Chowbotak Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 Hi, anyone here using different brand speakers for your centres? Does they blend in well with your main speakers? Would like to hear some comments. Thanx!
Hefraz Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 My main speakers are Acoustic Energy's and I used to have a JBL center before getting a matching AE center. IMO my JBL center was totally mismatched to the AE's and buying the AE center made a world of difference. But I have never tried out other brands like B&W or Mission as center speakers and I think they might make a positive difference.
pmcvicar Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 Hi Chowbotak, I am using KEF for my front, PSB for the centre and rear. I find the match to be alright. I could't find the KEF centre at the time I was looking, but was fortunate enough to find a retailer with some KEF and PSB sitting around so I could do a matching in the shop. What are you currently using for front speakers?
DIRTRUN Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 Hiya Cb, I am now using an old JBL center with my recently acquired(used) Paradigm performance series floorstander. Does not feel any difference to my tin ears though even after going thru Avia's Cal. dvd . I have to add that I am still looking for matching ctr and will even consider a pair of matching bookshelf's as I find them usually about the same price or sometimes cheaper than a dedicated ctr. Regards. Dirtrun
Chowbotak Posted March 21, 2006 Author Posted March 21, 2006 Thanx for the inputs guys. Presently using full AAD spks package with E48 as mains. I find that with many dvds, the centre does not give me that thick, full bodied sound.
DIRTRUN Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 Maybe, Bro CB, you need to calibrate using SPL and something like Avia or you could change center to small/ big and hear what diff that makes. Regards. Dirtrun
armoury Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 Maybe, Bro CB, you need to calibrate using SPL and something like Avia or you could change center to small/ big and hear what diff that makes. Changing the centre setting to "big" won't help if the centre speaker isn't capable of reproducing the bass. You don't have to have a so-called "dedicated centre", i.e. one of those specially designed speakers that lies flat and has a woofer at each end with one or more tweeters in the middle (the so-called "MTM" layout). In fact, the ideal setup is 5 identical speakers, all full-range (i.e. floorstanders), augmented by a subwoofer (for a 5.1 set-up; add more for 6.1 or 7.1, but all identical). This is not possible for most of us, even those who have floorstanders as the front main pair, so to compensate manufacturers have put some effort into their centres to beef them up for all that dialog. E.g. my 782 mains only have one mid-woofer (plus a tweeter and a bass woofer), whereas the centre has two mid-woofers and three tweeters! But seriously, it's more to do with the quality of the speaker, and not whether it is a "specialist" centre speaker in the first place.
Hefraz Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 But seriously, it's more to do with the quality of the speaker, and not whether it is a "specialist" centre speaker in the first place. I agree with armoury - bottomline is that the speaker should be of good quality, my JBL which was an old left over didnt do the job but I am happy with my AE speakers. I dont think you should invest in "specialist" centre speakers but rather go in for a sonically sound centre.
Ender1624705735 Posted March 21, 2006 Posted March 21, 2006 Thanx for the inputs guys. Presently using full AAD spks package with E48 as mains. I find that with many dvds, the centre does not give me that thick, full bodied sound. Very few speakers in a package has an adeqaute centre speaker. They don't sound full range at all.. That's why I got to diyed a full range three channel centre and heck care whatever timbre matching with the front has. I have more satisfaction now. Anyway I find with a centre speaker that can't do full range to match a full range front speaker, there isn't much timbre matching at all even they use the same driver. Trying playing just full bandwidth white noise/or a helicopter noise and you'll see how different it sound between the front and centre from your speaker package.
Chowbotak Posted March 21, 2006 Author Posted March 21, 2006 Thanx for the food for thoughts guys! Whaddya think of this? http://www.audionote.com.sg/2ndhand/sview.asp?id=1114
ricky101 Posted March 22, 2006 Posted March 22, 2006 In HT, the ctr is the MOST impt ch of all and also the most demanding. Almost all signal (in some part) go to the ctr. Then there's time only the ctr is active. As such, a sufficiently LARGE & FULL RANGE ctr is the ideal setup. The deep fullbodied sound that you spoke of is due to reinforced BASS output in the range of 30-80Hz. No small size ctr is capable of that - this is law of physics. Looking from a 5-7.1 sys config, the front signal is output by TWO speakers while the ctr alone need to raise above these two to be heard. What about when ALL channels active? To be heard, the ctr has to raise above a max of 8 speakers! That is demanding. Matching of brand with the front or the rest of the system is a case by case issue. Small sats are dependent on the sub - this raise the issue of proper xo point and even the capability of the processor feeding the signals. Some system pkg, the ctr is just too small. I see no diff between taking a ctr of the same brand but higher range from buying a diff brand as in both cases, the drivers used, cabinet, xo components and etc will be diff. I've used a floorstander for my ctr b4 and it made a hell lot of diff. But I feel a specialist ctr is still preferable as the xo is voiced for that special purpose - to maximise the vocal range for intelligibility and sufficiently endowed with 2 bass woofers for that deep male voice grunt often heard in cinemas.
