sierra center vertical or horizontal?

[ccotenj]

any opinions on this?

it will be in front of and below a rear projection tv... either option passes waf, so that's not a problem...

i've always "believed" that the horizontal orientation of center channels was an aesthetics compromised, but "beliefs" aren't always "truths"...

opinions and comments greatly appreciated.

[rogerm]

I have wondered the same thing. I just read an interesting article that addresses your question. We are in good shape with the Sierra-1 center channel design. Here is the link. http://www.audioholics.com/education...peaker-designs.

[curtis]

I actually asked DaveF this same question.

Because of the crossover design and the Sierra's vertical and horizontal off-axis properties, he said there would be no appreciable difference between the two.

I was set to go with a vertical center, I told Dave this, and after what he told me, I went with the horizontal.

[ccotenj]

thanks for the input. horizontal it is.

[azanon]

Like the 170, i just don't see how this works as a great center channel. Seems like you'd have to choose either poor WAF/looks by placing the speaker off-center physically so that the tweeter of the speaker is centered with the TV, or center the speaker itself with the TV horizontally and, and a result, have the voice(s) off-axis.

I would think (without having actually tried it) I could notice oddities with the voice with the tweeter even a few inches off center.

IMO, a "center channel" is a speaker that, when centered with your TV, will have the tweeter perfectly in the middle: Like with the 340 or HTM-200.

Placed horizontally above the TV, the voice would be way too high above the TV. It might sound ok if you could place it vertically, immediately below the TV, but I've tried placing them below and it doesn't sound right to me. YMMV.

[ebh]

Like the 170, i just don't see how this works as a great center channel. Seems like you'd have to choose either poor WAF/looks by placing the speaker off-center physically so that the tweeter of the speaker is centered with the TV, or center the speaker itself with the TV horizontally and, and a result, have the voice(s) off-axis.

I would think (without having actually tried it) I could notice oddities with the voice with the tweeter even a few inches off center.

IMO, a "center channel" is a speaker that, when centered with your TV, will have the tweeter perfectly in the middle: Like with the 340 or HTM-200.

Placed horizontally above the TV, the voice would be way too high above the TV. It might sound ok if you could place it vertically, immediately below the TV, but I've tried placing them below and it doesn't sound right to me. YMMV.

I don't know much about speakers in the grand scheme of things, but this thread on AVS and rogerm's link show that a lot of people find the MTM design of centers to be the worst choice. I think the idea is that the MTM design does a good job of spreading the sound horizontally, but in a horizontal center channel you are getting good dispersion up and down, but not so much left and right, which is what the center channel is supposed to do to ensure that people sitting off axis are hearing the center as if it comes from the screen. Two drivers on opposite sides playing the same content apparently creates cancellations and other interference.

Of course I own a 340SE right now and like it, and davef has said that in most home theater environments the effects of the MTM design--especially with the way the 340s were engineered--are not such a problem. But I don't know if having a tweeter a bit off from the center is that big of a deal.

[ccotenj]

well, to my ears (and to my ears only), i really can't tell if the tweeter is a few inches off center...

as far as above or below, i've always had my center below and angled up... maybe it doesn't bother me because i am used to it...

[debo]

Like the 170, i just don't see how this works as a great center channel. Seems like you'd have to choose either poor WAF/looks by placing the speaker off-center physically so that the tweeter of the speaker is centered with the TV, or center the speaker itself with the TV horizontally and, and a result, have the voice(s) off-axis.

I would think (without having actually tried it) I could notice oddities with the voice with the tweeter even a few inches off center.

IMO, a "center channel" is a speaker that, when centered with your TV, will have the tweeter perfectly in the middle: Like with the 340 or HTM-200.

Placed horizontally above the TV, the voice would be way too high above the TV. It might sound ok if you could place it vertically, immediately below the TV, but I've tried placing them below and it doesn't sound right to me. YMMV.

I asked Dave where the center point of the Sierra is and this was his reply - "The center point for the OPPIX crossover is precisely halfway between the woofer and tweeter. So, for dead center listening, position the Sierra so that the main listening position is aligned with the center point between the woofer and tweeter."

Oh by the way I had the 340SE as a center and I like the Sierra better when sitting off Axis.

[davef]

Seems like you'd have to choose either poor WAF/looks by placing the speaker off-center physically so that the tweeter of the speaker is centered with the TV, or center the speaker itself with the TV horizontally and, and a result, have the voice(s) off-axis. I would think (without having actually tried it) I could notice oddities with the voice with the tweeter even a few inches off center.

IMO, a "center channel" is a speaker that, when centered with your TV, will have the tweeter perfectly in the middle: Like with the 340 or HTM-200.

Hi Azanon,

I would be curious as to why you would assume the tweeter must be perfectly centered in the middle of the television? I can understand this from an aesthetic standpoint, but acoustically speaking, it is incorrect.

The vocal range of humans is typically from 80Hz to 4kHz, although some would argue that 4kHz is too high, others argue too low.. but this is an average. With this range in mind, 4 octaves are handled by the woofer and only 2 octaves handled by the tweeter. Meaning that the majority of the vocal range is handled by the woofer. Technically speaking, the acoustic "center" of the loudspeaker would be the halfway point in between the woofer and tweeter, and this is the point that should be considered as the middle, when positioning the speaker as a center (not the tweeter as the center point).

Honestly though, a few inches to the left or right, even if you are only 3 feet away from the speaker, will not induce any audible differences.

[azanon]

Hi Azanon,

I would be curious as to why you would assume the tweeter must be perfectly centered in the middle of the television? I can understand this from an aesthetic standpoint, but acoustically speaking, it is incorrect.

The vocal range of humans is typically from 80Hz to 4kHz, although some would argue that 4kHz is too high, others argue too low.. but this is an average. With this range in mind, 4 octaves are handled by the woofer and only 2 octaves handled by the tweeter. Meaning that the majority of the vocal range is handled by the woofer. Technically speaking, the acoustic "center" of the loudspeaker would be the halfway point in between the woofer and tweeter, and this is the point that should be considered as the middle, when positioning the speaker as a center (not the tweeter as the center point).

Honestly though, a few inches to the left or right, even if you are only 3 feet away from the speaker, will not induce any audible differences.

I (mistakenly) thought most of human voice would be handled with the tweeter. You educated me and cleared up that concern. I use grills on so aesthetics behind the grill isn't a concern for me.

Thanks.