Front/Rear Center Speaker

DK42

I'm thinking of getting another center speaker. I have the CS10 as a front center. I'm considering moving the CS10 to the rear and getting a CS20 for front or should I just get another CS10?

djperez81

i would definitely go with the cs20 for the front center it is bigger and more powerful center than the cs10. I seen the cs20 on newegg for 150 bucks.

Cmiller

Your going to be using a CS10 as a rear channel speaker? does that work?

kuntasensei

You can use a center channel as a rear speaker for 6.1... but 6.1 is not ideal for one major reason: Single point source audio from behind you can induce a psychoacoustic reversal that makes the sound appear to come in front of you instead of behind you. This is actually the reason that 7.1 exists in the home - because 2 rear speakers with proper steering can prevent this by using between-speaker imaging to eliminate the chances of psychoacoustic reversal.

This is a major problem when using a technology like Dolby EX in the home space with a 6.1 setup. Dolby EX works in a theatrical setting because they use speaker arrays and you aren't in close proximity to the speakers. But in the home, EX can cause this problem. This is why Dolby recommends using Dolby Pro-Logic IIx Music mode to process EX tracks or synthesize 5.1 to 6.1 - because DPL-IIx Music steers the sound to the rear while keeping just enough in the side surrounds to prevent psychoacoustic reversal.

That said, in my experience, the D'appolito array configuration of most center channel speakers (i.e. mid-tweeter-mid) tends to help minimize the chances of perceived reversal... so if you have to have a single rear speaker, that's a good way to go (though a bipole would be better).

DK42

Thanks to all. I will use Dolby Pro-Logic IIx for music to take advantage 6.1. I will get the cs20 for the front center when I can find them on sale in Canada.