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#51586 - 01/03/08 08:57 AM To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
wichita Offline
Deputy Gunslinger

Registered: 01/01/08
Posts: 10
Loc: Central Cali
ok I'm up late and was thinking "I wonder how many of the people in here use a center channel and how many don't".Personally I do not use a center channel ......... I have one and used it off and on for over 2 years(paradigm cc350) but more times than not I would turn it off because it just didn't sound seamless with my other speakers and I couldn't use a normal speaker (paradigm monitor3's aren't shielded).But the paradigm's image so well I'm pretty satisfied with the sound.So chime in and lets here whether your running a center channel or not lets just say I'm curious.
_________________________
Pre/Pro: 970
Amp: Rotel RB985
speakers: Paradigm Monitor3's all around
TV: Pioneer PDP5070HD

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#51587 - 01/03/08 12:58 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
gonk Offline
Desperado

Registered: 03/21/01
Posts: 14054
Loc: Memphis, TN USA
Center channel here.
_________________________
gonk
HT Basics | HDMI FAQ | Pics | Remote Files | Art Show
Reviews: Index | 990 | speakers | BDP-93

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#51588 - 01/03/08 02:15 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
KOYAAN Offline
Desperado

Registered: 09/04/05
Posts: 358
Loc: Sanford NC
Center channel aye.
I'm runnimg Polk RT2000s so the center imaging from just the mains needs a little help, especially for movie dialog.
_________________________
HT:
990/770
Oppo BD83SE
Pioneer Elite DV-47A
Magnavox HDMR513h DVR/DVD-R
Sony DVD megachangers-2
Sony CD megachangers-2
Monster power centers-2
Sony 48" rear projection SDTV
Roku video player
JVC AL-A158 Turntable
Polk RT-2000s,CS-650,XS-650s,RT80s
LFM-1EX
Hsu VTF-1
12" Velodyne

Family room:
OPPO 970
Sony 32" direct view HDTV
Denon 3801
Rolk RMs

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#51589 - 01/03/08 02:27 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
Videodrome Offline
Desperado

Registered: 09/11/06
Posts: 325
Loc: Fairfax Station, VA
Center channel here too. It's matched to my mains, so it integrates well.
_________________________
Outlaw 970
McCormack DNA-125 (mains), Emotiva LPA-1 (surrounds)
Quad 11L (F&C) Wharfedale (R) LFM1 (Sub) w/ SMS-1
Squeezebox -> Behringer SRC2496 -> Musiland MD10 DAC
Sota Sapphire; Marantz 10B;
Video: Hitachi 42HDS52A; Oppo 971H
System Pics

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#51590 - 01/03/08 02:40 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
mahansm Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 06/01/07
Posts: 91
Loc: Panama City, Florida
Center channel here also. I started in stereo with just the Kef 107's. The XQ2c is a good match and meshes well with the midrange/high frequency of the mains.

By the way; shielding on the speakers is only necessary for a CRT display and I see you're using a plasma. These aren't affected by the stray magnetic fields of a speaker.

Experiment: Take a strong magnet (one from an old disk drive is ideal) and, from about 3 feet away, approach a CRT display slowly. Notice the color distortion as the magnet approaches. Be careful not to approach too closely, as it is quite possible to magnetize the grid behind the screen, leaving semi-permanent color distortions. On a old black and white set this is not a problem and you can safely induce huge distortions in the picture.

Repeat for a flat panel or rear projection. No effect, as there's no electron beam to distort.
_________________________
Outlaw 990/7500/LFM1+/2xLFM1 EX
Kef 107 with KUBE
Kef XQ2c center
Kef 3005 surrounds
Samsung HL-67a750
Sony BDP-S301 Blu-Ray
Toshiba HD-A2
Denon CD
Harmony 880
Comcast HD DVR with external drive
Nintendo Wii

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#51591 - 01/03/08 05:58 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
Hullguy Offline
Desperado

Registered: 01/17/02
Posts: 380
Loc: South Weymouth, MA USA
Center Channel

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#51592 - 01/03/08 06:12 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
tmdlp Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 01/15/06
Posts: 215
Loc: Big D, Tx
Center channel
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later,
**************
Outlaw 990/7125, Oppo, Xbox 360, Paradigm (L/R/C), Polk (S), M&K Sub w/ SMS-1, Samsung LED-DLP HDTV, Signal Cable, Brickwall

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#51593 - 01/03/08 06:22 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
BloggingITGuy Offline
Desperado

Registered: 02/20/06
Posts: 446
Loc: Beaverton, Oregon
Center channel...can't do home theater properly without it.

