Using two small bookshelf speakers as a center channel

Are these two speakers in addition to your right and left speakers? 

Technically you can wire them in parallel or  series. Parallel will cut the impedance in half and will be hard on the amp. If you do that you should look up the impedance of your speakers (actual for the bass not just stated). Low impedance will make your reciver get hot/and or damage it if it can’t handle it. Just check the manual to see how low you can go on the amp. 

Series will doulbe the impedance and is safer for the you amp BUT you will need a lot of wattage to get loud enough. Just have to try it and see how the volume is. 


Does your reciver support phantom center mode? If so have you tried it? That bose center is pretty bad and phantom center will probably sound a lot better with less mess. If you sit in the middle phantom center mode sounds pretty good. 

I run a 6.2 system with no center so 5.2 and like it MUCH better than having a center but I always sit in the sweet spot. I find on one else cares anyway but me...

I'm not worried about the resistance to the amp, she will support 4 ohm.  Electrically I am sound.  

Yes, these would be one channel, center.  Fronts are KEFR700's and run well.  I just wouldn't want to use them as phantom.  May as well run 2.1  

 I was thinking of using two KEF C200's in Parallel but they are too large for the depth of the shelf.  

Any good bookshelf with crystal clear mids for voices would work.  But I thought I would check here.

Steve,
What Denon do you have? I have an AVR5700 I run 2.0 with full range speakers & it is quite good at rendering the phantom center. (If you haven’t tried already.) Otherwise I don’t see why not having the bookshelves side by side for a ’balanced’ center; I have done that it the past with no issue. But again that was with my very robust 5700. If your Denon can handle it, & for 'crystal clear mids for voices,' I recommend NHT or Paradigm; both from my past experience.
-E

Thanks E, 

My Denon is the AVR 2400H so not as beefy as yours but good to go.  I love the idea of two smalls for centers on the outside of the TV.  

For me, my fronts are too far away to try and use 2.1.  Its just not to my liking.  

Which Paradigms were you thinking, just their smallest book shelf?  

Which Paradigms were you thinking, just their smallest book shelf?

It’s been a while since I had Paradigm but they seem to keep their house sound, which I like for HT. So yes, I would think any of their small bookshelves depending on your budget & fit. I have since moved on from HT surround, but if I were to return, Paradigm would be on my short list. I am currently exploring the idea of Active Monitors w/ a balanced processor, but that’s another subject altogether. Only wish Paradigm kept their Active Monitor lineup - hard to find in the used market.