Centre speaker help needed

SydB

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I've recently put in a pair of Tannoy Revolution XT6Fs for my fronts and been wondering if I should replace my age old centre speaker which is a Gale Centre 20. For a moment I looked at the Tannoy Revolution XTC until I realised it is too high for my AV rack, which is limited to around 163mm. Would I be wise to be looking at a new centre and if so, any recommendations? I can probably go to £200.

Thanks
 
This should fit, 15,24cm height:

But not sure how that small centre is going to sound as you have large mains. Personally i would get the XTC and wall mount tv or raise it up enough (DIY) with some raisers. 200£ new at UK:
 
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Thanks Gasp3621. I did a bit of a Google and saw that the height did put a restriction on the centre options. I'm unsure how the spacers would work. The rack is 22" high and with a 55" TV on top I am weary about raising it too high as I don't fancy getting neckache.

SAM_1939.JPG


I've got a Denon 4500 on its way so that wouldn't fit on the top shelf, especially since I understand they need room to breath.

I know you can stands like the below, but I don't think there would be scope to have a speaker flush underneath the TV.

Stand.JPG


If it helps, the main speakers won't be cranked up really high. I have good hearing and I don't want to upset the neighbours.

I do know one thing. Flash photography really highlights that I need to get the hoover under there.
 
Hah! Hoover rarely goes where the "wiring nightmare" is. :laugh:

That is tricky! You have 55" tv so just out of head i would throw that your main speakers are about ~1,3meters apart each other. That is not ideal. They can´t sound good like that. Sorry to sound negative, but such expensive highly praised speakers you are only able to hear part of what they can do. Something around 2meters (1,8m in every speaker manuals) is minium assuming you don´t sit that far away. If you have center channel there is not much separation between channels all being squeezed together. Then the question is do you need center channel in first place. Google "phantom center" and you get zillion threads about running your system without one.

I have to ask is that your only option for the tv/speakers position? If you are stuck with that, go to Yamaha menu and put center channel OFF. Press Setup -> Speaker (on-screen display) -> Configuration. From there choose Center to None. Put a movie on and listen how it sounds. Stuff is then directed to your main speakers which has the tweeters also closer to your seated ear height locking the speech where it should be plus XT6Fs are MUCH better than the tiny Gale center channel inside cab (too low plus the av-cab colours the sound). Now you can´t boost it same way as you can do with center channel, but give it some time and watch different type of movies listening will you hear the speech just fine even when the action gets rough on screen. If it doesn´t satisfy you, i would bribe wife so that you could do some serious changes in the room, if possible of course. :)
 
Cheers for the input and I appreciate your honesty. I did see when I unpacked the speakers the recommended min distance was 1.5m so yes, not ideal. I think there is scope to try and space them out a couple more feet.

I did have an idea of using the VESA holes on the back to fashion a bracket for a centre speaker and a quick Google suggests many have had the idea before. Would then just need to angle the speaker to the listening height. Should be pretty cheap as well.

Capture.JPG
 
Job done. Just need to get a couple of rubber doorstops to angle the speaker. Oh yes, buy a new speaker as well. :D


SAM_1943.JPG
 
Job done. Just need to get a couple of rubber doorstops to angle the speaker. Oh yes, buy a new speaker as well. :D


View attachment 1228940

Nice! Get the "matching" center channel (XTC) and report back after you had some time with it, with X4500H. And certainly push the tv more to right if possible so you can spread the speakers more. Christmas comes early for some. :smashin:
 

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