dedicated center or a bookshelf as a center channel (1 Viewer)

[Ryan Tsang]

An earlier thread got me thinking again about the quality of dedicated center channel speaker. Many, including myself, feel having identical speakers for LCR applications is by far the best way to go. However, those with floorstanders as the mains are faced with not being able to have an identical center (practical reasons - placement). My solution is owning a bookshelf speaker from the same line (Hales Rev Twos, Rev One).

I have never been blown away by a dedicated center, but I've not heard the really, really nice ones. I feel that a strong bookshelf speaker (Studio 20s, for eg) should be every bit as good if not better than a dedicated center (Studio CC). It seems manufacturers make matching centers to satisfy practical needs more than anything. It seems wasteful to have a speaker not used when buying a pair, but if you could find another individual with the same line of thought......you could share.

So, those of you looking to upgrade your systems, and want floorstanders, (like the fellow looking at Veritas), is this idea attractive to you? This is just a topic for conversation, not a recommendation for what to do.

 

[John Garcia]

If the intent is a lot of multi channel music, then I would say identical LCR would be the ideal. Beyond practicality, the average enthusiast probably isn't looking for a perfect match across the front stage that this arrangement would provide. I stress average because not everyone is after the same sound quality, and I have found there are plenty of people who probably wouldn't notice a difference between the two setups (ignorance is bliss?). For a mostly HT system, I feel a matched center does the trick. I have larger bookshelf speakers that are only slightly larger and have the same drivers (Paradigm Monitor 5s and a CC370) and they blend extremely well with eachother. I find that this center does a fine job at anchoring the dialog and onscreen goings-on.