I'm installing a home theater and from everything I've read the center speaker must be as close to the screen as possible. The problem is the best I can do is have the speaker mounted 27 inches in front of the screen. What potential problems will this cause?

No problem. Try to elevate it so that it's as close to the bottom of the screen as possible. Also make sure you're sitting at least 6 feet away.

The only place I can put it is above the screen but I can point it down towards listening level. Thanks for replying.

Is it going to be in a cabinet? If not, how much room do you have between the screen and the ceiling?

Its not going to be in a cabinet. It the point where I will mount the speaker there will just enough room for the speaker. After that the goings up at about a 30 degree angle.

You may want to consider mounting a regular bipolar speaker there instead of a center. Like an M2 or an M3...if there's room.

Thank you.

You can also put a speaker above & below the screen and try and image them.
People have claimed success doing this (if you can find speakers which fit your situation that is)

The dual center topology Rich has suggested is for girlie-men.

I like to have a center above and under the screen. The problem with doing that, however, is the lack of processing for two center channels. Not many, if ANY processors have independent center channel adjustments. Delay and loudness are what I'm really after.

But to the OP, as long as you can adjust distance and loudness to match your mains, you can mount it over the screen without much issue or concern. It is more ideal to have the tweeters at ear level, but that's not always practical in any home theater setup that does not use a perforated screen with speakers behind it.

I would handle the split external to the processor.
First try just sending the same center signal to both speakers. Bet 98% of the time that’s it.
If you need finer balance … there are external active and passive solutions to that as well

I looked into that before. It's not as simple as you suggest.....unless some new widget is available since I looked into it, several years back. Please post a link if you have specific recs.

Micheal,
Simple method:
Prepro —> y out connector
Y out a —> amp —> top center
Y out b —> amp —> bottom center

Your prepro will adjust the level correctly during cal

If you need control over the balance one solution is to substitute a 2ch mixer for the y connector
There are cheaper diy solutions but it takes a bit of know how.

That's just about as complicated as figuring out what theater is best for the new Avatar movie.

That’s easy … I’d watch it in my theater

I'll watch Avatar 2 like I would any other movie: on my smartphone, propped up on my car's dashboard, while I take a nap waiting for my family to do their errands.

don’t tell me … you wired your car for 7.1.4 to get the full effect of that tiny screen

Please stay on topic.

From the man who never stays on topic …

Just saw this …Passive line attenuator
Probably the least expensive non-DIY way to balance top & bottom centers:
Just put it in line with the center you want to attenuate…. For example if you want less volume from your top center …

Prepro center out —> Y splitting cable
Y out a —> attenuator —> amp —> top center speaker
Y out b —> amp —> bottom center speaker

Simple, no? Happy new year

That'll destroy fidelity faster than Catherine the Great destroying her bumbling Peter.

How so

It's a parasitic component. It may even act as a fusible link; no specs on voltage or current withstand.

Oh, your just dissing it because

Yup mostly due to no useful, basic specs.

Reason I found that attenuator was Amirm’s Review
Does that make this $10 part any more palatable?

FYI: Amirm did review another Passive attenuator
At $17 it looks and specs a bit better
But I suspect either will do the job

Yes. It'll work good with low level signals from pre/pro to amp. Just don't put it between your amp and speaker or it will act as a very good fusible link.

Ok then, it’s Mojo approved!!

Yup. Use it for low level only.

You’re the only one who even thought someone might use it for any thing but line levels …

The OP didn't say he had an amp. I just wanted to make sure he doesn't use it for anything but line levels.