Monkey in the Middle

Evanguy2004
Evanguy2004 Posts: 77
edited March 2009 in Speakers
Hi everyone,

I have a question. How important is a having a high quality center speaker? Does it make a big difference? The probelm that I have now is that my TV stand has a center divider. I can't get a center speaker directly infor my Samsung 60 inch DLP 1080P directly in the center. So I have connected two high quality Infinity Speakers on each side of the divider each connected to the center channel in my AVR.

Thanks in advance for all of your advice and feedback on having a quality center speaker. Also how can I overcome the divider in my TV stand besides buying a new one? Do they make some sort of brackets that allow you to mount the center speaker above the TV? Does it sound weird having the center channel on top of the TV instead of below?
Post edited by Evanguy2004 on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited March 2009
    Running a phantom center channel by redirecting the center channel to your two front mains can be very effective, some AVR's are better at this than others.

    I don't think you can have "high quality" Infinity speakers :rolleyes: (just mess'in with ya!)
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Evanguy2004
    Evanguy2004 Posts: 77
    edited March 2009
    You are probably right about the Infinity Speakers. I have no idea on how good the quality is on these speakers. I bought them at a garage sale. They do sound pretty good for a Center Channel however.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • apphd
    apphd Posts: 1,514
    edited March 2009
    dkg999 wrote: »
    Running a phantom center channel by redirecting the center channel to your two front mains can be very effective, some AVR's are better at this than others.

    I don't think you can have "high quality" Infinity speakers :rolleyes: (just mess'in with ya!)


    I agree with part of this, in some set ups a phantom mode can be very effective, with some people actually preferring this over a center.

    I've heard that Infinity has gone down hill, but I haven't heard any of their offerings lately. I have an Infinity Video 1 center from the early 90's that isn't half bad:p
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • zarrdoss
    zarrdoss Posts: 2,562
    edited March 2009
    How does it sound to you? You have two (infinitys) directly on both sided of the tv in addition to your mains? I had to make a stand to put my center on top of my tv but it sounds fine there.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • zarrdoss
    zarrdoss Posts: 2,562
    edited March 2009
    but being on top of that 60" you might want to angle it down a bit:D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • polkie4life
    polkie4life Posts: 231
    edited March 2009
    I'm using dual centers aswell for similar reasons. I use a pair of RT55i's due to their not being enough space and the fact that my main speakers seem to swallow up any other speakers in the room.

    I love it and will never go back to a single purpose built center speaker.
    In terms of audio, i truly feel sorry for the visually impaired. How can they know what they like if they cant read google?


    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=86838
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • zarrdoss
    zarrdoss Posts: 2,562
    edited March 2009
    polkie4life wrote: »
    I'm using dual centers aswell for similar reasons. I use a pair of RT55i's due to their not being enough space and the fact that my main speakers seem to swallow up any other speakers in the room.

    I love it and will never go back to a single purpose built center speaker.

    Ive thought of doing the same thing but the center I just got (CS350LS ) does a real good job and with the LS90's is a good match for the front three.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Evanguy2004
    Evanguy2004 Posts: 77
    edited March 2009
    I never thought about the center channel when I bought this delux TV stand for my 60 inch Samsung. Actually the wife picked out the stand of course and I chose the TV. The darn divider makes it imposible to put the center channel in the center under the TV. I'm afraid that if I get a center channel and it is off to one side it is going to sound lopsided? Thus having the dual centers both connected to the center channel that are located on either side of the divider under the TV sound pretty good even though they are infinitys (The rest of my set up however is Polk Audio with Monitor 10's as my front mains and I just bought a Polk Sub Woofer). A friend just lent me his Center Boston Acoustic Center Speaker to try out. However not only is it too tall it is too long for my set up. I might just plug it in just to see if it makes a difference on sound.

