Actually I have found that an HT setup with no center and a sub sounds superior to a center and no sub. I will caveat this with the fact that the fronts I am using are the Aerial 10 T's with a very nice processor, (Cal 2500).
I'll go a step further and say that the system without the center did not give up any ground to the system with the center when I am sitting in between the two fronts. If you are looking at buying a front end, spend what you would have put into the sub into your fronts, you'll be rewarded with superior imaging & soundstaging and two channel playback will benefit as well. The sub was the last piece of the equation I added, (Rel Strate III) and the family did enjoy watching movies with only the Aerials up front...the sub took the movie experience up a notch and as a bonus improved the two channel set up to even a greater degree.
I'll go a step further and say that the system without the center did not give up any ground to the system with the center when I am sitting in between the two fronts. If you are looking at buying a front end, spend what you would have put into the sub into your fronts, you'll be rewarded with superior imaging & soundstaging and two channel playback will benefit as well. The sub was the last piece of the equation I added, (Rel Strate III) and the family did enjoy watching movies with only the Aerials up front...the sub took the movie experience up a notch and as a bonus improved the two channel set up to even a greater degree.