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Center speaker OR Full range as Center speaker?

What is your thought on this subject?

For HT setup, center speaker is very important since ~70% of the recording consists dialogue, depending on whether or not the movie is action or drama. Some say this is why center speaker is designed specifically for such purpose. Some, on the other hand, recommend to use full range matching speaker as the center. For the center speaker in a HT setup, what would you do if you had to choose between a specifically designed center speaker and a full range speaker? May I consult with A'gon members for this trend of thought.

If you had big box like B&W or Wilson Puppy, would you pursue this option? If you have HT Magnepan, would you use MG center or MG full range to hang on the wall to improve the WAF condition? If you had Thiel monitor with stand, would you use all 5 matching Thiels? If you had Definitive, would you use all full range or its specifically designed center speaker? Would you change your system around to pursue this option?

What are the pro and con of using a full range as center speaker? How many have done so, and what is your opinion? Thank you for your input.
lej1447
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,676 posts
 
It's not a question of music vs. movies. It's a question of how many discrete channels there are. If you have no center signal, well, you don't need a center speaker. If you have a real center channel signal, you cannot split it to the L/R and hope to recover it properly as a phantom center.

Of course, if you do the center channel poorly, it can be worse than not but that's not an issue of design or theory but of compromise.

Kal
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
Lej,

Listen to Kal, fact is Kal should expand on just how good his Studio 60's work, better than 2 Studio 100's at the same price. Despite Krellman's erroneous suppositions.

Krellman is limited in his views and don't know why he even bothered to post, he couldn't be more wrong and would you expect someone with such low expectations to ever have anything good to say?

Last thing, Surround sound and subwoofers work brilliantly together so do not be afraid of subwoofing, there are advantages to this in medium to small rooms over having fullrange speakers everywhere.

B&W, Wilson, Thiel and Magnepan, do not make the strongest surround systems, B&W being the best of the 4.

You need to look at companies that have embraced multi-channel, not companies who accesorize their main speakers.
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,676 posts
 
Well, I would not want to pick and choose among those companies, all of whom manufacture good equipment which can be used to make an outstanding MCH system. Of course, I'd take any one of the main speakers over any one of their dedicated center speakers with the possible exception of the B&W HTM1!

Kal
rysa4
266 posts
 
A well designed center channel speaker, driver and timbre matched is preferred. AS pointed out, it is easy to slip into poorly done center channel speakers which of course due stink heartily compared to using a fullrange speaker.

But I am referring to getting a center actually designed well, (not cheaply or offhand by a non-HT focused manufacturer) and matched. A good center is not a speaker on its side and is not designed that way. DTS concert DVDs are often produced to emphasize center vocals in balance with background vocals to the mains.A Center channel is necessary to hear the optimal intent of the sound engineer, because this is how it was mixed to be heard. And an intended center channel speaker is the best choice. Of course using a standard 80hz crossover makes a full range even less of a consideration. in that scenario signal frequency below 60 HZ ( 80hz is not a brick wall) is all gone to the subwoofer(s) so full range mains and centers in HT is largely a waste anyway.

I've set up HTs both ways with decent results in each case. But a dedicated center is definetly the way to go.
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,676 posts
 
Rysa4, you make a good statement: "But I am referring to getting a center actually designed well, (not cheaply or offhand by a non-HT focused manufacturer) and matched. A good center is not a speaker on its side and is not designed that way." Unfortunately, this is a principle rarely adhered to. The vast majority of dedicated centers are inferior in design. Aside from specific cases, I'd sooner make the general advise I did than recommend the "matching center channel from the same manufacturer."

As for the choice between full range and one with limited bass (regardless of physical configuration), my choice is dictated by the fact that I am more concerned with SACD and DVD-A reproduction of music than with HT. So, for me, full range or pretty close to it.

Kal
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