Importance of Center Channel in small room

Yep, I'm thinking about these comments and others on avforum, videoasylum that I found after searching.... and some personal experiences too. I figure that center is optional in a small room unless you want to have the gang over. Center is not really optional in a large room.

Funny though some people on the other forums HATE center channels and always prefer phantom. I can see the appeal of it. To each his own I guess.

Art

Funny though some people on the other forums HATE center channels and always prefer phantom.

Yes indeed - a large number of audio studio professionals do not like center channels - although not many will admit it, after all multi-channel mixing is all additional business to many of them. They mix with identical speakers all at the same height but many prefer the sound without a center - Chesky is a good example.

Remember that in order to move the location of a sound you need 10 DB extra loudness...in fact our ears tend to place things in the soundstage mostly by time arrival. Therefore you don't need to sit in the sweetspot to get excellent imaging provided you are far enough back!

In a small room the geometry is inevitably going to be less forgiving.

Some DVD-A discs I have do not have a center channel mix. It was confusing at first, but now I see the logic. As has been stated, if you don't tell your processor that you have a center, it will distribute the sounds to the left and right mains, thus depriving other listeners of the full breadth of sound from the front. But, after all, who cares about them anyway. Its all about us, isn't it?

If you want the best sound possible you can not go with out a center!!! With out a center you processor is splitting the information that should go to the center to the front left and right speakers. (I think everyone knows this) By doing this your fronts are now trying to do there job and the centers job. Speakers have a hard enough time doing one job and adding to it really takes away details, clarity and overall performance. Considering more the 70% of what you hear from a movie is in the center channel I think it is the most important speaker.

Most 2 channel audio guys (who've been 2 channel-guys for the last 30 years, anyway), are always going to be biased towards even an 7.1 channel mix PLAYED BACK AS TWO CHANNELS!...SANS THE SUBWOOFER, EVEN! Nothing, including God himself coming down in a flood and prophesying about how much better it is to have a center channel in your home theater, is going to do anyting to persuade them otherwise!
So, sounds like you're going "without" one. Let us know how it works for you, and get back to us.
I would recommend this however, if you' are into accurate sound - and that's to pick up a sound level meter and a testtone disc, and let us know your readings from your seat! Bet they're all over the board
good luck