I Hate Center Channels!!!

dnoyeB
dnoyeB Posts: 114
edited March 2011 in Speakers
There are so many speaker combination choices that I can go with for my TV viewing. However, the most restrictive thing is the darn center channel!! They are big as heck. Plus many have rear facing ports. How do you mount this thing with a rear facing port?

I really can not see where they are designed to be placed. They cant be wall mounted (with that port). They are not floor standers. Most of them are over 10" deep!

Is it possible to use a soundbar of some sort as a center? The RTi centers are huge, the Monitor centers are huge, the TSi centers are huge.


The only reasonable centers are
LSiC - 8"D
VM20 - 4.5"D
Blackstone - 4"D


Am I really going to be crucified if I mix in a center that actually fits and looks good as opposed to the one labeled to match my Mains!?
Music
LR: Polk Monitor 70 (willing to sell if interested)
C: Cerwin Vega E-75C
Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK3
AVR: Sony STR-DE835
AMP:

HT
5.1: Paradigm CT110
AVR: Integra DTR-4.6

WTB: RTiA9 or RTi12
Post edited by dnoyeB on

Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,019
    edited March 2011
    They make plenty of aftermarket shelves for center channels that fit on top of a flatscreen tv. Or you can use it as an excuse to get a new stand for all your componants.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,341
    edited March 2011
    Too Big??? I love a "BIG ****" center..
    Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎

    SVS SB16 X2

    Cary SLP-05/Ultimate Upgrade.
    Cary SA-500.1 ES Amps
    Cary DMS 800PV Network
    OPPO UDP 205/ModWright Modification
    VPI Scout TT / Dynavector 20x2
    Jolida JD9 Fully Modified

    VPI MW-1 Cyclone RCM

    MIT Shotgun 3 cables throughout / Except TT, and PC’s
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,019
    edited March 2011
    Too Big??? I love a "BIG ****" center..

    I heard you just like " big **** " period.:tongue::smile:
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,341
    edited March 2011
    tonyb wrote: »
    I heard you just like " big **** " period.:tongue::smile:

    Hell Yeah!!!:biggrin:
    Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎

    SVS SB16 X2

    Cary SLP-05/Ultimate Upgrade.
    Cary SA-500.1 ES Amps
    Cary DMS 800PV Network
    OPPO UDP 205/ModWright Modification
    VPI Scout TT / Dynavector 20x2
    Jolida JD9 Fully Modified

    VPI MW-1 Cyclone RCM

    MIT Shotgun 3 cables throughout / Except TT, and PC’s
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,195
    edited March 2011
    Remember, Larry has big **** speakers too.:biggrin:

    Big **** record cleaning machine too.:biggrin:
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • newrival
    newrival Posts: 2,017
    edited March 2011
    dnoye you're actually onto something. The very best center channel is using the same exact speaker as your mains in the same (assumed) vertical orientation. This doesn't help with your placement issues, and likely only compounds it, but it's something worth bringing up.

    Larry's suggestions are good. If you're center is over 15# I'd be wary of the TV mount shelves for DLP's If you have LCD or plasma, wall or stand mount the TV and place the center ontop of the media stand/credenza. You could also use one of those wall mounts for CRT TV's that you se in hospitals, etc. Or you could use L bracket shelf mounts above the TV which can be had up to 24" depths and then you could just shim your center to aim it down into the listening position. There are sollutions, but I feel your pain, my CS1000p is a BEAST and took a lot of CL browsing to find a stand that could house her (and still only had 1/32" of clearance, less than ideal) Good Luck!
    design is where science and art break even.
  • newrival
    newrival Posts: 2,017
    edited March 2011
    hell yeah!!!:biggrin:

    +1!!!!!
    design is where science and art break even.
  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited March 2011
    My 2 cents....

    In a HT setup the center is the hardest speaker of them all, a center which is designed to be used with the Left and Right speakers is best.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited March 2011
    Run it in phantom mode through your mains, and quit stressing about it. A little bit of toe-in might be in order to get it *just* right.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
  • dnoyeB
    dnoyeB Posts: 114
    edited March 2011
    The centers are ugly as well. Sure the speakers are just a tall box, but for some reason that doesn't look bad. But put this simple square box in front of a sleek HDTV, and it looks like crap.

    Blackstone looks nice, and VM as well though I am scared of VM because no one around here seems to talk much about em.

    I really like the RTi line but 14"!?! Too Beaucoup!!
    Music
    LR: Polk Monitor 70 (willing to sell if interested)
    C: Cerwin Vega E-75C
    Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK3
    AVR: Sony STR-DE835
    AMP:

    HT
    5.1: Paradigm CT110
    AVR: Integra DTR-4.6

    WTB: RTiA9 or RTi12
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,019
    edited March 2011
    RuSsMaN wrote: »
    Run it in phantom mode through your mains, and quit stressing about it. A little bit of toe-in might be in order to get it *just* right.

    Yep, I run without a center, doesn't bother me in the least. Just have to set it up that way in the receiver is all.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • pdxfj
    pdxfj Posts: 376
    edited March 2011
    I have an Omnimount Center Channel Shelf above my plasma which holds the center (cs2). I also used some "monitor isolation wedges" from Foam Factory to angle it down properly (the $15 kit).

