center speaker against a wall

[ta240]

I know up against a wall isn't a good place for a speaker but with thin TVs are there any under $700 center channels that might be okay backed right up against a wall?

 

[ThatM1key]

I think it might make the bass region muffled. I don't know if I'm right, but speakers with front ports then rear ports deal with walls a lot better.

If you got a flat top where your TV goes, you could buy a VESA TV Stand mount that sits on top of the center speaker. This path does mess with your viewing angel depending on the size of your TV, center speaker and TV Stand (Furniture not the mount). The reward for doing all of this, is that your center speaker is not limited. Some people don't like how the sound comes from the bottom of the TV, so some modern receivers with height speakers feature a DSP where the sound is "virtually vertically" adjusted and if tuned right can make the audio (center speaker) sound like its coming out of your TV.

Edit: Most center speakers are MTM, which is great for one person in front but can be bad for others beside and around you.

 

[mansr]

Avoiding rear-ported models is probably a good start. Maybe one of the SVS models would suit your room and budget. They're 3-way, which is generally considered a good thing for centre speakers. I have the cheaper version, and it does the job, as far as I'm concerned, for films/TV. I have very little multi-channel music, so I can't judge it for that purpose.

 

[GabrielPhoto]

I know up against a wall isn't a good place for a speaker but with thin TVs are there any under $700 center channels that might be okay backed right up against a wall?

Not recommended but if you are going to try I suggest the THX 365c. I tested a lot of centers recently and that was one of my top picks.

 

[ryanosaur]

Is there some silly rule that says you can't have anything protruding beyond the plane of the screen?

 

[Battlebeast]

I know up against a wall isn't a good place for a speaker but with thin TVs are there any under $700 center channels that might be okay backed right up against a wall?

Kef Q650C is a good speaker.

 

[audio2920]

Arendal 1961 Center

I have the "monitors", but same deal really. Can be wall hung, amazing SPL for their size, sealed cabinet so no port to worry about on the wall, very even frequency response in the room but limited bass extension, so will work best if you have a sub of course.

 

[ThatM1key]

Not recommended but if you are going to try I suggest the THX 365c. I tested a lot of centers recently and that was one of my top picks.

I personally don't trust "THX Approved" products ever since they got bought by Razor. After that point, they've been stamping that THX badge on good and bad products.

 

[GabrielPhoto]

I personally don't trust "THX Approved" products ever since they got bought by Razor. After that point, they've been stamping that THX badge on good and bad products.

I don't care for labels but that center has been measured by Erin and it performed great and my own tests corroborate his findings.

 

[ta240]

Is there some silly rule that says you can't have anything protruding beyond the plane of the screen?

Just that it might look odd supported a foot out from the wall hovering there.

 

[ta240]

Edit: Most center speakers are MTM, which is great for one person in front but can be bad for others beside and around you.

yeah, that makes it fun since there are so many center channels that aren't very good. I forgot to mention that good dispersion is also important. My current DIY one is a MTM and I have to turn up the volume when I sit towards the side and then there still a noticeable sound difference between the sides and the center when things move from side to side.

Avoiding rear-ported models is probably a good start. Maybe one of the SVS models would suit your room and budget. They're 3-way, which is generally considered a good thing for centre speakers. I have the cheaper version, and it does the job, as far as I'm concerned, for films/TV. I have very little multi-channel music, so I can't judge it for that purpose.

The Prime Center tested quite well and is probably a good option.

Kef Q650C is a good speaker.

sharp looking too. It says it has a passive radiator, I wonder how that would do near a wall though.

Arendal 1961 Center

I have the "monitors", but same deal really. Can be wall hung, amazing SPL for their size, sealed cabinet so no port to worry about on the wall, very even frequency response in the room but limited bass extension, so will work best if you have a sub of course.

