What speaker for rear channel in 6.1 setup

[Topher]

I've had a 5.1 setup for a couple years now since upgrading to the Paradigm speakers I have. I'm interested in adding the rear channel to make it a 6.1 setup. Here's what I currently have:

Yamaha HTR5940 6.1 Receiver
Paradigm Mini Monitor Fronts
Paradigm CC-370 Center
Paradigm ADP-370 Surrounds

I could buy a second set of ADP-370s and just use one of the speakers, or I was wondering if a second center channel speaker would actually work as the rear channel in a 6.1 setup. The CC-370 is pretty huge, so I was thinking either the CC-170 or CC-270 (assuming I can find the older models for sale somewhere).

The home theater setup is in a large room where the couch is in the middle of the room (because my wife has her scrapbooking cabinet & table in the other half of the room). The ADP surrounds are to the sides of the couch & the rear channel speaker would be approximately 10 feet directly behind & above the couch on top of a large cabinet.

What do you think? Would a second center work instead of a dipole surround speaker for the rear channel?

[GMichael]

Hi there Topher. Welcome to AR.

There isn't much contend coming from the rear channel. It would be best if your rear speaker matched the rest. But you could go a little smaller without much effect. Another center sounds like overkill. Not sure what you could do with the spare. Maybe someone on Ebay has half a pair from doing the same thing.
I went with 3 pairs of the same (close to the same) speakers for my 6.1 system. Used one of the pair as the front/rear combo. But I see you already have a center.

[kelsci]

I second GM's suggestion.

Your question is something that has been buzzing in my mind as well. I was thinking of trying a W-T-W center channel speaker as the sixth channel on my brother's system. It is not a question of whether it would work, but how well it would work against the designs of your satellite/surround speakers. Personally, I think it has a chance to work great since the W-T-W center channel set-up works so well with 5.1 systems. The designs of various louspeakers is something not really discussed in forums but is very important to how well various stereo and surround stereo set-ups will work.