Centre speaker - or lack of!!

[Oddball]

Been fiddling with the Marantz SR5600 that JacHawk so kindly donated me last yr!
I have my Samsung TV on the wall above it and the RelQ50 sub in the corner of the room , that I use with the other Hi Fi most of the time .
I have 2 old Marantz speakers from my original hi fi ,as back speakers , 2 Mission 733 speakers as sides (that I had with some seperates I bought a few weeks ago ,and repaired the woofer in the one ) , but I don't have a decent centre speaker at present .

Do I really need a centre or could I program the AV receiver to push the vocals through the other 2 pairs?
I do have a couple of Aiwa speakers that are not being used , and I have consider using just the one as a stop gap centre , until I find a good centre on the bay ,locally !!(I have been underbidder on 2 just lately , and rather than rush to buy something I regret , thought I would take my time to find a good second hand one ,as they don't tend to make a lot?)
Thanks , I have not visited the AV studio before

[Macca]

You can program the receiver to send the centre output to the front left and right. Just de-select the centre speaker in the menu and it will happen automatically.

That's what I do and I prefer it to having a centre speaker.

[Marco]

Yes, and it works well... Until that is you hear things done properly in an expertly set-up 5.1 system, employing a high-quality centre speaker!

Marco.

[Macca]

Yes, and it works well... Until that is you hear things done properly in an expertly set-up 5.1 system, employing a high-quality centre speaker!

Marco.

Man I was an early adopter of DVD and 5.1, I've had an HT system for 16 years, I'm on my 3rd receiver (which isn't bad going for me) and a mate who got into it the same time as me has a THX 7.2 set up in a dedicated room and all professionally installed. I'm under no illusions as to what is possible. I just got a bit bored with it and didn't take it any further myself.

Incidentally, he had a lot of issues with centre speakers, he now has a 3 speaker array just for the centre channel, using active Meridians. He reckons this is just about satisfactory.

[Marco]

Ha - sounds like a perfectionist/hardcore dude, and my kinda guy!

I ain't going there, though. Once I add the second sub, that's me done

Marco.

[WAD62]

You can program the receiver to send the centre output to the front left and right. Just de-select the centre speaker in the menu and it will happen automatically.

That's what I do and I prefer it to having a centre speaker.

I've gone one further and removed the sub, so 4.0 really...

My main speakers (IPL S5TLs) go down to 23Hz, so I don't need any additional out of phase boom!

Removing the AV powered center, and pushing all 3 main channels through my stereo rig is a massive improvement, particularly with music videos...

All my AV processor does is drive my rear L & R rear surrounds, a set of old '91 Bose (OK I've admitted it ) AM5s, which are actually excellent for the rear surround job...honest!

[Oddball]

My sub sits next to the hi fi ,and the TV and AV receiver ,on the other side .
I simply unplug the phono leads from one to the other ,depending on which I am using ,but its like spaghetti junction behind there !!
4 sets of speakers and a sub
I am sure if it was the living room ,I would have been evicted by now!!!
Also ,my sons room is above , so I have to exercise caution apparently
Fortunately the room is 20 x 40 ft , but seems to be filling up with hi fi boxes and second rate equipment

[Macca]

Fortunately the room is 20 x 40 ft , but seems to be filling up with hi fi boxes and second rate equipment

20 x 40! You need some monster JBLs in your life. Sell the cows, man!

[Marco]

My main speakers (IPL S5TLs) go down to 23Hz, so I don't need any additional out of phase boom!

Lol... Not so, if you get it right!

'Taint no boom here... The little Yamaha sub seems to work seamlessly with the 15XRs, their ABRs combining superbly well with it and creating very impressive 'slam' with movie explosions and gunshots!

Marco.

[WAD62]

Lol... Not so, if you get it right!

'Taint no boom here... The little Yamaha sub seems to work seamlessly with the 15XRs, their ABRs combining superbly well with it and creating very impressive 'slam' with movie explosions and gunshots!

Marco.

I get plenty enough slam from the IPL's mate!

And the rears have their own sub too (2.1), under the couch, so more than enough bass all round, as full frequency range is sent to all 4 speakers

Before the IPLs I used an old Yamaha sub in conjunction with my Mission 753s, they needed it...however with the IPLs in place the sub is rendered pointless IMHO