Matching Center Channel to Focal Scala Utopia EVOs

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

I’ve followed this sight closely and have let it guide my purchases. I’m making some changes.

I am building out a new dedicated home theater. The plan is 130” acoustically transparent screen. I plan to place my Focal Scala Utopia EVOs as the L an R mains. I’ll drive them with my existing Benchmark AHB2 amp. I’ll then use my other AHB2 in mono to drive the as yet unknown center channel. All speakers will be driven by Benchmark AHB2 amps.

My ears are old and dialogue mixing is terrible these days. I want a more sensitive speaker to use for the center channel. The Focals are just too expensive. I also want something I can buy just one of. I’ll build out the rest of the 7.2 system using speakers from the same line but stepping down in cost as I move back from the mains.

I feel like either set up should match just fine. My ears just aren’t that good. Especially based on the data I see on ASR. The KEF setup would be cheaper and easier to source. The Revel might be better? Revel seems to get a lot of love around here.

So here are my ideas:

Go with Revel:
F328Be Center channel
F226Be Surrounds (overkill?)
Performa3 F206 Rear channels
2 Subs

Go with KEF:
R11 Meta Center
R7 Surrounds
R5 Rears
2subs

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[voodooless]

Why not just get the matching 2-way Diablo Utopia Colour Evo? Or the actual matching center Viva Utopia Colour Evo

 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Why not just get the matching 2-way Diablo Utopia Colour Evo? Or the actual matching center Viva Utopia Colour Evo

View attachment 397782

I considered this but during my “research” it looks like center channels have more problems with dispersion(if you’re not in the sweet spot they fall off fast). Watched the video at Erin’s Audio “why do most center channels suck”. This sent me down the old rabbit hole. Since we are using an acoustically transparent screen we can use a regular floor standing speaker. My understanding is this will give a significantly wider sweet spot. I may be wrong about this but that seems to be the general consensus among the people who know way more than me. I’d actually love some input from our more technical friends. Like my user name my knowledge is kind of ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I see it can be vertical. Thanks for the advice ill check it out

 

[voodooless]

I considered this but during my “research” it looks like center channels have more problems with dispersion

Yes, with regular horizontal MTM centers, which my examples are not.

 

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

Yes, with regular horizontal MTM centers, which my examples are not.

Yea I looked them up and edited the post at the very end. Thanks again