Horizontal Center Channel recommendations for use with NatP mains

[crazyjpeters]

Much as I'd like to just build 3 vertical NatPs, I think I'm going to have to stick with a horizontal center.

There is a great deal of chatter about CJD's WMTW. Is this the Khancenter? It's never really made clear in all the posts whether it is, or not.

There is also the RS150 center channel.

Which would you recommend, or are there other options that would fit "perfectly" with a pair of Nat's?

[ThomasW]

The closest thing to a 'perfect' match is the $pendy Modula MTM center.

Below is the RS WMTW center, it's like the Khancenter but uses the larger RSS225 woofers. The Khancenter is uses the RS180 woofers

Image not available

Whether you can use the smaller RS150 based MTM center depends on the size of the room and how loud you need the center to play.

[fbov]

+1 on Thomas' options, and some emphasis on the last bit. You don't want a CC that can't keep up with your mains; a larger design, like the RSS225-based 3-way shown, is a better choice than an RS150-based design, based on the power distribution in most surround source material.

That said, the choices offer a tradeoff:
- The Modula MTM fits in a similar form factor at ~2x the price of a single NatP.
- the 3-way designs are all a bit taller (wider?) and perhaps 1.5+x the price of a single NatP, but play louder and have a more-uniform off-axis response
- a sideways MTM has varying off-axis response (lobing issues), but maintains the form factor at a lower cost.

My CC is a sideways NatP because I had neither space for a 3-way nor money for the Modula MTM. It also turns out that my hearing is not sensitive to (or trained enough to notice?) the lobing issues that result in this application. Your hearing may vary, and so may your CC design needs.

Have fun,
Frank

[crazyjpeters]

Can anyone comment further on the Khancenter?

It's still not clear to me: is the Khancenter the 'highly anticipated' WMTW that everyone refers to in the NatP thread, or is CJD still working on something?

[---k---]

No.

There is the RS WMTM center channel than Thomas shows. It actually has three different crossover designs, done by: 1 by Dennis Murphy, 1 by Curt Campbell, and 1 by CJD. (Jon Marsh also did a design, but it was never built) Dennis's is probably the most common. Lots of people have built one version or another and have been very happy. There is a lot of confusion in that thread, because everyone was asking for a different tweeter or whatever, which resulted in lots of variations. It sucks to have to wade through the thread, but you get what you pay for.

The Khancenter is a center channel designed by CJD for me and my requirements. It is intended to fit beneath a tv and match the Khans. But, it probably also matches the NatP and the other RS projects well enough that it can be used with them.

I'm not sure which the WMTW the NatP thread is refering to. It has been a while since I read through it from start to finish. It may be refering to the Modula NeoD CC. https://htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27218 That was Jon Marsh's last design. It probably matches well enough also, but is somewhat pricey.

Finally, CJD also has an inexpensive RS150 MTM that works well enough on its side as a center channel. Several people have built it and have been happy.

All the designs are trade-offs though - whether it is max output, bass extension, or price. All will work well enough. When it comes to matching, placement can be a bigger issue than the actual design.