    I had to re-think the rear supports to make it work. It's a hack job waiting until I get some time to mount it properly.
  • 20hz
    20hz Posts: 636
    edited March 2011
    newrival wrote: »
    dnoye you're actually onto something. The very best center channel is using the same exact speaker as your mains in the same (assumed) vertical orientation. QUOTE )


    I have been strugling for years in the WAF (wife acceptance factor) plays a big role , at one time I was going to build a custom fix box to have 3 ls-70's up front but never got around to that beast , my best setup is the kef #100 center mounted on the tv (yes mounted) the kefs seam to sound very balanced and the off axis is great on them , I was going to try the omnimount center shelf but my tv has a 1.5" square edge so I built a clamping "U" bracket mounted that to a shelf strapped the center to it .
    Only thing that would make me content is if/when I get that monster plasma or something good and flat is to wall mount it than have a inwall center or basically a big grill for one and put in what ever center I like in the wall .
    But that all comes when I get a home theatre room , hopefully during my lifetime :)
  • IRLRaceFan
    IRLRaceFan Posts: 172
    edited March 2011
    dnoyeB wrote: »
    The centers are ugly as well. Sure the speakers are just a tall box, but for some reason that doesn't look bad. But put this simple square box in front of a sleek HDTV, and it looks like crap.

    Blackstone looks nice, and VM as well though I am scared of VM because no one around here seems to talk much about em.

    I really like the RTi line but 14"!?! Too Beaucoup!!

    I'm running VM20's as surrounds in my HT and think they're great - for the equipment I have & the acoustics of the room.
    Never tried using one as a center, but I can't imagine it would be horrible. Personally, I like a medium size center.

    Klipsch, in my opinion, has some cool looking center speakers (Reference line), but I don't know what they sound like - too much $$$ for me.
    HT
    Onkyo TX-NR1008 | Magnepan 1.7 | Polk LSiC | Polk VM20 | Polk DSW microPro 2000 | Parasound HCA-2205A | Oppo BDP-93

    2-Ch
    Cary SLP 30 Tube Preamp | Polk LSi7 | Carver M1.5t | Audio-gd Digital Interface | W4S DAC-2 | MAC Mini | Denon DP300f & Pro-Ject Debut III TT's
  • maximillian
    maximillian Posts: 2,144
    edited March 2011
    Go with an in-wall center. Or perhaps there is a soundbar that can be run as a center only?
  • MADGSF
    MADGSF Posts: 603
    edited March 2011
    I love my CSi-5 and when I got my flat screen I budgeted a nice stand that holds it all, see Standout Designs. Before that it sat on top of my 36" XBR but my wife doesn't care how all of the speakers/sub/electronics looks in the living room, I know she's a keeper.
    AVR: Elite VSX-21TXH
    Amplifier: B&K 7250 Series ii
    Misc: Velodyne SMS-1
    Mains: RTi-10
    Center: CSi-5
    Rear: Boston DSi460
    Sub: SVS PC-Ultra
    TV: Panasonic TC-P58V10
    DVD: Panasonic DMP-BD60K
  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,064
    edited March 2011
    Either live with it, or as Russman said, go phantom. Or sell all you stuff and buy Bose....
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited March 2011
    The center is the most important speaker for HT theater, don't skimp on it.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,793
    edited March 2011
    In wall??
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,093
    edited March 2011
    You wouldn't downmix your 2 channel system to 1 speaker would you? Why skimp on the center for HT...that's where it's at for the cohesive front soundstage.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,793
    edited March 2011
    Why not use a LSi7 vertical or something?

    I think center channels are overpriced and over rated...

    Thats why I run dual bookshelves - I can use them anywhere and for anything and not to mention nothing beats centers above and below a TV - unless you had a screen and could put them behind the screen!

    Either way - if you run full size mains, dont get some VM or something speaker for your center.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • ShadowTowel
    ShadowTowel Posts: 89
    edited March 2011
    CSi A4 would be fine for your Rti line... It is not 14" deep. It is about 8" deep. Get that.
    Polk Audio RTi A3 (mains)
    Polk Audio CSi A4 (center)
    Polk Audio RC60i (rears)
    BIC Acoustech PL-200 (sub)
    Denon AVR-590 (receiver)
    Samsung LN46B550 (LCD)
    Sharp BD HP22U (Blu-ray player)
  • ALWALLER
    ALWALLER Posts: 40
    edited March 2011
    You forgot the Bose center it makes a great center channel speaker. Its small enough to put behind
    your cable box. Size and looks will not be a factor. The most important thing
    about a center speaker is its size and the way It looks, ask any wife for
    confirmation.
    Equipment
    Panasonic TC-P54S2 Plasma
    Scientific Atlanta DVR
    ONKYO TX-SR705 AVR Pre/Pro
    Outlaw 7125 7 CH Power Amplifier
    Toshiba A2 HD-DVd
    Panasonic BD-30
    Harmony 550 remote control
    LSi9 ( Mains )
    LSiC ( Center )
    PSB Ambient 2 Dipoles
    SVS 20-39 PCI Subwoofer