Dumb question

MacLeod
MacLeod Posts: 14,358
edited July 2005 in Electronics
Circuit City has the Sony entry level HT receiver on sale for $150 and I was thinking of getting it.

Right now I have 2 main speakers and 2 surrounds from my existing ancient 2.0 Dolby surround system.

My question is, if I run a 5.1 receiver without a center channel will it work right? Isnt most of the dialogue on the center channel?

I would eventually get one but it would rather have this and enjoy at least 4 channel surround until I get one but not if Ill be missing out on most of the sound.
polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
Post edited by MacLeod on

Comments

  • Schris22
    Schris22 Posts: 983
    edited July 2005
    it will work and yes all that dialogue will be missing....and when i say work...i mean "work" I would much rather just use one of those surrounds as center than just lose everything....

    any more specifics? might be helpful to post current system specs...and receiver is the base/foundation for receiver....what reciever are you looking at?

    Chris
    Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR502-S
    DVD Player: Pioneer DV-578A-S
    Left and Right: R50
    Center: CS1
    Rear Center: R15
    Surrounds: R30
    Subwoofer: 10'' Dayton 100 Watt
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2005
    This one.

    I know its a dog but I live in an apartment and was just wanting a little something to tide me over til I had a house or someplace to better use a good HT.

    Hell, I may just break down and buy one of those $200 HTiaB systems.

    Apartment living sucks! :(
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
  • John K.
    John K. Posts: 822
    edited July 2005
    MacLeod sure, that or a similar unit should be fine until you get a different setup. When you set the receiver for no center speaker any center channel material is automatically sent to both of the front speakers, so nothing is lost. The front speakers then form a "phantom" center that may sound just about as good as if a real center speaker was there. For someone not right between the front speakers the center image will shift to the side where they are, but that may be a minor factor. No HTIB needed.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,793
    edited July 2005
    How could you lose a piece of the material by not having a speaker?

    Just make sure the center is switched to off and enjoy.

    *Sporting a 2 channel HT and missing none*

    One way to get rid of bad center imaging for off axis listeners is TOE IN...

    This way a speaker directly infront of them is pointing to the other side of the room, while the other speaker is pretty much pointing their direction. Works very well.

    But always position them best for soundstaging in the sweet spot.

    Center channels are bad - its best not to have them if you can manage it. Obviously you need one for multiple people viewing. But the best integration is when you dont need it.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2005
    Outstanding! Thanks guys, this is what I was wanting to know.

    Ive never owned a 5.1 reciever so I dont know sqaut about them. I wasnt sure if the center channel had dedicated material that you wouldnt get if you didnt have one, or if it was mainly a mix of L and R fronts. I thought it would be logical to have a center channel "defeat" setting but wasnt sure.

    I asked the guy at Circuit City and he looked like I hit him in the head with a tack hammer so I got no real help there.

    So center channels are bad? I thought you had to have them. Im all for simplicity and am very tempted to screw 5.1 altogether and just go 2 channel but really like the effects of objects zooming all around.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
  • maggiefan
    maggiefan Posts: 223
    edited July 2005
    Like the guys said, just select no or none for the center channel in the set up menu and the receiver will take care of the rest, enjoy!.....:D
    Larry
  • Schris22
    Schris22 Posts: 983
    edited July 2005
    yes...my fault, I forgot about phantom centers. I have not tried it but have heard it, but whatever works for you.

    Sorry for the misinformation.

    Good luck,

    Chris
    Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR502-S
    DVD Player: Pioneer DV-578A-S
    Left and Right: R50
    Center: CS1
    Rear Center: R15
    Surrounds: R30
    Subwoofer: 10'' Dayton 100 Watt
  • wallstreet
    wallstreet Posts: 1,405
    edited July 2005
    Centers aren't bad, they're good. They localize the sound from the center of the tv screen. Two channels only work well when you're in the sweet spot. And in every setup, there's only room for one in the sweet spot. Everyone else watching is shortchanged.
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited July 2005
    Hey MacLeod- what's up? On the receiver menu you will be able to switch your LEFT AND RIGHT speakers to either "LARGE" or "SMALL". With your center and surround speakers you will be able to choose "LARGE", "SMALL" or "OFF". Turn the Center speaker "OFF" if you're not using one- simple as that.

    What happens is the output of that channel will be filtered through your front stereo pair. You won't lose any information per-say just a little bit of an off-axis issue with the imaging because unless you sit in the sweet spot the soundfield will collapse to the nearest of the two stereo speakers. This is called the Precedence Effect, or the Haas Effect- in which identical sounds coming from two locations are only heard from the nearest source. The center speaker is used to preserve some sense of central location for those not sitting in a perfect equilateral triangle with the front stereo pair.

    Also- you mentioned the SOny STR DE 598 tiding you over till you move into a house or whatever- make sure you take advantage of Circuit City's upgrade policy. It's good for a year from the date of purchase- so a year from now trade the Sony back in for credit towards a Harman Kardon- something that will do justice to home theater and SACD. and give you much more enjoyment down the long road. Hope this helps.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2005
    Thanks AA, thats exactly what I needed to know.

    ;)
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited July 2005
    anytime buddy.

    THe Open's coming up soon!
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2005
    Originally posted by aaharvel
    anytime buddy.

    THe Open's coming up soon!

    Looking forward to it but Wimbledon is stil my favorite. Just the whole ambience of it history and location. I love it. The US will be fun too tho.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D