Dean, its interesting that you think the M22 sounds so similar to the M80 as a center. I came very close to getting a single M22 as a center, but was talked out of it in favour of the dual M2s. Dean has me wondering if I would hear any difference with a single M22.
I’ve also A/B’d them as mains and also found them about 95% similar when both the M80s and M22s are paired with a sub which is why you see me recommend the M22 + sub route so often in other forums. Like Jakewash has said the biggest difference is in the mid to upper bass where the M80s + sub combo has more authority.
I’m intrigued by your dual M2s. It’s my understanding they are also very similar to the M22 and M80. Also based on what I’ve heard I would agree with Axiom’s advice to you to go dual over and under if you can’t get an exact match because of height issues under the screen.
I found that dual M22s above and below gave a vertical wall of sound effect the was very movie theater like w/o horizontal wall of sound effect that mucks up the imaging of the front soundstage.
A single M22 or M80 worked above my screen in the apartment because by placing the centers upside down and the mains on stands I could get the L/C/R tweeters within 6” vertically. Plus the M80 stretched all the way up to the ceiling so it created it’s own vertical wall of sound.
Please note one thing about my present setup in the house. Based on all the experimenting I did the apartment I realized that as, if not more, important than which speakers I used up front was their placement in relationship to the room, screen, furniture and each other. I think Alan’s article on center speaker placement is correct about the importance placement plays on it’s sound especially in relation to the placement of the other speakers It’s working with.
I stayed in that apartment three months longer than I wanted looking for a room with a high enough screen wall to allow me to put all three M80s under the screen size I wanted. And who needs furniture in a living room? It’s just my big honking chairs in here so I have complete flexibility in speaker and seating placement. In turn this allows me to get the best imaging imaginable, something that I don’t doubt accentuates the advantage of using a vertical center. Once I get the curtains up I will start evaluating the use of room treatments as the final step in fine tuning everything. So remember I need make no compromises in either SQ or PQ for esthetics. Though IMO the minimalist look has it’s own esthetic quality.
Cheers,
Dean
