Center and Rear

If you can get one, the AXESS would be a great match.

Thanks David,

Do you have any other suggestions? I hate to be cheap but at $2600 usd I'll never get one let alone three. My fault I should have said I'm looking at the $500 usd per speaker range. Used is also fine by me.

Dean

The center front carries a LOT of info.

When I moved to ART Skibos I was lucky to find they do a matching center - it made a big difference having tonally matched fronts.

My rears are Linn Kans (owned for so long felt disloyal to sell them). I don't find this a problem.

My suggestion would be:

Can you get another pair of IBLs, and set one up as the center; depends on the location of yourt TV etc.

You could retain the other as a spare/potential rear center if you go 7.1.

My personal view is that you couls go cheap for the rears - for the moment. If you decide to get into surround HD/DVDA/SACD you could re-visit them later.

For the record I used a number of add on centers over the years with my Kans - such as KEF. They were OK, but matching the front was the charm. In fact I'd be inclined to stick with stereo at the front and 'phantom' the center if you can't do the IBL/AXESS. If you do think of getting the AXESS I'd definitely borrow one and listen to the combination myself before parting with the cash.

M

At that price–how about an old pair of Rega Kytes, plus a spare?

Thanks again David I'll look into a pair of Kytes. By any chance can a nait 3r be converted to unity gain on any of the inputs? (I doubt it but one can dream)

Mr Underhill: thanks for the advice. I'd love to put a third IBL up front but that wont work in my setup. Toss in a pair for the rear and man o man. But a pair of Kans is not a bad idea. I always wanted a pair anyways.

Thanks again
Dean

Getting your center speaker matching your speaker is critical.

I ended up with SBL's for L,R,C and IBL's for rear that said a pair of IBLS horizontal for C is amazing.

Slabwax,

Just to repeat. If you can't get a properly matched center I'd stick with the stereo pair at the front and phantom the center.

M

My personal view is that phantom cannot compensate for a missing centre.

I would advise on getting a centre if you can.

I run SBL on LR, n-cent on the centre and IBL for surrounds. IBL work reasonably well in this configuration.

(n-sats are a perfect match for n-cent)

Thanks A/V.
obviously the n-cen is going to sound different. But do you find it too distracting to enjoy the film? The n-cen is more in my budget.

Dean

Slabwax,

If you're thinking about doing this can you get a demo at home first?

Your ears can then be the judge.

M

Mr Underhill: Thanks for all your input on this topic. I appreciate it. I think a home demo of the N-cen will probably be the easiest to arrange.

Dean

Matching speakers is always the preferred way to go.

I run the n-Cent thru a single channel of NAP140, and Allae's thru a 72/NAP250. Doesn't sound too bad at all , and definitely better than a phantom channel by a large margin.

Currently rears are a crappy set of Tamon spkrs, but have to go due to WAF issues, so their replacements will "have" to be n-Sats.

Thanks PJT

I guess I need check out the n-cent.

Dean

Dean

I would vote for an n-Cent at the front and a pair of M&K K4 (or better) tripole surrounds at the back. M&K have closed the doors but I'm sure there are still lots of stocks around at dealers'. M&K tripoles have an enveloping sound and match well in most systems due to their essentially neutral presentation.

quote:

Originally posted by Slabwax:
Mr Underhill: Thanks for all your input on this topic. I appreciate it. I think a home demo of the N-cen will probably be the easiest to arrange.

Dean

Slabwax,

My pleasure. This is a circuit I went through with my Kans a number of times.

I don't think this is straightforward.

As I stated in my first post:

'The center front carries a LOT of info.'

...and is undoubtedly very important; BUT, having an unmatched center compromises the surround sound.

When I first got into Home Cinema I bought a cheapo Yamaha center to experiment with which I used for a year. It was fine, but was an obvious compromise.

As it started to grate on me I switched to a KEF. A mile better, and I loved it on first listen. Over time I started to notice every tonal switch, especially with voices moving across the front speakers.

In fact I found that although there were other compromises I preferred taking the center out of the loop - a balanced mixture of gains and losses.

A few years ago I moved to the ART Skibos, which blew the Kans out of the water. Having owned them for over twenty years I reassigned the Kans as rears. I then bought the Skibo center - Home Cinema done properly!

I think a big part of your decision making process should be where you see yourself in a couple of years. Is this a stop-gap, or a final resting place?

Assuming the former than you may be wise to pocket the money now and save for what you want.

Personally I would be round my dealers, and their competitors, deciding what my strategy is going to be.

.....I HATE giving cash to dealers and then moving on a couple of years later. Rather wait & get what I want!

Let me know what you decide.

All the best,

Martin