a Single driver bookshelf is supposed to be Better for Off Axis Seating vs a multi driver “Center” speaker due to lobing and wavelentgh n all that crap…
Problem is Most Bookshelf are Only Sold in Pairs…so you gotta pay for 4 to get 3…
3 of these Might be Something :
Having a tower or bookshelf for the center sounds pretty great, as I have a friend who does a 3 tower setup for front left right center in his theater, and it sounds great for multichannel stuff
Here’s the mixing room at Lucasfilm. It seems to work pretty well for them…despite Episodes 1,2 and 3.
I have been considering this as well for a new 7.2.4 home theater build with an acoustic transparent screen in the front. I actually contacted some manufacturers to get their opinions:
SVS response:
“Traditionally most customers with home theater rooms that utilize an acoustically transparent screen tend to stick with a dedicated center channel speaker, and either tower or bookshelf style speakers for the left and right channel. I would not recommend using a vertically positioned center channel for left/right speaker content, as the dispersion pattern of the speaker is designed for it to be used in a horizontal position. This will also ensure that you get the widest center channel coverage across your listening position.”
ELAC went a different route and recommended 3 vertically oriented Uni-Fi centers.
I’m still debating what to do and curious to read some more thoughts on this. Three towers seems like a waste of money. I was thinking more along the lines of three bookshelves, three centers, or traditional LCR.
Ask these Guys… http://www.ascendacoustics.com/
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cmt340m/cmt340m.html
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/htm200/htm200.html
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Using Three Matched C/L/Rs Across the Front
Because of their superb full–range response and quality of reproduction, the C/L/Rs may be used as matching left main, center, and right speakers when installation requirements dictate this type of system. They may be placed either horizontally or vertically. In fact, the C/L/Rs were designed with this very much in mind and offer truly incredible dynamic range, high–definition clarity, extended linear response, three–dimensional pinpoint imaging and overall performance which is truly state–of–the–art for music and home theater reproduction.
Our C/L/R based home theater systems have won many honors including Sound & Vision’s prestigious Critic’s Choice Award. And a C/L/R based system using our Powered C/L/Rs with built–in subwoofers (C/L/R 3000, C/L/R 2500, C/L/R 2300) either with or without a separate outboard subwoofer is absolutely stupendous and offers the absolute state–of–the–art performance for shelf, in cabinet, and custom built–in systems.
Im currently using 3 KEF Q100s and its aight, everything blends nicely