pcking1624705747 Posted March 22, 2006 Posted March 22, 2006 Thanx for the food for thoughts guys! Whaddya think of this? http://www.audionote.com.sg/2ndhand/sview.asp?id=1114 The driver in the pic doesn't seem to be a coaxial leh. Where's the tweeter that is supposed to be at the centre of the driver ?
louco73 Posted March 22, 2006 Posted March 22, 2006 I've used a floorstander for my ctr b4 and it made a hell lot of diff. But I feel a specialist ctr is still preferable as the xo is voiced for that special purpose - to maximise the vocal range for intelligibility and sufficiently endowed with 2 bass woofers for that deep male voice grunt often heard in cinemas. I tried an experiment on my system after getting a new pair of main speakers. I took one of my previous speakers (Genesis IM8200) and hooked it up as my centre. I was looking for more punch compared to my Tannoy mC. The Genesis can easily produce useful base in the 40-50Hz region. I swapped the wires between the two speakers on the Matrix Lobby shooting spree scene while my gf sat and listened. We both decided that my little Tannoy mC provided more detail for vocal (at the start of the scene) and we couldn't really tell much difference after that. I was expecting the shot gun blasts to have more impact. Anyway, I realised the lowest cross over point for my centre is 100Hz on my AVR. That meant I wasn't really getting the benefit of the much larger speaker. Unfortunately I don't have a new AVR, yet ;). Therefore I'll have to wait and see if I can live with less vocal detail and more bass from my centre. However, I think that, as Ricky points out, a better and dedicated centre is the way to go. And to be on topic, IMO if you are looking around the same budget/quality for LCR - having the same brand speakers is probably a good choice. If you spend more on your centre to get a better quality speaker (irrespective of make) than the quality of your LR I don't think you would be disappointed. If you have spent the money on the LR and brought a lower spec centre then I think you are doing your system a disservice :). Ignorance is always bliss though, so if you are happy, don't go and listen to someone else's setup ;).
ricky101 Posted March 22, 2006 Posted March 22, 2006 Anyway, I realised the lowest cross over point for my centre is 100Hz on my AVR. That meant I wasn't really getting the benefit of the much larger speaker. If your AVR setting can the speaker to BIG, it should bypass the xo (theorectically this is why this setting is there in the 1st place) and full range signal sent to this ch. Which also brings up the importantance of having a flexible and customizable processor is. I've actually watched LOTR using just the ctr before, an using a floorstander the gist of the main soundtrack remain intact!
hifiluv Posted March 22, 2006 Posted March 22, 2006 my experience has been always mixed speakers, i hv used 3 centres all different brands - 1. Pioneer 100W x 8 ohm, single full range driver, quite good, sound does not break even when drive to max 2. Panasonic 45W x 8 ohm, dual full range driver, ok but not as solid as (1) 3. Gold Sky Inc, 75W x 8 ohms, 1" soft dome tweeter, 2 x 3 1/2" mid/bass drivers set in a solid wood cabinet. (made in USA, or so the label says) its the best man. vocals is clear and even when play a concert DVD, the sound is very good. so for not integration problems even mixed with other brands and speaker wires. just to share lah. :)
louco73 Posted March 22, 2006 Posted March 22, 2006 If your AVR setting can the speaker to BIG, it should bypass the xo (theorectically this is why this setting is there in the 1st place) and full range signal sent to this ch. Which also brings up the importantance of having a flexible and customizable processor is. I've actually watched LOTR using just the ctr before, an using a floorstander the gist of the main soundtrack remain intact! I'll have to check that when I get back home tomorrow. It's the problem of owning a 5-6 yo AVR :). I might have to turn off the sub too, just to see if there is a real difference.
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