Phantom Center with Sierras

[Abhi]

For HT use, with a crossover above 60Hz, could you get away with a phantom center channel, given the fact that Sierras have exceptional off-axis response?

[Mitch G]

I've been playing with a phantom center in my setup which has Sierras as mains just to see how they compare to my existing Paradigm CC-170 center. I've found that the phantom center setup is quite good. If you can't get a center at this time, then I think you wouldn't be disappointed with the Sierras and a phantom center.


Mitch

[Quinn]

I've noticed with the kids' tv shows that are in stereo that phantom center would work really well. I've checked a few times to see I had a pro-logic setting running and each time it was just stereo.

[Mike^S]

I'm running my Sierras with no center channel right now and it sounds great as long as I'm sitting in the middle. Even though they have excellent off axis response, you will still lose the phantom image if you move to the left or right. It's no fault of the speakers. This happens to all speakers.

[muzz]

I'm running my Sierras with no center channel right now and it sounds great as long as I'm sitting in the middle. Even though they have excellent off axis response, you will still lose the phantom image if you move to the left or right. It's no fault of the speakers. This happens to all speakers.

So DON'T move!!!........ :D

[Mike^S]

What if there is more than one person watching?

[Abhi]

Thanks Mitch, Quinn, Mike!
Quinn, when I use stereo with my 170SEs, my experience is identical with yours.

Muzz, without toeing in my 170SEs, the phantom center is limited to the center seat as you said. When properly toed-in, all 3 front seats become a part of sweet spot.

With Sierras being even better in imaging, I was wondering if I could get away with the phantom center as a permanent solution.

[curtis]

What if there is more than one person watching?
Then you take turns, or sit on top of each other(that could have added benefits). :)

Actually, I am finding that the sweet spot is a nice size as far as sweet spots go.

[Abhi]

Then you take turns, or sit on top of each other(that could have added benefits). :)


Curtis,
That's funny! :-)

Muzz, Curtis, Mike,
I assume most of us listen to CDs in stereo mode. Does it mean that only the center seat gets all the benefits of imaging?

[curtis]

With any system, the center seat has the best of everything, but will as well as the Sierras image, I have found that it spills over to off center listening as well.

[FirstReflect]

There are several factors that contribute to the effectiveness of a phantom center - including (but not limited to): the room itself, the seating distance, the placement of the speakers, the position of the listeners, the placement of other objects in the room (ie. TV), etc.

But in general, speakers with a wide and even dispersion will deliver a larger sweet spot and a more convincing phantom center. The Sierra-1's are NOT electrostatic speakers or line source speakers and, in fact, have a very wide and even dispersion, even among similarly designed speakers.

I would guess that for non-critical listening, so long as listeners are seated between the span of the speakers, that they will be reasonably convinced of the phantom center image. In my family, for example, I'm the only one who really notices such things. So if I get to sit in the dead center, no one else complains! :D

In a lot of setups I've heard, I'd actually prefer just a phantom center. This is because so many center speakers do not have the same "voice" as the L/R speakers or because placement noticably alters the center's sound.

The Sierra-1's act closer to a point source speaker than most speakers of a similar size and layout. Their dispersion is more like a sphere, because of their special design and this gives them many advantages. Not the least of which is that placement isn't quite as critical. Obviously you still want to place them as ideally as possible, but it's slightly less of a problem.

So while you'll probably get a better phantom center than with a lot of speakers, you'll also likely get better results with a Sierra-1 center speaker than you will with most other center speakers out there! It's seems a bit paradoxical, but think of it like this:

A stereo pair of Sierra-1 speakers will likely sound better than a lot of 3-speaker setups out there. But 3 Sierra-1's will sound even better than that! At least if you're sitting off center if will - and that's if you notice such things :p

So I'd say, try just the pair. You'll likely be happy. If you personally always get to sit dead center, you'll probably never want for more, unless you've got a second audio nut in the house ;)

But if you move off center and you can notice the change in the soundstage and imaging, then you'll want to consider adding the 3rd Sierra-1. As I said, the design should allow the Sierra-1 center to blend far more seemlessly than most center speakers out there. And for us picky type - that's a big deal - even if no one else notices! ;)

:D

Jon