Medium/Small Home Theater Center Channel: C208, 8351B, or UC52?

[beren777]

Revel C208 Review (Center Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Revel C208 three-way center speaker. It was kindly purchased new and drop shipped to me by a member. The retail cost is US $2,000 but keep in mind that this includes dealer margin which doesn't exist in direct to consumer sales. Important...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Genelec 8351B Review (Studio Monitor)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Genelec 8351B powered monitors (speakers). It was purchased used by a member and kindly drop shipped to me for testing. They cost US $3,995 each. The 8351 is a thee-way speakers with the bass drivers hidden beyond the front baffle...

www.audiosciencereview.com

ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UC52 Center Channel Speaker Review

ELAC UC52 Center Channel Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Which would you prefer for a center channel speaker: Revel C208, Genelec 8351B, or the ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UC52? Custom DIY Purifi-based center speaker?

Cost is a consideration, performance more of a consideration. Usual seating distance is ~6'-10'. 1-3 people. Would like it to be useable in a larger space if/when needed. The 8351B seems to be best in class, but is ~twice as expensive as the C208. Common sense says get the UC52 first and try it out, but FOMO says get the 8351B while Sweetwater is offering 0% APR for 36 months.

Someone talk sense to me.

 

[JWAmerica]

If it's in your budget, the Genelec without a doubt. The Revel has poor bass extension. I'm not a fan of conventional center speaker design and while the UC52 is one of the best in that configuration, I think you'd be much better off with a bookshelf speaker (Revel M16 or Elac DBR62) or something with a coaxial design (not KEF due to weak bass) like the HSU CCB-8.

 

[chych7]

Monprice 365C THX seems to be one of the best values, somewhat similar response to the Revel:

Monoprice THX-365C Center Channel Speaker Review

Monoprice THX-365C Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

It has low bass extension, but is meant to be used with a subwoofer and a THX-spec 80 Hz crossover. Has good sensitivity.
Coax speakers also give you good vertical dispersion, which is helpful if you have two rows and an elevated back row, and the center channel is mounted low/below the screen. In that case, KEF R2C would be a good option.

 

[jcarys]

Sense - I would try the Elac and if you're not happy with it, upgrade to the Revel. I have auditioned the C208, considering it a replacement for my current center. I thought it performed fine for it's intended use. I'm not sure about JWAmerica's comment about poor bass extension, but I would be rolling it off at 80Hz along with the rest of my speakers, so it wouldn't effect my usage.

 

[Chrispy]

What are your L/R speakers?

 

[beren777]

What are your L/R speakers?

Swan HiVi - DIY 3.1A - 3.1 Bookshelf Speakers, currently. They might look silly flanking a $2k-$4k center but that's okay.

 

[JWAmerica]

Sense - I would try the Elac and if you're not happy with it, upgrade to the Revel. I have auditioned the C208, considering it a replacement for my current center. I thought it performed fine for it's intended use. I'm not sure about JWAmerica's comment about poor bass extension, but I would be rolling it off at 80Hz along with the rest of my speakers, so it wouldn't effect my usage.

The output of the Revel falls off at 100Hz. It's not suitable to be crossed at 80Hz, which in my opinion is too high anyway. 60Hz should be the standard if you want to avoid localization of deep voices and keep center channel effects in the center where they belong.

 

[beren777]

If it's in your budget, the Genelec without a doubt. The Revel has poor bass extension. I'm not a fan of conventional center speaker design and while the UC52 is one of the best in that configuration, I think you'd be much better off with a bookshelf speaker (Revel M16 or Elac DBR62) or something with a coaxial design (not KEF due to weak bass) like the HSU CCB-8.

I hadn't seen the Hsu before. I see it's designed to be toed slightly off center. Makes me wonder if it'd work well solo as a center, it seems like it's meant to be used in pairs.

Monprice 365C THX seems to be one of the best values, somewhat similar response to the Revel:

I actually had one previously, but sold off the Monoprice speakers a few months ago. At the time I was convinced I was going to go all in on F208/C208 for my L/R/C.

Sense - I would try the Elac and if you're not happy with it, upgrade to the Revel. I have auditioned the C208, considering it a replacement for my current center. I thought it performed fine for it's intended use. I'm not sure about JWAmerica's comment about poor bass extension, but I would be rolling it off at 80Hz along with the rest of my speakers, so it wouldn't effect my usage.

What is your current center?

