[Alwayswantmore]

My third round with Louis and Omega speakers. First time ever to run HT audio. Louis configured a 3i monitor to use as a center channel, with port on the front and binding posts mounted horizontally. These are flat-cut ebony, and they look and sound amazing. TV is LG OLED, and the receiver is Anthem. I am thoroughly impressed with every component in this rig. Thank you, Louis, for the incredible work you do! Kent

[pstrisik]

That ebony is stunning!  Particularly with that lighter contrast on the fronts.  Reminds me of Bonnie Raitt with the shock of gray hair amidst the red. 

The center channel is a nice idea.  I have integrated HT in my system with HT bypass.  With such amazing imaging and clarity, I haven't been motivated to add the center, but I'm sure it would add to the video experience if I did.

[Alwayswantmore]

....oh, I forgot to mention the sub is Omega Deep Hemp, purchased a few years ago.

BTW: I have never been a fan of the HT systems I've heard in stores. -- To me, the sounded like overblown garbage pounding in the low-mids and bass. For years, my mantra was I would rather listen to two good speakers than 5+ crappy HT speakers... *

I don't know how much of what I hear can be attributed to the Anthem, but I will say I have never heard HT sound better than this. Bigger and more powerful yes, but for clarity and refinement, I can't say enough good about this little system in my relatively small room (with lots of GIK bass traps, etc.).

* My comments are relative to what I've heard in stores. No disrespect to others, as I'm sure I'm not the only audiophile that's figured out a way to make HT sound good in their home.

[Alwayswantmore]

The center channel is a nice idea.  I have integrated HT in my system with HT bypass.  With such amazing imaging and clarity, I haven't been motivated to add the center, but I'm sure it would add to the video experience if I did.

Again, my first round with HT. So new to me is listening to Dolby HT with discrete tracks for center and the sub. I ran L+R+sub for a number of weeks waiting on the center. My wife and I watch a lot of drama, including British dialog, Anthem's processing + the center make it much easier to understand dialog without captions.

I've tried with and without rear speakers. Based on my limited tests, the rears add a lot for action movie soundtracks, but not so much for drama-show dialog.

[pstrisik]

I don't like rear speakers.  Full immersion approach is fun and dramatic, but is tiring overall.  Center channel offers better dialog clarity, as you state.  Maybe sometime.  If I have Louis make a matching center with alnico driver, it would be another big chunk of change.  N e e d t o r e s i s t

[opnly bafld]

Nice looking speakers. 

I don't like rear speakers.  Full immersion approach is fun and dramatic, but is tiring overall.  Center channel offers better dialog clarity, as you state.  Maybe sometime.  If I have Louis make a matching center with alnico driver, it would be another big chunk of change.  N e e d t o r e s i s t

I agree with this.

IMO/E (friend had a HT/car stereo store) many people went cheap on the center channel speaker and were never satisfied.
I quit surround sound 20+ years ago, I found as my system got better the soundtrack sounded more fake.
Big honkin' center speaker and MONO for TV/movies.   

[rlal]

Again, my first round with HT. So new to me is listening to Dolby HT with discrete tracks for center and the sub. I ran L+R+sub for a number of weeks waiting on the center. My wife and I watch a lot of drama, including British dialog, Anthem's processing + the center make it much easier to understand dialog without captions.

I've tried with and without rear speakers. Based on my limited tests, the rears add a lot for action movie soundtracks, but not so much for drama-show dialog.

Hello,


I just want to know how much improvement center channel added?
I am in similar situation, I do get good imaging with Salk silk towers ( with left and right ).
Some times I do feel for some blue rays the dialogues are not very clear.
I will add a center channel if there is a big improvement . Please let me know.

Thanks
Rlal

[Alwayswantmore]

Hello,


I just want to know how much improvement center channel added?
I am in similar situation, I do get good imaging with Salk silk towers ( with left and right ).
Some times I do feel for some blue rays the dialogues are not very clear.
I will add a center channel if there is a big improvement . Please let me know.

Thanks
Rlal

For more 20 years I had a tv suspended between my 2 channel rig. For anything encoded in surround, I’m now 100% sold on the benefit of having a center channel. Again, this assumes a decoder to feed the discrete signal to the center channel. Same goes for the sub, as it seems the sub is activated by the “.1” feed, rather than a set crossover point.   

[jMelvin]

Beautiful speakers. Nice home theater! I bet it sounds fantastic. I left the home theater world behind me some years ago but, for shitz and giggles, recently hooked up the TV (via optical) to my new integrated. I must say my 2.1 system (Super 3i's & DeepHemp 8) sounded pretty damn good! Vocal clarity took me back. I can only imagine a nice Omega Centre. Enjoy.

[Kalali]

Congratulations Kent. The speakers look absolutely beautiful and I bet they sound wonderful. Enjoy!

[FireGuy]

The organic, precise and pristine sound of the RS5 driver.  Beautiful set up.  Been out of town a bit, looking forward to getting back to my Super 5's. 

[WGH]

... and the receiver is Anthem.

Beautiful speakers. Did you calibrate using ARC Genisis?

[rlal]

For more 20 years I had a tv suspended between my 2 channel rig. For anything encoded in surround, I’m now 100% sold on the benefit of having a center channel. Again, this assumes a decoder to feed the discrete signal to the center channel. Same goes for the sub, as it seems the sub is activated by the “.1” feed, rather than a set crossover point.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. 

[syzygy]

sweet

[Alwayswantmore]

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. 

Thinking about my comments on center, I have a few more thoughts...

We have two recliners in a small room. Lacking a center, dialog moves to the speaker in front of the listener. With center, dialog remains with the actors on the tv.

The other benefit is dialog is directed to center and, and depending on the engineering, music and other sounds can be directed to L&R. So the soundstage can go very wide. Again depending on the engineer, dialog and the backing track can separate, so dialog is easier to understand.

[Alwayswantmore]

Beautiful speakers. Did you calibrate using ARC Genisis?

ARC with their mic and iOS. Interestingly, I’m not sure it made a ton of difference. Fair amount of room treatments plus Omegas might have fewer trouble spots to tame?

[WGH]

One feature of Genesis is bass management. Genesis rolls off the LRC speakers at 80 Hz (or higher), the low frequency's from all speakers are sent to the sub so no bass is lost, this eases the load on the receiver's amps for effortless peaks and more headroom. The Genesis software can also have different profiles. I have a music profile (FM input) with all the speakers playing full range, just like a regular stereo. Listening to music and cycling through 'Mode" is fun if I want a room full of music.

Export the PDF file to see what changes Genesis made, my room has minimal treatments and the calibration made a noticeable improvement.