| Re: 3Pi Sub plans, and some other questions. [message #88053 is a reply to message #88050] |
Mon, 21 May 2018 18:27   |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18748
Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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There are plenty of good plate amp options, especially for distributed multisubs. It's not like mains, where I'm a little more picky. Treat 'em like a commodity and choose whichever suits you best. Just stay away from the no-name brands and you'll be alright.
Center channels are always difficult. That's why so many people compromise on sound bars. I personally would prefer to omit the center channel than to use something as horrible as a horizontal array. That then leaves the problem that the left/right mains have to provide a phantom center. It works pretty well with the toe-in like we do it, but sometimes the dialog channel isn't mixed in as loud on left and right, so it's preferable to have a center if you can do it.
But that's not what you asked. You asked about using a one Pi speaker for a center channel. That's excellent if the left/right mains are one Pi's or two Pi's (studio or tower). Not so good if the left/right mains are any of the larger models. If so, you really want something more like the three Pi or four Pi for the center channel. The one Pi and two Pi models make excellent surrounds, but the center channel really needs to match the left and right mains.
If space is tight, what you might do for a center channel is to run a Beta 12CX. That could be used to provide a better match for the three, four, six, seven or eight Pi models. But that's a whole new design task, and without a proper design/test/refinement cycle, it might be best to stick with a phantom center.
And it's iffy. I don't know that the horn used on the BetaCX could be made to have spectral balance with the left/right mains, or if it could be made to sound good at all. So it's a gamble. I have a huge affinity for the H290C waveguide, so it would be a hard pill for me to swallow. I'm just saying it's a possibility perhaps.
All this is why I usually ask if the screen will be acoustically transparent - so that a center speaker can be placed behind it. If the screen is a television or monitor, then a large center isn't possible. That generally rules out a three Pi or four Pi center channel. So in that case, I suggest a phantom center as the only option.
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