Using a polk monitor 70 as a center channel instead of CS2?

[bjornb17]

Would it be better to use a Polk Monitor 70 as a center channel (to match my front left and right speakers) instead of the CS2 which is polk's matching center channel? The reason why I ask this is that i have the vertical space to do it (since i have a projection screen which is mroe than 4 feet off the ground), and that once i buy a center channel stand and everything, the price wouldn't be much different than just using a matching monitor 70. Would dialogue dispersion be negatively affected? Any thoughts on this?

[bjornb17]

anybody?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Would it be better to use a Polk Monitor 70 as a center channel (to match my front left and right speakers) instead of the CS2 which is polk's matching center channel? The reason why I ask this is that i have the vertical space to do it (since i have a projection screen which is mroe than 4 feet off the ground), and that once i buy a center channel stand and everything, the price wouldn't be much different than just using a matching monitor 70. Would dialogue dispersion be negatively affected? Any thoughts on this?

You will be far better off in term of integration going with a speaker that matches your left/right mains and stands vertical like them, than a horizontally placed center speaker. Dialog will not suffer if you use a matching speaker.

[kexodusc]

If you're off-axis listening window is fairly wide, and your main speakers are within 15 degrees vertically of your center channel, the Monitor 70 is probably a better way to go. As Sir T said, it's a perfect match.

The typical woofer-tweeter-woofer (MTM) center channel actually offers a lot of benefits over a perfect matching tweeter-woofer speaker for many "real-world" systems, however.

Consider that most people generally sit just a few feet off axis (sweet spot), say within 15 degrees off-axis horiziontally of their TV (if you're 8 feet back from your TV set, this is about 2 feet give or take. The Horizontal center channels will anchor the sound better to the center channel, and probably provides better dynamics than a TM speaker from the same product family. Also, if you're like most people and have a center speaker higher or lower than you main speakers, the MTM center channel will peform better. Even angled, a 3rd main speaker will stray noticeabley in "timbre" or tonality from the front mains the more off axis it is. In some systems it won't be bad at all, in others it could be substantial.

And really, any further off axis than that, and the imaging from the front main speakers is going to be skewed toward whatever side you're leaning towards anyway.

In my case, I have 6 identical TM surrounds, and an MTM, voice matched center channel (the FR response similarities are remarkable). On my old 32" the TM was slightly better at integrating with the front mains when placed vertically (and upside down). On my taller, 51" set now, the MTM is a better performer.

Sometimes the MTM has better efficiency and is a lot easier on recievers, which is a nice benefit, sometimes it's an impedance strain though. Unfortunately, manufacturers specs aren't usually reliable enough to tell you which is which.

Personally, I think for many people, a 3rd main speaker would be better, and if your screen is high enough, it would be ideal. I don't think it's a stretch to say that profit margins is at least a small driving force behind the push for a center channel.

[bjornb17]

Thanks for the replies!

I sit (actually lay on my bed) about 14 feet back from my 85" screen. I my sitting (or laying) position is about 2 feet off axis to the right (since i have my projector on the adjacent desk). Because of the position of my bedroom door, the front left and right speakers are each about 3 feet away from the rear wall (so about 11 feet from me) and are slightly toed in, while the center channel is currently just below the screen (it is sitting on an unused MTX Monitor12 for now lol). A vertical tower speaker might be good since i have a wall-length cascade of closet doors just behind the screen and horizontal space is limited.

My only real concern is that I will be moving in about 1 year and i dont know if i will have the same luxury of vertical space as i do now. the ceilings in my house are about 9 or 10 feet which is higher than usual, so i dont know if i will always have that luxury. Perhaps i should post some pictures soon and see what you guys think.

Any other thoughts/comments?

[kexodusc]

Sometimes we caught up in optimum performance, and overlook the fact that sub-optimal conditions can still deliver fantastic results. There's lots of satisfied people with either style center channel, and sometimes flexibility is nice to have too.
If you're moving in a year, you might consider buying a used speaker, so when you do see your next room setup, you won't lose as much money to depreciation as buying brand new if it turns out you need to trade-in.