Sony TV Center Channel Question (1 Viewer)

[Himanshu_S]

If I'm getting the SCS135 speaker package,

is it okay to use the packaged center channel as rear center and use my tv's center channel as the front center?

it won't blow out the my tv speaker will it? I'm planning on hooking it up to Yamaha 5560.

Thanks,

Himanshu

 

[Ned]

You can use the tv's internal speakers as your center channel but the quality will almost definitely be inferior to your other speakers. The center speaker is absolutely the most important channel in your home theater so it would be a big mistake. Better even to just run in phantom mode with the center channel info going to your mains.

Ideally, buy a new center channel of the best quality you can afford.

 

[Dave Schofield]

I'll agree with Ned and strongly suggest that you don't go with that setup. First, your TV speakers (ALL TV speakers) are not anywhere near the quality of stand-alone speakers, even cheap ones. Secondly, even if quality wasn't an issue the TV speakers wouldn't be matched to your mains, which is absolutely critical.
There have been many threads through the years about "center vs phantom center" and it seems to me (and others are free to disagree) that if you are sitting in the "sweet spot" a center channel isn't absolutely necessary. If you are off axis (ie you'll need help pulling the voices to the scree) then a CC is necessary. Take a look at your seating location(s), if its well centered try running a phantom center for awhile and see what you think.
Seems silly though, to run a phantom center with a 'real' center surround...

 

[Mike Veroukis]

Just a thought but, has anyone considered changing the drivers in the TV itself to suit the rest of the setup? We have a Toshiba 50HX70 and I was looking at the drivers the other day thinking how feasable it would be to swap it's stock drivers for something a bit more exciting. I think it would be nice to do away with the center speaker above the TV and just have it inside the TV. People will be wondering where my center channel is.
Btw, I too have the scs135s. I find that the center channel is very bright. Actually, it's not so much that it's got a harsh high end, just that it lacks the mid to low end entirely which I think is needed for a center channel. I'd recommend swapping it with some other, bigger center channel. I'm wondering if other JBL speakers in the S series would be a close timber match with the rest of the scs135 speakers.
- Mike