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Center channel

Since I did a 6.1 setup, my wife has complained that she has trouble understanding the dialog of certain cable movies that are in 5.1 or 7.1. I have a handsome KEF Reference 204/2C center speaker sitting just outside the media room, the metal frames that used to support in the garage, and a spare pair of Clear Day Shotgun speaker cables. So I think I’ll reinstall the 204/2C center channel, using an Ayre A7e integrated to drive it. The Bryston SP3 processor has a balanced center output. The 204/2C was designed to match the big Reference 207/2s, but seemed to blend seamlessly with my 107/2s. I’ll see how it does with high-passed KEF Reference 1s augmented with HGS-15 subs. The 204/2C is rear ported with a 6.5” center Uni-Q driver and two 6.5” drivers to either side, so it could run full range but more likely I’ll declare it small in the SP3 menu. It’s about 3.5’ long and weighs nearly 80 pounds! I hope for an attractive setup that sounds as good as it looks and satisfies my wife’s complaints.
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erik_squires
15,791 posts
 
Just FYI, one weird thing that has happened in Netflix recently is that a lot of movies coming over as 5.1 are actually missing the center channel. They split it to L and R and the C signal itself is muted.  If you have a receiver capable of DD 5.1 AND can apply a matrix, like Neo6:Cinema then that problem is fixed.

My processor however will not allow me to apply any sort of matrix processing once the input is detected as 5.1.
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
Yeah, I have seen that in Netflix as well. It is sent down in DD 5.1 format, but only contains left/right channels.  You have to forcably apply something like "Dolby Pro Logic II" or similar "analog surround" decoding process.  Erik like Neo6:Cinema.  I like the original Dolby Pro Logic II for movies.
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dbphd OP
1,619 posts
 
The Bryston SP3 manual has a number of appendices, one of which informs me it does both Neo6:Cinema and Dolby Pro Logic. I’ve tried Neo6:Music, and it generates plausible surround from stereo. I think I’m going to try balanced from the SP3 to a Schiit Vidar in monaural mode to drive the 204/2C. Reviews seem to suggest it would be a good match. The last time I used the 204/2C it was bi-wired to a Parasound JC-1.

I have three JC-1s, a JC-2, and a JC-3 I want to sell.
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dbphd OP
1,619 posts
 
The KEF Reference 204/2C is now driven by a Schiit Vidar in balanced monaural.  My usual practice is to set all speakers at 75 dB SPL C, but to achieve that I had to trim all speakers except the center to 0 and trim the center to -10 -- I need to study the SP3 manual more to understand why the center seems so hot.  As auxinput suggested the center is set to large and surround to Dolby Pro Logic for movies.  I played Legends of Jazz in Dolby Digital and Chailly's Mahler 2nd in dts Digital.  Switching Legends between stereo and surround did not change the sound, but the Mahler sounded a bit flat when switched from surround to stereo.  The piano black 204/2C appears imposing sitting between the pair of rosewood Reference 1s.    
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