 

[beren777]

The output of the Revel falls off at 100Hz. It's not suitable to be crossed at 80Hz, which in my opinion is too high anyway. 60Hz should be the standard if you want to avoid localization of deep voices and keep center channel effects in the center where they belong.

Really? The specs for the C208 say 50Hz at -3dB.

 

[JWAmerica]

The HSU CCB-8 can be angled 15° upward to give a smooth response. Since it will likely be placed below the screen, this is actually advantageous.

 

[JWAmerica]

Really? The specs for the C208 say 50Hz at -3dB.

That's not what Amir's measurements show.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Really? The specs for the C208 say 50Hz at -3dB.

Correct. C208 is an excellent center.

 

[Chrispy]

Swan HiVi - DIY 3.1A - 3.1 Bookshelf Speakers, currently. They might look silly flanking a $2k-$4k center but that's okay.

IMO ideally the center is just the same speaker as your L/R.....

 

[alex-z]

Not the 8351B or C208. Great speakers but not enough to justify their price. Elac UC52 is not bad for $450, one of my most common recommendations to home theatre folk.

However, I think the KEF R2C is worth the extra cost. Their coaxial tech is much better than Elac, the directivity above 3000Hz is far more consistent. The mid-range compression and distortion is also notably better.

If I was building a DIY speaker purely for myself, I would salvage the driver from a KEF Q350 for the mid-range + tweeter, flanked by a pair of Purifi 6.5" woofers in a sealed cabinet, for a -3dB point of 76Hz, and enough power handling for 111dB of output.

 

[jcarys]

I do understand that many people think they need a "perfect" speaker - I'm just not one of them. We are lucky to live in a world where the electronics before the speaker are able to customize the resulting sound to a level that I would not have believed possible when I first started putting together a system 30 years ago. If a speaker has a small drop in frequency, you can easily correct it with a mic and software, just as we are doing with headphones. I did audition the C208 (not reading graphs in a review) and I found it totally acceptable for home theater or music. I would certainly put it in my own system if needed, and be quite happy with it. That said, there are tons of other options out there...

 

[beren777]

I have a UC52 on the way. I've been indoctrinated to believe that center channel speakers should be sealed, not ported. We'll see how it goes. Thanks everyone for the input and advice.

I'd love to build a WMTW center channel with Purifi drivers (2x6.5" and 1x4") and some tweeter that isn't awful but I don't have the woodworking skills.

 

[raindance]

I suggest what I'm currently using: Mission M7C2. It's an excellent, clean and crisp sounding center speaker with more than decent bass extension. There's at least one available on ebay as new old stock from a store in New York, where I sourced mine.

 

[GabrielPhoto]

I had the C208 as well as the THX 365c, Elac UC52, SVS Ultra (among others) during my test of 10 center speakers for my JBL 590s.
The C208 was without a doubt the most sublime of them all. The sound was just gorgeous in detail, "liveness", full sound not lacking bass and even my Audyssey was "detecting" it as FULL range so I had zero issues getting good extension to crossover at 80Hz.
The only reason I didnt keep it is because of some weird "phase" issue with my LR where for example a voice between the center and right speaker would sound like out of phase instead of more precisely positioned.
Upon further research someone that has 3 of them told me one of his actually came with a mid incorrectly wired giving him a similar issue as I had so I am still hoping to try it again.
The THX 365c is surely a great speaker but the C208 was clearly a class above IMO

 

[NiagaraPete]

Swan HiVi - DIY 3.1A - 3.1 Bookshelf Speakers, currently. They might look silly flanking a $2k-$4k center but that's okay.

I would think that you’d be better find 3 matching.

 

[beren777]

I had the C208 as well as the THX 365c, Elac UC52, SVS Ultra (among others) during my test of 10 center speakers for my JBL 590s.
The C208 was without a doubt the most sublime of them all. The sound was just gorgeous in detail, "liveness", full sound not lacking bass and even my Audyssey was "detecting" it as FULL range so I had zero issues getting good extension to crossover at 80Hz.
The only reason I didnt keep it is because of some weird "phase" issue with my LR where for example a voice between the center and right speaker would sound like out of phase instead of more precisely positioned.
Upon further research someone that has 3 of them told me one of his actually came with a mid incorrectly wired giving him a similar issue as I had so I am still hoping to try it again.
The THX 365c is surely a great speaker but the C208 was clearly a class above IMO

Were you using your AVR built-in amp with the C208?