Center Channels sound crappy

Eldartford,
Yes you are absolutely correct! As a matter of fact you would be missing more than "something", you would be missing almost everything including all of the dialog of a film soundtrack. That is why you don't want to just disconnect the center channel. "Disconnecting" the center channel and telling the processor that you don't have one are two, very different things.

I use two center channel speakers,on both sides of the monitor. The tweeter and smaller driver are now in the same plane as the main speakers. I have a Y adapter from the center channel out, into a stereo amp so each channel drives one speaker. I tried all the other placements, and they just didn't cut it. Also, my CC speakers are smaller bookshelf versions of the mains, the brand that I have doesn't make a "center channel" speaker.

The center channel for home theater is meant for dialog only. You really don't need a center channel speaker for TV if the two main speakers are on line with the TV screen. You will never get the dialog image right with a center speaker unless you don't mind if the center speaker is directly in front of the TV screen. It's best to have two center channel speakers on both sides of the screen for that purpose. Digital processors are not designed to have the center channel for music unless you want to spend megabucks for a top of the line Lexicon processor.

There is another way to have a center speaker for music. Instead a using a home theater processor, create a mono channel by fusing the left and right channels together. Paul Klipsch designed a very simple channel fuser back in the 60's to fill in the hole between two Khorns requiring a 90 degree separation at two corners of the room. This was the main reason for creating the Belle speaker. With most main speakers set apart with a 60 degree separation, a center speaker is not really needed for music.

However, if you insist on having a center speaker for music, try the following. The center amplifier and speaker should be identical to the main channels. Build a center channel fuser as mentioned above. Call or email Klipsch about getting the schematic diagram for putting together this very simple unit. You will need some soldering experience. If you have a high end system, use Vishay S102 1/3 watt resistors, and substitute the pots with a high end volume control which can be found on the internet.

Correction on my behalf; it was not Rives who took me to task in AS but Norm Varney at A-V RoomService. My apologies to Rives ; the industries most respected acoustical engineering firm.

I recently went out to buy a center channel to match up with my Thiel CS3.6's, and my first thought was to get something respectable, but not too heavy on the budget. After listening to a number of models, I liked the larger of the two NHT center channels (I forget the model name). I was about the plunk down my $400, when I asked if we could take the NHT into the other room and compare it to the (far more expensive) Thiel SCS3 (which is designed to be either sold in pairs as a main speaker, or separately for use as a center channel). I should have known that this would be a mistake (economically, that is!). I have never made a quicker decision on a piece of audio gear. Literally 15 seconds was all it took to convince me that the Thiel was worth the extra dough. The difference was incredible. The NHT sounded like a speaker, whereas the Thiel just seemed to pass along the musical content without really making its presence known. All in all, I continue to be very impressed with the SCS3, and although it is pricey, I would encourage those of you looking for a "non-crappy" sounding center channel speaker to check it out.

Hope this helps, Tom.