Question for you all... (1 Viewer)

[Paul_Fisher]

OK, here is what I'm thinking of doing. Here is my setup as of now.

Fronts: Paradigm Mini Monitors

Center: Kenwood HTB 401

Rears: Kenwood HTB 401

Sub: Sony WM 40

Receiver: Kenwood 208

Here is my dilema, I calibrated my HT yesterday using the S&V disk just so everything would be calibrated. The one problem I have is obviously the front soundstage. The mini monitors don't go real well with the Kenwood. It sounds pretty awful actually, you can really tell a difference in the sound quality of the mini's as compared to the Kenwood when a sound pans through the front soundstage. Anyway, I'm in college and I don't have $300 to spend on a CC-370, so I was thinking about finding 1 mini monitor to use as my center channel so I would have a seamless front soundstage. Is this ok? Does anybody think this is a bad idea? I appreciate your alls input.

 

[Dave Schofield]

If you are sitting on-axis (ie, in the 'sweet spot') the center channel isn't completely necessary. Try just turning on the 'phantom center' option on your receiver. Unfortunately, a pair of shielded Minis is ~$400, so you don't end up saving much over a shielded CC-370 ($300 in some places vs. $200 for 1/2 of the Mini pair).

 

[Joe D]

I second testing your system without the center channel. That's how I have my system set up and I prefer it over one with a center channel speaker.

 

[Paul_Fisher]

The only problem with that is my receiver doesn't have a "phantom" setting for the center channel.

 

[Dave Schofield]

That isn't possible. At the very least you should have an option that says "Center - Yes/No" choose No and it does the phantom calcs.

 

[Paul_Fisher]

OK, I see. I just turned the center channel to off. I was confused because of the phantom thing. Now the sound is downmixed to the main speakers. This does help a little. The dialogue is much better now. Thanks for your help.