Center channel recommendations please

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kbuzz3

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Center channel recommendations please
« on: 15 Oct 2018, 12:59 pm »
So my adventures in 3.1 have continued and I’m enjoying it for tv and movie watching so much i sprung for a pair of Ads 1090 towers, a speaker I’ve always long admired and heck they were local and cheap! Love em

As such I now need to upgrade my puny Boston acoustics micro 90 center channel. So without getting into a flame war about matching centers I would appreciate any recommendations which could get me either in the sonic ball park of the ads or something pretty neutral ...my only requirements is that it be no taller than 7.5 inches and sub 700$

My quick mental short list is this but open to any suggestions

Ascend
HSU
Chane
Rsl 5 when they come out
Maybe ask Fritz Heller ?

And this Sonus Faber is on sale and looks interesting and possibly a good sonic signature beciase if the silk dome tweeter, but the passive radiator on one side makes me think it wmay not be balanced  https://www.crutchfield.com/p_968CMC/Sonus-Faber-Chameleon-C.html




FireGuy

Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #1 on: 15 Oct 2018, 06:29 pm »
Aperion has ridiculously well made gear and their center channel(s) is no exception.  I have both the 4C (for the smaller room) and the 5C.  Voicing is spot on, it's 7.5" tall - meeting that parameter, silk dome tweet and well below your budget.  I have absolutely no plans to change these out. 

https://www.aperionaudio.com/collections/intimus-speakers/products/intimus-5c-center-channel-speaker-stealth-black?variant=7227648245817

kbuzz3

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Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #2 on: 22 Oct 2018, 07:52 pm »
thanks...i ordered one to try out

FireGuy

Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #3 on: 22 Oct 2018, 11:06 pm »
thanks...i ordered one to try out

Good deal.  Let us know your thoughts when up and running.  I've heard Aperion's center on three separate systems and always walked away impressed.

JackD

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Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #4 on: 23 Oct 2018, 01:31 am »
If the Aperion doesn't work out I would try the Acsend CMT-340 SE center.

Scott F.

Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #5 on: 23 Oct 2018, 06:08 pm »
I realized you already ordered one but I'm on the Aperion bandwagon also. I've got the 634VAC along with the 6T, 633T, 632LR and the Bravus 10D sub.

You're not going to find much, if anything, better for the money. Mate them with the right amps and they sing....or speak in the case of the center channel :thumb:

kbuzz3

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Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #6 on: 3 Nov 2018, 07:58 pm »
Well just a quick update. The Aperion grand versus 2 went on sale so I grabbed one.   Ore than I wanted to spend and I sure I would have liked the 5c.  It is working out very nicely and quite frankly it’s a beast .....I’m going to give it another week or two before deciding whether to order something else to compare it.  It excels in clarity of dialogue without siblience which many ultra brands can’tdo

Ive alWays wanted to try the ascends...but it will be hard to top this Aperion for my requirement which is smooth non fatiguing and a decent timber for the old ads tower fronts.

As an aside the Sonus Faber chameleon center is going back despite the killer deal at 300 bucks.  Man this is a beautiful made product with quality of the highest caliber....and beautiful as well. too bad it’s a bit fatiguing to listen to

I don’t know but it’s nothing like the classic sounds Faber SS of old.....the company is definitely going after a different market with these...

FireGuy

Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #7 on: 4 Nov 2018, 11:59 pm »
Well done kbuzz3.  Aperion's Verus' line up is something I've wanted to road test.  That's one nice looking center in all respects and sonically I'm certain it will continue to impress.

Bendingwave

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Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #8 on: 5 Nov 2018, 12:10 am »
IMO the most important quality in a center channel speaker is voice intelligibility, everything else is secondary.


There is a video on youtube of the Aperion 5c vs the Fluance Signature series....The person in the video states that he likes the Aperion better but when listening to the two the Fluance IMO has better voice intelligibility.....The reason the Aperion sounded better to him is due to it being louder in SPL but when you adjust the volume to be equal the Fluance voicing is more coherent.

https://www.amazon.com/Aperion-Audio-Intimus-5-25-Inch-Channel/dp/B075M1M6KP

https://www.fluance.com/signature-series-hifi-two-way-center-channel-speaker

Mudslide

Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #9 on: 5 Nov 2018, 05:58 am »
Well just a quick update. The Aperion grand versus 2 went on sale so I grabbed one.   Ore than I wanted to spend and I sure I would have liked the 5c.  It is working out very nicely and quite frankly it’s a beast .....I’m going to give it another week or two before deciding whether to order something else to compare it.  It excels in clarity of dialogue without siblience which many ultra brands can’tdo

Ive alWays wanted to try the ascends...but it will be hard to top this Aperion for my requirement which is smooth non fatiguing and a decent timber for the old ads tower fronts.

As an aside the Sonus Faber chameleon center is going back despite the killer deal at 300 bucks.  Man this is a beautiful made product with quality of the highest caliber....and beautiful as well. too bad it’s a bit fatiguing to listen to

I don’t know but it’s nothing like the classic sounds Faber SS of old.....the company is definitely going after a different market with these...

Excellent choice, buzz!  We had a few Aperions at our GTG a while back and they shined on a par with Ascend and a gaggle of other similarly priced monitors.  I even added a pair (and a sub) to my speaker zoo.  They are well designed and voiced by some really nice folks that know what they're doing here in Oregon.

As an aside...I REALLY liked the old Sonus Faber gear.  They were a bit reserved, but oh so musical.  And beautifully made.  'Tis too bad about their new speakers.  Salk and Philharmonic Audio have more than filled that hole in my audio heart, though.   :D

kbuzz3

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Re: Center channel recommendations please
« Reply #10 on: 5 Nov 2018, 08:49 pm »
Thanks everyone. Appreciate the responses. I never considered aperion, b/c i thought they were just plunk some drivers in a cab, made in the far east type deals.  The Grand Versus, is like anything in this hobby, a bit more than i wanted to spend, but it is impressive thus far.  And ive had dozens of speakers over the years...

Bendginwave, thanks for the tip re the youtube video...but that is for the 5C not the Gv. I probalby would have been very happy with the 5C..but now that is here...welll