|
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Center Voicing Question
As we were searching for a new center speaker last year, we read all manner of information about "voicing" one's center speaker to match one's fronts.
I've been working on other things for several months, so perhaps I've forgotten something...but, considering that a center speaker in a 5.1 surround setup is where all the spoken dialog in movies is sent, does it really matter which brand and which model you use with your fronts? As the signature (below) shows, we're using -- and are quite happy with -- the N802s we've owned since before Katrina washed us out of NOLA. I realize that the NHMTM1 was meant to be the center speaker of choice for these particular speakers, but would...say an HTM1D3 or a smaller HTM2D3 really be so out of place as a center channel in a 5.1 surround setup? I'm sure that I've forgotten something here, but a speaker that's used for spoken dialog seems to be a bit different than the wide spectrum of sound that one hears through front speakers. Thank you for your time
__________________
Bill in the Hills OUR VINTAGE MAC: MAC4100, MAC4200 | AMPS: MC452, MC300 | MAC PRE/PROS: MX151, MX130, MX121 | B&W SPEAKERS: (2) N802s, (2) N805s, (1) HTM3S | NEWER EQUIPMENT: Oppo 203 & 105D, Sony X800M2, Denon CDR-W1500 | VIDEO DISPLAY: 65" LG OLED | IMPORTANT NOTE: Zero High-speed internet connections |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
The LCR all need to be voiced the same. Aside from dialogue, the center channel is the hardest working channel in a 5.1 setup.
__________________
Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
70sMac, You'll get lots of other advice about needing the latest, but I would suggest to you that the N802s are exceptionally fine speakers, and arguably a high point before the redesign of the crossovers and the placement of the tweeters in front of the mid drivers, (if you need more bass, a subwoofer is the answer). Keep an eye out for a HTM1 and you will have all your ears will ever need. Oh, look at this and maybe make an offer.
Cheers! And enjoy your speakers. Last edited by Masterlu; 03-26-2021 at 09:46 PM. Reason: Sorry, posting eBay links is against forum rules. |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
Nhtm1
Quote:
__________________
Bill in the Hills OUR VINTAGE MAC: MAC4100, MAC4200 | AMPS: MC452, MC300 | MAC PRE/PROS: MX151, MX130, MX121 | B&W SPEAKERS: (2) N802s, (2) N805s, (1) HTM3S | NEWER EQUIPMENT: Oppo 203 & 105D, Sony X800M2, Denon CDR-W1500 | VIDEO DISPLAY: 65" LG OLED | IMPORTANT NOTE: Zero High-speed internet connections |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
I have an all B&W 805 5 channel home theater. I will say the human voice is one of the big things to me that changes among speakers. I have a few recordings that are mostly voices for testing. One system can make a voice thin and high pitched... like naked and another robust and full and rich. I believe 85% of the content comes out of the center channel. I was familiar with the rule of thumb as I assembled my home theater and so made sure they were all identical. But my experience with sound suggests that having them voiced differently could be disconcerting.
__________________
George Main: Aurender W20SE music streamer, ARC REF 9SE DAC / CD, Linn LP 12, Koetsu Rosewood SignCartrige, ARC REF 3 Phono Stage, ARC REF 6SE Preamp, ARC 160s amp, Sonus Faber Amati Traditional Speakers,Transparent Ultra IC & SC Library:Aurender N100, Ayre QB9 2020 DAC, Woo WA5-LE amp upgraded tubes, Focal Utopia HP, Sennheiser 800s HP, LCD HP. Last edited by George Prentice; 03-26-2021 at 09:02 PM. |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
B&W 805s
Quote:
I see that you own some Sonus Faber speakers. How do you like them versus the B&Ws that I assume you've at least rehearsed in the past?
