choosing a center channel

Too bad. Horizontal centers usually suck regardless of whether they are used for HT or music. Three identical speakers in the front are ideal.

Kal

If you don't have one, get a powered sub-woofer. It makes even the mids and highs better

Have you tried no center? None is better than a mediocre center channel speaker. Many people prefer a phantom center on movies.

How many listeners/viewers do you usually have? If only 1 or 2, the phantom will work well. The main purpose of the center is to anchor that channel's sound in the middle for listeners too far left or right for good stereo imaging. For music, don't consider anything but phantom unless you get an *exact* match to your L/R speakers.

Stringreen -
I have a powered sub. you are right about that.

Oj - I never even thought about trying to go without a center. But I am going to give it a try. The L&R are wide enough that it should work just fine. I guess that my HTR would be set to phantom center and then it would do the rest.
Actually, many TV shows that we watch are in stereo and I usually dont force them into 5.1 because I dont like my current center speaker (B&W LCR60). I have just n3ever tried to watch a movie that way and have not run the room eq that way. Will be an interesting experiment...

There is a pair of yaras for sale on this sight for $495. Perhaps one can be used as your center if it will fit and use the other for a 6.1 back surround. I think it is far better to have a center speaker for when you want it than to not have one at all.