Interesting Center channel dilema

[spykids777]

Hi,

I currently have 803d as my front speakers with HTM 4d as my center - which I had purchased due to space restrictions instead of HTM2D. They are powered by Classe CA 5300 Amp. What I am noticing is that in a home theater setup, my center channel sounds are BETTER and louder with center channel off when sitting in the sweet spot, rather than the channel on. why is that? Am i missing something here? For good HT in diff seating positions since I need the center channel is there anything else I can try with the current setup? Or am I stuck with having to upgrade to HTM2d?

Thanks for your input.

[beden1]

Hi,

I currently have 803d as my front speakers with HTM 4d as my center - which I had purchased due to space restrictions instead of HTM2D. They are powered by Classe CA 5300 Amp. What I am noticing is that in a home theater setup, my center channel sounds are BETTER and louder with center channel off when sitting in the sweet spot, rather than the channel on. why is that? Am i missing something here? For good HT in diff seating positions since I need the center channel is there anything else I can try with the current setup? Or am I stuck with having to upgrade to HTM2d?

Thanks for your input.

I'm not sure where you have your center speaker, but if it's higher than the 803Ds, try angling it downward and visa versa if it's lower. Also, try bumping up the volume on the center channel by 3dB to see if you get a better response.

[spykids777]

The center channel is about half foot above the mains. The mains are about 7feet apart. The center channel is about 2.5 db above the mains also. If I raise the channel levels too much, does it increase the distortion also? Is the sounds diff due to not proper matching of HTM 4d with the 803d versus the HTM 2d?

[stuofsci02]

IMO your big sound difference is from the height of the speaker.. Positioning is very important.. Also your mains are quite close together so their ability to fill in the center as a phantom should be quite awesome if you are in the sweet spot.. A poorly positioned dedicated center (even HTM2Di) will not be able to compete with that..

If I was in your spot I would just run a phantom center and make sure I was the one sitting in the sweet spot...

[beden1]

IMO your big sound difference is from the height of the speaker.. Positioning is very important.. Also your mains are quite close together so their ability to fill in the center as a phantom should be quite awesome if you are in the sweet spot.. A poorly positioned dedicated center (even HTM2Di) will not be able to compete with that..

If I was in your spot I would just run a phantom center and make sure I was the one sitting in the sweet spot...

I agree that 7' between the mains is a relatively short distance. If you already have the gain on the center channel up 2.5dB, did you try setting it equal to the other speakers to hear how it sounds?

I would still try angling the center speaker down a bit to equal the firing height to the main speakers.

Play with it a bit to see what happens. That's how we all learn. You may find out in the end that you don't need a center speaker, and you'll be able to recoup some money by selling it, or use it as a center back channel speaker.

[madmac]

Get a bigger center channel speaker and position it lower rather that higher up in your setup if possible. My experience is that a Dolby digital or a DTS system and set up will not work properly without a center channel. By telling the processor that you do not have a center, it will attempt to 'matrix' that sound to go to the left and right speakers with marginal results. With the old Dolby Pro Logic setups, it worked ok....but NOT with Digital DD and DTS systems. All 5 speakers are designed to work independently as opposed to the old Pro Logic system based on a 2ch matrix.

[John22614]

I agree with Madmac......without a center channel Dolby 5.1, etc. sounds compromised.....kind of muted and soft. From my experience the
Stereo down mix for Dolby digital is not a good option. There is a resonance that just doesn't sound right compared to the 5.1 setting. It's not quite so bad with pro logic, but it still does not broadcast the clear, distinct sound of the center channel.

[dukester]

Sounds like room correction/calibration is in order...I wouldn't know how to do it manually as i use Audyssey. I would do that before i purchased the HTM2Di.