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Best 2 or 3 Center channel speaker for home T, BW HTM1 D3 opinions.

Terry Stahly

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My system consisted of Sony 85" 2019, (3) Krell amps, 750 L&R, 450 mono, and 200 surrounds, Marantz 8805, Oppo pdf 205, BW 801 and HTM3 center, with Marin Logan Balanced Force 212's.

I very seldom listen to music which is why I have the 801's they are short so I can view the golf course and plenty good for home theater but I want more depth and dynamic sound for center for vocals etc. I am not stuck on Bowerswilkens but really do not know any other center channels I am looking at the HTM1 D3's or possibly even the HTM2 D3 but no wild about spending six grand for a center channel.

What else should I consider if any? Thanks Terry

btw the ML 212'are awesome
 

Bear123

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Based on the way Amir's Revel center channel speaker measured, and with how well all of the newer Revel speakers he has tested have measured, I'd say the Revel C208 would be a pretty safe, and quite capable center channel while keeping cost well under the $6k you mentioned. I'm thinking you can pick one up used for not much over $1k as folks upgrade to the new Be models. It's a 3 way which helps with off axis performance, and has dual 8" woofers.

Looking forward to measurements of the new JBL HDI 4500 center channel.
 
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Terry Stahly

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Based on the way Amir's Revel center channel speaker measured, and with how well all of the newer Revel speakers he has tested have measured, I'd say the Revel C208 would be a pretty safe, and quite capable center channel while keeping cost well under the $6k you mentioned. I'm thinking you can pick one up used for not much over $1k as folks upgrade to the new Be models. It's a 3 way which helps with off axis performance, and has dual 8" woofers.

Looking forward to measurements of the new JBL HDI 4500 center channel.


Thanks I am already going to get the M16's and was thinking of the Concerta2 C205 for my system in Florida a condo where I cannot really crank it. I may even look at replacing my BW HTM3 in my main system if I can find a couple of piano black C208's I will keep searching ebay and audiogon etc.
 

bansuri

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Apologize for bumping old thread. I am currently looking to upgrade Elac C5.2 with a better capable center channel in slightly increased price range. Any advise on the new Emotiva C1+ and how its performance? I do have Elac F6.2 doing front duty but i hope with Audyssey help, it should not be a big need for timbre match!
 

rccarguy

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You want to ideally match your mains. However if your brand and range has poor quality center compared to your mains then go for same brand but higher up the range.

You could possibly have mismatched brands but it's not ideal.
 

CMOT

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Re-igniting this thread. I currently have Monitor Audio PL300's for my L/R channels. For music, I use my integrated amp. It also has a HT bypass fed by Denon (3311ci) pre-amp outs. So the Denon directly drives the back L/R, LFE and the center channel. With the pandemic and all, have been watching way more TV and movies. Current Center is an old NHT OneC - it is a MTM design and rather small. The vocals for most thing are not great. Just hard to hear voices and lacks intelligibility. So thinking of upgrading the center. But despite the really nice LR speakers, which we love for music, we aren't that picky about movie/TV sound. Mostly want better voicing, etc. (all of this is equalized via the Audessy on the Denon). So really limiting myself to <$500, which freezes out almost anything Monitor Audio but the Bronze 150c. Seems expensive to just get better intelligibility relative to some other designs. Say a Klipsch 450C or an Infinity RC263. Or an Emotiva C1+. Any thoughts? In terms of good sensitivity, the PL300's are around 90db, so Klipsch might be a better match than some low sensitivity centers? Also, I would rather not raise the TV, although I can if needed. The Klipsch was interesting because it is actually pretty low (if not wide and deep). Infinity and Emotiva would require me building a TV riser. Or could go used on a monitor audio center. Any suggestions there, or am I better just getting the newer Bronze 150c. Just a bit confused, so any guidance/thoughts would be appreciated. (and I don't by the get all match brand LCR's because of phase issues at different crossover points that was recently raised - in so far as I can tell, speaker position will negate that issue - relative phase between speakers at different frequencies is going to be driven much more by room placement, distance from each other and the listener, etc.)

thanks in advance...
 

