Center speaker: Infinity/Harmon RC263 or Revel C12

[mikhailf]

I am getting JBL Studio 580 for the basement with high background noise floor, it is 2.1 setup with SVS PB-10000 PRO sub and large open area.
Listening position is about 12-13 feet from the speakers. Left and right front speakers are 9 feet apart.

Which center channel 3-way speaker would you recommend and why?
1. Infinity/Harmon RC263
2. Revel C12

Both are available in "New" condition from 3rd party private sellers for about the same price - less than new SVS Ultra and less than out-of-stock Monolith THX-C365. I am not going to spend $1K+ on regarded Revel C208 at the moment.

Mainly music listening and occasional movies.

Thank you!

 

[chenm0416]

Where is the RC263 available?

 

[mikhailf]

not in commercial quantities, lol

i hope to get it from a member.

 

[mikhailf]

ebay has a listing for a brand new in a box. i got it from a member on avsforum

 

[gbrnole]

i have a Revel C12 that i like a lot. the only downside to it (for me), and it's similar for the RC263, is that you need to get the speaker angled up towards your listening position so it's vertically on axis. it's more relatively designed for the "olden days" when a center speaker would have been set on top of a big screen tv cabinet so you get a flat response from an elevated position but a dip at ~2.5khz when it's positioned lower down.

 

[mikhailf]

i have a Revel C12 that i like a lot. the only downside to it (for me), and it's similar for the RC263, is that you need to get the speaker angled up towards your listening position so it's vertically on axis. it's more relatively designed for the "olden days" when a center speaker would have been set on top of a big screen tv cabinet so you get a flat response from an elevated position but a dip at ~2.5khz when it's positioned lower down.

Thank you.

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

Why do you need a center speaker?

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

I am getting JBL Studio 580 for the basement with high background noise floor, it is 2.1 setup with SVS PB-10000 PRO sub and large open area.
Listening position is about 12-13 feet from the speakers. Left and right front speakers are 9 feet apart.

Which center channel 3-way speaker would you recommend and why?
1. Infinity/Harmon RC263
2. Revel C12

Both are available in "New" condition from 3rd party private sellers for about the same price - less than new SVS Ultra and less than out-of-stock Monolith THX-C365. I am not going to spend $1K+ on regarded Revel C208 at the moment.

Mainly music listening and occasional movies.

Thank you!

Why do you need a center speaker?

 

[mikhailf]

Why do you need a center speaker?

for the same reason most people prefer stereo vs mono. Center channel gives clear vocals with movies and helps with having balanced surround/spatial audio.

However, sometimes when I listen to music in stereo mode (without center) it's impossible to tell whether it it engaged or not because of stereo imaging and wide sound stage.

 

[moonthink]

Why do you need a center speaker?

So that "center" is center for everyone watching/listening, not just MLP.

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

for the same reason most people prefer stereo vs mono. Center channel gives clear vocals with movies and helps with having balanced surround/spatial audio.

However, sometimes when I listen to music in stereo mode (without center) it's impossible to tell whether it it engaged or not because of stereo imaging and wide sound stage.

Why can you get clearer vocals from the center channel?

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

So that "center" is center for everyone watching/listening, not just MLP.

What is MLP?

 

[middlemarch]

Main Listening Position

 

[mikhailf]

Why can you get clearer vocals from the center channel?

Because of the processing on AVR or AVP and the ability to boost CC as needed.

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

Main Listening Position

Thank you for your explanation.

 

[ifoundacat]

I am getting JBL Studio 580 for the basement with high background noise floor, it is 2.1 setup with SVS PB-10000 PRO sub and large open area.
Listening position is about 12-13 feet from the speakers. Left and right front speakers are 9 feet apart.

Which center channel 3-way speaker would you recommend and why?
1. Infinity/Harmon RC263
2. Revel C12

Both are available in "New" condition from 3rd party private sellers for about the same price - less than new SVS Ultra and less than out-of-stock Monolith THX-C365. I am not going to spend $1K+ on regarded Revel C208 at the moment.

Mainly music listening and occasional movies.

Thank you!

What did you go for in the end?

 

[mikhailf]

What did you go for in the end?

after living with RC263 for a few months, I traded up to HDI-4500 to match HDI-3800 at the front and HDI-1600 surrounds.