Deciding on center channel

[subynube]

I will have a 5.1 home theater set up. I am currently building the NatP's mtm design with the dayton reference mid and aluminum tweet. I need a center channel. I have a few options.

1. Could just build a 3rd NatP and lay it horozintally. It is a perfect match to the right and left channel NatP's, but I know a mtm is not optimal.

https://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13969

2. Could use the Modula MT, using dayton reference mids and aluminum tweet. It is cheap, and can be done easily.

https://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13154

3. Could go for the Modula MTM center channel, using the scan speak tweeter. 2 Problems with this is that it uses a different tweeter, and may not be matched to the NatP's perfectly. Also, it is expensive to build.

https://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11475

4. Could do a wmtw design, which is optimal, but expensive and very large. I dont want to do this option at this time because of the size.

My preference would be to do the NatP's for center channel because I am already building the NatP's for left and right channel, and it it would be a perfect match.

Would the Modula MT or the Modula MTM center channel be that much better than doing a NatP center?

Thanks for the input.

[ThomasW]

You don't want to use any of the standard MTM designs placed horizontally.

Jon is designing a WMTW that uses the same box as the Modula MTM. That design hasn't been published because it's not completed.

[subynube]

Thanks for the quick reply. Would the 2 way Modula MT design be better? Also, the center that is wmtw that is being designed does not use a dayton reference tweeter (I think). Would this match up well to the Nat P's?

[joecarrow]

I don't know if you already said it in other threads, but how large is your room, and where will people sit? Others will probably help you with this one, but that would be useful information for them.

I would have to say that the MTM center channel with scan speak tweeter would be my own recommendation. It is designed to be used as a center, and in my opinion it starts to matter a lot less that the drivers are matched when you have such a high level of performance to begin with.

[subynube]

Well, right now the room is a problem. I have a small apartment with a weird shaped living room. I will be moving to another apartment shortly, which will not have a dedicated area for home theater. I will just try to set it up as best as possible. Because it will be another apartment, I am sure it will be a fairly small room, but may not be able to have couch and chairs perfectly in front of the listening stage.

[ThomasW]

What are you going to use for the rears? If the room is that small you might use the Modula MT. You could then try out the MT as a center....

[subynube]

Thanks, the room is real small, but will hope to upgrade house and room size in the next few years, so I would like something that can handle a larger room in the near future. I havent decided on the rears, but am debating on the modula MT for rears. Do you think the modula MT is a good option now for the center channel using the NatP's as other front stage speaks?

[SilverJS]

You could also try Selah Audio's 35CC :

https://web.archive.org/web/20120426...com/id115.html.



I don't know how well (or not) it is viewed by the members of this board, but it might fit the bill for you.

[TacoD]

I see only one possible issue with this design, Morel isn't as cheap as the Dayton mid domes .

[digital desire]

The wmtw is a bit on the portly side, sounds great though.

It is funny, people see that monster and right off the bat say things like "you enjoy your home theater eh?"

Good luck, I'm sure if it comes from here, you will be sassified.

[PoorboyMike]

Do you think the modula MT is a good option now for the center channel using the NatP's as other front stage speaks?

I think it would work just fine as long as you have the room.

Another option would be CJD's MTM wich uses RS150s. With the 150s you can get the mids closer together which improves the vertical dispersion. I would think the design using the RS28 tweet would be a very good match to the NatP.

CJD's MTM center

[joecarrow]

I forgot about that one! See, that's why I just asked how large the room was an made a general suggestion. That MTM might not play quite as loudly as some of the other designs, but it should sound excellent to a fairly high SPL; especially if you run the center as a "small".

That's my new vote, based on the requirements. It's cheaper, smaller, designed to be a center, and should match the Nat P's to a T. Good suggestion, Mike!

[---k---]

Understanding Jon's busy schedule, I know this is a dumb question, but does Jon have any guesstimate of the ETA for the wmtw center channel. It seems like this has come up two or three time recently. Are we likely weeks or months away?

[Gir]

I think last I heard it was June, but don't take my word on that...

[subynube]

Well, I think I am just going to wait for the new wmtw design to come out this summer. If it takes too long, I may just do a NatP center. Thanks for all the help.

I guess my last question will be what will have better imaging and be better as a center, the Modula MT or the NatP?

[joecarrow]

The NatP really isn't suited to be a center unless you can place it vertically. The woofers are too spaced apart, and if you're not sitting dead-center in front of it, then the sound will suffer. There's not a lot of point in a center where you have to sit on the middle cushion of the couch to get good sound, you know? If you absolutely have to do something that's not the RS150 MTM center-channel version, then I'd go Modula MT.

[subynube]

The NatP really isn't suited to be a center unless you can place it vertically. The woofers are too spaced apart, and if you're not sitting dead-center in front of it, then the sound will suffer. There's not a lot of point in a center where you have to sit on the middle cushion of the couch to get good sound, you know? If you absolutely have to do something that's not the RS150 MTM center-channel version, then I'd go Modula MT.

Thank you very much, just what I wanted to know. I will probably wait for the wmtw version in development this summer.