The most important speaker in a HT is.... (1 Viewer)

[Kevin. W]

Whats the use off bass if you can't hear the dialogue or don't feel the dialogue is center on the screen. It will just throw everything off.

Kevin

 

[Chris Tabor]

Properly positioned mains will make the dialogue sound like its coming from the center. Ok, consider this. If you were going to start building a home theater system and you were on a strict budget allowing only a few things at a time. I'm betting your first purchase would not be a center channel. It would be mains. And as I said before depending on the speakers in the system either the mains or the sub in my opinion would be the most important. If I had to choose between the two I would say the mains. If I had everything already in the system I would have to say the sub, again depending on the setup.

 

[Matt Odegard]

Properly positioned mains will make the dialogue sound like its coming from the center.

Agree's.

When I listen to 2ch. music on my Studio 40's, it sounds like the cc is on. I walk right up to my cc and it still sounds like music is coming from it. Then I lean just parralel with the speakers and then I can finally hear it coming from the L/R speaker.

 

[Kevin. W]

Then I lean just parralel with the speakers and then I can finally hear it coming from the L/R speaker.

There's the problem with a phantom center. Only the person sitting in the sweet spot gets the true effect.

Kevin

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Kevin,

That of course is VERY dependant on the Off-Axis response of
the main L/R...

If you have L/R's with a very "wide" sound stage (Great off
axis response) then your phantom image should be fairly
acceptable all the way across the width of the room.

 

[Reginald Trent]

Lewis Besze wrote:

"The center channel carries about 70% of the data,so do the "math".Ragading the "fold in" option,I've never seen a decent HT that didn't have a dedicated center speaker,nor anyone "reputable" would recommend skipping it."
---------------------

Lewis, I guess you never heard of this guy and former HTF administrator named Mike Knapp? He's doing his own thing now and I consider him reputable.

BTW In the past he stated a preference for no center channel speaker.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Lewis, I guess you never heard of this guy and former HTF administrator named Mike Knapp? He's doing his own thing now and I consider him reputable.

Well he sure have a reputation alright.
So he dumped his own DIY center speaker?
What people on the couch say?

 

[Shane Martin]

I think the most important speaker(depending on what your speakers are) is the subwoofer. If you have large mains that can handle the bass then I would say the mains would be most important

So what happens if I don't care for todays action movies and only care for older movies...then a subwoofer is truly useless. IMHO a subwoofer is not necessary to enjoy a movie. One could argue that if you get rid of all of the speakers and just listen to the dialogue thru a TV set speakers you'd be just focusing on the movie itself and not all the whizz bang effects and loud boom. Great movies aren't any greater with a subwoofer

I do like mine however but read in between the lines a bit.

As far as what is MOST important, I'd go with the mains first then a center.

 

[JerryCulp]

IMHO, the sub.

Even without any other speakers other than what is in the TV, I can still hear all the dialog and most of the sounds.
Without a sub, I cant feel it. The exception being that if had truly awesome mains and surrounds I could probably be happy without a sub.

Older movies? No surround, no LFE? In mono? who needs any speakers except what's in the Tv? (ducking now)

 

[Larry Sutliff]

Properly positioned mains will make the dialogue sound like its coming from the center.

I always use the Phantom center, and the dialogue is absolutely locked to the screen whether sitting in the sweet spot or not. If the speakers are properly positioned and have excellent imaging they sound fine. I do have a center speaker plopped on top of my television but I never use it; the imaging is so good in my little theater room that people always comment on how good the center speaker sounds. They're pretty surprised when I tell them I'm not using it!

 

[Lewis Besze]

IMHO a subwoofer is not necessary to enjoy a movie. One could argue that if you get rid of all of the speakers and just listen to the dialogue thru a TV set speakers you'd be just focusing on the movie itself and not all the whizz bang effects and loud boom

Yes that's true for Citizen Kane,but not for the Matrix Reloded.If you notice ever since the HT boom[no pun intented],Hollywood seems to produce more and more action films that heavily "relies" on it's soundtrack.Not to mention high profile directors,like Jackson, Spielberg,Cameron,Lucas,who are technology driven and "cater" to this new market.
Reagrding TV speakers,I tried it recently to just listen to some TV program,I couldn't believe how unnnatural the dialog sounded,I would never go back.

