No Center for HT?

[Travis]

I think there is a thread about this topic, can't find it. So here we go.

Anyone out there running a system without a center?

My story:
My dog chewed the right driver out of my center. Sent it to B&W in Taipei to get fixed. It came back; a week later she ripped out the left driver, sent it back to again. Left it sitting in the box for a couple months, waiting for her to grow up. Luckily she didn't go near the sub.

Anyway, while center was gone, I had to use the fronts to do its job. Not bad. have to say the sound was a bit fuller. The only issue was if I wasn't in the sweet spot the vocals all seemed to come from the side where I was sitting. I usually sit in the sweet spot, so no real problem. Seemed to be a bigger soundstage (think tat is the right term).

My center is bottom of the line as far as B&W goes. Wondering if I went with 684s as fronts, if I'd have to get the bigger center, or keep old one, or would a pair of 684s be enough and I could get rid of the old center. I know the center keeps the dialogue focused (right word?) under the screen. But paying almost as much for 1 center as a pair of fronts is hard to do. Does B&W usually sell singles. Would 3 684s be the ticket?

New AVR on its way, speakers will be next to replace. No hurry, been thinking about upgrading for a year. I can wait. I know I can always buy in stages and experiment with what I have; just wondering where everyone else stands.

Even thinking about replacing the center before the fronts. The little baby 600 B&Ws are great for music and movies. I can listen to 2 ch music all day with them. I've always found the center is lacking. Anyone disappointed with their center?

[jomari]

this is one reason why i prefer to invest as much money as i can allocate towards the fronts, including the center.

there are a number of members here who have used their system via no center channel and do just fine. you may lose a little bit of a signal discretion of course, but should work just fine all in all.

i think prerich did this some time ago...

[rded]

I agree with Jomari. Chizzap30 is another member here that uses 2 towers and no center

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by rded

I agree with Jomari. Chizzap30 is another member here that uses 2 towers and no center

As do I!

John

[BluLobsta]

Keep in mind that most of the dialogue goes through the center channel though, so dialogue may be weaker without a center (if it matters that much anyway )

[rded]

Originally Posted by John72953

As do I!

John

HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN YOU JOHN

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by rded

HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN YOU JOHN

No problem buddy!

John

[Fors*]

Just in case you do decide to replace something.....make sure it is the dog...geez!

[jomari]

Originally Posted by BluLobsta

Keep in mind that most of the dialogue goes through the center channel though, so dialogue may be weaker without a center (if it matters that much anyway )

i wouldnt say it would be 'weaker' per se, but you would lose a tad of discretion so to speak. at this point, if you end up setting your avr's center setup to NONE, then the signal would be diverted to the fronts.

if you use a 'phantom' dsp mode, this would significantly decrease its signal as well.

depends on how you bake it so to speak.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by jomari

this is one reason why i prefer to invest as much money as i can allocate towards the fronts, including the center.

there are a number of members here who have used their system via no center channel and do just fine. you may lose a little bit of a signal discretion of course, but should work just fine all in all.

i think prerich did this some time ago...

Discretion, that's the word I was looking for.

John,
That's right I knew you didn't have a center. Any plans for a center? You are a Hi-Fi, vinyl guy first, right?

I found when I hooked up the center again, I didn't have the power I had before behind the voices. But signal discretion, yes, the dialogue was more localized to the screen. I have played with the channel levels and increased the center way up. But then it sticks out, sounds artificial. I kinda miss the enveloping feeling I got without the center.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by John72953

As do I!

And I. I tried surround sound, but it just wasn't my cup of tea, especially with music. I like the cleaner image offered by two main speakers.

[Yautja]

For music you should use only the two front speakers & for Movies then use all speakers or surround sound, when it comes to a center speaker think quality !
A high End center speaker can make wonders on your HT set up

[Travis]

Originally Posted by SSLAYERR

A high End center speaker can make wonders on your HT set up

That's what I'm thinking.

I spent more for my center than my pair of fronts. About 30 dollars more. Considering it is one speaker and for the same price you can get 2 you'd expect it to rock. I know it is shielded and their are 2 drivers, but the price difference is hard, especially when it doesn't impress as much as the fronts. The fronts, even though they are little bookshelves, 5" drivers, are great.

I wanted the same size drivers all around. At the time and I couldn't afford the larger center LCR600, 6.5" drivers. So guessed, really didn't know, that the set up with 5 speakers all with 5" drivers would be it.

From my lackluster center experience, I wonder if buying something like HTM61, 6" and 6 1/2" drivers will impress. Thinking about buying that before new fronts. Also thinking about just buying new fronts. 684s.

I like to take my time, research is half the fun. I'd love the CM series by B&W the CM Center 2 looks nice, heard it is heavy. But don't know if it is worth the price difference from 600.

Who prefers having 3 in a row, a center exactly like the fronts?

[Jwilly019]

Originally Posted by Travis

That's what I'm thinking.

I spent more for my center than my pair of fronts. About 30 dollars more. Considering it is one speaker and for the same price you can get 2 you'd expect it to rock. I know it is shielded and their are 2 drivers, but the price difference is hard, especiallly when it doesn't impress as much as the fronts. The fronts, even though they are little bookshelves, 5" drivers, are great.

I wanted the same size drivers all around. At the time and I couldn't afford the larger center LCR600, 6.5" drivers. So guessed, really didn't know, that the set up with 5 speakers all with 5" drivers would be it.

From my lackluster center experience, I wonder if buying something like HTM61, 6" and 6 1/2" drivers will impress. Thinking about buying that before new fronts. Also thinking about just buying new fronts. 684s.

