AV2 centre channel question

Posted by: DT79 on 01 October 2011

Hi, I'm toying with the idea of getting an AV2, but I need to know whether it can be used without a centre channel speaker, ie can you specify no centre channel and have it  automatically mix the centre channel information into the front left & right channels

thanks
Dan.
Posted on: 01 October 2011 by v_j_r

In short yes you can i'm using one right now in that configuration!.

 

Best Regards.

Posted on: 01 October 2011 by DT79
Many thanks for confirming
Posted on: 30 October 2011 by blythe

Sorry for the late reply but yes, you can but, it's MUCH better to use a Centre speaker!

Posted on: 30 October 2011 by bdnyc

I have been enjoying a four channel surround system for the last year, where the AV2 and companion amp for the rear speakers sit as a side car to the main system, and have really enjoyed it.    In my room, and with my priorities, this approach, which is somewhat akin to the thinking that went in to the earlier Naim AV1 pre-amp, is a nice way to add the immersive effect that movies and some of the better produced TV's shows can really be enhanced by.   This works well as my main seating is dead center on the plasma TV so steering for the center channel is not an issue, and it frees me from having the challenges of where to locate a center channel: my plasma TV is behind and in between my front speakers, and there is no easy location for a center in my room.   It also means that I don't have to wrestle with the problems of finding a match for my main speakers, as the company that makes them does not design theater products, which is perhaps not that common, but it also means that you don't need to find a similar or better yet, identical amp for a potential center as your main amp, which can be expensive.    I actually found that the biggest difference in my enjoyment of the "theater" set up in my system was when I swapped in a Nap 250 to power my rear speakers, which are older Kan's and they were too tinkly and thin with just a Nap 175 on them, where with the 250, they really became interesting.

 

The AV2 does fine for what I want, but it was not interesting enough as a pre-amp on it's own, I used it briefly in my system when my 252 was being borrowed by a friend, and I have to say that in that configuration, I would have opted to sell any of the theater equipment to fund better stereo playback had it been necessary.     So, it really depends on how you use it and how important movies are to you.    I hope this helps.

 

Good luck,

 

Bruce