Center positioning conundrum. Do I REALLY need one?

[russ.will]

As can be seen from the attached jpeg, my center speaker is in a less than Ideal position.

The LCD cant be moved down to accomodate an 'inbetweenie' position as I have decided against watching the telly on the floor. The PJ screen used to be a much larger, therefore higher and was too high. Watching all the LOTR extended directors cut special anniversary platinum editions, back to back, tended to produce a crick in the neck.

So I was pondering positioning the center above the PJ screen.

I've seen many an install with all of the speakers above the screen and of course, below, even sort of around with the mains either side and the center above/below. So what would be so different about mounting the center above with the mains below?

As far as I can see, the stereo image between the front mains, combined with the center, would result in the sound centering on the middle of the screen. Or am I missing something?

As can be clearly seen, I am now running a pair of PMC GB1s as my mains and as the Kef Q9c is tonally inept, I've actually been running the system with it (the center) switched off.

No center!?!? But the two main listening positions are marginally either side of the main axis and I've noticed that I don't miss it. The PMCs generate a solid, stable center channel between them.

I guess I'm asking, in a round about fashion, is do I really need a center? If I do (it would be a PMC TB2+) should I mount it above the screen given that the only other current position is unsatisfactory to my ears. I have Audyssey to 'tune' the resulting position. What are your thoughts?

I'm posting it in this forum as it seems to attract the pros as opposed to the usual bedlam a post like this would attract in the speakers forum.

A penny for your thoughts,

Russell

[Mr.D]

Its called a "phantom " centre. Try it and see what you think.
Its a better solution than a mediocre or badly positioned centre I think.

[russ.will]

Thanks for the swift reply.

That's part of my query. As things currently stand, I am running a phantom center and liking it. Would an 'actual' center be an option above the screen? Or would I be trading one compromise for another?

I actually switched the Kef off about 3 days ago. I forgot this small detail and decided to try things out without the center tonight, only to find out I'd already decided to try this out. Doh! It then occured to me, that I hadn't noticed it's absence when sober.

I posted this wondering, what take the experienced pro installers had, or have experienced in this situation. I had assumed and indeed had posted many times, that a center was the be all, end all speaker required for AV surround reproduction.

Now, I'm not so convinced. Is the center channel there so this whole 5.1 thing can avoid being called Quadrophonic?

Cheers

Russell

[Ian J]

A centre speaker mounted above your screen would sound dreadful as whilst you can get away with small height differences yours would be too great.

Imagine any sound panning from one side to the other as it would sound like a person walking, or a car driving up and down a hill.

[russ.will]

I had considered that, but you dont get the same effect with sounds panning up and down to the wall mounted surrounds (not pictured) from the front three.

What are your thoughts on doing away with the center altogether.

Russell

[Ian J]

That's probably because the rise from friont to back would be gentler and one way only whereas at the front a panned sound would go up the hill and back down the other side.

The main purpose of the centre speaker is to lock the dialogue to the screen but your layout seems ideally placed to do without as you seem to be sitting dead centre anyway.

Unfortunately I can't get away with it as my left front is two feet from the screen whilst the right front is about eight feet away so I need to have a centre speaker otherwise the dialogue would seem to be coming out of the fireplace

[12 promises]

1 also have a kef q9c which sits below and to the left of my plasma.
i dont have a problem with the siting and one of the considerations for buying it was that the positioning is less crucial due to the uni-q speaker.
i did switch it off last night to hear if i noticed any difference and to my surprise the answer was no!
both my fronts are however equi-distant from the plasma and i also sit plumb centre.

[russ.will]

The benefits of Uni-Q drivers are in their even dipersion pattern, which only results in less of a shift in the frequency response as you progressively listen further off axis. They are just as aurally locatable as any other speaker.

I might just have researched myself away from running a phantom center having read this. It would appear that our good friend with an IB may not have been getting and optimal surround experience. Kept that one quiet didn't he.

Russell