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Do I need better center ch speaker-dialog unclear?

I currently have a PSB Image Series C9 center channel. I had though this was a decent enough speaker, but have grown increasingly frustrated. For example, today I was watching the new release of Chariots of Fire that has the DD 5.1 track. Maybe it is just the big echo-y ancient rooms they shot the film in, or maybe it wasn't miked well, but I cannot discern much of the dialog. There are many other movies I have had the same problem with.

Not being satisfied with the intelligibility of dialog in movies, I recently upgraded to a seperate 5-channel power amp, using my Sony DA4ES receiver as pre-amp. I do not use any soundfields or such, just straight DD or DTS. This helped the clarity vere minimally.

This not having helped all that much, I next upgraded the speaker cable to one of Paul Speltz' Anti-cables, which have received great reviews. This, again, may have helped just a tad, but I am still having the same problem with dialog.

I am now down to the point of nothing left, that I know of, other than to consider upgrading the center speaker.

So, does anybody have any other tips short of a new speaker?

If not, can anyone reccommend a significantly better center speaker that would integate at least decently with my Legacy Signature III front mains? I can't now afford to go with one of Legacy's centers.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
mtrot

Showing 1 response by drew_eckhardt

drew_eckhardt
394 posts
 
Presumably, you've calibrated the center channel with a SPL meter?

You have placement problems. Your RPTV is a big, reflective object near the center channel. The wall behind it is a big, reflective object.

Try moving the center channel to a stack of cinder blocks a few feet in front of the RPTV, aimed up at the listener.

You may have other acoustic problems. A coffee table in front of your couch will give you an early reflection from the center channel, especially with it aimed at the listener. You might temporarily move the coffee table or aim the speaker higher. Some people sit far from their speakers in a typical living room; and anything beyond the distance needed for the drivers to integrate (6'?) is just letting the direct sound drop farther below the reverberant field which hurts things. Sitting against the back wall is going to give you problematic reflections (and a bass boost).
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