Hello,

I'm not an audiophile but I am trying to put together a somewhat decent surround sound system in my den. I have everything but a center channel and on that subject am looking for some advice.

I'm looking to spend under $100 on a center channel speaker. everything I see is around 6" tall. I don't have a problem with that, but my wife will not like that on top of the TV. Frankly, I kind of agree.

So here's my question...

I'd like to run wire from my A/V receiver's center channel output into the red/white audio jacks in the back of my TV. But I'm worried about putting too much power to the TV speakers. The receiver does NOT have a pre-amp center channel output, so the output would be at 85W per the receiver. my receiver is an ONKYO TX-SR602 and I'm pretty sure I can set the output to the center channel, although I think I can only set decibel level and not necessarily wattage (if that matters, I don't know).

Taking as a given the caveat that, "yes, you might blow your TV speakers", is something like this relatively reasonable to even attempt? And please, no commentary on the 'quality' of the sound I'll get, etc. I know the TV speakers are not as 'good' as a dedicated center channel, but I really don't care.

Has anyone successfully done this?

Thanks!

So here's my question...

I'd like to run wire from my A/V receiver's center channel output into the red/white audio jacks in the back of my TV. But I'm worried about putting too much power to the TV speakers. The receiver does NOT have a pre-amp center channel output, so the output would be at 85W per the receiver. my receiver is an ONKYO TX-SR602 and I'm pretty sure I can set the output to the center channel, although I think I can only set decibel level and not necessarily wattage (if that matters, I don't know).

Taking as a given the caveat that, "yes, you might blow your TV speakers", is something like this relatively reasonable to even attempt? And please, no commentary on the 'quality' of the sound I'll get, etc. I know the TV speakers are not as 'good' as a dedicated center channel, but I really don't care.
If you connect a speaker-level output from your receiver to your TV's pre-amp level inputs, it's not the TV's speakers you would be worried about; it's the TV's pre-amp/amplifier section that you'd be worried about. If you want to try what you are proposing, use a "speaker level to RCA converter" to convert the high-level speaker output of your receiver to a pre-amp level signal.

Ah! I didn't know a handy device like that existed. Thanks!

If a center channel will be used at all, it is very important for it to blend with the mains. Since there is about a 0% probability that this will happen with TV speakers, phantom center is a better option. If you do buy a center, stick to the same manufacturer and line as your mains (identical is ideal.)

So I'm now looking for a high level to RCA converter and have found several.

However, I can't find anything that is rated to handle more than 80W of power and my Onkyo TX-SR602 receiver says it outputs 85W per channel.

How big, if at all, of an issue is this?

Thanks!

I doubt you will have any issues as long as your not blasting the sound...you're not gonna have 100% of the 80 Watts running to the speaker anyway...now if you CRANKED the sound a lot, you will probably blow the speaker or at least distort the hell out of it....

Just try it and do some experimenting...

Well, actually I haven't though about the fact that if I try to use these TV speakers, I'll always have issues with balancing volume. Whenever I mess with the receiver volume I'll have to also change volume on the TV since the receiver won't handle both, or at least equally.

My wife might just have to get used to a speaker on top of the TV.

Check ebay, you can find some pretty good deals on used center channels...

I would strongly avoid using speakers in a TV with any legitimate sound system.

My normal reaction is: TVs come with speakers in them???

They sound like ass, just don't do it.

Nah, I'm alright with that. But I'll repeat my request: please no commentary on what the 'quality of sound' will be. Not offended, I'm just not interested in those opinions. Lets not clog the thread. I think a TV sounds fine without a sound system so I can't see why I wouldn't care to use it IN a sound system. Having my sound system considered 'legitimate' is simply not something I think important. I'm merely watching TV, and when using my receiver I can't hear dialog. Just looking for an option for center channel sound that doesn't require my robbing a stagecoach, launching a space shuttle, or making my den look like a Crutchfield showroom.

HOWEVER, if you're implying that TV speakers used in conjunction with a sound system will sound WORSE than when used by themselves then I'm all ears. Otherwise I'm just fine with sound coming from TV speakers.

That being said, thanks for the reponse. I do realize I'm posting in a place where people take this stuff pretty seriously. Fair enough.

I'm merely watching TV, and when using my receiver I can't hear dialog.

