Shelf support in front of center channel speaker

mgoldman981 said:

How detrimental to sound quality would a setup with a center channel speaker behind one of the middle bars on this media cabinet be? Would it significantly change sound quality (dealbreaker)? Would really prefer not to have this bar in the middle but it's hard to balance all the different factors like tv size, cabinet size to fit bookshelf speakers on top, etc. without building something custom. Thanks!

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It's hard to get a center that can do dialog well so adding any obstruction between the speaker and main listening position is less than ideal. But hey, if you already have the gear, it would be worth trying it to decide for yourself.

Another option a friend did was to have a custom center support that positioned the center channel above his TV, aimed at the MLP. It was basically a 3' high tube with a plate and lip on top to hold the center somewhat tipped forward. It seemed to work OK in his situation but is likely to be problematic if distance to the MLP changes.

I took a different path, putting the gear on one rack and the TV on a separate table. The equipment rack sits behind the left front channel though it could be placed in other locations. The TV table was custom built by a local furniture vendor and is sized to handle a 77" TV. It's also high enough that the center rests on a stand below the table. It has worked out well though it wasn't the cheapest route, and it took months to get that table.

There you go... a few different options.