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To those with identical front speakers... (2 Viewers)

KeithAP

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Left/right mains and center channel. Just wondering what your physical set up is and how you worked out speaker placement.

I have always wondered if using 3 center channel speakers would work for this purpose? It seems to me that using a center channel speaker for your center channel, makes speaker placement much easier. So this would mean using the same model center channel for left/right mains if you wanted them to be indentical. In my case, I am working around a Toshiba TW40X81. Has anyone used 3 centers in this way?

Thanks for any input.

-Keith
 

Brett DiMichele

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I use AR Hi-Res Series for my L/R/C and the great thing about

it is that the AR Hi-Res all use the exact same Mids and the

same Tweeter.

I run my mains toed in 30 degrees and toed up 10 degrees.

I run the center toed down 30 degrees. This was all set up

with a laser aiming at the sweet spot. I still need to do an

SPL calibration but I am dang close playing it by ear and the

sound field from L to C to R is Invisable.. Seamless..
 

Chris PC

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I have front left, right and center speakers that are almost identical. I use PSB Image 6T's for the front left and right speakers and a PSB Image 9C for the center speaker. The drivers used are identical, with the exception of the 6T having 1 extra woofer each. I have watched a few movies and all is well. I would like to space my front speakers farther apart, but for now, its good enough in my 12 x 14 foot room!
 

RAF

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I use three identical speakers (M&K S150THX's) for my front soundstage. They contain identical drivers and only differ in their orientation. The left speaker toes in to the right, the right speaker toes in to the left and the center speaker can either angle up or angle down slightly depending whether you place it above or below your screen.

When I had just a Rear Projection Monitor I placed the center speaker on top of the monitor and now that I have a big screen for the Front Projector I place it below the screen. (See my HT site for details).

In any event all three speakers are aimed at the sweet spot and it sounds great. In fact, in my opinion, one of the most important things to do in a home theater environment is to have three identical (or matched) front speakers. The dialogue in movies is mostly contained in the center channel and if you skimp on that you are shortchanging yourself. The sound should be seamless as it goes across the front soundstage. Two excellent speakers for L&R and an afterthought el cheapo center speaker just doesn't hack it (unless all you listen to is two-channel music, but then you wouldn't be asking your question.)

Take care.
 

Chris PC

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I agree. There is different tweaking you can do, but I believe that identical front speakers is very important. It's funny, because you don't notice it, but that's exactly what you want. I watched The English Patient last night and it was quite good. I like my PSB speakers and Mirage sub. Lots of dynamics without any sign of stress. My room is a little small for the subwoofer though, but a little tweaking and proper placement results in awesome sound. I also toe in my front speakers too. Works well.
 

KeithAP

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Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the feedback. I have a pretty good idea of how I can feed the upgrade bug. :)
-Keith
 

Philip Hamm

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First of all,
Identical drivers in different boxes ARE NOT identical speakers. :angry:
Secondly, click the little house to see my configuration with three B&W DM602s as L/C/R. It works exceptionally well. The balance of the soundstage is not achievable with anything but identical speakers. Identical drivers in different cabinets may be able to get a close, but not the same.
 

Grant B

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I have all 5 the same...Kef Q75 towers.

I actually have the L & R mounted horizontal (towed in and down)above the TV and the Center Vertical below. I was surprised how good it sounded...most people say they have never heard better
 

BryanZ

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Five identical ones here. Actually, that is not entirely true. nOrh wood 5.1 mains and ceramic 4.0 center and surrounds. Both use identical tweeters and woofers. Integration is seemless. Ceramic 4.0s all around would be best but there is not a noticeable difference IMO to warrant switching back to 4.0 mains. (Just like the look of the wood better than the look of the silver/blue ceramics.)
 

Brian Bunge

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I have 3 ACI Emeralds for my front soundstage. All three are vertically oriented...the way speakers are supposed to be! No center channel "laying down" on the job for me.:)
Brian
 

Gil D

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I hope you guys are right. I am leaning towards three B&W CDM-CNT center speakers for the front three in an FPTV setup similar to Robert's Matrix HTM arrangement.
 

Brett DiMichele

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Gee Phil,
Tell us how you really FEEL!:D
Assuming the enclosures are of the same type (sealed vs. Sealed)
Assuming the resonant qualities of the enclosures are the same.
Assuming the air space is the same.
Assuming both use the same crossover.
There should be NO diffrence in the timbre of either the
mains or the center.
Just my $0.01 (NOTICE: The FED has cut my $0.02 to $0.01)
 

Jah-Wren Ryel

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Orientation makes a difference. I had Wharfedale MFM-5's (monitor tower speakers, about a meter tall) all around for a while. For the front center, I just laid it on its side, put it on some feet and on top of my widescreen toshiba. When running the white-noise test-tone generator, the tone of the white-noise from the rotated speaker was definitely different, slightly higher-pitched. When I stood that speaker back up vertically, the sound returned to "normal." Now, I never noticed any tonal differences on pans across the front, just the difference in the whitenoise. I eventually upgraded my mains to MFM-7's and left the front center as an MFM-5 and the whitenoise is still different (the 7's have more bass) still, pans are smooth.
 

KeithAP

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Does anyone else find it odd that none of the major speaker companies seem to actively promote using indentical speakers for at the least the front 3 if not all the way around?
In any event, I like my Def Techs so I probably try and audition their C/L/R 2000s or 2002s. I might also try looking at a setup using 3 of their new PowerMonitors. However that might be a bit much considering I have an external sub and live in a 1 bedroom apartment but who knows? :D
-Keith
 

Brett DiMichele

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Keith,

AR's Hi Res Series and Phantom Series both use same Mids

and Same Highs.. In all of thier speakers..
 

Ken Stokes

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This is an interesting thread! I use three matching Aerial speakers, two LR5s and a CC5, the same except the CC5 is constructed for horizontal use. I loved these speakers out of the gate but as a bonus there are multiple settings to match them to placement and space differences. After spending a couple of weeks working different combinations it was truly amazing when I got them all matching. Due to their different locations in the room the “identical speakers” sounded very different, none of them have the same settings. I’m glad Aerial built in the adjustments, just some food for thought.

Ken
 

Sean M

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Feb 12, 2000
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M&K advocate, at least to some extent, using three identical speakers across the front. Just look at their better THX speakers. I use three Virtuel V-303's across the front, the center one is turned on its side to fit under my projection screen as the speaker is too tall to stand upright in front of it. I am thinking of upgrading, with the aforementioned M&K's being high on my list, if they sound halfway decent with music. I don't listen to music that often in my setup, but when I do, I pay attention to the details.
 

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