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what's so special about center speaker ?

For $300 ~ 500, you can buy a center speaker or a pair of bookshelf. To me a pair of bookshelf seems to be a better choice because you can later use them in a stereo system, or rear surround. Also, I think bookshelf is more traditional/classic speaker design than woofer-tweeter-woofer speaker. Are center speakers specially optimized to work as a center channel besides its shape? Maybe the center speakers are optimized to produce vocal/dialogue?

Ken
kslim
ezmeralda11
303 posts
 
Nowhere did it say the speaker was wired out of phase, wiring was not even mentioned. It stated "the drivers in opposite acoustic polarity to the left/right front speakers." This would also refer to horizontal tm designs, along with the horizontal mtm's in relation to the left right being vertical driver arrangement. But what is amusing is that many speakers will actually have the tweeter wired out-of phase with the lower frequency driver to maintain a smooth frequency response throughout the crossover region depending on crossover chosen. So dependig on whether or not the center speaker purchased was of the same make as the front l/r, one could actually have thier high-frequencies in the center channel out of phase with the left and right.
sean
6,231 posts
 
I agree with all of the points made. It is not that uncommon in multiple driver designs for one or more of the speakers to be wired out of phase with the others.

I would also like to clarify that i "mistook" the "opposite acoustic polarity" as being wired out of phase. If two different cabinets were wired out of phase in relation to each other, one driver would be pushing outward while the other would be pulling inward. This would result in "opposite acoustic polarity", hence the confusion. It did not strike me at the time of reading this thread that Vance was referring to the polarization of drivers ( vertical vs horizontal ) and dispersion characteristics. Sean
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psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
According to the Biro's designer, one does not need a center channel if the mains are less than 2.5 meters apart (personal communication). With my "improperly designed" MTM JMlab's I keep the centers no farther than 7 1/2 feet.

Kslim, you can do fine without a center channel in a small room. If all your audience fits in a couch and in a few pillows on a rug, you're fine. If you get into bigger projection units and TVs you will need the center channel to anchor the dialog.

Now, who says you can't have TWO small two-way speakers as center channels? Why keep one in a closet? One can place one above and one below the TV, or any way that suits you best.

Ever heard of The Penguin Principle?
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