My system has two "classic" Allison Ones up front, and for my center I ended up getting something inexpensive just to get going. My 2007 upgrade will be to get a good center.

I know I won't be able to timbre-match the Allisons, so it seems like an alternative plan would be to find a high quality center that gives me some flexibility to adjust to come close to the fronts. I see that the Outlaw Bookshelf Speakers let you adjust the volume for Boundary Compensation (low-medium frequency) and for High Frequency.

Assuming for the sake of argument that the upcoming Outlaw Center speaker has the same adjustments, is it at all likely that those adjustments will give me some ability to match the Allisons' sound characteristics, at least in a way that will improve the Home Theater performance?

Do any center speakers exist that let you tweak them to improve the timbre-matching with a non-brand set of fronts?

Tweaking to achieve timbre matching is not something that I have ever seen offered on a speaker, as too much of this is tied to fixed design choices (drivers used, crossover network, enclosure size, ported vs. sealed). The LCR speaker will have a boundary compensation switch like the one offered on the Bookshelf in addition to the vertical/horizontal crossover network switch (there's even a picture of this here from HE 2007 ). It doesn't have the high frequency switch as far as I can tell, but I don't know that either the high frequency switch or the boundary compensation switch would be likely to help achieve timbre matching - the best bet is to find a center that is voiced similarly to the Allison's to begin with, and since I'm not familiar with their sound I have no idea what speaker might fit that bill.

Thanks. I was afraid it was something like that. The real problem is that I have no idea how to describe the Allisons' sound, nor could listening in a showroom tell me whether a candidate would work or not in my listening room at home. It's a little like trying to talk to my wine-loving friends, they have a vocabulary that they understand but I don't; I really don't have a vocabulary for describing speakers' sounds that would help me understand whether any two would be "similarly voiced."

Is there an Allison dealer around you? It looks like they have a center channel available: http://www.allisonacoustics.com/theater-four.html

If it's within your budget I'd try one of those before going with another brand.

Many thanks for the good idea. Unfortunately their web site outlived the rejuvenated company. That's where I went first, but their phone and email are shut down. Very sad. I might try calling the 10 dealers to see if any inventory is left. Worth a try.

I still think it "would be nice" (even if very difficult, as gonk suggests) if someone built a tunable center speaker for systems where the fronts are set. Oh well.

Mike,
Oh...sorry. It looked like they were still an up and running company. BTW...Allisons (in the day) were pretty awesome speakers.
It would be a real feat if someone could make a 'universal' center channel speaker someday!

Von Schweikert Universal Center Channel

Wingnut,

Many thanks. I had never even heard of Von Schweikert speakers. At $5,500 and $11K for their centers, however, I think I need to keep looking for an alternative. Sigh.

Yes. That's a bit pricey. They make a less expensive center which I use (The LCR15) but it's not Universal.

$11k?? WOW. I guess I should have qualified that as 'an affordable or budget universal center'. Still, if the technology is there someday some company will likely bring it to the level of us mere mortals.