Center channel speaker to match Snell Type J speakers?

IMO... just go buy them (ideally two used pairs) that you can find used on hifi shark for easy budget money

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=snell

NOW....

(1) Mothball / pack up one speaker aside from pair #1 as a future repair backup, and
(2) Hook up the "other" speaker from pair#1 as your new matched centre channel to your LF and RF main set, and
(3) hook up the matched speaker pair#2 for your RR and LR surrounds;

and voila! .. you have a matched 5.1 speaker set sonically and appearance-wise as requested .

I like akg_ca's suggestion. One question: I see that Snell Type J speakers come in four flavors (my originals, II, III, and IV). Can I freely mix and match these? Or do I have to find four original Type J's?

Also, anything else I should consider if I go this route? (I presume it's already clear, but, just in case: I have no audio expertise whatsoever; I'm just a guy who would like to go from 2.1 to 5.1, and I happen to like the Snells I've got. Maybe this is a dumb idea -- feel free to let me know.)

Thanks!

Best,
F

Every brand of audio equipment , including speakers, has its own sonic signature .

Within the available used SNELL model variants -- especially for a 5.1 setup  wherein the CC and RL and RR are a non-critical  manufactured audio track--  , it won't matter to have that identical variant to your main fronts. To identically match them all is a nice-to-have, but not a must need -to-have choice. 

its just more if a speaker appearance matching thing .....  speaker (veneer colour and finish .... IF that is even a hyper-critical issue at all for your 5.1 speaker expansion plan.

in any case, even a slightly different newer/ older variant  of the same SNELL model speaker to serve as your CC, will be a quantum leap closer (if not even identical) then any 3rd party speaker choice, to matching the bespoke sonic signature of your current fronts and blend seamlessly with the fronts , .... full stop.

because the rears in a new 5.1 rig  are just a pure fill-in manufactured sound track , it won't  matter by comparison to try a clone to fronts. 

IMO just go snag a couple of used pairs to flesh out your multi-channel speaker expansion plan.

Option 2....(arguably preferred in the long-run)

depending primarily on
(I) your budget and
(ii) speaker shipping logistics, AND
(iii) assuming that you are still enthusiastically married to the SNELL family of speakers; and you will be able to find an antidote for any contagious "upgrade- itis" affliction going forward, 


THEN here is what I would do....

(1) Upgrade your existing main SNELL speakers (RF and LF) to the best model SNELL available , assuming there are other upgraded models to fill that niche. If so, then this move is an upgrade for your 2-channel audio.
(2) reposition your existing front speakers to serve as the "new" RR and LR rears in a 5.1 setup.
(3) Purchase one used SNELL speaker pair -- matched as close as possible to your rears in (2) -- available in the used market as highlighted in the prior post. This will provide your CC and a mothballed spare.

Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, and I do agree with some of what akg_ca says, however not this,

"especially for a 5.1 setup  wherein the CC and RL and RR are a non-critical  manufactured audio track"

This was true in the early days, but 5.1 today is 6 discrete audio channels. Above 5.1 (6.1, 7.1, etc.) is created using matrix processing.

The absolute best sound is created by using 5 identical speakers.

http://avtruths.com/speaker.html

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/matching-front-and-surround-speakers#GsU4hCQPZXlESVeL.97

IMHO, I would try to find another pair of Snells like you currently have and use them on the rear, a 4.1 system. Center channel will be set to none creating "phantom center". You don't lose any information as it just splits into the front L&R. This will sound fine unless you are sitting way off axis to the picture. Then find another pair of the Snells to use one as the center and the other as a single back surround, a 6.1 system. The only problem for the center is that you cannot place it too close to your TV. I noticed you are still using an old style TV, and the Snell will cause a problem with its picture because the speaker is not shielded. All dedicated center channels are shielded to prevent this. That's why I suggest 4.1 to start, and maybe by the time you're ready for another pair of Snells, you'll have a new TV. Then placing the center close won't be a problem.