I think it is a MUST if you are into home theater with AC3 or DTS! About 90% of a movie soundtrack are comming out from the dedicated center channel, how much do you think you are missing if the center channel information are re-mix into the left and right speakers. I am amberrassed one time that after half way thrn the movie, I discovered that my left and right speakers are not turned on.
Center needed in small rooms ?
In a small room and in the case the listener is placed at the center of the room, is a center speaker really essential ? I've Martin Logan SL3 as front speaker. So the center would be The Cinema wich is hard to place as it is a quite big one. Is there a real difference at the listening ?