center channel speakers - Martin Logan vs Definitive Technology?

I had a similar issue needing a slim center channel to fit on my mantel in the living room and went with the ML motion 8...It doesn't perfectly match my L&R but the specs lined up pretty closely and I'm happy with the results given the real life limitations I was stuck with (the room and keeping the wife happy). If I didn't know it was there, I probably wouldn't hear the slight difference in sound even during the occasional LCR panning sequences. The motion 8 is a solid speaker, but if ditching the cabinet isn't a realistic option then I recommend choosing the one that most closely matches the specs/profile of your L&R speakers. Better to get something that integrates well with your existing system than getting the one that sounds "best" on its own.

Thanks to everyone except the idiot who said "ditch the cabinet"

I did go with the Definitive Technology Mythos Seven and can say there was an immediate, noticeable difference in the the sounds - specifically voices and various dialogue. I am sure the ML would probably have had a similar result.

Sorry man.  At this site the order of operations is generally:

1) Audio/video quality
2) Value
3) Humor
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.
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256) Cabinetry

My response was definitely aimed at #2 (but I was also feeling your pain with your size limits), so very sorry if I offended and don't hate me forever.  Congrats on your new center speaker and I'm genuinely glad you're happy with it!  Hopefully it gets even better as it breaks in.  Nothing worse than being disappointed or underwhelmed by a center channel speaker.  Ruins the whole HT experience, and I've got a bunch of friends who skimped in this area to save 100 bucks or so and it's just awful.  Anyway, enjoy!!!

yeah, "idiot" wasn't fair. I can do better than that.

It sucks because the cabinet works out in every way, is really stylish (for me) and matches everything around it perfectly. Fits all my gear no problem...except the Center Channel space

It was when I upgraded my system that the weakness of the center channel became really apparent.

So far the Mythos Seven has really improved the sound. Hell, my wife even said voices and conversations where easier to hear!

Succeesssss!

If your processor has a "Phantom Center Channel" setting where it eliminates the center channel output and reprocesses that signal to the front left and right speakers you should try that and forego the center channel speaker entirely. If done properly by your processor, the soundscape cohesion and movement of sounds within the soundstage should be more natural and convincing just as it is with two-channel audio.

I went through a frustrating period for years trying expensive center channel speakers (first a Thiel MCS-1 and latter a Martin Logan Stage which was a great speaker) in my integrated 2-channel/HT setup and found that both ultimately added annoying frequency imbalance, and worse, the perceived height/aural location of the vocals was detached from the people on the screen. The brain will not be fooled on this area since it is intensely keyed to vocal localization.

My main speakers are tall and time aligned, so the improvement in realism was phenomenal. YMMV.

Suggest that you try this and see what you think.

Dave