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Thread: Centre speaker - or lack of!!

  1. #21
    Join Date: Jan 2014

    Location: County Durham, England

    Posts: 555
    I'm Malcolm.

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    I've always been deeply skeptical about subwoofers (I'm 5.0 but mostly for the sake of my downstairs neighbour), but I've heard two really impressive implementations lately in two channel music systems. One is an REL sub (a fairly tall one - bigger than I expected) with a pair of Castle Harlechs. Sensibly integrated (really couldn't locate the sub when playing, but you felt its effect when switched off and the very bottom disappeared).

    The second system used a compact and presumably quite high end Velodyne sub (all DSP-equalisation, with OSD-assisted setup and a remote control with more buttons on it than the one for my TV). The integration with the Bowers & Wilkins 804D here incredibly impressive - the already seriously capable speakers became full-on stormers and again - the sub impossible to locate aurally. No boom or waffle - just a seemingly unending stream of tuneful, deep and powerful bass. Impressive indeed. If I ever find myself living in a house I want one!!

    Technics SL1210 MkII / SME 309 / Timestep PSU / Achromat / Denon DL-304
    Phono stage PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter
    Lossless / MP3 / Tidal > Roon > Bryston BDP-1USB > Marantz NA-11S1
    Marantz UD7007 SACD/Blu-ray/DVD-V/DVD-A
    Toshiba BDX1200 Blu-ray player (Zone A & Region 1)
    Audiolab 8200AP pre-amp/processor
    Power amp: Arcam P7
    B&W 804S stereo (bi-amped), HTM4S centre, CDMSNT surrounds (5.0)
    Sennheiser HD 700 headphones
    Panasonic PT-AT6000 projector

  2. #22
    Join Date: Jul 2014

    Location: Shropshire

    Posts: 2,420
    I'm Anto.

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    Quote Originally Posted by m10 View Post
    I've always been deeply skeptical about subwoofers (I'm 5.0 but mostly for the sake of my downstairs neighbour), but I've heard two really impressive implementations lately in two channel music systems. One is an REL sub (a fairly tall one - bigger than I expected) with a pair of Castle Harlechs. Sensibly integrated (really couldn't locate the sub when playing, but you felt its effect when switched off and the very bottom disappeared).

    The second system used a compact and presumably quite high end Velodyne sub (all DSP-equalisation, with OSD-assisted setup and a remote control with more buttons on it than the one for my TV). The integration with the Bowers & Wilkins 804D here incredibly impressive - the already seriously capable speakers became full-on stormers and again - the sub impossible to locate aurally. No boom or waffle - just a seemingly unending stream of tuneful, deep and powerful bass. Impressive indeed. If I ever find myself living in a house I want one!!
    I am lucky enough not to have any neighbours , or I can see it being a problem
    I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes 'em work

  3. #23
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

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    Prefer to curtail bass a bit personally. Like to concentrate on the mids tbh and find heavy bass a distraction. Dont mind a bit of normal though
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

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  4. #24
    Join Date: Jul 2014

    Location: Shropshire

    Posts: 2,420
    I'm Anto.

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    Well ,today I am getting everything a bit more under control!!
    I have my stressless chair in the centre of the room , a 50 watt Marantz speaker on another chair against the wall behind me , 2 mission 733 floorstanders on either side of me , the other Marantz as a centre ,on its side , and the 2 Akai3 ways as front sides ,just behind the tv .
    Its a bit of an education setting it all up ,but its sounds great , and all on a shoestring
    Don't think I will bother with the sub , as I have set all speakers to large and the bass seems ok at the moment.
    I cant seem to get the sub to recognise the signal from the single pre out socket recommended in the manual , as I cant see how it will liven up the sub ,from just the one phono socket?? (it has red and white , the one being Mono? )

    It might just be a bit frightening anyway , and I might shatye myself

    Cant wait to plug my Firestick in ,I am having for Chrimbo !! ( If I can get enough wireless in my cave )
    I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes 'em work

  5. #25
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,774
    I'm Martin.

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    Re the sub if you want to connect it via the LFE channel (just one lead, it is mono anyway) It may be setting the fronts to 'large' diverts the LFE channel to them. Try setting fronts to small and see if it works then. If you already tried that, disregard.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  6. #26
    Join Date: Jul 2014

    Location: Shropshire

    Posts: 2,420
    I'm Anto.

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    Cheers Macca, willdo
    I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes 'em work

  7. #27
    Join Date: Dec 2013

    Location: humberside

    Posts: 375
    I'm mike.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oddball View Post
    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
    i use a pair of mission 760i's for centre duty, theyre a very nice a little speaker and can be had quite cheap, might match well with your 733's.
    cheers
    Mike.

  8. #28
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Chorley, Lancs

    Posts: 2,734
    I'm Mike.

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    Good centre speakers are relatively cheap to get on eBay, i had a Polk Audio Reference centre speaker that i used with the Marantz amp and it sounded sweet, i think it was one of the things i gave away a year or two ago, anyway i'm pleased you're enjoying the amp and if i come across a decent centre that would suite you, i'll give you a shout.


    As the late Colonel Sanders once said
    "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken!!"

  9. #29
    Join Date: Jul 2014

    Location: Shropshire

    Posts: 2,420
    I'm Anto.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jac Hawk View Post
    Good centre speakers are relatively cheap to get on eBay, i had a Polk Audio Reference centre speaker that i used with the Marantz amp and it sounded sweet, i think it was one of the things i gave away a year or two ago, anyway i'm pleased you're enjoying the amp and if i come across a decent centre that would suite you, i'll give you a shout.
    Thanks again Jac!!: )
    Oh don't get me wrong , I can afford a decent second hand centre , but I have got used to the speakers I am using now ,and it sounds really great to my rough ears
    The biggest thing is setting up the amp for various uses , and I am still learning despite having printed off the user manual from the archive section !!
    It has been a revelation to me actually , and together with a Firestick (we are lucky enough to have the bandwidth here in the sticks ,being next to the BT cabinet) I m being kept well entertained !!
    Loads of things to discover ,before I expect I will need to tweek it !!
    I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes 'em work

  10. #30
    Join Date: Aug 2011

    Location: Coventry, England UK

    Posts: 534
    I'm Simon.

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    I find that having a centre channel really helps with movies - helping to spread the sounds across the front better and giving the dialogue dedicated space. But with music I sometimes think it can sound off having the vocal so localised into the centre, rather than it being heavily panned from the fronts. It depends on the mix and levels really as I've some surround music which sounds superb as is but then others I have to turn the centre down, send it to fronts only or I just end up preferring the hi-res stereo track.

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