[Rob Babcock]

I can appreciate the differing points of view.  Certainly in a theater designed for one or two viewers, both in the sweet spot, you don't need a center to get a pretty stable image.  On the other hand, Bell Labs determined in the 50's that the minimum number of speakers needed for consistent imaging was three.  I definately like a center for movies, at least most of the time, if for no other reason than the improved dynamics.  Still, I admit that even very small differences in timbre can really ruin the suspension of disbelief.  IMOHO you can expect no better results using a non-voicematched center than you'd get with using two different brands of speaker for stereo (eg a B&W for the left one and a VMPS for the right).

[Russtafarian]

One potential exception to the timbre matching dilemma with CC speakers is the Magnepan.  This CC speaker is so neutral through the midrange that it will blend seamlessly with most L&R speakers.  It is challenged at the frequency extremes, but the first priority of a CC is to get the midrange right and disperse it uniformly through the room.  And they're relatively inexpensive.

[Rob Babcock]

That may be, but only if the LCR is also neutral!

[Folsom]

I have watched some movies were the center is the only place any significant volume of the actors voices came from... Without it the sound is weak and it is hard to know what anyone is saying. Perhaps they are poorly made movies but they are real.

[PaulFolbrecht]

I have watched some movies were the center is the only place any significant volume of the actors voices came from... Without it the sound is weak and it is hard to know what anyone is saying. Perhaps they are poorly made movies but they are real.

Some people in this thread seem to have completely misunderstood the discussion.  What I was referring to was not using a center channel and telling your processor that so that it direct center content to the fronts.  If that was not possible, there's certainly no way not have a center would work!  In fact, in almost ALL movies, virtually ALL of the dialog comes from the center, and just about every else up front too!  In probably 95% of 5.1 and 7.1 encodings the fronts are doing next to nothing 90% of the time.

Unless you send the center content to them.