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I know this subject comes up a lot, but I'm not sure what to do in my case.
I have three Northcreek Okara II bookshelf speakers and they are just about perfect for my LCR fronts of my HT. Almost perfect,...but I always feel I can do better.
You see, I put my center on its side in a TM configuration. I've read that MTM doesn't help with combing or off-axis response, and that a regular bookshelf is better, especially if it matches your L&R. Due to logistical reasons, I can't put it upright unless I put it WAY down below my TV, which is worse than where it is now (ala sound at my feet).
I've read quite a few things about off-axis response and combing, with the drivers being horizontal instead of vertical, but not sure what is FUD or real. It actually sounds pretty good, but I know I wonder if I can do better. From what I've read, it sounds okay due to the close placement of the drivers, a soft-dome tweeter that is not directional, and the low 1.8kHz crossover. In other words, just about as good as I'm going to get it with a coventional speaker.
My question is would a coaxial speaker like the KEF Q100 or R100 (or even LS50) be even better? Or should I count my blessings that I bought/built one of the better bookshelf speakers of all time and keep everything as-is?
My main concern is off-axis sound. I want all seats in my living room to have decent audio.
Follow Ups:
A typical 2-way standmounted speaker will have some suckout in the crossover region above and below the vertical plane of the speaker. When you put it on its side and aim it at the sweet spot, there will be some suckout in the crossover region at seating positions to the left and right of the sweet spot. How much depends on the speaker. The North Creek page confirms the Okara II's crossover is 2nd order (electrical) at 1.8KHz. The resulting off-axis dip should sound a little more laid back or more distant and less present than in the sweet spot, but it shouldn't be dramatic. And you're right that the ubiquitous MTM can be worse.
The 2-way KEFs will definitely be better in this regard. Their dispersion characteristics are about as good as it gets. But I would not recommend keeping your current speakers for the front L&R and putting a KEF in the center. It's more important to have 3 identical or at least matched loudspeakers for L,C,R.
Thanks. Yep, the idea would be I'd replace my three Okara II's for three new KEF's but I'm not sure its worth it. It's my understanding that as far as conventional speakers go, these are a pretty good model to lay on its side due to the aforementioned characteristics of it? Perhaps a Joseph Audio would be better with its infinite crossover? I know the KEF's would be a good choice too.
All this is just academic to me since I haven't auditioned many speakers in my life, but from what I've read, something with a (directional) horn tweeter crossed over high would beam, and would be the antithesis of a good choice?
If I can get an idea of what is good for a horizontal speaker on "paper", then I can narrow my search down from there, or decide to keep what I have.
The Joseph crossover will give you a deeper off-axis dip that's narrower in frequency. I've only heard the Pulsar, and it's dispersion characteristics were good, so it probably would make a decent center.
And I agree that a horn loaded tweeter would be a terrible choice for a center speaker.
I think any center speaker with horizontal driver alignment is going to have compromises in the dispersion pattern to some degree. Mine are MTM with the tweeter offset so the woofers can be spaced closer together. They are good to about +/-20 deg. which is enough to cover my sofa. I can detect some loss of presence at 30 deg. off center. I think most 2-way bookshelf speakers placed on their sides should be good to at least +/- 15 deg. But some will be better than others and I'm not sure of the best way to find a good one on paper. Stereophile publishes vertical dispersion measurements so you could start there.
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