Center channel for Avalon Eidolons

Hi Dave, I have Avalon Eidolon Visions and have also been searching for a good match to my speakers. A while back I contacted Avalon, and due to my space requirements, they recommended the NP Evolution Series center or possibly the Studio Pro. I have not heard either but given the price disparity and dissimilar drivers, I am reluctant to be a believer. No one in my area demos either of these so I would have to buy on faith. I don’t buy on faith ! I have heard the Symbol Series center and was not thrilled. Right now I am using an Aerial CC3B. This is not a good match but with the environmental controls on the back, heavy dampening in my cabinet, and adjustments to the tone controls on my Anthem Preamp, it is listenable in the short term (but not recommended by me). I also looked into Lipinski Sound L-707 based on some threads that I have read. The folks at Lipinski did not think this would be a good match with Avalon and believes in an identical speaker match philosophy. So, I guess I am not a lot of help but want to keep the question alive. Hopefully someone out there has some good suggestions.

Thanks for keeping the thread going. Hopefully someone has an answer...

I could build you a center to match. http://www.kcsloudspeakers.com

If I were you I would contact Rick Craig at Selah audio and have him design a center with the same drivers used in the avalons.

Hi Dbw1, I know you initiated this thread a long while ago, but did you ever find a matching center for your Avalon Eidolon? I bought a few months ago a pair of Avalon Eidolon Vision for my main speakers and Evolution speakers for surrounds. For the center channel, I decided to go with a Wilson Audio Watch center. Not an exact match, but seems perfect enough for me -- at least the voice/high-frequency clarity and sound stage of the Watch center is second to none. I love to hear what center channel speaker you end up using....

I just acquired a pair of Eidolon Visions and am facing the same decision. I am currently using Kef 204c (not bad at all), but I have feeling I can do better, preferably with something Accuton driver based.

I did get a (very reasonable) quote from Rick Craig @ selah as suggested here, but I am a little reluctant to get something custum made, although I will if it is the best option available. Wondering if there is any new insight on this. Note that I am space resticted (center sits closely under my screen), so I can accomodate 12" height at most and for example the Wilson Watch needs not apply.

Jim Salk has an Accuton based center that has a flat frequency response. He can finish it to match your speakers.

http://www.salksound.com/soundscape%20center%20-%20home.htm

I found out myself before your post. Just got of the phone with Jim @ Salk. He has accuton midrange and ribbon tweeter that will likely integrate quite well with the Eidolons. He even offered to build a center with the Eidolon's Accuton 1" tweeter instead of the ribbon (I prefer to stay with the standard design). This is 95% likely the way I will go.

Avalon will be introducing a new center channel soon.

Great news about the Avalon center. However, a brand new Avalon center channel using the same components as the $3,000 (no overhead, no advertising/marketing cost, no dealer margin - manufacturer direct sales only) Salk center will sell for $7,000 - $10,000, which is why I only buy "Avalon grade" stuff a few years old at 40-50% of MSRP. So I'll probably use the Salk for a few years until the first used specimens of the yet to be released top of the line Avalon center channels start showing up used on Audiogon. Not ideal, but the only way to keep this hobby affordable for me.

So four months later my Salk Soundscape Center arrived, replacing my Kef 204c. First, based on build quality and components used this $2900 center would cost at least double from an established manufacturer with dealer network and overhead/marketing. Of course, this is all moot if the speaker does not deliver in terms of sound quality. Not to worry, this is a killer center channel, easily besting my Kef 204c. I have not tried a movie soundtrack yet, but famliar multi channel music recordings sounded distinctly better. The Salk simply disappears between the Eidolons, creating a completely unified, well .... Soundscape.