phantom center channel

Sammydog, I feel your pain! I'm currently using a center channel in my system, but I want to upgrade to a front projecter/screen setup and will lose the space to fit my current center speaker due to it's depth and the fact that I still want to be able to use my fireplace. There's definately going to be pros/cons and sonic benefits/compromises (isn't there always?!!).

JZ

Edesilva-

I do not disagree with your philosophy. However, I only recommend using the number of speakers that correspond to the number of discrete channels in the source. Thus, for stereo, only two. For 3.0 (MLP and LS SACDs), 5.0 and 5.1, I find a center amp/speaker essential for coherent reproduction. I eschew DPL and other matrixing modes but DD/DTS sorta come along free with the full amp/speaker array. Or course, I am also talking about using a full-size center channel speaker identical to those used for the main L and R.

BTW, my experiments with the 3.0 SACDs were the most convincing of the necessity for a center channel but creating a phantom center with them was as unsatisfying as deriving the center signal from the stereo tracks. Several doubters have heard this advantage clearly in my main system.

Kal

Kr4...I beg to differ with you about the effectiveness of deriving a center channel from a 2-channel source. In many recordings where there is a soloist, he/she was originally recorded as a discrete channel, and was subsequently mixed equally into Left and Right. When you derive a center channel what you are doing is unmixing so as to restore what was there originally.

I have used a center speaker for almost forty years, and have used many different techniques to drive it. Some work better than others. Of course, a discrete recorded center channel, SACD or DVDA, is best, but with some recordings the derived method comes close.

Eldartford-

We are on the same page. I was trying to emphasize that a real center channel source with a center channel speaker is superior to either a phantom center or a real one derived from a 2channel source.

As for recovering what 'should' have been the center channel signal, I have found only a few devices which will do this to my satisfaction. Merely feeding a sum signal or using DPL without lots of trim options don't cut it with me.

Kal

BTW, to get back to the OP's query: If he is mounting the center channel inside an 'entertainment center,' these subtleties may be irrelevant.

Kal