You can't hear dialogue because it doesn't matter


I've made several speakers in my life including 2 center channel units.  People always ask me if it improves dialogue.  My answer has been, no, not really, except in the ability to turn the center up relative to the L and R.  What improves dialogue is an excellent frequency response and lack of colorations especially in the mid-bass.   Centers are ideally for wide-angle listening. 

Here is more on that subject. 

This article from NPR says that some directors literally don't' even care if you can understand the dialogue.  You just need to get the mood.    We've gone from directors who don't care about the plot, to those who don't even care if you can hear the lines. 

erik_squires

The use of horizontal MTM layout makes common center channel speakers SUCK (out) due to inevitable lobing effects. The configurations that make sense are 3 ways with vertical MT and coincident. 

@dynacohum You aren't wrong, but I can tell you that sitting dead center there's not a lot of difference between the two, so not that helpful for dialogue improvements unless you sit off-center.

Dealing with centre channel speaker issues and muddy dialog is bad enough, but add in foreign accents and I am reduced to needing subtitles, even when everyone is speaking English.

I’m with Mahgister, bad sound can kill anything.  I also agree with all of the others here

Embrace the subtitles! I did years ago and haven't looked back since. Even on the rare content with has great dialogue, I still appreciate having the subs there to confirm things.