Bear123

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Infinity RC263
Emotiva C2+ (92 dB sensitivity!)
Emotiva C1+
SVS Prime Center
SVS Ultra Center(over budget)

Stick to 3 way centers. With a good one, you may even find yourself experimenting using them with music and not just TV/movies.

RC263 is lower sensitivity(around 88 dB) than C2+ but seems to have pretty good power handling and will play fairly loud. Definitely plays louder than my $750 Revel C25.
 

CMOT

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Infinity RC263
Emotiva C2+ (92 dB sensitivity!)
Emotiva C1+
SVS Prime Center
SVS Ultra Center(over budget)

Stick to 3 way centers. With a good one, you may even find yourself experimenting using them with music and not just TV/movies.

RC263 is lower sensitivity(around 88 dB) than C2+ but seems to have pretty good power handling and will play fairly loud. Definitely plays louder than my $750 Revel C25.

I think I am going to start by trying the Emotiva C2+ - might just see if it works or is too big and take it from there.... They are currently out of stock (although they briefly had one in stock earlier today...) but said they should have stock in April.
 

CMOT

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Bumping this back. See dilemmas below....

1. Emotiva C2+ is still out of stock. So just think about a C1+?
2. SVS Prime or Ultra are both lower sensitivity. I am concerned given my mains (MA PL300's), won't be able to volume match without correcting down the mains a lot.
3. Infinity RC263 is expensive right now. Can't bring myself to spend $350-$400 on something that gets blown out for $150 now and then.
4. Still wondering about Monitor Audio centers to nominally "match" my PL300's; I could get a used MA Silver 150 for about $250-$300 or a used/open box MA Silver 350 for about $550-$600. The latter is tempting in that I am pretty convinced a 3-way is better for the center for intelligibility (maybe this is BS?) and I still keep thinking better to match MA to MA? But is it worth the extra cost?

Any thoughts/comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
 

Bear123

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Whatever brand you consider using, I think you should definitely stick with 3 way, other than KEF. In which case of course their 2 ways are fine since coax.

Just look at the small handful of center channels that have been tested here. 3 ways, good. 2 ways, not so much.
 

CMOT

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I have seen some good prices on KEF XQ50c's - wasn't sure what people thought. Good ones on ASR are either too expensive (Revel) or the Infinity issue (which maybe I am being silly about)....
Did I miss some other well-reviewed ones?

Thanks!
 

CMOT

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I have seen some good prices on KEF XQ50c's - wasn't sure what people thought. Good ones on ASR are either too expensive (Revel) or the Infinity issue (which maybe I am being silly about)....
Did I miss some other well-reviewed ones?

Thanks!

Someone asked what receiver I am using - a Denon 3311ci - powers only center + LR rears. Pre-amp out to LR fronts and LFE which are powered separately. It has Audyssey XT, which I have run (and helps immensely). I think the issue is the current center is a rather smallish two-way: NHT Absolute Center. Just gets a bit lost with the rest of the system...
 

CMOT

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Just received an SVS Prime Center. So far so good. It isn't too big, but the dialog was noticeably better than from the NHT. Ran Audyssey first. (I can't figure out why it decides to reduce the channel level on every channel - shouldn't the loudest of the channels be left at 0.0 db, then the rest relative to that? It drops some channels as much as 7.5 db, but even the center is dropped 2.0 db - I suspect I am not understanding something about how it works)
 

Sancus

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- shouldn't the loudest of the channels be left at 0.0 db, then the rest relative to that?

No, it's trying to calibrate your speakers so 0dB on the volume setting = 85dB SPL reference with pink noise. The relative levels don't matter.
 

CMOT

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No, it's trying to calibrate your speakers so 0dB on the volume setting = 85dB SPL reference with pink noise. The relative levels don't matter.
Got it. That makes sense. I didn't think it through that carefully. I would guess that it is working pretty well. Post calibration I think at 0db, things sound pretty level across speakers....
 

MasterApex

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I have had B&W NHTM1 with N801 front speakers since 2005.
Recently, I experimented with using N801 as center channel ...the gun shots, the dialogue clarity during busy action scenes in movies like Patriot, Avatar, StarTrek is awesome, way better than even using HTM1D or Revel Voice 2 but I wish my room were designed to place Full range tower speaker as center channel :), it is kindda blocking the access to equipment right now but it was amazing sound.
 
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