I just bought a new surround receiver. I bought it mainly to provide a true crossover for my main speakers and subwoofer, and take the low frequency load off my main speakers.
I'm mostly interested in listening to music, and I don't really care that much about the "home theater experience" but since the new receiver provides has a center channel output I started thinking maybe I should build/add a center channel speaker.
My main speakers are MLTLs that I built with Mark Audio Alpair 10M Gen 3 full range drivers, and I have the PolkAudio PSW10 subwoofer for the low end.
I'm looking to build a simple center channel speaker to go with this set.
Does it make sense to use a full range driver for this channel too? Can I get away with a single driver? I see most center channel speakers use multiple drivers, is that really needed? Should I stay with a Mark Audio driver, or is it okay to mix with say some 3" Tang Band full rangers? What do you guys suggest?
Thanks,
Eric
I'm mostly interested in listening to music, and I don't really care that much about the "home theater experience" but since the new receiver provides has a center channel output I started thinking maybe I should build/add a center channel speaker.
My main speakers are MLTLs that I built with Mark Audio Alpair 10M Gen 3 full range drivers, and I have the PolkAudio PSW10 subwoofer for the low end.
I'm looking to build a simple center channel speaker to go with this set.
Does it make sense to use a full range driver for this channel too? Can I get away with a single driver? I see most center channel speakers use multiple drivers, is that really needed? Should I stay with a Mark Audio driver, or is it okay to mix with say some 3" Tang Band full rangers? What do you guys suggest?
Thanks,
Eric
I think I'm on record as being quite happy with FR drivers across the front row of small to mid sized surround systems. The bass management, auto calibration and EQ baked into most modern HT receivers make set up a breeze, and with the default THX reference frequency of 80Hz for roll off of XO to the mono summed externally powered LFE channel, I think drivers such as the A10.3 can be a great fit.
I'm just a sucker for the enveloping effect of a well set up full surround system, and happen to be using that driver across the front row in my own system - Pensils for L/R mains, one of Dave's small vented designs for centre, and A5.2 and Pluvia7 in peripheral surround channels. It's worth noting that when calibrated per Audyssey or similar proprietary software, and running in any of the numerous Dolby / THX surround modes, that a substantial amount of the program material emanates from the center channel, so that'd be the last place in which I'd want to scrimp on driver / enclosure size. While I've experimented with the system programmed via the receiver absent the center, I've always found it more engaging with.
Of course in stereo only / direct / pure music - or however the particular make refers to the non surround mode, the center channel will usually be mute, in which case the driver's capability will be moot.
I'm just a sucker for the enveloping effect of a well set up full surround system, and happen to be using that driver across the front row in my own system - Pensils for L/R mains, one of Dave's small vented designs for centre, and A5.2 and Pluvia7 in peripheral surround channels. It's worth noting that when calibrated per Audyssey or similar proprietary software, and running in any of the numerous Dolby / THX surround modes, that a substantial amount of the program material emanates from the center channel, so that'd be the last place in which I'd want to scrimp on driver / enclosure size. While I've experimented with the system programmed via the receiver absent the center, I've always found it more engaging with.
Of course in stereo only / direct / pure music - or however the particular make refers to the non surround mode, the center channel will usually be mute, in which case the driver's capability will be moot.
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So if a single A10M would work okay, how about the smaller Alpair 6M? I'd like to keep the height of the box down to 7" or less, and the A6M would more easily fit that constraint. It looks like I could use a vented design with a volume of only about 5L and achieve an f3 of 70 Hz or less. For the A10M it looks like I'd need the box to be 3x bigger or more.
Would I be giving up much by going with the smaller A6M instead of the A10M?
Is 70 Hz low enough?
Should I consider any other alignments? It appears a sealed box of similar volume would have an f3 of closer to 150 Hz, which seems too high for the center channel, right? Or not?
Thanks,
Eric
Id stick with the A10.
You can make the box wider than taller for more volume, and slant the baffle which will give you more area to mount the driver, since it is obviously going to go under the TV and will bring the driver closer to on axis.
150Hz would be a little too high for the centre channel. Lots of info goes through it, not just dialogues.
You can make the box wider than taller for more volume, and slant the baffle which will give you more area to mount the driver, since it is obviously going to go under the TV and will bring the driver closer to on axis.
150Hz would be a little too high for the centre channel. Lots of info goes through it, not just dialogues.
Agreed.......80hz would be appropriate.
and please be advised, fullrange drivers have poor off axis response......low level dialogue with a single central driver will be a problem......don’t ask me how I know this! LOL
Would never buy a driver from a company that won’t post an accurate response graph.....gotta know ballpark before you can play a game!
So you know, most T/S parameters and FR plots by manufacturers are inaccurate anyways. So, why not give an outlier a chance? You stand to lose about $8.
Wise man, however it doesn't apply here. I just finished an MLTL made of styrofoam insulation sheets, less than $20 in material for a pair plus $13 for the two drivers, as I got them a few weeks ago when they came up on sale. Compared to some bamboo Tangbands and Fostex I've had, these are as well built and I much prefer the treated fabric surround over Fostex foam any day.
What was it Frank Zappa said about minds and parachutes again?
And the solution to that is what? A different type of driver? Multiple full range drivers? Other?
Qts is too high for a MLTL.
And it should barely reach 10,000Hz, according to specs.
That would be a perfect driver for a portable party boombox, but for a centre channel, I wouldn't be too sure.
This pretty much locks you in to using the same brand/model driver and ideally in the identical cab alignment to ensure the same PRaT*, so is raising/tilting the TV-screen an option?
Next best is a folded slope baffle version.
Another is to hark back to the original W.E. cinema systems that used speakers above, below the screen. Two smaller cabs tuned the same as the MLTLs and summed to the same volume will couple good enough down low and angled to sum at the 'sweet spot' is good for at least a couple of rows deep even in a small room HT unless the screen is really tall.
GM
* Pace, Rhythm and Timing
Okay, I understand that the A10 may be the best choice. But humor me and assume that it's just too big for my situation. I want the driver or drivers to fit into a box with a face made from a nominal 1x6 (5-1/2" actual). That means the biggest dimension of the driver has to be no more than 5-1/4" or about 133 mm. The Alpair 7P is 135 mm so just maybe would work but anything larger is out.
Given that constraint, what suggestions do you guys have? Does more than one driver make sense, or does that create more problems than it solves?
Thanks,
Eric
Sorry if I'm dense, but can you clarify? "On axis" meaning the centers of the drivers are on the same vertical axis? or horizontal axis? or other?
"A bit of extra EQ on the top" means more power to the driver that's physically on top? or on the higher frequencies? or other?
Thanks,
Eric
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