 

[Chris Tabor]

So what happens if I don't care for todays action movies and only care for older movies...then a subwoofer is truly useless. IMHO a subwoofer is not necessary to enjoy a movie. One could argue that if you get rid of all of the speakers and just listen to the dialogue thru a TV set speakers you'd be just focusing on the movie itself and not all the whizz bang effects and loud boom. Great movies aren't any greater with a subwoofer

Thats completely off subject. This thread is about the most important speaker in a home theater, not whether you need a system or not. In fact, most older movies aren't even recorded in formats like dd or dts.

 

[Shane Martin]

Thats completely off subject. This thread is about the most important speaker in a home theater, not whether you need a system or not. In fact, most older movies aren't even recorded in formats like dd or dts.

Ok I'll have to explain my point since you completely missed it as Lewis didn't. I tried and obviously failed to explain the UNNECESSARYNESS of a subwoofer to the enjoyment of film. A center speaker isn't as necessary if all you do is listen to movies in the sweet spot as some have demonstrated. TO me mains are necessary tv speakers just won't cut it. A home theater is a home theater whether I try to watch Citizen Kane or the latest action flick. A home theater doesn't necessarily have to have 7.1 channels though it is nice.

These all help define what is the most important speaker to you in your own home theater.

 

[Chris Tabor]

I tried and obviously failed to explain the UNNECESSARYNESS of a subwoofer to the enjoyment of film

And that is all based on your own personal opinion. You are going to miss out on alot more of the effects from a movie without a sub than you would without a center. The sub covers an entire section of the track that NONE of the other speakers can. However, every other signal to every other speaker can be reproduced by another channel.

 

[Shane Martin]

You are going to miss out on alot more of the effects from a movie without a sub than you would without a center.

again this would depend on the types of movies you watch which would make up the mind of the person who is deciding what is the most important speaker of the bunch. FWIW I do own a subwoofer but if all the movies I liked were older mono movies then you would expect him to say "a subwoofer isn't necessary". I'm trying to play devils advocate here as I know these types of folks. They have a home theater like the rest of us(or better).

 

[Chris Tabor]

I understand but I don't think that is the reason he started this thread.

 

[Ernest Yee]

I don't know guys - I'm inclined to say that my R Main speaker is the most important!

 

[Jin E]

The most important speakers are IMHO the Main L/R. With a good pair you can eliminate all the other speakers and still have a pleasurable expereince. The same cannot be said for any of the other speakers. When people ask me for my opinion on how to piece together a system I always suggest them buy the speakers in this order:

Mains: Biggest and baddest mofo's you can get.
Surrounds: Add the ambiance of the HT expereince.
Center: Clear up the dialog and increase off-axis response of the front sound stage.
Sub: It's the speaker that everyone notices.

 

[SeanA]

CENTER. If you just consider what would happen if you removed one speaker and tried to compensate for its loss, I think the most distracting loss would be the center channel. Dialogue coming from the two main front speakers just does not sound natural. On the flip side, take away the sub and you won't miss it too much if you have a good pair of main front speakers.

 

[Brian OK]

It seems easy to miss but the point is 5:1 The gents at the mixing boards don't. That is a given. Blend and homogenize all you want at home, but the mixing board gurus don't compensate for home brew setups.

Two mains with phantom can be MORE than fine.... in a really nice setup, and -- I emphasize-- a superbly acoustically treated room.

How many have treated the room for a phantom center?. Few, I would guess. Not that it is a requirement, of course, but you see the point I hope.

The HT soundtracks we listen to are mastered with the LCR in concert. The center for dialogue and visual screen glue, and the mains for that and "all else". The surrounds are as you all know--- here and there, good and bad, emphasized or not. The sub is "beer in your belly"-- gutteral and the "wow". Altogether, not a bad mix if done well.

It is ultimately a 5:1 presentation straight off of the disc. It will always be open to interpretation via playback choices. Pick your interpretation, I guess. I still want three LCR speakers the same, and the rear in the same design, less a bass driver perhaps.

Synergy.
IMO.

BOK