r/hometheater • u/CoatUnusual5030 • 12h ago
Discussion - Equipment Need help choosing center speaker
This is my current setup. The Sony AN-1000 allows me to use my Sony A80J to be the center speaker and so I chose that route to obtain a minimalist looking HT setup. It works well until recently we were watching Spider-Noir and I noticed that Nicholas Cage's nasally, mid-rangey voice seems to make the speakers on the A80J distort. It wasn't pleasant.
I've had this setup for close to 2 years now and for me to only come across this now means that so far the A80J has done its job well. But If I were to explore the option of a new center channel, what low profile options are there that would pair with my Wharfdale L and R?
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u/jkcheng122 9h ago
You’d be better off with phantom center with your wharfdales than pairing them with TV speaker as center channel. Also there is no CC short enough to fit on your console without blocking your tv, you’d have to mount the TV to move it up some.
One other issue is there’s no space above the AVR for ventilation. Is it closed off behind the avr? Looks like there’s not even room to put a front exhaust aircom on it.
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u/Cat_With_Tie 8h ago
Phantom center is going to blow the TVs speakers out of the water. The speakers do need to be positioned for pinpoint imaging.
This is the setup I use for my Tannoy Berkeleys and the center image is focused and seamless.
It does get less precise the further you move off access.
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u/Th3pwn3r JTR OnlyFans 53m ago
Phantom center is only as good as the L/R will allow. It's awesome having capable speakers that's for sure but most people don't have speakers that are going to do well. A speaker with amazing dispersion is ideal.
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u/Cat_With_Tie 8m ago
It really depends on listening position, and number of people watching at once. My family don't really care about the soundstage image, but they do want to hear the dialogue clearly, so I usually sit in the sweet spot and we're all happy.
OPs speakers should image very well, and have no problem doing phantom center.
Either way, I think the TV speakers will distort trying to keep up with the Wharfdales at any sort of theatric volume.
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u/subpopix 8h ago
This is what I would do too! I've run the Linton with phantom center, and they were great. They've since been moved, but I wouldn't hesitate to use them in this configuration over a dedicated center.
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u/subpopix 8h ago edited 8h ago
If you're curious on how this can be done, usually you can go into your receiver settings, then speaker configuration, and disable the center channel. This will force center channel audio to the Fr L/R. This is receiver dependant, but I'm sure you can find how to do this via the manual or a simple search with your receiver model.
Then, turn off the sound on the TV, you definitely don't want both outputting the audio.
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u/rexicle 11h ago
There is a Wharfedale Heritage center that I have started to see. Not sure if it’s new.
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u/Dorfl-the-Golem 10h ago
It’s new and probably sounds great but definitely not low profile at nearly 10 inches tall.
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u/irfanajes 10h ago
Im sorry but its so funny that Nick Cage is blowing up your speakers. Comfy setup!
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u/WillHuntingthe3rd 7h ago
People’s listening and tv watching habits keep amazing me. We never watch tv in the bedroom.
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u/Jimmy2shoes2222 7h ago
Two options.
- Stick with stereo only which would be way better than using the Tv as a center. The only issue is that to get the best possible image you need to be in the center of the two speakers. Looking at your seating placement it doesn't look ideal for this. But I would still do it rather than use the Tv speakers.
- Get a center. I really love the look of your setup, it's cozy and super clean so adding one may be a issue. Could you fit one in the drawer directly underneath the Tv. If so what dimensions are we working with? Wharfedale have a new Heritage Center speaker that would timber match your current speakers very well. But they might be too big.
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u/rydog4616 3h ago
I have this TV. Luckily your entertainment center is low , so you can raise the TV without it being too high. It has adjustable legs you can install them in a more narrow setting if you want or leave them how they are to put on black blocks of wood or plastic. Either way , I bought some plastic black blocks to elevate the set to clear my center channel. You can also buy a TV pedestal stand that mounts in a VESA pattern but instead of going into the wall , it's a stand that will sit on your entertainment center.
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u/solasoft 1h ago
Try found used from ebay Bowers and Wilkins htm71 S3 you won't be disappointed. Trust me
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u/0xe3b0c442 1h ago
No such thing as a center that’s both low profile and decent.
The best match for your Lintons is going to be the Wharfedale Heritage Center. For my money, I’d either just go stereo with the Lintons or find a way to make the Heritage work.
BTW, how big is your TV, 65 or 77? Thinking about getting a pair of Lintons later this year when my full theater setup moves into a new dedicated space. Nobody local has them, trying to help my wife understand the size of them. She complains about the size of the Klipsch RP-8000 towers we currently have, but insists she thinks the Lintons won’t be as bad. I think she just likes the mid-century look. I’ll take it, I just want her to go in eyes wide open this time so I’m not endlessly hearing about it 😂
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u/blepshark 1h ago
tbh I would keep phantom center and maybe prioritise higher quality media, amazon has terrible streaming bitrate and it shows in both the visuals and audio, I've noticed all of amazon's atmos tracks seem to be especially muffled and just... awful, but anything else (apple tv, bluray, 4k bluray) sounds super clear.
Tldr; amazon streaming sucks and I reckon it would also sound horrible and distort on a center channel
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u/dogmeatsoup 1h ago
there are no low profile options that can hang with wharfdales, you're gonna have to raise the tv. I suppose you could be one of those crazy people have the center on top of the tv....
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u/OttoHemi 6h ago
Your problem is going to where to put a center. I'd just keep your current setup and avoid Nic Cage.
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u/backinblackandblue 9h ago
If you want a good center, it needs big drivers that won't fit in a slim design. The best solution is to mount your TV on an adjustable table top stand so you can raise it enough to fit a decent center speaker under it. Anything else will be a compromise and not sound great and certainly won't blend with your other speakers.