Stereo Imaging

I use a center channel for HT but have tried 4.1 as well. Frankly, I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference now that the HF driver in my center speaker matches those in the mains. The speech seems to track the images projected on the screen. But when the center channel HF driver was different, I really noticed the disconnect when playing opera Blue-ray discs. That's when I set the center channel to none. I went back to 5.1 based on Kal Rubinson's recommendation, but we do sit in the "sweat-spot" so I doubt the center channel is necessary.

A strange phenomenon I noticed is that the soundstage seems to extend deeper behind the mains with multichannel recordings. I don't have an explanation for the effect.

db

I'm running 3.1. I'm using my mains as my two channel so they only work with music with my two channel amp. I have to change the speaker cables for movies only. I listen to regular TV with the 3.1.

Dbphd,
You wrote:

"and found myself compelled once again to put my ear to the center channel to assure it was not generating the strong centered image I was hearing."

What an incredibly great comment...you are so correct on this...well done stereo has the illusion so strong that one thinks the CV MUST be playing and no manner of intellectualizing can convince us otherwise.

Here's one that still turns my crank.
I have a disc that has a group of wild people playing drums, shouting, playing tambourines in the front. The start moving from center front to the right speaker then past the right speaker, then to one's adjascent right, then to an almost 45 degree angle to the side rear right, then BEHIND!!!!!!!!! Then of course to the left side rear, and so on, then back to the front.
It's bad enough to do it stone cold sober--but then try it after two cabernets--OMG...I'm so freaked by that recording...our ears/brains are so good at spatial clues and analysis, but this illusion is remarkable...I can't remember the album, sorry, I'll research and post it.
I've stunned disinterested friends, with the illusion so many times...people simply FREAK OUT when I play it.
God this hobby is fun!

Good listening,

Larry

I have the same experience. I have a big center speaker (Kef 204c) and two Verities parsifals for stereo and any unsuspecting listener would swear the vocals come from the center channel when I am playing 2 channel.

However, discrete multi channel is a different story. Because the dialog in movies is mixed to a discrete center channel, if you play native 5.1 on a 4.1 system a DSP needs to send the center channel info to L/R. These L/R channels then need to re-create the center channel image. I never tried 4.1, but I suspect there is come compromise involved.

On the other hand, a big advantage of 4.1 is there is no issue with timbre matching if you have different mains and center speakers/amps (as most people do).

Final consideration against 4.1 is if you prefer playing 5.1 SACD material in DSD source direct mode (like I do), bypassing conversion to PCM and the DSP. If you do this, you cannot play source direct with a 4.1 system because you would loose the center channel information.