Looking for a good center channel to build (1 Viewer)

[Dean-P]

I've just rebuilt my Sound Dynamics 100s(1" tweeter/10" woofer)I got them from a friend because the woofers needed refoaming.I made them to look like my Athenas(b-2s)which I moved to the rear. I have the Athena center speaker(ASC-1)which now I want to replace with something else.
You see, I thought my Athena center was clear sounding until I hooked up the Sound Dynamics, now it sounds muddy.
So I am searching around for a new center to build but have only found the Adire LCC(too big), Audex(too expensive)and not a whole lot of anything else.:frowning:
Something about $200 for parts and about max size of 8"h* 24-30" w* 12-15"d.
Anybody got some suggestions?

 

[Ronnie Ferrell]

I'm wondering if the muddiness you describe is because of your front soundstage not being matched now like it was when running all Athenas in the front. Maybe its not that your center is a bad center, but that it is an unmatched center. I have never really heard a front 3 speaker soundstage sound "great" unless all 3 speakers across the front were matched. Most noticeable when a sound pans from one side to the other. I have heard some really "good" ones with an unmatched center but most fall short of a system with 3 matched speakers in the front. Without all 3 speakers being matched from the start, it is probably going to be a trial and error thing for you to find one that works.

Even if you build the "baddest" center channel out there, you still might have the same issue. How does your system sound with a "ghost" center? A friend of mine was in the same situation as you and he finally just ditched the center all together. His system sounds better without a center at all over the options he had to choose from.


Ronnie

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Yep, probably the sound change is due to mismatch between your mains and center channel. Also, I'm concerned about your mains since you replaced the woofers with non-original drivers. It appears you didn't re-do the crossovers to take into account your new woofers' parameters. Have you tried "phantom" mode?

 

[Dean-P]

They are the same woofers,just with new foam surrounds. All that has changed is the box, same volume just different design.
I realize that they are now mismatched but I want to find something that will be similar to the "new" mains as I thought the center "was" clear before, but of course it is not.
Ronnie
Do you have the a/v-2 for a center? Have you heard the Athenas before and if you have did your center channel sound better? or about the same? or what does it compare to.

What is phantom mode? Ghost, I see is without a center speaker.

 

[Dean-P]

Well was supposed to be a quick edit...tried three times

I just had a thought...how about an array of 3-4 TangBand w3871s?

 

[Brian Bunge]

Dean,

You may have comb filtering issues.

 

[Ronnie Ferrell]

Dean,

Yes I do have a A/V-2 as my center. But no, I have not heard the Athenas before.

I would definitely describe my center as being clear. Heck there are VERY few items in the sigal path. The x-over is made up of high quality parts, only 2 inductors and 3 caps total. Not much in the way to degrade the signal there!

Now the real question: Will it match well with you mains? There is only one way to answer that... build one and see.


Ronnie