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The original was posted on /r/hometheater by /u/Martin248 on 2024-01-03 18:45:29+00:00.
I have a nearly impossible set of constraints:
- tv is on a table top stand giving me a maximum of about 7" height and 14" depth for a center channel
- couch is 9-10 feet (viewing distance) in front of tv, but
- at about 30-40 degrees there is some exercise equipment and my wife likes to watch tv while using it, so side dispersion is pretty critical
- av cabinet is nice looking thing with doors with wooden slats. Great for ventilating the receiver but if I put a center into it it'll be behind slats. For domestic reasons we are keeping this
I have seen the Erin Audio video on why most center channel speakers with the MTM design just suck and it looks like I don't have enough space for a 3-way center so I'm pretty worried about the sound being even intelligible from 30 degrees. It doesn't need to sound great, bad is ok there so long as you can make out dialogue
Room is a big midsize rectangle with the TV across the narrow side from the couch and the exercise equipment off in the big area to the left of the couch facing the TV at an angle.
So.... options
- Ignore the problem and get a low profile center. Dialogue will likely be unintelligible from the exercise equipment but good at the couch. Maybe I can find a way to get her headphones that carry the sound.
- Get a monstrous stand, raise the TV way up, and put a 3-way. Probably the best conventional option but will require some neck craning to watch TV
- Put a big 3 way center in the cabinet behind the wooden grill. I assume that this isn't really any better than 1 for dispersion and it probably is worse in the couch (though some sound will go straight out)
- Skip the center completely, get some good? towers and let the receiver create a phantom center
- Get creative - lay a bookshelf on its side under the TV? As a single point source would this be better?
- Even more creative, vertical bookshelf in the cabinet behind the slats - may not do any good
Three or four days ago I knew nothing about this topic so I may be an idiot, please educate me if I'm saying dumb things