I currently have an AV rack with a heavy top shelf for the tv. The second shelf down about 6" houses my centre channel, so it is sandwiched between two shelves.
I want to improve the centre as I find in more complex and moody scenes the dialogue is muddy and not clear at all. Concise and clear speech such as the news or a documentary is fine but watching a film or drama there can be scenes where the speech isn't very good at all. This is with a Denon AVR (maybe 12/15y/o) and Monitor Audio radius 180 centre speaker. I keep the speaker as far forward as poss so the baffle is level with the front of the shelves, not pushed back in.
I am implementing a tpa3255 for the fronts and centre to give them a bit more control.
I also want to try a diy centre, potentially using Faital Pro 3fe or 4fe. 2 or 4 in number. Or is there a driver that is known to be great for dialogue?
If I just use a flat baffle, 'jammed' in between the 2 rack shelves, to carry the drivers.....would this be a reasonable thing to do.? Hence the semi OB. It would be enclosed top and bottom but not so the sides or rear.
I know we don't need or even want bass from the centre channel (I hate to hear a boomy voice), so thought this configuration may be adequate.
I prefer a simple crossover less full range solution if possible. I was going to put this in the full range section, but the OB section is in the multiway...!
Tia for any advice.
I want to improve the centre as I find in more complex and moody scenes the dialogue is muddy and not clear at all. Concise and clear speech such as the news or a documentary is fine but watching a film or drama there can be scenes where the speech isn't very good at all. This is with a Denon AVR (maybe 12/15y/o) and Monitor Audio radius 180 centre speaker. I keep the speaker as far forward as poss so the baffle is level with the front of the shelves, not pushed back in.
I am implementing a tpa3255 for the fronts and centre to give them a bit more control.
I also want to try a diy centre, potentially using Faital Pro 3fe or 4fe. 2 or 4 in number. Or is there a driver that is known to be great for dialogue?
If I just use a flat baffle, 'jammed' in between the 2 rack shelves, to carry the drivers.....would this be a reasonable thing to do.? Hence the semi OB. It would be enclosed top and bottom but not so the sides or rear.
I know we don't need or even want bass from the centre channel (I hate to hear a boomy voice), so thought this configuration may be adequate.
I prefer a simple crossover less full range solution if possible. I was going to put this in the full range section, but the OB section is in the multiway...!
Tia for any advice.
Open baffle ? Given the definition of OB, a baffle enclosed between two shelves is just a baffle with X sources ( the speakers) emitting forward and having the backward emission trying to escape from every leak.
(this happens also with normal enclosed speakers, where every baffle not enough damped acts as an extra voice, thus the definition of boxy sound, whether it is produced by the sound -still not sound, but...- enclosed and passing thru the cone itself or via the internal walls )
(this happens also with normal enclosed speakers, where every baffle not enough damped acts as an extra voice, thus the definition of boxy sound, whether it is produced by the sound -still not sound, but...- enclosed and passing thru the cone itself or via the internal walls )
Mmmhh, now I see the Radius Monitor Audio 180.
Strange central channel, isn't it ? Usually you see two speakers with the tweeter in between, here the tweeter sits aside.
One thing, well two...., you can do is to cut the rear wall, obtaining a box closed on 4 sides + the frontal baffle. Add much natural fiber ( wool or better, felt ) on the rear to absorb most of the sound.
So the next step would be to cover the hole, the bass reflex duct. At this point, you can cover the tweeter hole and position the component on the top or on the bottom of the woofer, vertically aligned. I guess that the main speakers and the central speaker should have the same " sonic imprint", so the tweeter needs to be in the same position as the mains.
Strange central channel, isn't it ? Usually you see two speakers with the tweeter in between, here the tweeter sits aside.
One thing, well two...., you can do is to cut the rear wall, obtaining a box closed on 4 sides + the frontal baffle. Add much natural fiber ( wool or better, felt ) on the rear to absorb most of the sound.
So the next step would be to cover the hole, the bass reflex duct. At this point, you can cover the tweeter hole and position the component on the top or on the bottom of the woofer, vertically aligned. I guess that the main speakers and the central speaker should have the same " sonic imprint", so the tweeter needs to be in the same position as the mains.
Jim, I don't like your idea at all! I can give some explanations for that:
- a fullrange driver without box will "leak" sound backwars and cause lots of resonances and uncontrolled reflections which make the sound weak and echoey (phase mismatch)
- for best result the C should have exactly same crossover topology as main L/R speaker, to have same phase shift.
Of course you can first try this by putting any small speaker in the middle and if possible also one similar to your L/R speaker. Remember to try to set C channel delay right (by listening to music and dialogue), your AV receiver propably has manual delay control instead of Audyssey. Typical value is 1,2 or 3ms delay.
MA Radius 180 is a ported two-way with one tweeeter, the other small spot on the baffle is the port! R180
- a fullrange driver without box will "leak" sound backwars and cause lots of resonances and uncontrolled reflections which make the sound weak and echoey (phase mismatch)
- for best result the C should have exactly same crossover topology as main L/R speaker, to have same phase shift.
Of course you can first try this by putting any small speaker in the middle and if possible also one similar to your L/R speaker. Remember to try to set C channel delay right (by listening to music and dialogue), your AV receiver propably has manual delay control instead of Audyssey. Typical value is 1,2 or 3ms delay.
MA Radius 180 is a ported two-way with one tweeeter, the other small spot on the baffle is the port! R180
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As stated, an "OB" driver stuck between shelves and really close the the wall is asking for trouble. The reflections will cause havoc with the center speaker, and probably with the center imaging of you mains. OBs need room to breathe.
Most AV receivers these days have some EQ, especially for the center channel. There's a reason why your center speaker sounds muddy, but you won't know exactly what's happening until you get a mic and measure the response of your speaker.
If you are serious about getting good sound, you'll need a mic. There are a couple of options that are affordable from miniDSP or Dayton. And in the end, it will probably save you some money and a lot of headaches if you can fix your center channel with a touch of EQ.
Most AV receivers these days have some EQ, especially for the center channel. There's a reason why your center speaker sounds muddy, but you won't know exactly what's happening until you get a mic and measure the response of your speaker.
If you are serious about getting good sound, you'll need a mic. There are a couple of options that are affordable from miniDSP or Dayton. And in the end, it will probably save you some money and a lot of headaches if you can fix your center channel with a touch of EQ.
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