    These bookshelf Infinitys (As my centers) appear to be several years old and of good quality. I just might continue to use these since they are sounding ok to me now. However you never know what your missing at times until you compare them to something else. Thus the Boston Accoustic Center that my friend lent to me just might be the one to test just to compare the difference.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gadabout
    Gadabout Posts: 1,072
    edited March 2009
    Don't know if this will meet the wifes approval but this is what I use for my Center Channel...

    OmniMount Center Channel Speaker Shelf
    Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. ..... Frank Zappa
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Spike111
    Spike111 Posts: 15
    edited March 2009
    Evanguy have you thought of building a shelf to lift your tv off of the stand and put your center under there. That is what I did. My center would not fit on top of the stand and I did not want to use a whole shelf for a center so I built a simple shelf.

    stand.jpg
    AVR: Marantz 7008
    AMP: Emotiva XPA-5
    Mains: LSi 15
    Center: LSiC
    Side Surronds: LSi 9
    Rear Surronds: LSi 7
    Sub: eD A2-300
    Bluray: PS3
    Turntable: Rega P2
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Evanguy2004
    Evanguy2004 Posts: 77
    edited March 2009
    Great, great idea dude! I have a Smsung 60" DLP that doesn't sit on a pedistal like stand like the LCD 40" does. Does anyone know if this idea would work for a DLP 60" Sansung? I looked at the TV and it looks like it site on the TV stand all along the bottom. I would need to create a shelf the length of the stand I suppose? Thoughts?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Evanguy2004
    Evanguy2004 Posts: 77
    edited March 2009
    Gadabout wrote: »
    Don't know if this will meet the wifes approval but this is what I use for my Center Channel...

    OmniMount Center Channel Speaker Shelf

    Gagabout....I few years ago I did think about using one of these center mounts. I looked at the picture and had trouble understanding how this mounts...To the wall or somehow to the TV? Can you explain how this gets set up?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Spike111
    Spike111 Posts: 15
    edited March 2009
    Another thought Evanguy, I am assuming you do not have a real center channel speaker yet. Have you thought about a RTi A6. It has a kickstand on the back end to be able to mount it on top of a TV that has some depth to it. I am guessing a DLP is not as thin as a LCD. I just sold one on eBay to get my LCiC and the kickstand felt and looked pretty strong. Check out Polks website for more details. Great excuse to upgrade.:D
    AVR: Marantz 7008
    AMP: Emotiva XPA-5
    Mains: LSi 15
    Center: LSiC
    Side Surronds: LSi 9
    Rear Surronds: LSi 7
    Sub: eD A2-300
    Bluray: PS3
    Turntable: Rega P2
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • zarrdoss
    zarrdoss Posts: 2,562
    edited March 2009
    You could build you a set of these, made from 1/2"x3/4" oak from HD and some 1 1/2" drywall screws and wood glue. About one hour to make I just painted them flat black after these pics. But this was just stuff I had around the house, so you could use less expensive material.

    IMG_1000.jpg

    IMG_0999.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gadabout
    Gadabout Posts: 1,072
    edited March 2009
    Evanguy2004 wrote: »
    Gagabout....I few years ago I did think about using one of these center mounts. I looked at the picture and had trouble understanding how this mounts...To the wall or somehow to the TV? Can you explain how this gets set up?

    It mounts to the TV. There are two little rods that hang down from the shelf, that lip over the front of the TV. The posts that go down are adjustable and they just sit on the slant part of your TV. The set comes with 2 different sizes of posts.

    I put felt on the shelf, the pads of the posts, the bottom part of the shelf that actually sits on the TV and the back side of the two little posts that sit over the TV. I use the stand on the back of my CSi5 to elevate the back of the center and point it down towards the listening area.

    I'll grab the camera and post a couple pics for you. You can see how the set up looks in my showcase too.
    Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. ..... Frank Zappa
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gadabout
    Gadabout Posts: 1,072
    edited March 2009
    Pics as promised.....

    This is on a 56" Samsung DLP
    Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. ..... Frank Zappa
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter