center speaker placement (front projection screen) ? (1 Viewer)

[TimDean]

Should the center channel speaker go above or below my 100" screen? I have 20" below the screen, and plenty of space above the screen. If the center channel is above the screen, it will be over 6 foot above the ground, and about 3 feet above my front main speakers (on stands). Im thinking a small shelf on the floor, and angle the center channel up towards the listener..??

OR

Two front center channel speakers? One on top of screen, and one below screen? The top would be angled down, the bottom would be angled up? Has anyone done this before? Of course, this would be a 4 ohm load on the receiver, but that isnt a problem, as far as the receiver is concerned...

I am using the Ascend CMT-340s for the LCR speakers (and 24" tall stands for the left and right speakers).

What do you guys think?

 

[Jim Mcc]

You should put it under your screen. Mine is directly under screen, sitting on a wall mounted 1X6(painted flat black to match screen wall). Using 2 center channel speakers is a bad idea and a waste of money.

 

[Reginald Trent]

I help setup one about 6" above a 92" screen and it sounds just fine. So I would suggest you try both options if possible listening from every seat then make your decision.

 

[Cees Alons]

What Reginald said: try it.

Personally, I think I would try under the screen first. You may want to point them slightly above the heads of the viewers then. But your room characteristics also have a great impact on the "best" placing.


Cees

 

[drobbins]

I positioned my EC35 below the 105" screen. Then I noticed that I kept looking at the bottom of the screen when someone in the movie was talking. I had calibrated the system and tried adjusting the speaker levels with the R & L speakers, but the dialog still "looked" like it was coming from under the screen. I don't know if anyone else noticed, but it was very distracting to me. So I mounted a small surround speaker, run in parallel with the main center, above the screen. I know that this can cause other issues, but it worked. Now using 2 centers, the dialog "looks" centered with the screen.

Dave

 

[John S]

Above and below on front projector systems in general is fast becomming my favorite as well. The screens are so large they can use both to get that truly centered feel.

 

[rob-h]

I have 2 center channels and the diffrence between them and one is night and day. I started with one below the screen but it just did not sound right. I moved it above the screen and it was better but something was off. I now have 2 centers mounted above the screen pointing towards the listener. It sounds amazing. The entire 2 row's now have a natural sound. With one speaker, the end seats were just off. I would not go back to one center if you paid me.

 

[Bud Huey]

Some of the new "high end" screens from Stewart and others allow you to mount your center channel speaker directly behing the screen. I think using two center channel speakers would be a cheaper alternative.

Good Luck,
Bud

 

[Jim Mcc]

You guys that are using 2 front center channel speakers, how do you wire that to receiver?

 

[drobbins]

I run the wire from the receiver to one speaker then the other in parallel. I also have 2 right & 2 left surrounds. One for each row of seaing. With these I ran separate wires back to the receiver in case I upgrade in the future. This cuts it from 8 ohms to 4, but my receiver hasen't had any issues.

This system results from upgrading. I received a JBL/Yamaha HTIB for Christmas one year. As my theater grew, I upgraded my 3 front speakers and had the originals left over so I added them. I also have 2 subs. Basically a 9.2 system hooked to a 6.1 receiver.

 

[John S]

Parallel here as well. Give the center a little extra power...