Wait a minute. Why can't you hear dialogue. You should have no difficulty with that. Are you sure you have your receiver setup properly? Have you turned off the center channel?

HOWEVER, if you're implying that TV speakers used in conjunction with a sound system will sound WORSE than when used by themselves then I'm all ears.

More than implying. It most certainly will degrade the sound if you have a far inferior speaker in use for the center channel rather than simply using your L/R speakers for that.

If you don't care about sound quality, why use a receiver and speakers at all?

First, to osiris13:

I have a receiver for a couple of reasons. I have outside speakers on my deck and some in another room of the house. Having a receiver is an easy way to control the piping of sound to those various zones. Also, I like the surround sound 'sound' when watching TV in my den. I have two ceiling and two front speakers and need a receiver to control them. However, I don't necessarily care that the quality of that sound is any better than what regularly comes out of a TV. That is obviously close to incomprehensible for some of you, I know. ;-) But listening to sound directly from a TV is suitable for me. I merely would like to hear the sound come from other areas of the room as well. I realize that this is not exactly the point of a 'good' surround system. And besides, I also have the receiver for the capability of controlling several different devices from a single point. None of those reasons alone would have really prompted me to get a receiver since all can be handled individually in a much easier fashion, but together they all seemed to me to point towards needing a receiver. When we had all this put in I know enough to know that we needed sound coming from the center when watching TV for dialog. I asked the people installing if we could just use the TV for that and they said 'no problem'. I have since found out that these people were not terribly sharp. Needless to say, they never did anything to utilize the TV. So now I'm in the situation of wanting to run everything through the receiver (for various reasons) and therefore needing center channel sound for TV/movies. At least for the satellite I have it run both into the receiver AND into the TV, so I can at least switch inputs on the TV when watching satellite and get sound from TV only (which is what we use the most) but I'd like to avoid my wife having to remember too many different button sequences. It drives her nuts. Plus, we have all these speakers so I'd like to actually use them.

To ChrisWiggles:

I should have been more specific. I can hear the dialog, just not well. The dialog still comes from the two front and two above speakers but it is very low when compared to other audio tracks. I have played around with various listening modes on my receiver and some handle this better than others but it still is just hard to hear.

Regarding the sound degradation...I think what you're saying is that...by using TV speakers for center I won't get the full advantage of my other speakers rather than the sound actually become worse. If that's what you're saying, I'm ok with that. TV speaker quality is fine by me so if using the TV brings the whole system 'down' to TV speaker quality I really don't mind.


Summary:

I appreciate all of ya'lls' help, but I think I have had my questions answered and am starting to get into discussions that are really peripheral to what I needed. Thanks for your time! And if it helps you to sleep at night, you'll be happy to know that I've decided to just suck it up and buy a center channel. We'll just have to get used to the eyesore of it sitting on top of the TV.

I have a nice reasonable priced center for sale.
If you don't get it, it's on Ebay, soon.

Oops, got a call as writing..
Athena asc1-1 audition series.
Only a few weeks of use.
Clean.
Pm me if interested.

You shouldn't have dialog coming from surround speakers to begin with...what surround mode are you using for watching TV? What source for TV do you have (sat, cable, OTA)?

And what kind of man doesn't like seeing a speaker on top of a TV??? ;)

And what kind of man doesn't like seeing a speaker on top of a TV??? ;)[/QUOTE]

Best point yet.

I've been married a while.

Regarding the sound degradation...I think what you're saying is that...by using TV speakers for center I won't get the full advantage of my other speakers rather than the sound actually become worse. If that's what you're saying, I'm ok with that. TV speaker quality is fine by me so if using the TV brings the whole system 'down' to TV speaker quality I really don't mind.


Yes it will bring it down to TV quality, and that is ACTUALLY worse. There is really no reason to use TV speakers unless you don't have a sound system at all. They are terrible.

There is really no reason to use TV speakers unless you don't have a sound system at all. They are terrible.


Somehow I think I'll live. Thanks though.

HOWEVER, if you're implying that TV speakers used in conjunction with a sound system will sound WORSE than when used by themselves then I'm all ears. Otherwise I'm just fine with sound coming from TV speakers.


Will this sound worse than the TV speakers alone? Probably not, but it also won't sound better, so adding the sound system would be a waste. Will it sound worse than the sound system alone? Very definitely.