Amplified Monitor Speaker as Center Channel Horizontally

[naagratrax]

Hello Audio Science Reviews teams !

I currently using a stereo system (Polk R700 SMLS D6 Audiophonic AP300 NC252) which gives me great satisfaction.
With Dirac Stereo I'm really happy too

BUT

I realise that I use this system more to watch movie with my girlfriend.

So I'm thinking about a classic 5.2.
I'm not really interested in Atmos

So I'm going to use the Audiophonic amplification with the Pre-Out of a Denon X3800 (or something different but I need Pre out Dirac or Audissey XT32)
Budget more or less 1300 euros for the AVR

For the surrounds I'm going to use my pair of amplified studio speakers: the Opal Event (two monsters of 750 watts RMS each, top of the art linearity, integrated EQ &) RCA Center pre out to Jack 6.35 XLR cables (hope I don't have any ground loops with that)

As for the subwoofers, I've already got my own idea, but the market is extremely limited and expensive in France and Europe (SVS SB1000 X2 maybe).

So much for the little story.

My big question is whether I can use an amplified studio speaker for the centre channel? With the Pre Out?

I have a fairly limited budget and I was interested in the Swissonic A305 or the Kali IN5/8, if I've understood correctly in terms of dispersion the Kali can be used in Horizontal? On the other hand it will be problematic with a Swissonic or a JBL (306 MK2)?

I need help to understand the effects of placing an amplified speaker on my furniture horizontally.

Is this really going to change much for a center channel?

Sorry it's a bit long I learn a lot with ASR !!

Hope you can help me !
Thanks

 

[kyuu]

If you place a speaker on its side, you are dealing with what normally be the vertical dispersion being the horizontal dispersion instead. With your average 2-way speaker, like the Swisstronic A305 or the JBL 306MK2, that looks like this:

So you get plus or minus 20-degrees from the center before you get a hole in the frequency response in the critical 1-2kHz range. The Kali IN5/8, on the other hand, are 3-way coaxial designs, so the dispersion looks more like this:

Much better. I would go with the Kali. And there is absolutely no reason you can't use a powered monitor off a pre-out from an AVR, if that's the way you want to roll.

I would note that there's some debate as to how much difference that dispersion pattern actually makes, given that after you're more than 20 degrees off-axis from the center channel you're also quite a bit closer to either the left or right channel speaker which is hardly ideal and other things might come into play as well. Also, if your listening position is, say, 9 feet away then plus/minus 20-degrees still gives you 3 feet of wiggle room on either side I believe. Basically, if you really want to use something else besides the Kali then the dispersion shouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker.

 

[naagratrax]

Awesome

Thanks for the clarity, it's confirm I need a coaxial like the Kali or Maybe a small Bookshelf like KEF Q350/LS50 if I have a bit more of budget

 

[Bruce Morgen]

I use an IN-5 driven by the center channel output of my elderly Yamaha processor. It's oriented horizontally between a pair of IN-8s and works splendidly AFAICT -- just remember to set the DIP switches properly for horizontal orientation!