Home TV audio question

[Benny Profane]

Do I really need a center speaker? Just bought a Denon receiver, and will be buying a subwoofer and rear speakers, of course, but, do I need that center speaker? I live is a small space, small enough that a 50 inch flat screen is a little big. My present speakers sit on the same table right next to the screen. No way I can move them out. They're about as good as small bookshelf get - PSBs. Seems like overkill to me to put a third speaker there.

[whyturn]

Center will specifically be the voice speaker for movies and makes a big difference. It won't overwhelm due to the freq it will focus. They are $50 or so

[Garth Bimble]

If the Denon is a multi-channel Dolby Digital/DTS type receiver and you are planning on using those features then you will need a center channel speaker. If you don't have one you won't be able to hear the voices.

[Timberridge]

Just use closed captioning...no need for speakers.

[Pegleg]

What the others said... in home theater (as opposed to music), the center channel is the single most important speaker - something like 80% of the sound comes out of that one channel. Not only is it important, it's probably the most important speaker for movies/tv so you should try to get a good one (bigger is generally better, all other things being equal - a tiny center channel will make voices and effects sound, well, tiny). If you don't have a center, when you set up the receiver at least make sure that the center channel is set to "off" so that the receiver routes the center signal to the L/R speakers - otherwise you'll get basically no dialogue or effects.

[Benny Profane]

What the others said... in home theater (as opposed to music), the center channel is the single most important speaker - something like 80% of the sound comes out of that one channel. Not only is it important, it's probably the most important speaker for movies/tv so you should try to get a good one (bigger is generally better, all other things being equal - a tiny center channel will make voices and effects sound, well, tiny). If you don't have a center, when you set up the receiver at least make sure that the center channel is set to "off" so that the receiver routes the center signal to the L/R speakers - otherwise you'll get basically no dialogue or effects.

So, that's maybe what I'm asking. Can I just set up the receiver so that the two l and r speakers do that function? I mean, I'm basically squeezing this center speaker right in between them. Doesn't make sense to me.

[otto parts]

Your receiver probably has a stereo function (sends center info to l/r). But the center can be very useful on overly loud (or compressed) soundtracks. If you can, get the same brand of center speaker, btw. Psb is a good value, highly subsidized by Canuck government.

[El Chupacabra]

What the others said... in home theater (as opposed to music), the center channel is the single most important speaker - something like 80% of the sound comes out of that one channel. Not only is it important, it's probably the most important speaker for movies/tv so you should try to get a good one

^^^ All of this X2.

And IMHO, if possible, buy a center channel speaker from the same brand and model line as your main front left & right speakers. The sound will "match" across all three speakers.

[otto parts]

^Great minds^

[Pegleg]

So, that's maybe what I'm asking. Can I just set up the receiver so that the two l and r speakers do that function? I mean, I'm basically squeezing this center speaker right in between them. Doesn't make sense to me.

You should be able to do that. On my Denon, you hit the "setup" button and then scroll through each speaker (LF, CTR, RF, LS, RS, SUB), with the option for "small," "large" or "off" for each. If you set the center to "off" then I believe it's smart enough to route the center channel sounds to the front left and right speakers, in addition to the standard left and right signals. (If you just choose "stereo" then you won't get anything in your surround speakers and won't get the low frequency effects routed to your sub, so that's not a great option.)

But realize that in that case, you're not getting the full benefit of a surround setup since the movie/tv was mixed assuming that you'd have a strong center channel. (In movie theaters, the center channel is huge - it's behind the screen and way bigger than the left and right speakers.) You might find you have trouble hearing dialogue, for example. Or maybe not - it depends on the content and on your system. You can always add a center speaker later (and if you do, remember to turn the center channel back on in the setup) - I'd bet you'd appreciate that it sounds better that way, but you might be fine without it too.

[Tye 1on]

just sell three of the speakers, one is plenty for that size room.