Bookshelf as centre speaker. anyone tried?

[jfk]

Hi

 

Has anyone tried using a pair of bookshelves as centre speaker?

Any good outcome?

 

Thanks.

Jefery K

[Audio]

Only reasons preventing normal bookshelf speakers from being used as centre speaker:-

 

(1) Impossible to use if you are using a CRT display device.

(2) Speakers only available in stereo pairs.

 

Other than that, it's OK.

 

(Audio)

[Guest sebas74]

Hi,

I've been trying a few centre speakers(Yamaha NS C50,C150,Tannoy MC) but was never happy with the results...the center speakers i had are either too bright or lack bass,probably due to the design.As a stand alone speaker, most center speakers dun sound as good as bookself.

 

So i tried a bookself(tannoy R1)  mounted on top of 34inch CRT.Speech more natural but the fronts are still over powering.It looks a bit weird to have a bookself sticking on top of CRT but after that i got over it.Checked the net and they recommend that u can even connect 2 center speakers from the same speaker posts.Tried it and happy with results as the center is louder ,stays in control and can better match the fronts (tannoyR3).

 

If i can find the website will post it...

[hifiluv]

yes, i too hv play around using all kinds of speakers to act as centre, its not a problm. however, if u run 2 bookshelf speakers fm a single output, u may place a strain on the av amp.  centre speakers, most of them with a tweeter and 2 mid/low drivers are designed to hv internal circuit to "redistribute" the signal. 

 

imho, spent a little $ n invest in a decent centre.  alot of sound comes fm the centre, if the quality of the centre is not good, u will lose out the emotions and sonic impact fm dvds.  :)

[kzone]

some centre speakers are actually similar to the matching front bookshelves, only adjusted to be placed horizontally instead of vertically. eg. B&W centre speakers... so it is ok to use  bookshelves for centre. but if u want to use a pair, better to use one amp channel for each centre speaker. I'm not sure if many AVR has this but my AV pre has two centre channel out.. so can connect each output to one channel of centre speaker.. placement wise, best to place one below the screen & the other above the screen to "lock" the imaging to the centre of the screen, similar to wat a pair of stereo speakers work...

 

err... if u just want a louder centre, can just adjust the setting on the AVR....

[Guest sebas74]

Well, it was a concern if i was adding too much load to the AV amp...but since all my HT speakers are quite efficient with high sensitivity and amp quite powerful..didnt encounter any sign of heating or clipping.

[Smooth1624705821]

Synthesis is using his DIY bookshelf as centre. Get his opinion.

 

[synthesis1624705793]

Synthesis is using his DIY bookshelf as centre. Get his opinion.

 

Haha.. I can build another center speaker like below and use it for the front with a good result.  :D

Bookshelf speaker can be used for center, no problem. But if somebody is using CRT it's better to use dedicated center speaker because center speaker is typically magnetically shielded.

[louco73]

I actually tried using different bookshelf speakers (Genesis IM8200, IM5400, Tannoy MX1, MX2) including using a pair, but never got a satisfactory result compared to the Tannoy centre speaker I had. Now I'm using a Thiel centre and that is quite ok.

 

There is definitely no harm in using a bookshelf, but from my experiments I think spending the money on a good dedicated centre speaker is the best solution.

[jfk]

thanks for all the inputs.

 

i was initially thinking of getting a pair of usher 520 will sound better as centre compared to a centre speaker.

 

another question if i may ask is....

Is a mathing centre speaker with the front LR that important?

Or should one focus on getting a centre with the tonality and vocals that one likes, even when it does not match the fronts?

[synthesis1624705793]

It is recommended to have a center speaker of the same brand and series with the front speaker. I thought you knew that.

[Audio]

IMHO, yes!  Matching is important.

 

(Audio)

[louco73]

It is recommended to have a center speaker of the same brand and series with the front speaker. I thought you knew that.

 

Except when said brand's centre costs $6,000 ;).

