Is it ok to use 2 center channel speakers to improve HT experience

Hi folks,

I like to mostly watch movies and since majority of movie soundtrack comes out of center channel, would it make sense to have 2 center channels speakers by using a "Y" splitter cable ? I am thinking I will have more speakers dedicated to the channel that handles major portion of the sound track. I am not sure if it makes sense technically.

Thanks for your help in advance.

It is OK to do. There has been at least one discussion of this technique here before (in the last year or so, probably) and the pros and cons of it that I'll try to find in a few minutes (got to go track down some EE's and deal with a construction issue at the moment).

Ah-ha! (The EE's are all hiding in a meeting...) I've got three threads that might interest you (newest to oldest): How do you wire 8 speakers on a 990/7700 ; New system - does this make sense? ; and How-to Run Dual Center Channels .

Thanks a million gonk!

I wouldn't do it. The very point of using a centre channel/speaker was to have a point source that avoided the phantom imaging and comb filtering problems of reproducing a dual-mono signal in the front soundstage. Using more than one centre speaker brings back the very same problems that the centre channel was intended to avoid.

Idareya never reported back with his findings. I had considered two centers at one point as well. I didn't end up doing it, more because I didn't feel like dealing with it at the time. I still get the itch every so often and I'm sure I'll give it a shot at some point.

I used two center speakers for a home theatre room, AND for an audio room (I have two setups). The only thing needed is to compensate for the higher volume from two centers, by lowering the levels in setup....

If you use the autosetup, that will take care of adjusting the proper levels.

BTW, I drive each of the centers with its own amp channel, just as with any of the other speakers in my 7.1 setup.

Hope this helps....

I used two center speakers for a home theatre room, AND for an audio room (I have two setups). The only thing needed is to compensate for the higher volume from two centers, by lowering the levels in setup....

The advantage is a wider dispersion for the center channel, and this is the most critical of all of the individual channels.

If you use the autosetup, that will take care of adjusting the proper levels.

BTW, I drive each of the centers with its own amp channel, just as with any of the other speakers in my 7.1 setup.

Hope this helps....

I too have played with both single and dual speaker center channel arrangements. I use my system for music and movies as well as regular and HD TV. I have it setup for stereo, Quad, 4.1, 5.1, and 7.1.
I like the way a single speaker array works, but I am going to do some more listening with a dual speaker setup as soon as my old Sansui AU-999 is finished being restored and recapped. It has the capability of running L+R mono, as well as reverse stereo.
http://www.sansui.us/images/AU999_00051.jpg
It will be a while before my tech (QuadBob - quadbob@prodigy.net ) can get to the 999, as he is very busy with many other projects, including my third Sansui AU-D11 ii, so I'll let you know when everything is setup and working.
But to answer your question, I like the full range sound you get from dual full range center speakers playing a dual mono signal.

Lonster