Do you ...Center Channel?

05-29-07: Shadorne

OTOH, creating a phantom center when there is a discrete center signal creates inevitable phase/time errors in the process. This is noticeable even on-axis but mostly with music sources.

Really? How?
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The 'phantoming' is a purely algebraic process in which the center information is electrically split between the L and R channels. As a result, sounds which reached the center microphone at a different time than they reached either the right or left are now combined into a simultaneous signal and reproduced from a single speaker. Such center sounds will be reproduced from an inappropriate distance and/or the incorrect time and they will also interact, electrically, with similar (but significantly different) signals in the left or right channel resulting in unpredictable summation/cancellations.

Kal

If your speakers are set up for multichannel, the left and right are too far apart for stereo. With a 2-channel source like a CD you must come up with a center signal/speaker, or be faced with moving speakers around when playing a stereo recording.

Or move your seat. ;-)

Kal

If your speakers are set up for multichannel, the left and right are too far apart for stereo.

Good Point...obviously the lack of center channel is a form of compromise, otherwise studios would not mix 5.1 with five identical speakers of equal height.

However, having a center channel at a different height from the main speakers is surely a compromise too, This was Rives point, I think, as our ears have a pretty clever way of sensing the direction of sound (try covering one ear and you will still find you can tell if a sound is above, below you ,to one side or behind you....amazing but you can). Since most setups (plasma/LCD/CRT/rear projection) preclude the option to match center channel height to the other speakers (unless you want the odd impression of the sound to come from below or above the image)...surely phantom center is a pretty solid sensible recommendation in many cases?

I agree, however, that if you can place a center channel speaker, at the correct matching height, behind an acoustically transparent screen (for example) then you certainly have a much better setup than one without a center channel and using phantom - this is without doubt. (But how many people have this option available compared to those with plasma/LCD/CRT/Rear Projection?)

Kr4, you're the Kal from Stereophile, no?

kr4 = Kal Rubinson