Has anyone ever tried two center channel speakers?

Years ago as part of a project we had with the Motion Picture Academy (or whatever it was called then) I was invited backstage at the theater where they screen for the awards. The speakers were setup to fire through the screen.

At least Stewart makes such screen in sizes suitable for HT, and there are probably others as well. This would seem a possible solution for those who insist on a center channel that matches the mains exactly. Not sure how the sound is affected by these screens. The screen at the Academy seemed very porous, but I doubt you could get away with that at the close sight distances of an HT.

Incidently, a foolish colleague had convinced someone at the Academy that our famous reserch institute could bring technology to improve the sound of their films. Of course he only priced himself into the contract. My role, as an expert in psychoacousitcs, was to size up the situation and try to assuage a discontented client. A meeting with the technical movers and shakers of the studios soon convinced me they knew far more about movie sound than we or anyone we were likely to bring to the task did. Of course we had world famous acousticians, physicists, and chemists, but not with expertise in sound for movies, nor was such expertise priced into the contract. My advice was to waive all charges, terminate the contract, and appologize. That's what we did.

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How about taking the two identical center speakers and putting one above and one below the screen, with the idea of trying to get the image closer to the center of the screen. I suspect it would depend a lot upon where you sat in relation to the two but has anyone tried it?

Aren't most center speakers aimed to rediate up towards the listeners, obviating the need for an above screen speaker?

Hi Mitch
Eleven years ago in my clients home theater we used two center channels.
One above and the other below the screen. We used Mc Intosh speakers with great results. The dialogue is more focused than with only center.
To this day it is still very impressive.

Aren't most center speakers aimed to rediate up towards the listeners, obviating the need for an above screen speaker?

It seems to me that most speakers are designed to point straight at the listener which would mean the ideal place would be the center of the screen (like a movie theater), but that's not practical for most systems. That leaves either above, or below as other limitations dictate. However, as you may be implying, just below on a stand pointing slightly up does seem to be the most natural.

Eleven years ago in my clients home theater we used two center channels.
One above and the other below the screen. We used Mc Intosh speakers with great results. The dialogue is more focused than with only center.
To this day it is still very impressive.

That's what I was curious about, I wondered if the two speakers would vertically image or if it might just get too diffuse. It's interesting to hear that it can work, I'd like to try it sometime.