Two center channels

[Bliip]

I don't have much room to work with so I need to stick with a low profile center channel like the RM8C. My question is can I hook two of these up to a 5.1 receiver doubling up on the same center channel output of the receiver? Both speakers would be side by side.

[seeclear]

Keep in mind that two speakers wired in parallel like that will halve the impedance the amp section of the receiver sees. So, two 8 ohm speakers now present a 4 ohm load to the receiver. If your receiver can handle that without breaking a sweat, then go for it. What type of receiver are you using?

[wingnut4772]

Keep in mind that two speakers wired in parallel like that will halve the impedance the amp section of the receiver sees. So, two 8 ohm speakers now present a 4 ohm load to the receiver. If your receiver can handle that without breaking a sweat, then go for it. What type of receiver are you using?

Regardless of the load capability, I wouldn't go 2 centers. I have in the past and the result was not that great. I have clearer sound with one channel. If anything just get a bigger, badder, center.

[leroyjr1]

Give it a try and see how you like the sound. I ran two center months back and I liked it. Wider presentation.

[manman]

nice sig leroy, haha. Sounds like what's about to happen to me after settling on an amp...

[comfortablycurt]

I've often wondered how a pair of CRS's would do as a center channel in an SDA home theater setup. Anyone ever try this before?

[Bliip]

I am using a yamaha RX-V363.

[Dawgfish]

I am running two center channels mainly because the TV stand and component tower would not allow me to place a center in the actual center position. I could only place it to the left or right of the TV (photos of this are on the system showcase). I love the way it sounds but I am also using seperate amps to power all of my speakers, with each channel being powered off a dedicated channel off of an amp. It really sounds great! I like what the two center channels have done. I used to have a lot of trouble picking up on some dialogue, particuliarily anything that was slang british. All of the Pirates of The Carribean, Sweeney Todd, Snatch, etc. type movies used to give me fits. I can actually understand what they are saying know (as much as a southern american can understand these things I guess).

I also own a Yamaha V-661 and I remember reading in the manual that only the front main speakers could be less than 8 ohms impedence. I don't think what you want to do is going to be advisible with your current reciever. Like the others have said, your best solution is going to be to get the biggest and best quality center channel you can get or will fit. To properly do the two center channel thing right, this is going to require a different reciever or preamp with preouts, and seperate amps. Just getting a bigger and better center channel will be much cheaper!. Just my dos pesos.

[ben62670]

I've often wondered how a pair of CRS's would do as a center channel in an SDA home theater setup. Anyone ever try this before?

A single CRS would work well as a center with slight mods. I am not a fan of dual centers side by side. The mids aren't bad, but with the highs the phasing issues are more pronounced.

[NotaSuv]

I tried this a long time ago and also had problems understanding words at times...i like the get a bigger, badder, center appraoch :)

[polkie4life]

A single CRS would work well as a center with slight mods. I am not a fan of dual centers side by side. The mids aren't bad, but with the highs the phasing issues are more pronounced.

Hey Ben, do you think that using 2 dedicated center speakers are more prone to phasing than using 2 bookshelves? I use 2 bookshelves and i dont have this problem, dialogue is crisp and clear.

[comfortablycurt]

A single CRS would work well as a center with slight mods. I am not a fan of dual centers side by side. The mids aren't bad, but with the highs the phasing issues are more pronounced.

That's kind of what I figured. Maybe I'll give it a try someday if I ever happen to have a few pairs of SDA's just lying around...:p

[GV#27]

As mentioned when using 2 center chans there is the potential for comb filtering problems but the severity and frequency ranges affected are dependant on their placement in relation to each other and the location of the listener.If placed close together the upper midrange and treble will be affected,but if widely spaced apart it's the lower mid and the upper bass range that will be affected.Its possible that the problem may not be noticable with some set ups and you will gain some output capability.

[Dawgfish]

I have mine placed in a pretty unconventional way. They are placed to either side of the tv with one being low and flipped upside down so it is pointing up (CSi5) and to the right of the tv. The other(CSi A6)i s placed higher in the component rack left of the tv and is angled level. I get really good results with this setup. To me, it sounds better than 1 single, but it sounds like I lucked out with that. I thought about buying a different TV stand with a seperate shelf for the center, but I like the way the two centers are working now so for now I'll leave it.

[brody05]

I think bookshelves are better suited as a pair of centers as they are designed to work as a pair, I personally set my two RT55i's up running them off the front left and right channel outputs, once imaging right and sounding perfect I plug them back into the center output channel and set the level, works very well.


I guess if using two centers it is a matter of playing around with them as above turning them upside down changing angles ect until they are right, having heard a system with two SRT centers not set up right, I think one would have sounded better, set up being tweaked now to try to rectify this but in the test tone they sound great, think it has something to do with freq and phasing of the test tone, go back to a movie and there is a lot of impact missing, even when turning up that channel volume didn't resolve it.

He will get there though and I have no doubt two will sound great but I do wonder if a couple of large bookshelves would be better???