Anyone going Phantom Center Channel?

I dont think useing a unmatched center is a cut and dry compromise and respectfully say that is a sorta snobish view. I run a matched center but have not been able to in past for various reasons and if you pay careful attention to what you picking it can be just great, speakers or Processors with volume pots and tone controls further makes matching easier. While I dont want to get into the Blind Test debate I doubt many would be able to call out a carefully selected non matched center if the had no knowledge of what they were hearing. Get what you can afford, do your best to mate it and purchase a better option when one presents itself. For your system I would say if you want to try an option for center look into the Eminent Technology center channel, I ran a Magnepan center with my Innersound Stats and liked the reaults.

Never went the surround sound route, always been a 2-spkr guy. IF I feel the need for 'center-fill' (which I've always felt to be unneccesary), I simply turn the volume of my TV UP!!!;)

Chazro,

I will ultimately be running front projection in the room but I like your thinking. I am going to run a surround for movies. I do like the rear fill, doors slamming, cars running past, that sort of thing. My goal was to just eliminate the center if possible during movies. The A-1's have a really wide dispersion and sound stage so I thought they might be perfect for going without a center channel. Either way, I think I will give it a shot, see if I am missing anything. Might save me from having to purchase a 3 channel amp and a center channel :-)!

Turning your TV speakers up is like pouring Ketchup on Filet Mignon but whatever works right? I would just try and see if you like it enough to leave it alone and invest accordingly.......your opinion is all that matters.

I would try phantom mode first and see if you like it. Phantom mode worked well for me, but only when I was sitting dead center. As soon as I sat off to one side, the dialog ended up localizing to the main speaker I was sitting nearer. I ended up getting a center channel because I want to be able to sit anywhere on the couch when I watch movies, and because I want guests to have a great experience as well. If you end up trying a center channel, make sure you use a *matched* center speaker as well as identical amplification and cabling on that channel. In my setup, watching movies with a center channel sounds so much better, I wouldn't go back to phantom mode. In fact, I now exclusively listen to stereo music in Meridian Trifield mode, but that's fodder for another thread!

Tomer