[craig john]

I have a set of LS9's on pre-order at AV123.  In the time between when I placed the pre-order and the present, I have gone from a fixed frame screen mounted on the front wall to a drop-down, acoustically transparent screen (http://www.seymourav.com/) mounted about 3' from the front wall.  My current speakers, (Atlantic Technology 8200e THX Ultra2's) are positioned behind the AT screen.  I really like the imaging and lock-up of the audio with the video in this system. 

I can get a third LS9 from AV123 for use as a center channel.  However, I have several questions:

1. My screen is 110" diagonal, (90" wide).  With the three front LCR speakers placed behind the screen and inside the screen borders, they will be placed about 42" apart, center to center.  Is this wide enough separation for the LCR LS9's?  (I sit about 11' back from the screen.)  I could move the L/R's outside the screen borders, but this puts them pretty close to the side walls and it moves the front soundstage out beyond the video image. 

2. With the height of the LS9's and their dispersion pattern, will dialogue and voices sound 7' tall?

3. The screen has a metal bar at the bottom that the screen material attaches to.  The bar sits at 24" from the floor and will be in front of some of the LS9's drivers.  The bar is 3/4" solid metal.  Will this have a big impact on the sound from the LS9's?

4. Is there a better option for a center channel speaker than a third LS9?

Thanks for any and all info.

Craig

[phoenix_rising]

Hi Craig,

My previous system used an AT screen (96" wide). After experimenting I put the left and right speakers to the sides of the screen and they sat flush with the front of the screen, the center which was identical was behind the AT screen and sat 12" behind the screen. Most decent processors can uplift the upper frequencies for an AT screen assuming it is not an SMX or Screen Research which do not require any adjustment.

I had a meridian digital theater and had the opportunity to try all their different variations as a center There was no contest at all, by far the best sound field was generated when the center and the left and right speakers were identical, so having an LS9 as a center IMO would be optimum.

Hope this helps
Broke

[arthurs]

In regards to #2, I've had the 9's for almost a year now and wouldn't say they produce giant images or voices, etc.  Seem very life-sized in my system.  I would guess it would hold true for movies...but I'm not really a doctor, I only play one on TV....

[Se7en]

You could always mount the 3rd LS9 horizontally  Or possibly an LS6.

Although I'm not familiar with the LS9 myself, I was also using a 96" AT screen within the last year with a smaller ribbon LS type speaker and had no problem getting very pin point image alignment with just 2 speakers (speakers to the left and right of screen, not behind). With everything I have heard about the LS9 you may want to see how well you do with just the pair (others who are more familiar with the directionality of this speaker may want to call BS on me).

I would also ask if you plan to sit in the sweet spot most of the time or off axis. In any event, the system sounds like it is going to be bad a$$!

-7

[Danny Richie]

To number 1: you'll need to play with positioning in your room to decide if it is better for the left and right speakers to be moved outside the edges of the screen.

The answer to number 2 is no. Vocals will be front and center and not overly large.

As for number 3, I don't think that the metal bar is large enough to have any noticeable effect during movie watching.

Number 4, I know there can be other options but I honestly can't think of a better one.

[craig john]

Thanks, Danny.  That is exactly the response I was hoping/looking for.

Craig