I like to take my time, research is half the fun. I'd love the CM series by B&W the CM Center 2 looks nice, heard it is heavy. But don't know if it is worth the price difference from 600.

Who prefers have 3 in a row, a center exactly like the fronts?

This is the ideal set-up, 3 identical speakers across the front.

[BluLobsta]

Yup, all of my music is still played stereo, which as I'm sure all purists (which I would like to be someday ) would agree, is the way it should be. We don't want to sit in the middle of orchestras or bands when listening to our favorite artists, do we?? We want to sit in the audience. Stereo is the only way to go for music for me personally. But in a movie, we want to be surrounded by the action and settings, which seems more natural anyway, in my opinion. So 5.1 for movies and 2.0 for music is the way to go for me...

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by Travis

Discretion, that's the word I was looking for.

John,
That's right I knew you didn't have a center. Any plans for a center? You are a Hi-Fi, vinyl guy first, right?

I found when I hooked up the center again, I didn't have the power I had before behind the voices. But signal discretion, yes, the dialogue was more localized to the screen. I have played with the channel levels and increased the center way up. But then it sticks out, sounds artificial. I kinda miss the enveloping feeling I got without the center.

I did have a 5.0 setup before reverting back to 2.0, and for movies I much preferred having a Centre Channel. The more I'm learning about HT (not 2.0) and the importance of dialogue from movies, I am almost of the opinion that your Centre channel should be of better quality than your fronts. As such, and when I go back to multi-channel, I'd more than likely choose the Rainmaker Centre Channel as opposed to the matching Totem Mite-T centre channel for the Totem Sttaf's.

For music it's 2.0 all the way. I know there are some who like to listen in 2.1, but I'm not one of them. If you have speakers of a significant quality and match them to your musical tastes, you should have no need to add a sub. My Sttaf's are a two-way design with only a 5.5" woofer, but I can tell you that they expel a very satisfactory level of bass.

John

[Hammie]

Originally Posted by BluLobsta

Yup, all of my music is still played stereo, which as I'm sure all purists (which I would like to be someday ) would agree, is the way it should be. We don't want to sit in the middle of orchestras or bands when listening to our favorite artists, do we?? We want to sit in the audience. Stereo is the only way to go for music for me personally. But in a movie, we want to be surrounded by the action and settings, which seems more natural anyway, in my opinion. So 5.1 for movies and 2.0 for music is the way to go for me...

I agree with you, but there are times when being immersed in a 5.1 music experience is .

The first time I hear the Pink Floyd: DSOTM in 5.1, I was stopped. That is just the best album I own for the 5.1 sound experience.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by John72953

I did have a 5.0 setup before reverting back to 2.0, and for movies I much preferred having a Centre Channel. The more I'm learning about HT (not 2.0) and the importance of dialogue from movies, I am almost of the opinion that your Centre channel should be of better quality than your fronts. As such, and when I go back to multi-channel, I'd more than likely choose the Rainmaker Centre Channel as opposed to the matching Totem Mite-T centre channel for the Totem Sttaf's.

For music it's 2.0 all the way. I know there are some who like to listen in 2.1, but I'm not one of them. If you have speakers of a significant quality and match them to your musical tastes, you should have no need to add a sub. My Sttaf's are a two-way design with only a 5.5" woofer, but I can tell you that they expel a very satisfactory level of bass.

John

I've listened to music in 2.0, using the source direct mode on my AVR, and my bookshelves with 5" drivers do an excellent job. Love the theory behind source direct; hate the idea of the AVR trying to tweak and adjust the recordings. The dB level seems to go up a notch as well running S-Direct.

I've always felt the 2.1 setup was more balanced though and 2.0 was working too hard (don't know if that makes sense). I'm not an audiophile and spend 80% of my watching movies rather than listening to CDs. Also, my sub isn't booming, I believe my house isn't a dance club and I should only notice the sub when it is turned off. "Ah, something is missing." For movies however, I flip a switch on the back to turn off the high pass filter and it can boom away, but it still doesn't shatter windows. I hate that distorted rumble (RRRRWWWWWOOONNNNN) some people get and they think, "YEAH! My sub is booming."

Another typhoon coming this weekend, so I'll experiment some more. Nothing else to do. I think the sub will still be used at the end of the day. Other than SACDs I never put 2 ch music to all 5 speakers, it is too phony.

[Beta Man]

I love my center...... besides, I have a lot of classic films on DVD and Blu-ray that have monaural audio tracks, making it that much more important to have a good quality center.

I listen to all music in Stereo though..... despite owning an SACD player..... it's baffling I know

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by Travis

I've listened to music in 2.0, using the source direct mode on my AVR, and my bookshelves with 5" drivers do an excellent job. Love the theory behind source direct; hate the idea of the AVR trying to tweak and adjust the recordings. The dB level seems to go up a notch as well running S-Direct.

I've always felt the 2.1 setup was more balanced though and 2.0 was working too hard (don't know if that makes sense). I'm not an audiophile and spend 80% of my watching movies rather than listening to CDs. Also, my sub isn't booming, I believe my house isn't a dance club and I should only notice the sub when it is turned off. "Ah, something is missing." For movies however, I flip a switch on the back to turn off the high pass filter and it can boom away, but it still doesn't shatter windows. I hate that distorted rumble (RRRRWWWWWOOONNNNN) some people get and they think, "YEAH! My sub is booming."

Another typhoon coming this weekend, so I'll experiment some more. Nothing else to do. I think the sub will still be used at the end of the day. Other than SACDs I never put 2 ch music to all 5 speakers, it is too phony.

Right on Travis!

I would consider this pure BLASPHEMY!

John