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#51594 - 01/03/08 06:25 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
psyprof1 Offline
Desperado

Registered: 09/10/05
Posts: 443
Loc: Santa Barbara, CA
Center channel intended this year but not at the top of my priority list. My Maggies image so well I don't miss it when sitting near the middle listening to music but from an off-center position the displacement of the sound image is too obvious for my taste when watching TV or DVDs. I hope the MMG-C will solve the problem but of course that means another amplifier.

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#51595 - 01/03/08 08:17 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
UMtiger Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 03/06/06
Posts: 59
Loc: Memphis, TN
Center channel here also

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#51596 - 01/03/08 10:40 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
loopy Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 12/26/05
Posts: 206
Loc: Central Ma.
Center channel here too.
_________________________
Outlaw 990/7125,Denon 2910,Toshiba A3, Klipsch RF35,RC35,RS35,RW12,SMS-1

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#51597 - 01/03/08 11:03 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
openhelix Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 02/16/06
Posts: 107
Loc: Santa Clara, CA
Center here as well

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#51598 - 01/04/08 12:29 AM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
wichita Offline
Deputy Gunslinger

Registered: 01/01/08
Posts: 10
Loc: Central Cali
Quote:
By the way; shielding on the speakers is only necessary for a CRT display and I see you're using a plasma. These aren't affected by the stray magnetic fields of a speaker.
Yes I know this.I started with a sony 36"crt TV so I couldn't use a monitor 3 for a center and now my fireplace is in the way so I'll be doing without the center.
_________________________
Pre/Pro: 970
Amp: Rotel RB985
speakers: Paradigm Monitor3's all around
TV: Pioneer PDP5070HD

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#51599 - 01/04/08 01:41 AM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
slbenz Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 07/24/07
Posts: 125
Loc: Northern California
Quote:
Originally posted by psyprof1:
Center channel intended this year but not at the top of my priority list. My Maggies image so well I don't miss it when sitting near the middle listening to music but from an off-center position the displacement of the sound image is too obvious for my taste when watching TV or DVDs. I hope the MMG-C will solve the problem but of course that means another amplifier.
As another Magnepan owner, I use an Eminent Technology LFT-XII for my center. I demoed Magnepan and Martin Logan centers with my IIIa but the ET integrated the best for me. Because it is not only me listening to my home theater, the center channel is necessary, I think, for all to enjoy the movie experience.

Slbenz

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#51600 - 01/04/08 02:54 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
RedSIinPA Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 12/28/06
Posts: 278
Loc: Outside Phila.
Center here - matched to my mains. Essential to HT viewing for me, not essential to music.
_________________________
Model 1070
Toshiba HD-A35 & Pioneer BDP-51
Tivo Series 3
Elite 50" / Aquos 32"
Squeezebox Radio

Stereo Setup:
NAD C326BEE (50Wx2)
Elite DV-47Ai Universal SACD/DVD-A
Citypulse DA7.2x II + TXCO DAC
B&W 685s
JL Fathom F112
Denon AH-D2000 Headphones


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#51601 - 01/16/08 05:08 AM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
Paul J. Stiles Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 05/24/02
Posts: 279
Loc: Mountain View, CA, USofA
No center channel for me. My fronts are Acoustat 2+2s and the rears are 1+1s. I am thinking about making a center channel speaker out of extra Acoustat parts I have.

Paul
the1derful1
_________________________
the 1derful1

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#51602 - 01/16/08 03:13 PM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
Altec Offline
Desperado

Registered: 01/06/08
Posts: 334
Center that uses the same HF horn, but I rarely use it.

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#51603 - 01/20/08 12:49 AM Re: To center channel or not to center channel that is the question
Brandon B Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 05/01/02
Posts: 130
Loc: Louse Angeles, CA
Another maggie user with no center. As the others noted, the image definitely floats off to one side if you are not seated centrally, and I will eventually get one, but with the pulldown screen and the RPTV, nowhere for it to live in the system right now. So I'd say if you can have one, get one. Unless you always listen alone.

BB

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