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
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