Importance of matching mains & center speakers? (1 Viewer)

[KyleRoussel]

Is this important for sound quality (timbre matching, panning etc...) or more for preventing the speakers from being damaged? Or a little of both?

 

[Drew Eckhardt]

Sound quality. If you can't get a center that's a close enough match (this needn't be from the same vendor, may not match if from the same vendor, and may not even match well enough in your installation atop a television) and can sit up front I'd turn the center off.

 

[TylerZ]

IMO it's very important to have the fronts and center timbre match. It will give you a better sound when watching a movie and sound travels from the left to center to right, or vice versa. Matching the rears to the fronts isn't as necessary.

 

[KyleRoussel]

Cool, the reason I ask is because I have a pair of JBL S26 2's, the s-Center 2, but no rear surrounds yet. However, I do have a pair of Koda towers idle in the basement with 87 db sensitivity, so I was thinking about briging them out of retirement; either to replace the S26's as mains, or as surrounds. Does it make sense to have towers as rears?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

As long as you have room for the rears, towers should work fine.

Although some people like the speakers 6 feet above your ear height, I've found having the tweeters on the rears match the height on the fronts give a better experience. (Largely, it varies from movie to movie).

Even low-sensitivity speakers will work fine for the rears. Unlike a 2-channel stereo system where both speakers are driven all the time, your rear speakers are only active about... 30% of a movie. You are not likely to over-heat your receiver like this.

Good luck.

 

[Sihan Goi]

Well, one thing you could do if you want to is to use the Coda's as mains for a while and see if you are disturbed by the difference. Who knows? You might like it, and that's all that matters isn't it?

 

[KyleRoussel]

Sure is!

I'll definetly try them in front, but I took the covers off and they're really cheaply made! I'm skeptical at best, but as long as I'm not damaging anything, I'll try it. Thanks!

 

[Phil Iturralde]

One reason why I bought four JBL S26s, to anchor the Front & Surround corners so I can playback the encoded DVD and achieve 100% Front & Surround timbre-match seamless surround effects. Front panning is excellent also using the JBL S-Center, and its more revealing with this setup because you can hear the intricate precise pin point location, within the 360° sound field around you and seamlessly moving around you in its usually brief designed route by the Dolby Labs Mixing Engineer!
IMHO, when your budget allows, get another JBL S26 set.
Phil

 

[KyleRoussel]

I was thinking about doing that. I could also get a great deal on some N-26's as well. A way better deal than the S26-2.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

I could also get a great deal on some N-26's as well. A way better deal than the S26-2.

You could, but if it were me, I wouldn't because it would compromise the timbre-matching, due to the different size & types of Tweeters used respectively for each Series. I have compared the two and you want the surrounds tweeter to match the front wall of sound!

N-Series: 3/4" Titanium-laminate dome with EOS™ waveguide

S-Series: 1" Pure-titanium dome with EOS™ waveguide

My .02 cents worth,

Phil

 

[KyleRoussel]

What a failed, miserable experiment! Those Kodas suck the big one!!!! no guts whatsoever, even when set to large.

Phil, looks like I'll wait until I can afford a couple more S-26's!