[mresseguie]

I got into a conversation with a gentleman a couple days ago on just how much information is supposed to be delivered by the center channel speaker. He insisted (several times) that only voices should exit the center channel speaker. Since only voices exit the center channel speaker, there is absolutely no need for a 2-way or 3-way CC speaker; all that is needed is a full range driver .

I suggested that more than just voices come out of my center channel speaker. I further suggested that the better the speaker quality is, the better the presentation will be.

He disagreed so much that I dropped the discussion lest either of us become other than friendly.

Now I put it to you, dear reader. Do only vocal sounds emit from the CC speaker? Is it a total and complete waste of time and money to buy an MTM or an MMidTM CC speaker?

I look forward to your thoughts.

Michael

[Phil A]

The center should sonically match the left and right channel.  If the big difference is bass response, then one could of course compensate for that in the set-up.  If one is talking about multi-channel music too, then a speaker with a better frequency response would be really important.  And more than voices come from the center.  If one has action panning side to side, whether that be a soundtrack or sound effects then the center channel may come into play.  I have one system with no center channel as well.

[gab]

 To quote Floyd Toole from his Sound Reproduction: Loudspeakers and Rooms book Ch 8 pg 122:

"In more serious installations, the center channel is anything but an afterthought because in movies more than 80% of the sound is delivered by it, and in television the proportion is even higher. The center channel is the most important speaker in the entire installation!"

Put the majority of your speaker budget into your center channel speaker and you'll end up with an excellent HT. The L/R and surrounds are not nearly as critical IMO. And of course multiple subwoofers around the room (minimum 3).

gab

[SoCalWJS]

What should come out of a Center Channel Speaker?

Anything and everything placed there by the person doing the mix.

It varies widely. In some cases, your friend might be right, but those are mostly the older movies. These days, many of the mixes have full range sound recorded into the center channel, so it is entirely up to your Pre/Pro to save your center channel if the movie (or concert/whatever) calls for loud, low, long periods of sound.

The center channel should match the rest of your speakers (primarily the  front L/R) as closely as possible - it's just not realistic for many people though. Hard for many to place the same size speaker right in the middle of the screen (even if slightly above or below).

[mresseguie]

Thanks, guys.

I had mentioned the 80% to him during the disagreement, but he flat out said, "Wrong!" He wouldn't look at pictures of high-end CC speakers nor would he listen to what I was saying. It wasn't a two-way conversation, really.

Beers for you when I see you. 

[Early B.]

Thanks, guys.

I had mentioned the 80% to him during the disagreement, but he flat out said, "Wrong!" He wouldn't look at pictures of high-end CC speakers nor would he listen to what I was saying. It wasn't a two-way conversation, really.

Your friend has no idea what he's talking about, so don't waste any more of your time talking to him about HT. To prove the 80% rule, all that's required is to unplug the other speakers and pop in a DVD. Anyone can hear for themselves what the center channel is producing.

My advice to anyone is to buy the biggest, baddest center channel you can afford. The typical MTM design with 5.5 or 6.5 drivers that cut off at 50 Hz, regardless of price or brand, is insufficient for a high quality HT system. 

[srb]

To prove the 80% rule, all that's required is to unplug the other speakers and pop in a DVD. Anyone can hear for themselves what the center channel is producing.

That makes sense.

The typical MTM design with 5.5 or 6.5 drivers that cut off at 50 Hz, regardless of price or brand, is insufficient for a high quality HT system.

That makes absolutely no sense.

HT is largely based on a properly integrated subwoofer(s).  Although the THX standard crossover is 80Hz, having a center channel speaker that allows crossover of 50Hz makes for even more assured non-localization of the subwoofer(s) at 50Hz and below, but beyond that there is little to gain.

I have heard some amazing sounding HT systems with very high-quality center channels that had 5.5" and 6.5" drivers.

Steve

[ajzepp]

I will echo what Phil said about matching...I have been seriously into HT now for about 16 years, and I've tried 1) phantom center, 2) center that was different from the L/R, 3) center that was from the same line as the L/R, and 4) center that was identical to the L/R. A distant 4th place goes to #2. To my ears, when the center has different drivers, it stands out like a sore thumb, mainly in terms of tonality. The other three options work much better, with my preference being #4.

[Phil A]

I've had so many set-ups as well.  Below is a pic of the bedroom system in the old house where I had 3 identical speakers (Thiel SCS2s, which I now use one pair as side surrounds and one as back surrounds in the current main system).  Sometimes it is not practical to have the 3 identical speakers (not that my set-up was practical as many would make a comment about the 55 inch TV hanging of the wall and the big bookshelf speakers hanging on the wall too - I guess it made its way into my head as I have a 32 inch TV in the bedroom now which is rarely used but have a projector with a 92 inch screen that folds into the ceiling and all in-ceiling speakers so it looks more civil).