To Wall Unit or not to Wall Unit, that is the question (1 Viewer)

[PaulXH]

I am thinking about buying a wall unit to go around my widescreen TV. Will have that over hang hurt the sound of my center channel?

 

[Bill Kane]

Paul,

If you're not going the center-atop-the-tv monitor route, there are entertainment units that have a width adjustable bridge betw two side units. So the center is placed on the bridge as far forward as feasible, likely angled down some with doorstoppers or whatever. Further adjustment of the center output in accordance with Dolby's "arc" speaker placement scheme can be made by using recveiver's center delay feature (each 1ms delay equates hearing the center 1 foot farther away). Many attempt to have the front of the center an inch or two beyond the front of the tv screen to minimize sonic reflections.

Does this help?

bill

 

[PaulXH]

Yes, it does. Thank you

 

[Manny_S]

Paul, I bought a wallunit made by Link Removed. It's beautifully made. Mine has the adjustable bridge Bill mentioned, so you can make it fit snug around most RPTV. I went ahead and bought the center section also because I plan on upgrading to a larger direct view tv. Here's what mine looks like.

 

[Bill Kane]

Nice furniture, Manny. And I know what's lurking there in the right corner! At least no WAF potted palms around it yet...

bill

 

[Manny_S]

Thanks Bill. I have to give the wife credit for researching the wallunits and choosing this one. She's got her little collectibles in the left audio cabinet and I've got my HT stuff in the right audio cabinet. My speakers fit perfectly laying on their sides behind the black mesh you see on the unit. That black mesh is interchangeable with an included matching wood piece if you don't want to put speakers in there. All the rectangular doors you see have pullout shelves for DVD, VHS, CD cases. It has loads of them. Here's another picture showing the pullouts.

 

[Ted Lee]

i suppose an open area around a speaker is best, regardless. however, whether you put the center on top of the tv or on the bridge, you're going to still have the same net effect - some waves may bounce off the surface and color the sound.
so, you're net result is null.
i say go for whatever setup works best for you. i bet you'll be hard-pressed to hear a difference either way.
i do suppose you should put the center as far forward as possible. i've got friends who have their center near the back of their 65", so you can imagine how far back it is. but i've decided not to interfere with other peoples setups unless specifically asked to, so i just grim and bear it.

 

[Manny_S]

I agree with you about the center channel. If I push it any further forward, it'll fall off. On my wall unit, I like to open the right door mainly to give the Denon plenty of ventilation. As you can see in the picture, the Denon sits on the bottom and the first shelf is 4 inches above it. This is the minimum clearance the instruction book calls for. Another reason I leave both doors open during a movie is to prevent any sound from hitting the inside of the doors and bouncing right back at the speaker. Now, if it were all up to me, I'd have larger speakers to each side of the wall unit on stands, but everything I do with the HT is affected by the WAF. :rolleyes