__________________
Bill in the Hills OUR VINTAGE MAC: MAC4100, MAC4200 | AMPS: MC452, MC300 | MAC PRE/PROS: MX151, MX130, MX121 | B&W SPEAKERS: (2) N802s, (2) N805s, (1) HTM3S | NEWER EQUIPMENT: Oppo 203 & 105D, Sony X800M2, Denon CDR-W1500 | VIDEO DISPLAY: 65" LG OLED | IMPORTANT NOTE: Zero High-speed internet connections |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
My audio guy just got in a set of new 800’s. He wants me to come down and listen to them, for fun... he knows I will have no interest in buying them but they do something no other speaker does. He and I have similar tastes and he wants me to enjoy sampling what they do best... kick ass. The classic combo is McIntosh and B&W for rocking speakers with great mid range and kick. The other camp is Sonus / Audio Research for balance, detail, midrange bloom and musicality ( I am not saying the lack bass). I guess there is also the Wilson camp. Of course there are lots of other sounds.
__________________
George Main: Aurender W20SE music streamer, ARC REF 9SE DAC / CD, Linn LP 12, Koetsu Rosewood SignCartrige, ARC REF 3 Phono Stage, ARC REF 6SE Preamp, ARC 160s amp, Sonus Faber Amati Traditional Speakers,Transparent Ultra IC & SC Library:Aurender N100, Ayre QB9 2020 DAC, Woo WA5-LE amp upgraded tubes, Focal Utopia HP, Sennheiser 800s HP, LCD HP. Last edited by George Prentice; 03-28-2021 at 07:18 PM. |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Arc?
Quote:
I just looked over some photos of the Audio Research REF160S stereo amp, which is what I assume you use, and it looks very nice. The last time I visited our regional Mac dealer, he had a pair of "smallish" Sonus Faber Sonetto I speakers near the front entrance. They were being driven by a Mac MA352 "hybrid" integrated amp...but they did sound pretty sweet. Perhaps I need to find an Audio Research dealer and ask him to mate an Audio Research amp with a pair of Sonus Fabers, aye?
__________________
Bill in the Hills OUR VINTAGE MAC: MAC4100, MAC4200 | AMPS: MC452, MC300 | MAC PRE/PROS: MX151, MX130, MX121 | B&W SPEAKERS: (2) N802s, (2) N805s, (1) HTM3S | NEWER EQUIPMENT: Oppo 203 & 105D, Sony X800M2, Denon CDR-W1500 | VIDEO DISPLAY: 65" LG OLED | IMPORTANT NOTE: Zero High-speed internet connections |
#9
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
A word of caution. The lower end Sonus sometimes don’t compare as well with some of the competition. The Olympica and up are excellent and beautiful speakers holding their own against all competition. I have owned Cremona, Olympica, and now Amati. I got the Cremona to test the hypothesis that this was the company’s speakers I wanted to own. I then bought the Olympica 3 sight unseen from the first boatload and was supremely happy since then. Well, of course until the Amati... incredible speakers. Also, purchased sight unseen. I heard Transparent cables in a half million dollar system thirty or so years ago and was struck. I bought a pair, but my equipment wasn’t good enough for them. Then 20 years ago after a system upgrade, suddenly my system was of sufficient quality and they found themselves in my system... and I upgraded and widened their use until now every thing is Transparent Ultra Generation 5. So I came to the ARC, SF, Transparent completely independent of the rule of thumb, probably created by dealers having access to lots of different equipment and finding them synergistic. One can posit alternative hypothesis since ARC and SF used to be jointly owned with MacIntosh, or if you are into conspiracy theories other alternatives.
__________________
George Main: Aurender W20SE music streamer, ARC REF 9SE DAC / CD, Linn LP 12, Koetsu Rosewood SignCartrige, ARC REF 3 Phono Stage, ARC REF 6SE Preamp, ARC 160s amp, Sonus Faber Amati Traditional Speakers,Transparent Ultra IC & SC Library:Aurender N100, Ayre QB9 2020 DAC, Woo WA5-LE amp upgraded tubes, Focal Utopia HP, Sennheiser 800s HP, LCD HP. Last edited by George Prentice; 03-29-2021 at 08:18 PM. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
I am thinking you will notice a mismatch in voicing if you go for the latest D3 series centre. Current range has the continuum cone midrange where the previous has kevlar. Used to run 805D2's as fronts and then changed to 803D3 and I did notice a difference in midrange voicing for the better though. I also ran the CMC2 for a short while for the centre speaker before I upgraded to the HTM2D3. Best to have made the 3 front speakers from the same series.
|
|
|
Audio Aficionado Sponsors | |