Phantom Center

wutadumsn23

Well, after all the advice I have given concerning center channels and making sure you have room for the one you buy, I have a confession to make. When I bought my HT I had no idea what I was getting into and I got a CS2, needless to say I have a 60" rear projection Sony TV and my entertainment rack is less than accomodating to it's size. I bought a 3 shelf AV rack that I mounted on the wall above my TV that holds my Onkyo, HD DVR box and my CS2. Needless to say I hooked everything up and put my CS2 on the top shelf, it is about a foot or so from my ceiling in a less than ideal spot. I sometimes have problems hearing audio (esp. dialogue) and have to jack up the volume, just to have to turn it down when things get heated up in the movie. My question is, would I benifit from running a "phantom center" and what is involved in that. Is there a setting in my 806 that I have to mess with or is it as easy as disconnecting the center and running Audyssey again without it. I know I should move it to a better location, but until I can convince the wife "WE" need an new AV rack, I am kinda stuck with what I have now. Any thoughts on if I would benifit from this configuration or just leave well enough alone would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

-Jeff

Conradicles

Phantom is awesome but ONLY in the sweet spot. Try it and see. I bet you will like it.

Conradicles

wutadumsn23 wrote: »

Is there a setting in my 806 that I have to mess with or is it as easy as disconnecting the center and running Audyssey again without it.

Yes. Go into the set-up and choose "none" for center channel and re-calibrate. That way all center dialog will be sent to the Fronts. Enjoy Jeff!

Face

Just set your center to "none" on your receiver, it's easy.

Phantom centers can sound very good.

Conradicles

I have the opposite problem and my center is a bit too low below the TV. Sounds good, but I know it could be much better.

wutadumsn23

Thanks guys, I was hoping it would be that easy. I'll have to try it when I get home and see how it works. It'll be a shame for that CS2 to collect dust, but it will only be temporary if I like it, until I get a new entertainment center to clean things up a bit.

-Jeff

cnh

I used to run a phantom center when I had JBL-LxxT towers as my mains because I had NO matching center....It sounded fine...but as said above you have to pretty much be in the sweet spot! Now I run my CS2 on top of my Projection TV..just a little higher than the towers..and in the same plane. It sounds fine there!

cnh

rooftop59

I would try the phantom center, but you also might try angling your center down by placing a couple rubber door stops under the bakc (assuming this does not cause it to come tumbling down:eek:) then run audessey again and perhaps boost the center channel volume manually. I would think that you can get the volume and directionality issues fixed that way. It's at least worth a try;)

Peace,
Paul

jimmydep

Jeff, I'm curious as to why your running the 70's up front and the 500's for surround duty?

I used a phantom center for awhile before I got my LSIC, and as others have said, if you're in the sweet spot it sounds very good, but in my room there are too many seats where the sound was off.

I think a well positioned center is a much better choice.


Jimmy

wutadumsn23

rooftop59 wrote: »

I would try the phantom center, but you also might try angling your center down by placing a couple rubber door stops under the bakc (assuming this does not cause it to come tumbling down:eek:) then run audessey again and perhaps boost the center channel volume manually. I would think that you can get the volume and directionality issues fixed that way. It's at least worth a try;)

Peace,
Paul

I will give this a shot too, just afraid that the angle required to get it somewhat pointed at me will, as you said, cause it to come tumbling down, lol.

jimmydep wrote: »

Jeff, I'm curious as to why your running the 70's up front and the 500's for surround duty?

I used a phantom center for awhile before I got my LSIC, and as others have said, if you're in the sweet spot it sounds very good, but in my room there are too many seats where the sound was off.

I think a well positioned center is a much better choice.


Jimmy

I ran the 500's up front for a while when I first got them and I chose to run them as surrounds because of the way they clashed with my CS2 center. The 70's and the CS2 are timbre matched and sound seamless together. To be honest with you though, I actually prefered the 70's up front to the 500's regardless of how they sounded with my center. If I run a phantom center for awhile I may put them back up front and see how they sound. Maybe it was the cascade crossovers in the 70's, or maybe something else, but I prefer the 70's over the 500's in pretty much every aspect. Don't get me wrong, those 500's are sweet, and very easy on the eyes as well, just something about those Monitors, lol. Thanks again for the help guys, I will try to get this knocked out tomorrow, my wife was sick today and I was playing Mr Mom today and keeping it quiet since she was trying to sleep.

-Jeff

fbm211

Did you learn that while doing Affiliate marketing?

wutadumsn23

LOL, damn spammers. I tried it very briefly this weekend while watching a movie and it wasn't too bad. I am very used to running a center channel so it took some getting used to, but with some fine tuning I should be able to get it sounding good. Probably just gonna leave well enough alone for now, but thanks for the help guys.

-Jeff

Knucklehead

Jeff, I tried the phantom center in my system as well. like you said it was ok but I just was so used to hearing the dialog from the center I started missing it very quickly. Hope you get that sorted out.

David

wutadumsn23

That is my biggest issue with this whole endeavor Dave, is the fact that I am so used to having a center channel, lol. I think I am just gonna leave it alone for now and look into a better entertainment center, my wife has agreed that we need a new one, so the hard part is over, lol.

-Jeff