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Center Channel Amp Recommendations

OK Gang. I never thought I'd be initiating a forum post under "Home Theater", since I am a die hard two channel lover but here goes. I'm entering into the home theater arena and am interested in recommendations on single channel amps to drive my HT center channel.

Before any of my fellow two channel audiogoners commit hari-kari over the loss of another music lover, please note that I'll maintain my two channel system with preamp intact and use the HT processor with a pass through configuration so as not to degrade the two channel system quality. (Not that anyone will really loose sleep over my plans.)

Currently I'm using Pass X600 Monos for my main channels and will use, at least for now, a X350 for my rears. At this level, the "out of control" recommendation would of course be to add a single X600 for my center. It would sure look cool, but one deterent is the pretty absurd cost for just a center, assuming I could even find a single X600 amp (on the secondary market). The second deterent is that I would think that the power rating would be excessive given the more limited importance and frequency range of the center channel (compared to my main channels for music).

So where do I go from here. I'll probably be powering a B&W HTM-1 center, although I'd be interested in recommendations on very good center speakers as well.

Here's where you guys can help:
(Consider the cost of one, used X600 mono to be the upper limit.)

1) Do I go with a "bridgeable" stereo amp, vs. mono? (Simply because single monos are hard to find.) In either case, how much power would be practical or ideal for the center.

2) Is it more important that I select the amp based upon charateristics of the other channels' amps and speakers, or more important to match the amp charateristics with the sonic and frequency demands of a center channel's source material? In other words, are there any amps that work particularly well with voices?

3) Are the HT channels, unimportant enough that I am better off to simply look at replacing the X350 in the rear with a three channel amp to handle the rears plus center?

4) Finally what center channel amps (and/or three channel amps) are working well for those of you doing this?

Thanks in advance.
audiopman

Showing 1 response by kennyt

kennyt's avatar
kennyt
1,226 posts
 
Interesting...........

Having been a HT fanatic for some time, I can tell you the front three channels, especially the balance between them, is CRUCIAL to a good HT, as it is in 2 channel, but you've got more variables to worry about here.

I have several things to inform you of to make the HT as enjoyable as possible....

1) THE CENTER CHANNEL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANNEL IN YOU'RE HOME THEATER!!! It produces ~60-70% of the output........DO NOT SKIP ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CHANNEL! Or you will just need to upgrade it later....

2) All amps seem to respond differently to different (volume)level pre outs, this even goes for different amps from the same manufacturer.

I've had problems using different (rated power output) amps from the same manufacturer in home theaters, they will sometimes work, but sometimes the center becomes prominent at low or high volumes relative to the fronts or vice versa. This becomes especially annoying while watching dynamic movies, it even can be an issue when adjusting the volume, depends on how far off the response curve is.

This all goes for the rears as well, though in my experience, this isn't as big a problem, but still is an issue... I currently run all speakers on the same amps, I've not had an issue with bi- or tri- amping with all the same amps, the balance seems to stay the same.

3) All speakers respond to different amp output differently, as such, try to buy a center channel that is matched to the fronts, ideally with the same drivers the fronts have. Obviously the rears should match as well.

IMHO....is an X600 too much for you're center channel??

Absolutely not! If you can, buy one of the same speakers you will use as your fronts for the center (room permitting), if not, get a matched center channel from the same manufacturer (You never stated what your fronts will be so I don't know if it exists.)

Yes, it may be hard, or impossible to find a X600....but I think you'd be happiest with it!
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