3rd front speaker for stereo setup?

[boconnor]

Hi

I'm wondering about setting up a middle front 3rd speaker for my stereo setup. The idea being that I can have the left and right speakers further apart and thereby create a wider sound-stage effect. I also understand that Toole was generally in favor of front middle speakers, independent of any HT requirements.

I have a Behringer DCX2496 so I would take a sum of the left and right channels and feed that to the middle speaker at -6db relative to the L and R channels.

Has anyone tried this? Is it likely to work?

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions.

[sofaspud]

I mentioned my center channel just recently. I didn't move my main speakers (on stands), just added the center speaker below and slightly left of true center. Doing this was mostly just a matter of space available and my usual listening position. It has worked out reasonably well. I don't have the same as your particular equipment. Mine is fed from a diy preamp to its own power amp and volume control. -6dB from the main pair is roughly close to where it is set I'd say. It's not loud enough to really notice that it is playing. It requires little effort to give it a try with your own system.

[Arty]

i em not realy sure if it will do good..
but if You must, then
Stereo Width Controllers
this would be a less expensive way to do it.
end result is supposedly colsely as if You had a 3rd speaker. In some sense even better.

[WithTarragon]

Originally Posted by boconnor

Hi

I'm wondering about setting up a middle front 3rd speaker for my stereo setup. The idea being that I can have the left and right speakers further apart and thereby create a wider sound-stage effect. I also understand that Toole was generally in favor of front middle speakers, independent of any HT requirements.

I have a Behringer DCX2496 so I would take a sum of the left and right channels and feed that to the middle speaker at -6db relative to the L and R channels.

Has anyone tried this? Is it likely to work?

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions.

It is a great idea and one that was advocated by the guys at Bell Labs, Paul Klipsch, etc. It is called an additive (or summed) center channel.

The circuit consists of a handful of resistors is quite simple to make. Or you can use the Behringer. The trick is to make the center a few-to-several dB lower than the L&R speakers. It will help give a more stable center and more forgiving sweetspot. Since the level is lower, you can also get away using a cheap speaker if you want to experiment with the effect.

[boconnor]

Originally Posted by sofaspud

...It has worked out reasonably well.

Hi sofaspud, thanks for the comment.

One of the things I'd like to achieve is a wider "sweet spot" for listening. Did you find this happened with the addition of the centre speaker?

[sofaspud]

Basically speaking I would say yes. I tend to think that placement and room characteristics play a large part in the final sound. I know that's true in general, but I'm speaking of this setup in particular. It's a 3.1 with no surround channels. The effect you get may be a little different than mine. But mine created a larger sweet spot by removing a lot of the two-speaker limitations. I can move around the room, and the sound source appears to move also. So much so that it can sound like it comes from a direction >>45 degrees from where the speakers actually sit. That ain't chicken feed in my book.