Repair, leave as is or replace Valdus centre speaker?

[Marco]

I have fairly new Wharfedale Diamond 9s in a box in the attic, I could use one of them. But is the issue of shielding around amps and telly no longer an issue?

Or else I will look for some better class of older speaker but that fits.

Geoff's already answered the shielding issue. I'd defo give the Diamonds a go and see what you think.

What I've found though is that correct placement of speakers is even more crucial in an AV set-up, than a 2-channel one, simply because you've got more of them to consider (and integrate correctly). In that respect, distance (to the listening position) and levels are also crucial. You really need to run things through a good home-cinema amp, and use a calibration mic, to get all that right.

The other thing I've found, if you really want to get everything sounding as seamless as possible (achieve sonic synergy), then it's best to use speakers all from the one manufacturer, as they'll have been 'voiced' the same way, and so the end result you hear will be more cohesive, musically and otherwise.

That's also one way of successfully integrating a centre speaker (in my case it's identical to the fronts), so that its output blends correctly into the mix, without adversely drawing attention to itself.

Get it all right, however, and the results can be sublime!

Marco.

[Macca]

Regardless, as movie soundtracks are artificially created, good ones in my experience can definitely add something beneficial to the overall experience, plus add an extra dimension to the reproduction of 5.1 music Blurays/DVDs.

I wouldn't be without my centre speaker

Marco.

Stereo music is artificially created too and you don't use a centre speaker for that.

[Marco]

Sure, and nor would I, as no doubt it would be worse. However, that's not the case, to my ears, with movies. For me, everything needs to be assessed in context, on an individual basis.

You've heard my home-cinema system. I think it works pretty well and isn't being held back by the centre speaker

Marco.

[Macca]

No it's not being held back but I used centre speakers for many years before concluding that at best it was pointless and at worst it was problematical.

We've all heard how two stereo speakers can paint a phantom centre image that is completely convincing, why Is it when we come to films we need an extra one in the middle? I've asked this question before and no-one has ever given a convincing answer.

[Marco]

No it's not being held back...

So, the centre speaker can't be doing anything wrong, can it?

We've all heard how two stereo speakers can paint a phantom centre image that is completely convincing, why Is it when we come to films we need an extra one in the middle?

Because when done right, it has the *potential* to improve things

Marco.

[Macca]

You've got the system across a corner though so maybe that is a part of it? Certainly was not hard to hear the dialogue or anything and I didn't notice the centre doing anything wrong that's true.


Mind I used to watch a lot of older films with mono or just stereo soundtrack and the way they were mixed all you get is centre speaker and hardly anything else. Most of the good '60s and '70s films have been remixed to 5.1 now, I re-bought a few of them because of that. So maybe that is also a factor.

[Smoking Joe]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to do some proper testing this evening. But before that here are some options to mull over:

1. Use one of my Wharfedale Diamond 9s that are currently sitting in the attic to replace the Valdus.

2. I have been kindly offered a Monitor Audio Radius 90 at a good price to replace the Valdus.

3. Last year I was tempted by a Mission 77C centre which I didn't buy, but I could search for another oldie like that. (But I need to measure to see if one would fit)


Thoughts/ advice?


4. Get rid of the centre altogether as suggested... I'll test this tonight to see what I think....

[Marco]

You've got the system across a corner though so maybe that is a part of it? Certainly was not hard to hear the dialogue or anything and I didn't notice the centre doing anything wrong that's true.

Yeah, could be... A fortunate accident?

Mind I used to watch a lot of older films with mono or just stereo soundtrack and the way they were mixed all you get is centre speaker and hardly anything else. Most of the good '60s and '70s films have been remixed to 5.1 now, I re-bought a few of them because of that. So maybe that is also a factor.

Yeah, old films not remixed to 5.1 do sound cack, and that's where a centre speaker defo doesn't enhance the movie experience. Fortunately, I don't watch many of those. I prefer the latest releases, produced with all the 'gizmos', to show off a good home-cinema system - as long of course as the films themselves are worth watching!

Marco.

[Marco]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to do some proper testing this evening. But before that here are some options to mull over:

1. Use one of my Wharfedale Diamond 9s that are currently sitting in the attic to replace the Valdus.

2. I have been kindly offered a Monitor Audio Radius 90 at a good price to replace the Valdus.

3. Last year I was tempted by a Mission 77C centre which I didn't buy, but I could search for another oldie like that. (But I need to measure to see if one would fit)


Thoughts/ advice?


4. Get rid of the centre altogether as suggested... I'll test this tonight to see what I think....

Defo try 1. See what you think, as it's free, and take it from there. If you like the effect, try the Monitor Audio, and if that's even better, go for it and try and get the rest of your speakers to match, or buy another centre speaker that's as good, and which makes matching everything easier.

For me, there's definitely something [greater sonic cohesion] to be said for using a 'complete AV speaker package' from the one manufacturer; *providing* it's a good one!

Marco.

[Smoking Joe]

Defo try 1. See what you think, as it's free, and take it from there. If you like the effect, try the Monitor Audio, and if that's even better, go for it and try and get the rest of your speakers to match, or buy another centre speaker that's as good, and which makes matching everything easier.

For me, there's definitely something [greater sonic cohesion] to be said for using a 'complete AV speaker package' from the one manufacturer; *providing* it's a good one!

Marco.

Yeah I would go for the Dali centre if I could fit one, it's juts a little big so it would stick out. Not only would I hear about it for the next 20 years ;-) but it would get knocked and bumped as it would stick out. While I know a matching set up would probably be better, still I never had an issue with them not matching exactly...
Anyway, I let you know what I end up with! :-)

On a side note on getting rid of the centre altogether, the anal part of me would be a little annoyed that there is part of the amp sitting there never to be used.... weird I know! :-)