center channel: high or low

[Pirate]

Hi,

Just wanted some opinions. I'm getting a Projector this month and im not sure what to do with my center. It's always rested on my TV, but now there will be no place for it. I could mount it above the screen or below or maybe behind it. Im not sure what effect having it higher or lower will do and i really dont want to drill unnecessary holes
Any ideas or opinions?

thanks
-PH

[Frank Z]

Why not get a Center Speaker Stand? You can also add a couple of rubber stoppers in the front under the speaker to angel it up towards your primary viewing/listening seat. I did and it works great. I also made sure that I added a couple of stick-on rubber pads (1/2" round) on the base of the speaker tokeep it from sliding around.

I wouldn't put it behind the screen unless it is an accousticly transparent screen.

[Iguana Man]

Well what are your mains? How big are they? Lets see a pic or diagram of your current setup . I only ask because it's a bit difficult to make suggestions (aside from Frank_Z's ) based on not knowing what your room is like now -without- and then -with- the PJ screen.

Generaly speaking, it's better to have your center (it is a horizontal center - right?) as close to being level with your front left & right speakers tweeters (or at least mids). When I moved my center up via a homemade rack, it was on an even horizontal plane with my mids. It made a HUGE difference in the front soundstage. Now while Frank_Z's comment about angling the center is good, we don't know how much of an angle would be required in your situation....that's why I asked for a pic or diagram. And besides, I know I ain't the only one interested in seeing another persons HT...so give it up!!

And if you do post your HT, there is a place here for just that!

[chlngr1970]

another possibility, is using In Cieling speakers.

No, Realy...Hometech makes an oval speaker that is angled in the enclosure, so you can aim it at the listening postion. My boss has these in his living room, with a pair of round in ceiling surround speakers. The sound quality made me reconsider how I felt about in wall speakers ( and he didn't have a sub )

j

[Chromy]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Generaly speaking, it's better to have your center (it is a horizontal center - right?) as close to being level with your front left & right speakers tweeters (or at least mids).

Now this I can agree with. I have my center channel under my screen, but the tweeter is close to being in the same plane as the tweeters on my other speakers.

Chromy

[chlngr1970]

Originally Posted by Chromy

I have my center channel under my screen

Well, you USE to have it...



j

[Pirate]

My HT was posted, but it looks like my link died. I'll post again tomorrow with updated pics.

-PH

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

My HT was posted, but it looks like my link died. I'll post again tomorrow with updated pics.

-PH

Tomorrow huh??? Bahhhhh......you might want to consider checking this out first!

Now get updating son! No room for slackers around here!

[Ruined]

With the high luminosity of todays projectors why not get one of those THX acoustically transparent screens, then just put your center channel behind it?

http://www.stewartfilm.com/product_i...creens_18.html

[I 8 Piglet]

You need a real bright PJ for a transparent screen, no matter how good it is you will still loose a lot of light, so unless you plan on only watching in complete darkness (which some might do) I would treat that option only as a last resort.

As you can see in my link, my speaker position is far from ideal, but I have my center below the screen, and the mains centered on the side of the screen, and it works fine for me.

[RobotOnAToilet]

You can't place a speaker behind a screen with a digital projector. The only way having a speaker behind a screen works is if the screen has tinny holes in it for the sound waves to pass through. On a CRT or film projector, these are not noticed at all. However, with a digital projector, the screen has to be alligned PERFECTLY with the projector. Otherwise, pixels will be projected into the holes and the picture will look like crap.

I agree with the others that it should be placed at around the same level as your Left/Right mains, which, if you have a big screen mean on the bottom.

However, i think there is a way to get 2 front speakers and have them mounted on the top and bottom but i am not rich enough to look into that. A vertical standing center might also be better.

[I 8 Piglet]

Originally Posted by RobotOnAToilet

You can't place a speaker behind a screen with a digital projector. The only way having a speaker behind a screen works is if the screen has tinny holes in it for the sound waves to pass through. On a CRT or film projector, these are not noticed at all. However, with a digital projector, the screen has to be alligned PERFECTLY with the projector. Otherwise, pixels will be projected into the holes and the picture will look like crap.

A lot of people would disagree with. There are many, many people that use audio transparent screens with digital projectors. I have seen a digital projecter on a perf screen twice. Once was with a projector that was waaaayyy out of my price range, I dont even remember the manufacturer, but it was one I had not heard of. The picture looked quite good, even in a little ambient light. The second was a Yamaha, and that image looked terrible until they block out all the light from the room, than the picture looked pretty normal, to me. Maybe if I had seen it directly compared to a solid surface screen I could have told a difference, but at that point I would not have thought the screen was any different. They just loose some of their brightness. I dont see why a CRT projector would be any better...it uses pixels just like digital projectors?

Besides you can always do what my father does. He has an NEC LT240K that he brings home from work on the weekends, and he just sets up a 25 year old pull up screen (you know the kind you had to watch family slide shows on as a kid) in front of the TV that has the center channel right on top of it. Than he just cranks up the volume on the center. It really doesnt sound too bad.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by RobotOnAToilet

You can't place a speaker behind a screen with a digital projector. The only way having a speaker behind a screen works is if the screen has tinny holes in it for the sound waves to pass through.

From the link Ruined provided above:

" A MicroPerf Screen provides tens of thousands of perforations per square foot, resulting in less than 1db of sound loss when the center channel speaker is placed behind the screen. Each perforation is less than .020th of an inch in diameter; smaller the diameter of an ordinary staple."

"Perforations Per Square Foot: 30,000
Hole Size: .020th of an Inch in Diameter
Light Loss: 10.2%
Cinema Sonic Processors: Compensates for the screen's sound frequency variance and levels-out the frequency response from 20Hz to 20 kHz"

Sounds to me as though this screen would work fine. The only thing I don't understand is what they call 'Cinema Sonic Processors'. How they compensate is what I would like to know.

[chlngr1970]

Originally Posted by I 8 Piglet

I dont see why a CRT projector would be any better...it uses pixels just like digital projectors?

Where you are making your mistake is, CRT's do NOT use pixels to create the immage. They scan the image just like a CRT tube TV. Now, weather or not they are better for accousticly transparent screens than digital or not, I don't know. But I have heard the same arguments against it.

j