[Zee]

hi everyone


I need to get a center channel speaker for my system ..and am looking for your advice .. my front speakers are boston acoustics vr965 with the build in subwoofer.. pretty happy with them ..the rear are also boston acoustics micro90 i think .. now i drop my center which was a boston acoustic and it doesn't sound the same anymore..muddle .. so i was looking at the boston acoustics VR-MC .. now the thing is 599.00 which is more than i want to spend but if its worth it, i'll take the plunge.. anyone here have any experience with these, know where i can get a better deal on them, or a alternate solution.. very open to suggestions ..


thanks everyone for your help ..



zee

 

[nebuchadnezzar]

The MOST IMPORTANT speaker in home theater is ..........the center channel!


1) the largest portion of dialog comes from the center

2) to acheive a smooth transition (when something moves across the front soundstage) between the front right, center and front left the speakers should ALL be the same(or as close as possible)


nearly all manufacturers make a center to match main speakers.....



don't skimp here! you'll regret it





(amps, interconnects, speaker cable should all match too )

 

[John Desmond]

I'm not that familiar with the Bostons. I can tell you this, I'd much rather have no center than a poor center. A phantom center can sound pretty good, but a poor center will really sound like crap. If Boston builds a center to match your mains, that is the first one I'd listen to!

 

[Woodsea]

But if you are unwilling to get the matching CC from Boston Acoustics, I think you should really take Nebs advice about how important the CC is. Check out VMPS or nOrh

One is arguably going to be the best CC you can purchase that is not getting ridiculous. The 2nd one is as much art as sound and under $300.

 

[where1]

How is the cabinet on the speaker you dropped? You may have damaged the driver(s) inside. You may be able to just replace these, saving some money. I did this with a speaker I dropped and saved quite a bit.

 

[J.V. Gomez]

Zee:


I fully endorse the notions of fellows Woodsea, John Desmond and nebuchadnezzar above. I would put it this way:


1) Do not wimp on the center, because it is most important. The center must not be regarded as the Cinderella among speakers.


2) Look for evenness. The best center is the one that is most sonically similar to you L&R speakers. John Desmond put it right on target: "I'd much rather have no center than a poor center".


If you are interested, I devoted quite an extensive analysis on this matter of center speaker matching in my (long) review of the Aerial package I purchased last year, which I posted in four parts in the Audio Video Improvement forum some weeks ago. Should you were interested in having the whole review in one single WORD file, just e-mail me at: [email protected] .


Good luck!


J.V. Gomez

 

[bitkahuna]

I'd get the existing center fixed if possible. You never know, you might get it fixed under warranty.


Another factor is the receiver/amp too. I thought my center wasn't so hot but when I switched from my Sony ES receiver to my new Pioneer Elite 49TX the center got SOOOOOOO much better.

 

[Zee]

thanks everyone for all the responses ..


well the center i dropped seems its sealed shut ..no screws ..and i'm not too techy with these things ..


my L and R fronts are good ones ( VR-965 ) that i upgraded last year but didn't upgrade the center 'cause i thought it was sufficent .. so I think i'll take the plunge on it ( thats the boston acoustics VR-MC center channel speaker )


does anyone know of any good online stores that i can get it from .. the local sound advice wants 599.00 for this and i read somewhere that it can be purchased for 450.00 ..


anyone know where can i get it any cheaper.. since its been out for a while so not a new model or any thing ..



thanks


Zee