Front Stage Advise

My home theater is smaller, however there are two important considerations for the front speakers.

1. CENTER DIALOG HEIGHT. very good center, very close to the image, to anchor the dialog/center sounds to the screen not the speaker’s height if too far above or below.

Your mains do not do these sounds in surround modes, the coding strips those frequencies, takes signals out of the mains as the director intended,

Thus the mains do NOT always make a phantom center image as they always do in 2 channel mode.

2. WIDE center image from mains, especially when full range is sent to them and they do make both distinct l/r and create phantom center/slightly l/r.

This is important for both 5.1 and very important in 2 channel mode. A lot of programs are still 2 channel, the cable box and/or your AVR inadvertently make pseudo surround. I often go to 2 channel and find improvement, thus pseudo center more important.

I do not know what is out there, I got these way back when, I suggest you read about their method of achieving a wide center image, then ask questions about current front wide imaging.

http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/dbx-soundfield-100-135.html

Center IS most important for HT.
A perfect center is the Ascend Horizon.
If you want to reduce cost go with a single Ascend Sierra-2. The ribbon can be in either orientation. Done by them or you, 4 screws.
3 Sierra-2’s will get a fine "stage" but you’ll want a big amp as they are 86db speakers.

Thanks for the input. Ascends look very interesting.
I have been looking at Goldenear, can't figure out how there speakers have subs. Wondering if they would work in concert with the other independent subs or conflict.
I have been attempting to study up on what elliottbnewcombjr posted, gonna take me a while.
Thanks.

Yeah, Elliott’s getting a bit into the weeds here whereas I think you’re looking for more of an overall general sound approach at this point. Before going any further, is this system only for home theater or is 2-channel music also of importance? Also, what sound characteristics and system performance aspects are most important to you? Since you’re asking for amps, does that mean you already have a prepro?  Are you also requiring speakers for surround duty as well or have they been installed as in-walls already?

Soix3,
The room is still studs only. No insulation, electrical, or sheet-rock.
To answer your questions in order:

• I would say almost always multi channel AV. We are hoping to watch some television shows and sports in it as well.
• We are really hoping for a theater quality experience with the audio that is powerful and responsive. Whether it be movies or concert blu-rays we want to have a great experience, not a good one. We like lots of action movies from the 70s and 80s classics to modern films as well.
  
• As far as amps or processors, I have no equipment yet. Amps seem to be a complex topic for me. There appears to be a wide variety of "quality" that I am trying to figure out. The specs seem to mean almost nothing, the quality of the power appears to be the main item a buyer should consider.
  
• Because of the size of the room, we are strongly considering a front stage of "box/free standing" speakers with the remaining four surrounds (RS/LR/RR/LR) being architecture (In-Wall) speakers. Our main concern and budget was towards the front stage.