Only Center Speaker

[Trdat]

I am considering putting a TV in my tiny bedroom with a AVR and curious how an only center speaker would work?

I don't listen to music, no movies just youtube discussions and some television series.

I have come to really respect my center speaker in my main room and am a true believer now that center is better phantom.

I also know that the processing of PL2 Movie or Dolby extract the voice but the left and right support it with reflections or something like that. How important is left and right if I am only watching something with voice?

 

[Vacceo]

Wouldn´t a soundbar fit your needs far better?

 

[Trdat]

Wouldn´t a soundbar fit your needs far better?

Firstly, I'm one of those anti soundbar guy lol, but you do have a point it might be more appropriate.

However, I already have the AVR and I enjoy the Audyssey Dynamic volume when needed and would prefer a proper but modest center speaker. I cant imagine a soundbar beating a $300 center speaker.

 

[Vacceo]

I´d go for a second hand KEF center speaker and see what happens. Perhaps that could be your start for a multichannel setup.

 

[Deleted member 77012]

Guess you’re in need of some »all channels to mono« conversion then. Not sure if any common AVR is easily capable of that.

 

[Esprit]

All you need is a small amplified speaker and a cable connected directly to the TV (stereo to mono)
You don't need an AVR for this.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

Guess you’re in need of some »all channels to mono« conversion then. Not sure if any common AVR is easily capable of that.

I would guess you can do this with the set up program, just say no to all speakers but the center. How that would sound in the end I have no idea. Easy to try though.

I would personally use a 3.0 with any small and cheap L/R for mains, if I refused to go soundbar.

But I would likely go soundbar in that situation, assuming no LR mains. My inlaws like the $150 one I got them for vocal clarity, my wife uses one (mostly for audiobooks) in her studio which has horrible acoustics. There is a TV but she rarely turns it on. Polk Signa s2, currently $200 us, with a sub. The "voice" settings do boost dialogue for sure.

 

[Trdat]

All you need is a small amplified speaker and a cable connected directly to the TV (stereo to mono)
You don't need an AVR for this.

I get what you guys are saying all good points, however sending the left right signal without upmixing into the center will give me the loud background noises and loud dynamic parts when i watch a television show that is) which I don't need hence why I enjoy a center speaker. Plus, I already got the AVR....

 

[Trdat]

I would guess you can do this with the set up program, just say no to all speakers but the center. How that would sound in the end I have no idea. Easy to try though.

I would personally use a 3.0 with any small and cheap L/R for mains, if I refused to go soundbar.

But I would likely go soundbar in that situation, assuming no LR mains. My inlaws like the $150 one I got them for vocal clarity, my wife uses one (mostly for audiobooks) in her studio which has horrible acoustics. There is a TV but she rarely turns it on. Polk Signa s2, currently $200 us, with a sub. The "voice" settings do boost dialogue for sure.

It looks like the sound bar option isn't too bad. Ill look into it.

 

[Trdat]

I´d go for a second hand KEF center speaker and see what happens. Perhaps that could be your start for a multichannel setup.

That's what I was thinking can't lose choosing a well measured second hand center speaker.

 

[Deleted member 77012]

Perhaps trying any »Pure« or »Pure Direct« setting would do the trick. What model is your AVR?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Firstly, I'm one of those anti soundbar guy lol, but you do have a point it might be more appropriate.

I was, too, but my real-world experience has proven that a good soundbar is superior to a single speaker. What one loses with a single speaker of any kind, with or without any processing or downmixing, is the sense of size and space. It is impossible for any single speaker to do that.

I now have soundbars (each with a sub) on two TVs and one is in a room with a discrete MCH component system used exclusively for music. I am continually impressed with what they can do.

 

[DVDdoug]

How important is left and right if I am only watching something with voice?

I wouldn't want to throw-away the other channels. With most movies there's probably something important in the other channels. It shouldn't be a problem if you're watching the news.

Check to see if you can configure your AVR for a center speaker only. Then it should downmix everything to the center. But I've never heard of that... A lot of people use the stereo downmix and then the center goes equally to left & right (at half power to each).

If I could only use one speaker I'd skip the whole thing and use the built-in TV speakers.

 

[kyuu]

Honestly, assuming the AVR can downmix to mono appropriately I don't see any issue with what you want to do. My go-to for a budget center channel would be the Polk ES30. You can get a refurb for just a bit over $200.

 

[Trdat]

I was, too, but my real-world experience has proven that a good soundbar is superior to a single speaker. What one loses with a single speaker of any kind, with or without any processing or downmixing, is the sense of size and space. I is impossible for any single speaker to do that.

I now have soundbars (each with a sub) on two TVs and one is in a room with a discrete MCH component system used exclusively for music. I am continually impressed with what they can do.

This is what I was looking for. So, comparing a sound bar to an only center speaker a sound bar can outperform so in my case perhaps it is an option.

But, if i was to get a left and right then I suppose my LCR option would be superior.

 

[Trdat]

Perhaps trying any »Pure« or »Pure Direct« setting would do the trick. What model is your AVR?

Its an ancient Denon 1912 but I know for sure it has PL2 Movie which fully extracts the voice to the center.

The question now is, would the extracting of the voice to the center be better than the mono suggested? It also has cinema which also extracts the voice to the center.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

...budget center channel would be the Polk ES30...

Consider the Ascend HTM -200se2. https://ascendacoustics.com/collect...-200se2-center-speaker?variant=43238787416118 Measurements provided, on their site.

​

 

[kyuu]

Consider the Ascend HTM -200se2. https://ascendacoustics.com/collect...-200se2-center-speaker?variant=43238787416118 Measurements provided, on their site.

Ascends are good. The Polk ES30 is as well (we have measurements for its predecessor model, the S30, which appears to be mostly identical). For a proper center for far-field use I'd go with the Polk normally as it almost certainly has better power handling, better sensitivity, and overall better directivity. The Ascend has better on-axis response, certainly, and the arrangement of the drivers produces a wider horizontal dispersion (at the cost of some wonkiness on the vertical axis).

For the OP's situation, the Ascend is probably actually a good choice.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

This is what I was looking for. So, comparing a sound bar to an only center speaker a sound bar can outperform so in my case perhaps it is an option.

But, if i was to get a left and right then I suppose my LCR option would be superior.

Possibly, depending on the specifics.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Honestly, assuming the AVR can downmix to mono appropriately I don't see any issue with what you want to do.

Have you tried it compared with a decent soundbar similarly situated?