I had forgotten about those. Really nice looking and good price. Compact size too, which is really nice. The AVR isn't going to send it any low bass to it anyways so no reason to pay extra for a larger speaker that can go lower. I read a review of the Elac DC52 where someone was complaining that the outside speakers didn't seem to move much at all and I laughed because their AVR was likely not sending them much.
With it being an MTM I'm a bit apprehensive to buy an untested speaker; but it is still quite tempting. If they'd sell me just one bookshelf I could just put it upright and be done with it. The old subjective me would be making fun of current objective me right now.

I've also thought about the Seas Loki coaxial

SEAS Loki MkIII

THE ART OF SOUND PERFECTION BY SEAS

www.seas.no

 

[ryanosaur]

Just that it might look odd supported a foot out from the wall hovering there.

As a matter of personal aesthetics, it is your home and absolutely your choice. Any free standing Speaker that is sealed or front ported would do for pushing it back as far as the terminals and cabling will allow.
On the flip side, SQ and best practices would dictate trying to minimize potential diffraction issues of having the screen too close to the baffle of the Speaker. Hell, most Speakers, even Sealed, like to be away from the walls and have some room to breathe.
Forcing Speakers into Cubbies, pressing them hard against walls... all these are generally deleterious to their performance.

On the other hand, getting an On Wall Center would alleviate that concern as it would be designed specifically to interact with the wall so close.

The topic overall makes me curious about your front wall and how your other Speakers are set up.

We all have some limitations or compromises. More than anything, it's how we work with them, and around them that make the differences.

(For me, my mains are 2'deep, about 12" between back of cabinet and Front Wall so that my Baffles are at ~3' standoff distance from the Front Wall. My Center is currently standing (vertical Monitor) on top of an equipment shelf and under the TV. The TV (wall mounted) is about 1' away from (behind) the Front Baffle of the Center. The Center is also placed to protrude forward of the equipment shelf by about 3" and has a standoff distance of 27".)

 

[ta240]

With the Loki, would the dB drop in the 3,000-5,000 range and above 10K at 45 degrees be noticeably bad?

 

[ryanosaur]

I looked at that Driver on the suggestion of another DIYer and was surprised at it's seemingly lackluster performance. As a single Driver, it is already 87-88dB sensitivity, but if you do any EQ to smooth out that performance, you will be dropping that sensitivity by another 2-3dB pretty easily in some key areas.
I'm not anywhere near expert, but that is not a performance compromise I would look to make.

To your earlier question, I would not be too concerned about the wide dispersion FR rolloff that happens above 10K. It is the rest of the performance that shows the issues common of many Coaxial Drivers, however.
I would be interested in other's thoughts on that.

 

[bkdc]

Avoid a rear port. If there are a few inches of space, slide an acoustic panel behind the center. If the center is in a media cabinet with a reasonably tight fit then don’t worry about it and just EQ.

 

[ta240]

......, most Speakers, even Sealed, like to be away from the walls and have some room to breathe.
Forcing Speakers into Cubbies, pressing them hard against walls... all these are generally deleterious to their performance.

On the other hand, getting an On Wall Center would alleviate that concern as it would be designed specifically to interact with the wall so close..........

agreed, I'm hoping to find the least bad option for against the wall.

I hadn't looked at the actual On Wall speakers; I didn't realize there were that many choices now. I wonder how they perform off axis. Time to search for measurements.

 

[ta240]

The arendal looks like it is about 6 dB off at 50 degrees.

The Elac drops about 10 dB at 5,000 Hz .... https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/elac_uc52/

Great point on the Loki, I think I'll move on from that one.

 

[ryanosaur]

What are your Mains?
How far is your Seating? How many Seats?

 

[ta240]

maybe a Revel S16 in upright position https://www.revelspeakers.com/products/types/surround/S16-.html

What are your Mains?
How far is your Seating? How many Seats?

B&W CM5 S2s

The one couch is about 8-9' out from the TV and another small couch perpendicular along the side. That is the bad seating position right now, usually one person will sit sideways in it facing the TV.

I could probably get away with an upright Revel S16; they say it can do center duty. https://www.revelspeakers.com/products/types/surround/S16-.html

 

[ta240]

And a shoutout to Arendal, I emailed them a question and had a response in about 20 minutes.