[jfk]

Yes synthesis that's what i know, but just wanted to hear if that's also what others experience and believe to be important

[synthesis1624705793]

You may mix and match and still get a good result if the speakers are of similar performance/tonal balance. last time I used JMLab Chorus bookshelf front and Polk Audio center. It matched quite well. But when I upgraded the Chorus front to JMLab Cobalt, the Polk center was significantly lagging. So I upgraded to Cobalt center. Integration was very good with all Cobalt front and center. Then I itchy hand and built bookshelf speaker (avatar) to replace the Cobalt front. Again, the fine Cobalt center could not keep up. Now with my center speaker built with the same midbass driver as my front the sound is again seamless.  :)

[benzx]

MJ Acoustics website says that you can actually add a sub woofer to the centre channel. If yo have a spare sub, do try it out, you may like it  ;D

[kzone]

this will be different fm setting the crossover at the AVR to redirect the LF of the centre channel to ur sub?

[ohlins]

for this case set the centre to full range..... and using the high level connection, the sub will only supplement the centre speaker.....

[SteveLim]

Actually am looking for a nice long and slim (e.g. 70cm x 12cm x whatever depth) Center Speaker to match with my 42" flat tv width.

But most Center Speakers are too short and tall , and putting them below the tv looks ugly (to me and my wife).

 

Anyone knows of any model ?

Thanks.

[synthesis1624705793]

MJ Acoustics website says that you can actually add a sub woofer to the centre channel. If yo have a spare sub, do try it out, you may like it  ;D

 

If you have a center speaker with 7" Scanspeak Revelator midbass driver, you don't really need a sub.  ;D This driver can easily go down to 40Hz or slightly lower. I set my center as Large. It sounds better if the center can go low.

 

Steve,

12cm height is not really realistic for center speaker unless the driver is tiny 4", which I don't recommend. If you use 5.25" driver, realistic height is about 16cm. If you don't mind DIY, you can use 5.25" Scanspeak Revelator + Vifa Ring Radiator. Material cost is about $600 + some carpentry works. You can come over my place if you are curious on how it sounds.  ;) Btw, my center is 55x21 cm.

[Guest dd_tester]

Actually am looking for a nice long and slim (e.g. 70cm x 12cm x whatever depth) Center Speaker to match with my 42" flat tv width.

But most Center Speakers are too short and tall , and putting them below the tv looks ugly (to me and my wife).

 

Anyone knows of any model ?

Thanks.

 

You can try this ??

 

http://www.amazon.com/Athena-Wall-Mountable-Center-Speaker-Aluminum/dp/B000ALABYY

 

I have one, interested???

[MC_Hammer]

Actually am looking for a nice long and slim (e.g. 70cm x 12cm x whatever depth) Center Speaker to match with my 42" flat tv width.

But most Center Speakers are too short and tall , and putting them below the tv looks ugly (to me and my wife).

 

Anyone knows of any model ?

Thanks.

 

Try Definitive technology :

 

http://www.definitivetech.com/loudspeakers/mythos/mythos_center.html

[SteveLim]

Hi Synthesis, thanks for the sugestion and advise, but i dont have the time to diy, not wit a 2mths old baby at home.  ;)

 

If you don't mind DIY, you can use 5.25" Scanspeak Revelator + Vifa Ring Radiator. Material cost is about $600 + some carpentry works....

 

[SteveLim]

Hi dd_tester, not too sure leh.  It does look nice but how's the sound (for big-bang movies and music-dvds) ?

Is yours silver or black version? How old is it and much would you sell for ?  How much new and bought from whom

Thanks.

 

You can try this ??

    http://www.amazon.com/Athena-Wall-Mountable-Center-Speaker-Aluminum/dp/B000ALABYY

I have one, interested???

[benzx]

 

 

If you have a center speaker with 7" Scanspeak Revelator midbass driver, you don't really need a sub.  ;D This driver can easily go down to 40Hz or slightly lower. I set my center as Large. It sounds better if the center can go low.

 

 

You want to help me build one?  ;D ;D