build the riser so it could contain the center speaker. surely if his dogs couldnt damage his tv, they couldnt get the center speaker contained/protected right below it.

i am unimpressed with pretty much any speaker channel, even mine which claims 30Hz low end frequency and has built in powered subwoofers could be better. it is a beast too, which leads me to my reason why they typically are not as good as they could be.

size, i think most companies are scared to build a center speaker that is big in fears that it will not work for most people because they couldnt put it anywhere. this is actually a pretty wise consideration, but some people can accomodate a center the size of a floor standing and really would like the increased performance it would offer. smaller size usually forces smaller drivers, which in turn forces a smaller frequency range. however, this can be compensated by having mids and woofers, albeit woofers that are powered for the added umph. it is odd to have powered subs in your center channel, but more and more common to have them in mains (or match a sub to the fronts for the bass that the fronts cant handle). the center channel is the most important speaker, but unfortunately it is often left lacking when considering the mains in its line. this rings true up and down the realm of speaker lines/manufacturers...

obviously there are other ways to increase the performance of center channels besides powering the woofers, and they should be done as well.

your point, gonk, of how the paradigms centers are well respected is exactly my point as well. the whole frame of reference as to what a good center channel is, needs to be slid several steps above what it is now. having the best that is available is great, but my point is that the greatest that there is right now, is not as good as it should be and could be.

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[This message has been edited by curegeorg (edited June 04, 2004).]