Great to here someone with your experience backing me up. For me, the demo that clinched it was when I listend to just the center channel with the sub, and then A/B'd it to the mains with the sub (not in phantom mode, so you here only what would be normally heard out of the mains.) I was amazed how little info was coming out of the mains compared to the center. I totally agree with your distribution of funds. I spent the most amount of money on my center and sub with the mains and surrounds to follow.
I know on the 912 you go into your speaker setup, I think the remote has a right arrow to get into it, and then cycle through the modes. You will see something like this when you go through?
FL - CL - SL which meams Front Center and Surround all set to large
FS - CS - SS means all set to small
IF you see this: FS - C*-SS it means the front and surround are small and there is no center, which will put the reciever in Phantom Mode.
Any speaker can be set to L,S, or * and you can set them appropriatly.
In my set-up i will have say my favorite is the CC. The CC is the hardest working speaker in any system IMO, because of it has to do all but low effects. I have a pretty beefy CC 35lb's, and it has 6/12" slot loaded down firing woofer which really adds to the bass response (frequency response down to 45Hz) for realistic voices and other center specific sounds. One of the best i have heard and can keep up above RL's with ease. I never thought the CC would become my #1 one favirote if i was ranking my speakers.
My vote is go for a great center & build around it.