[newsoundguy]

I will be playing mostly music CDs. I have Polk monitor 60s for fronts and monitor 40s as surrounds. My receiver is pioneer 919.


Do I need a center channel speaker in this case? I do not have a TV in this setup. Everyone advises that center spews out only vocal dialogs, so will it help me at all in this case? My fronts provide a good phantom center effect for now.


Thanks

 

[afrogt]

No, you don't need a center speaker for two channel music. You should be fine as is.


I wouldn't even use the monitor 40s unless you're entertaining and need to fill the room with background music.


The STEREO setting sounds better than the All Channel Stereo setting to me. I would turn off the sound modes and use plain ol' Stereo.

 

[TRT]

For timbre matching purposes, get the matching Polk center channel speaker.

 

[ousooner2]



Quote:
Originally Posted by afrogt /forum/post/16871841


No, you don't need a center speaker for two channel music. You should be fine as is.


I wouldn't even use the monitor 40s unless you're entertaining and need to fill the room with background music.


The STEREO setting sounds better than the All Channel Stereo setting to me. I would turn off the sound modes and use plain ol' Stereo.

Touche! I wouldn't do 5.1/5.0 whatever Music. Just use stereo or on my Yammy 663 I use Straight Enhancer which fills it out a bit more, but its still 2 channel Music. Your M60's will play fine on 2.0/2.1



You are correct, your Center does spew out dialogue during movies, etc....but for music...just use 2 channel

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by newsoundguy /forum/post/16871794


Everyone advises that center spews out only vocal dialogs, so will it help me at all in this case?

Even when listening to 2-channel music, most of the important sounds (lead vocals, instrument solos) are mixed so they image at the centre of the front soundstage. You can reproduce this as a phantom image or as a point source. Since the human voice is not a dual-mono phantom-image, why reproduce it that way at home? I'd rather hear it as point source, just like it's produced in real life. So I always use a centre speaker when listening to 2-channel music.


If you want to hear the effect, and decide whether it's for you or not, just use one of your surrounds as a centre speaker. Stand it up vertically, on some sort of temporary stand (boxes, stepstool, etc) and try to get the tweeters of all three front speakers at the same height. Use one of the extraction modes, like Dolby PLII Music, and listen to some familiar CDs. Your ears will eventually let you know whether you prefer a hard centre or a phantom centre. You won't have to rely on other people's experiences and preferences.

 

[psgcdn]

Fancy Dolby or DTS decoding and processing destroys imaging for me. Rather than make it better, all sutleties are removed. (Not takling about a real 5.1 mix here)

 

[blackzarg]

Nah, just leave your music listening to stereo (2.1) or pure audio (2.0). The center channel is great for dialogue in a home theater application, but not for music. All-channel stereo is fun for parties and raising the decibel level, but other than that, not much.

 

[Knucklehead90]



Quote:
Originally Posted by blackzarg /forum/post/16877995


Nah, just leave your music listening to stereo (2.1) or pure audio (2.0). The center channel is great for dialogue in a home theater application, but not for music. All-channel stereo is fun for parties and raising the decibel level, but other than that, not much.

I use it for old movies that are in mono. Makes it easier to hear coming from 5 speakers and I don't have to turn it up so loud.

 

[blackzarg]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Knucklehead90 /forum/post/16878029


I use it for old movies that are in mono. Makes it easier to hear coming from 5 speakers and I don't have to turn it up so loud.

I use it for techno =) It makes hearing it easier as well! ;-)

 

[bigbare]



Quote:
Originally Posted by newsoundguy /forum/post/16871794


I will be playing mostly music CDs. I have Polk monitor 60s for fronts and monitor 40s as surrounds. My receiver is pioneer 919.


Do I need a center channel speaker in this case? I do not have a TV in this setup. Everyone advises that center spews out only vocal dialogs, so will it help me at all in this case? My fronts provide a good phantom center effect for now.


Thanks

Unless you are listening to multi channel music, or want to use 5.1 setup I wouldn't bother with a center or even if you have one. I like my music in both 5.1 and stereo but much rather just stereo.

 

[mconno]



Quote:
Originally Posted by newsoundguy /forum/post/16871794


I will be playing mostly music CDs. I have Polk monitor 60s for fronts and monitor 40s as surrounds. My receiver is pioneer 919.


Do I need a center channel speaker in this case? I do not have a TV in this setup. Everyone advises that center spews out only vocal dialogs, so will it help me at all in this case? My fronts provide a good phantom center effect for now.


Thanks

No one "needs" anything and I apologize if it's been mentioned before...I know you're focused on audio CDs w/o a TV, but DVDs that include music video would be a situation where a center channel that matched your system may enhance the sound at a later date. Personally, I like having a CC to take advantage of the options my receiver provides listening to CD s alone or other sources. CC can "spew" out more than just vocals with the appropriate settings. It's what ever the original recordings choose to localize that you may now have a little more flexibility with.