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Plasma TVs and center channel speakers

I have been toying with the idea of getting a 42 inch plasma for my dedicated HT room. It will sit directly in front of a window on an outside wall based on the best layout for the speakers in the room so hanging on the wall is not really an option.

I have a Martin Logan Cinema center channel speaker which fits nicely on the 32 inch CRT TV that is in the room now, but it won't even come close to balancing on a plasma. Because of the window, I can't mount it on the wall either...

All the HT components sit in a 27 inch high 62 inch wide six compartment custom piece of cabinetry, so a fully new rack designed for plasma is out of the question.

Anybody out there have any ideas on how to keep the center channel speaker above a plasma. Somebody must make a stand for placement behind the TV that will hold the center channel speaker above it, but I can't find any such thing.

Have even toyed with suspending the speaker on steel cables from the ceiling, but don't really want to go to that much trouble, and have 20 - 30 pounds dangling above a $5k TV...

Thanks

Mitch
128x128vermonter
10 responses Add your response
slappy
903 posts
 
Why do you require it above the TV?

Can you not build an adjustable stand on the 27/62 custom rack to hold the ML center channel and have it just below the plasma with a slight upwards tip?

I guess you might be placing the plasma on top of the rack, but i got the impression you would be hanging the plasma.

If the plasma is on the rack, just place the speaker in front of the plasma and slightly elevate the plasma so the center channel does not block the IR sensor.

Personally i preffer the center channel just below the TV with a very slight upwards angle. I think it sounds a bit more natural there than on top. Plus then you dont have to worry about friends/kids/pets knocking it off of your TV
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Just an idea, but a plasma display is a big flat sheet of glass that would reflect sound very well. Someone should make a compact audio driver designed to sit just below the screen and aimed back at the glass, not out at the audience. ("Boseian"). This would certainly cause the dialog to be where it belongs, on the screen.
sjorgensen
34 posts
 
I think it was last Sunday's PARADE magazine that had the
question "How do ventriloguists 'throw' their voices?" The
answer was something along the lines of: they don't really, but humans see the lips of the dummy moving and naturally place the voice in the mouth.

Morale: I wouldn't worry about the "exact" placement of the center. Try it in a number of places and see what you think. My M&K Center is at least 12" off to the left of the scene, and my brain doesn't know the difference.
rrroberts
21 posts
 
Mitch, I built a stand that clamps to the stand I mounted the plasma on..comes up behind the TV and is about 1/2" above the TV allowing it to still swing back and forth...the speaker is aimed down at about a 3 degree angle right at the seating in front of the TV...works awesome but you need to be able to cut wood...
lej1447
117 posts
 
I agree with Slappy. I have seen such set up at two high-end audio stores. The center ML was on a small speaker stand, which sits on the floor. The speaker was pointed slightly up toward the viewer. Below my plasma (hang on the wall) is my center speaker, which rests on the top rack of my 36-inch-high audio stand, which is at the level of my listening ears.
lowrider
32 posts
 
I will have the same problem when I get a plasma, hopefully soon...

But as I found out the center sounds much better bellow the screen, sound comes from it, instead of from the ceiling, I will get a floor stand for the plasma, place it behind the rack, and the center speaker on the rack, where the TV is now...
thomas_eck
4 posts
 
Vermonter-

I purchased a wall mounted TV shelf to suspend my Monitor Audio center channel speaker just above the TV. Parts Express (www.partsexpress.com) has a very inexpensive model (Part Number 240-776) that may be worth a try. Four Foculpods under the speaker and you should be off and running.

Obviously, another choice is a Sound Anchor stand under the monitor.

-Thomas
russ_l
95 posts
 
Mitch- Here is a better (and easier) idea to try. Put away your center channel speaker and select phantom mode in your processor. You'll be amazed at how much better the sound will be. And if anyone is sitting 90 degrees off axis tell them to lie on the floor in front of the TV. IMHO of course.
pfina
1 posts
 
Hey Mitch,
Take a look at this...
http://www.magnepan.com/1-800-474-1646/MC1-install-HI.html
vermonter's avatar
vermonter OP
112 posts
 
Thanks to all for your input...for now, I decided to stick with a CRT TV, so the depth on the top is enuff for the center channel speaker...I'll be posting it all on the systems page soon with photos so you'll see the end result...

Thanks again,

Mitch
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