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Hi everybody. I've got a pair of Avalon Eidelon Diamonds, and I am wanting to start streaming the Metropolitan opera on my system. I'd like to expand it to have a center channel. I don't have the money to purchase an Eidelon center speaker, even if there was one! But there isn't. I was wondering whether it would make sense to build a center channel using Acutron mid base drivers. For instance, a 7 inch driver installed in a vented box would have a frequency response from around 50 to 3000 Hz. Does it make sense to purchase one or two of these drivers and make a center channel out of them? I know very little about home theater center channel speakers. Would I need a tweeter? I could not afford the same diamond tweeter that's in the Eidelon. If I must have a tweeter, what would be most cost-effective? Do I need one or two midbass speakers? Is this a dumb idea? Or a good idea? What types of crossover components would I need? Thanks for any input in advance. Peter
Follow Ups:
To feed a center channel with a two channel recording you'll need some type of multichannel matrixing which means more digital to analog conversions.
You shouldn't really need a center speaker if your placement and listening position are dialed in. If you have a typical rectangular room the Avalon Acoustics manual goes into enough detail to get the positioning fairly close.
Once you think you've found locations tape the floor for reference and continue locating the speakers in 1/4" to 1/2" increments in and out, side to side, and listening for a few days at a time. You're there just take your time.
Since I've owned my Eidolons I've had them in three different rooms. Regardless, I've never used any toe in which seems to produce the widest staging. The center fill can be a result of the listening position.
I've found an office chair with wheels can be helpful by slowly moving it in and out. Remember, center fill is usually recording dependent.
Eidolons are the real deal, they haven't change much in quite some time. You'll see similar design aspects on a number of other high end designs for a reason. The looks are timelessly interesting to everybody who sees them positioned out in the middle of the room. Accton produces drivers to Avalon Acoustics specifications, they are not off the shelf.
I second what Mike K says. I often have people who hear my two speaker system ask why they hear the voice (or something else like drums) in the middle even though there is no speaker there.
I wonder if you might expound on why you decided to consider adding a center channel. What's missing that you think this might add? The more we know the better we can try to help.
Great speakers by the way!
E
T
They are the best box speakers I've ever heard. I'd kill for a pair and
the room to put them in. My advice is to work with speaker placement, room
acoustics, and electrical power improvements before you do anything else.
You can make a LOT of improvements this way, and not have to lay out a lot
of money.
Mike K - perhaps you are right. Perhaps I should work more with placement. Right now, the sweet spot is so narrow that only the center chair gets the goods. Right or left chair and you are listening to the right or left speaker. I know that the Diamonds are supposed to create a great soundstage, but I haven't achieved this yet.
I was thinking that having a center speaker would be helpful for opera, where there is a central voice. I have a 3-channel Class-D amp for my peripheral speakers and I am only using 2 channels right now. Total cost would be around $1k to get an Accuton midrange driver, a tweeter, a crossover, and build a box. I spoke about it with Madisound, and since I don't want to pay big $$ for a diamond tweeter, I could go berrylium or silk dome.
I agree with Mike. Don't screw up the sound with a center channel. Focus on getting the placement right and you won't need one.
Oz
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
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