Help Please, Aiming the Paradigm CC-170, turning it upside down? (1 Viewer)

[FrankStrilec]

I have recently moved into a new home, HT is set up in the main Family Room with the TV over the Gas Fireplace. Listening area is approximately 16' from the TV. The only option for the center channel (Paradigm CC-170) is on top of the TV. This means speaker is approximately 7' 1/2" off the ground. I have Paradigm Titans as front and rears. Fronts are on stands at ear level, rears are at side of couch pointing upwards (seems to work OK).

My dilema is that I need to 'aim' the CC-170 down toward the listening area. If you've ever seen the CC-170, you'll notice that if you place it right side up, the bottom angle of the speaker really want's to aim the speaker upwards (sorry, I don't know how to attach the pic). If you turn the speaker upside down, it really lends itself to aiming the sound downwards.

My questions are as follows:

1. Is it wrong to turn the speaker upside down (I can reverse the grill for aesthetics)? Would the effects/dialog be compromised, i.e is there a 'right' and 'left' in the center channel alone, tying in dialog or effects to one side of the screen (i've tried it and it appears to reverse the side that the dialog is coming from, my imagination?) ? or is center channel sound mono (a single source of sound)?

2. If I can place the speaker upside down, do I have to reverse the polarity of the speaker wire at the speaker (i.e. +to- and -to+ rather that +to+ and -to-) to accommodate for the above mentioned stereo effect of a Center Channel?

3. Has anyone built something to safely assist in the angling of their center channel speaker, I have to lean it forward quite a bit and I'm afraid it will tip over.

Any and all replies would be appreciated. I'm a bit new at this. If any of the above is unclear (after re-reading it sounds a bit muddled), please ask for clarifications.

Thanks to all
f

 

[John Garcia]

1) Since there is only one input for the center (yes it is a monopole), so there is no orientation - right, left, vertical, doesn't matter. Have you tried turning it upside down? It doesn't seem to make any difference to me.

2) No.

3) Yes. I have seen people on this site who have constructed small a small "shelf" to handle this. It should be fairly easy to do. A piece of wood or plastic with a lip to prevent the speaker from sliding off would suffice, I'd imagine.

 

[Chas_T]

Frank,

I own the Paradigm Reference Center and had the CC350. I used a very simple method of inserting two doorstops under the speaker to angle it in a downward position. Home Depot, $1.50

This fix of course is not high tech, but to be frank, it's made a nice difference. The center channel sits on top of a Sony XBR-400.

Without seeing your setup, perhaps this may not resolve your problem.