Video Asylum

Posted by Bob Wanamaker on January 05, 2000 at 15:03:35:

In Reply to: is center channel necessary? posted by Jon B on January 04, 2000 at 01:58:26:

In my experience, limited to 2 HT installs, and IMO:

System Macro-Dynamics:

This is an extremely important aspect of movie reproduction; soundtracks, especially the 5.1 formats, push systems pretty hard. Compression is one of those relatively unspoken of nasty facts in the HT world.

If you direct all center channel information to Front L+R, you are asking those speakers and amp(s) to handle more work. This can result in increased compression of both the center channel information as well as Front L+R information.

System Micro-Dynamics:

You may well experience compromised center channel performance at this level as well. As your Front L+R speakers are reproducing their respective channels of information, nuances of dialog may just get lost.

I have run my system(s) both with and without a center channel. Dolby Logic and ProLogic sources sound OK. However, I definitely prefer the sound of a center channel in my system for these sources. For 5.1 sources, I find a center channel speaker(s) a must. There is a wealth of information on that channel, and to do it justice requires a dedicated amp channel and speakers.

Note that I've not mentioned anything about an anchored image, etc. You definitely can have that without having a center channel speaker, no argument.

And, finally, YMMV.

Have fun!