1 ?)

I'm thinking about upgrading my front soundstage, and rather than doing a "trade in" on any of my speakers, I was thinking about using my current center channel (B&W HTM7) and fronts (B&W 705s) for the surrounds, and center rear.

Also, I may keep the current B&W 686's to use as the "Height Speakers" but I'm not sure how important the timbre matching of these "height" speakers needs to be in relation to the speakers they are above.....

So my future setup 'may' consist of something like B&W 800's (gotta decide what I like within my budget) for the fronts, and 705s for surrounds with the 686's above them, and the HTM7 for a center rear (with perhaps my 3rd 686 that is currently my rear as a rear "high" also)

Anyone have any ideas how good this possibility is, or should I just dump the 686s all together? And should I just dump the HTM7 altogether, and get a 3rd 705 as a center rear and maybe add a second for 7.1 or keep the HTM7 and add a second one of those for 7.1 (basically using 2 center channels as the rear speakers)

That leaves one more option of using two HTM7s for surrounds and two 705s for rear surrounds........ oh the options


EDIT: The height-speakers, and 7.1 wouldn't be until I have a new dedicated theater space built, but I'd like to do the front soundstage before that....... just not sure if I should box up and 'save' the speakers, or trade them in.

[jomari]

in regards to using the center speaker as a rear channel, it should be okay as long as it is tonally match with the remaining rear speakers. im assuming that this is the same center you've used with the fronts, am i correct? if so, you shouldnt have any challenges with it.

[callas01]

Jomari... Hey buddy....how you been?

Beta, I was once considering the C-C50 center channel for a rear surround for my energys, and everything I was told was it would be just fine. As jomari said, just make sure the rears are all the same suit(brand) so that the sound will be similar, also mess with the positioning of the center, wether horizontal or vertical gives you the best sound, but the dual drivers should give you excellent rear sound stage.

[jomari]

calibrated, it should function the same way any traditional speaker does.

thanks for asking callas01, its been a while. ive been busy playing BFBC2 and kinda snobbed Beta and his crew over at Modern Warfare 2...

oh, dont forget to give us your impressions beta about the 'height' speakers. i personally dont have much experiences with them, but for the brief moment i did, felt that you needed a bigger room to get a fluid 'mesh' between them.

[Hammie]

There was someone who was using a Polk Audio CSi5 (or CSi3) as his rear center channel for a 6.1 setup. I have not personally heard a setup such as this, but I do not see why it would not sound good if the back three speakers match.

I would only worry about two rear surrounds when you are ready to move to 7.1, IMO.