Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater 2 center channels in parallel?

Just realised the VP150 is only 6 Ohm load, could be 2 of them at 3 Ohms will be too much. Anyone know how the VP150 actually measures in real use conditions?

Stuart, scroll down to 6/27/03 in this thread for one.

Mike, as you may recall I've suggested use of the phantom center several times here and use it myself in appropriate situations. As far as I'm concerned there is no disadvantage other than the shift of the centered image when the listener moves left or right. The fear of additional "comb filtering" when the same sound is reproduced from two speakers and the listener isn't centered isn't justified in my experience. Comb filtering goes on all over the place in any live listening room.

John, I do recall you suggesting the phantom center but I just thought you were full of hooey.

Seriously though, I've been using phantom for several days now and I'm just delighted. I see no disadvantage either. As far as "off center seating" goes, it (dedicated center speaker) may serve to anchor the dialog to the TV a little better for the off center listener but lets face it - off center is off center and the listener is going to suffer soundstage collapse anyway.

And since no one at my house really gives a $hit about imaging and soundstage and such, and since my Lazy-Boy is in the sweet spot, I think I'll just leave it in the phantom mode indefinitely and see if anyone notices.

If I get the lazy boy again when I come over again, you'll hear no complaints from me.

You are welcome to come back anytime and take the Lazy-Boy. I've made a few changes since you were last there. So, whenever you feel froggy, just hop on over.

if u don't want sound localized, how about a qs8 as center?

Type_E,

It would be interesting to hear what that would sound like but would be an unnecessary expense IMO. I'm now a firm believer that the best center is no center unless all front speakers are identical (although very impractical).

With phantom center (at least for the person[s] sitting in the sweet spot) the front sound stage is absolutely seamless in scale and there is no worry about timbre match.

In my experience, dedicated center speakers, even the ones with the same driver[s] as the mains, don't sound the same as the mains in timbre nor scale. This is easy to demonstrate simply by playing some pink noise in sequence from L-C-R. An A-B test between center and phantom will reveal differences in timbre and should be easy to distinguish.

P.S: To JohnK - thanks for putting that phantom bug in my ear.

P.S.S: Dammit JohnK, now I'm thinking about selling my center speaker.
But wait, maybe if I sell it I can get a HD PVR for my dish.

Nice to hear that, I currently have a 2.1 setup waiting for my year end bonus for qs8. If phantom center is a solution, then my system will be completed very soon.

Ken just returned my VP100 after borrowing it for a week. While it was out, I tried the phantom thing and I was very surprised with it. I watched Master and Commander and the dialog was well centered, but only sitting right in the middle. Sounds great!