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How important is the center channel?

#1
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8/6/08 at 8:10pm
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And by that, I mean, how much emphasis should be placed on this speaker when buying one?

A little background. I recently bought a set of Paradigm Monitor 9 speakers and a DSP-3200 sub. Now, the 9's I bought are of an "older" style. If you go to Paradigms website, you will see a set of Monitor 9's that have 2 mid drivers and a bass driver, as well as a tweeter. My 9's only have 1 mid driver and 1 bass driver, and a tweeter.

Now, on the Paradigm site, the recommended center channel for the 9's (the ones they show) is the CC-390, which has 4 5-1/4" bass drivers, 2 3-1/2" midrange and 1 tweeter. Since I have an older set, i'm wondering if getting the CC-290 would be a better match. The CC-290 has 2 5-1/4" bass drivers, 1 3-1/2" midrange and 1 tweeter.

I went ahead and bought the CC-390, but am wondering if I could have gotten the same..or even better performance out of the CC-290. If so, it is something I can exchange. Or is it a case that "bigger is better" when it comes to the center channel.

The salesman told me that the center channel is the most important speaker of your whole system, and that like 85% of all your sound comes from the center channel. Is this true?

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks
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#2
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8/6/08 at 9:04pm
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Re: How important is the center channel?

What the salesman said is kind of a half-truth sales pitch. The center is certainly important, but the importance is for voice matching to the left/right. Voice matching isn't really a factor of the number of drivers, so much as the drivers themselves, plus the crossover, construction and such. So, what is important is that the drivers, mainly the tweeter and mid match, at least closely, what is in your other speakers. From what you say, the 290 and 390 are probably about equally matched, or poorly matched to the task. If the ones you got don't match well, neither will the 290s. The 390s will just handle more power and provide higher potential output.


They flutter behind you, your possible pasts.
Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost.
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#3
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8/6/08 at 9:05pm
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Re: How important is the center channel?

I'm not familiar with that series.... BUT I agree with the sales person as long as:


- you have a good clean yet powerful amp or AVr (which I'll assume you do as those speakers are not "cheap"

- you have the space for a big center channel

- the drivers in the older design are similar in the newer model, and IMHO they would have to be drastic to hear any change from L to R


Main reason I'd get the better/bigger center is that you will in theory like your speakers longer with less need to upgrade. but that is just me 3 cents worth :-)
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#4
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8/6/08 at 9:06pm
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Re: How important is the center channel?

Quote:
The salesman told me that the center channel is the most important speaker of your whole system, and that like 85% of all your sound comes from the center channel. Is this true?
The center is as important (but not more) to me as the mains and sub. This includes multi channel music. The surrounds, a little less so. 85% seems a bit high but the number is high enough to justify equal footing with the mains and sub.
Quote:
Or is it a case that "bigger is better" when it comes to the center channel.
I don't think it is. Properly matching the sound with the mains is more important. I would think the center that has the same driver configuration with the mains would be the one to go with. But the best way to tell would be to audition both. Keep the one that matches better and send the other back. If that's an option.
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#5
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8/6/08 at 9:25pm
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Re: How important is the center channel?

I, personally, like a center channel speaker. But, lots of people never buy one, and sets the center to "off" (in receiver's setup menus), which creates a "Phantom Center". So, center channel isn't most important to everyone. Most dialog does come from the center though.
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#6
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8/7/08 at 1:03am
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Re: How important is the center channel?

My mistake, the bass drivers for the CC290 and 390 are 6.5" and not 5.25", and the midrange are 4.5" and not 3.5"

In the "new" monitor 9's, the bass and midrange drivers are all 6.5", and I think in the older style, the ones that I have, they are 7.25"
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#7
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8/7/08 at 6:56am
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Re: How important is the center channel?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Moxley
I, personally, like a center channel speaker. But, lots of people never buy one, and sets the center to "off" (in receiver's setup menus), which creates a "Phantom Center". So, center channel isn't most important to everyone. Most dialog does come from the center though.

But the fact that some set up a phantom center doesn't diminish the need for a quality timbre-matched center channel if you do choose to use one.

To the OP, go for a timbre matched center before a more capable center. If the speakers are timbre matched across product lines, then your budget should dictate the choice.
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#8
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8/7/08 at 7:53am
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Re: How important is the center channel?

Just to reiterate, Jeff echoes my sentiments. "The center channel is the most important speaker" is a sales pitch to get you to buy the most expensive speaker. The center is important, but it needs to timbre match the front.


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#9
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8/9/08 at 3:43am
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Re: How important is the center channel?

I don't guess I know what "timbre matching" is. Maybe someone could explain it for me?

I'm not sure how to approach this, as I dont want the center channel to overpower the other speakers. The monitor 9's use the CC-390 as their "recommended" center channel according to the Paradigm website, however, if you look at the monitor 9 speakers, on the right there is a link for "matching centers" and the CC190, CC290, and CC390 are all listed. It would be easy I guess, if the 9's I got were the same as the ones shown on their website, but they are not. The 9's I got have 1 less speaker in them, but the speakers that are in the cabinets are slightly larger than the ones shown on their website.

I sent an email to Paradigm asking them what they thought, but havent heard a reply from them yet.
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#10
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8/9/08 at 7:46am
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Re: How important is the center channel?

Timber matching means, in very basic terms, that the speakers "sound" the same. You can't really tell this by looking at them. My guess is either speaker will work, the 390 will just have higher maximum output. Don't worry about the center "overpowering" the others. You calibrate the entire system to match sound levels.


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#11
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8/9/08 at 10:25am
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Re: How important is the center channel?

Speakers can have differences in "timbre" or tone. The can be bright or dulll or harsh or boomy, etc. Having the same tone for all your speakers makes for a better system because there are no changes in sound when the audio pans across the screen..
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