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Help - How important is the center channel Amp?

I am buying a whole new setup, primarily for music but I also want to do HT. I will be using Sonus Faber Amatis for the left and right and the (cheaper) center Cremona (no other choice!?). I will be using my old speakers for the rears. For amplification I am getting quality monoblocks for the left and right.
Should I:
1) buy a good but (relatively) inexpensive multichannel amp to drive the center and rears? or
2) spend more money for an extra matching monoblock to drive the center channel (and use a cheaper amp just for the rears)?
ie. How important is it, (worth the money) to get the center as close as possible to the left and right? And will matching the amps get me there anyway? Does the fact that my center speaker is inferior to my left and right make it more or less important to get a matching top quality amp?
packfill

Showing 2 responses by packfill

packfill OP
2 posts
 
I plan on using the new Ayre monoblocks and either a Meridian 2 or 5 channel amp (I also plan on getting the Meridian G68 as the pre/pro).
Why is it important to voice match the rear channels? Not to be cute but there aren't many voices coming out of them. ie. isn't it mostly sound effects and background?
Also, importantly, the center amp issue seems to me to be an issue of quality not quantity (am I wrong here?) so I am not sure how the pre/pro can adjust for that?

I had given serious thought to not getting a center channel since most of the time there will be just one or two people. Now I am leaning towards getting one. Most music people seem to think its not necessary, but most HT people I have talked to say yes. And while not a primary concern, it does seem a little silly to have spent all this money but not enough if I want to show off my system, including a new TV, to a larger group of friends.
packfill OP
2 posts
 
When I auditioned amps for the L&R it was clear that the better ones made the speakers sound better. So if the center is the "single most important speaker in a home theater system", wouldn't it make sense then to buy the better amp for the center also?

I agree about about buying a better pre-amp for music. I wanted to leave something to look forward to.
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