|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
In Reply to: "3 Channel Stereo" - help and advice appreciated posted by Eric LeRouge on April 12, 2003 at 00:54:40:
as the center will be a mismatch for 95% of the systems out there (mine included, of course). The center channel is a pet peeve of mind as it is not practical for me to put a speaker identical to and in between the mains, placed exactly where the TV would be. At least the recording folks ought to think about redirecting significant bass information away from the center given the wimpish centers most people are using. And no, I do not want to do BM for hi-rez).This would only work if I had separate HT and 5-channel hi-rez music rooms. This won't work for my pocketbook.
Follow Ups:
Research seems to support 3C as being better then 2C. One of the original tests was performed by W.B Snow (Bell Laboratories) in 1933. The goal was to reproduce a live concert for an audience 141 miles away. After much experimentation, it was determined that 3C was 'satisfactory'. Snow had thought that a 'curtain' of mics/speakers (1:1) would be optimum. The LP later undid 3C stereo by bring 2C stereo to the masses. So today when we think of stereo as being 2C, it is really just decades of exposure to 2C stereo.Now you bring up the point of the center channel being a problem due to the placement of the tv. This is true but the tv between your L/R speakers is causing problems with the stereo image anyway so it is difficult to have your cake and eat it too. One of my more significant upgrades for sound was to ditch the tv from between the speakers. Flat panel TVs are becomming a little less expensive and the cost will continue to drop - not yet a cost effective solution.
As this is a DVD-A forum, I will add that having excellent DVD-A recordings that place most of the information in the front 3C will bring us closer to an ideal. The 2C mix (preferably not mix-down) will provide backwards compatibility for those that need or prefer it.
than information going to a center channel. I have heard that 3C might be better than 2C but I have not heard this for myself. I agree that TV may be screwing up the soundstage, even though my TV is recessed 3 feet behind the speakers. I'm thinking about large flat panel TV but I've the impression reliability issues could be significant since I tend to have ESPN and CNN on all the time.BTW, doesn't that center speaker also screw up your stereo soundstage ?
No arguement on the rears containing ambient information. I'm just not a fan of the "sitting with the band" mixes. I guess the ideal would be for a third mix (such as AIX provides) so everyone could be happy.My left & right speakers are about 7' apart. All three front speakers are 10.3" wide x 13.8" deep. Compare this to a box 34" wide x 24" deep and you can see the tv was much more of an problem for me. Your set up with the tv recessed 3' the problem may be much less.
What I have done is place my screen higher then the speakers. This allows my center to be where it should be at the same height as the main speakers. It has only been a couple of days that I have had the center of the same type as the main speakers and the difference is not subtle. I'm still working on placement but so far the center is a couple of inches back of the main speakers.
Don't worry, I doubt it will have any impact on the music industry :)I am using small (cheap) identical speakers, so it's easier for me.
However, you raised an interesting point, which is the allocation / reallocation of bass information.
I hadn't thought about that...Best
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: