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When is a mismatched center OK?

Hi all, 

I'm going to go listen to some speakers in the next 30 days and need your advice.  My goal is to improve my 2 channel experience but I have to be cognizant of HT also.... and my primary problem is as follows:  For many of the speakers I like the center channel is freaking huge.  (Looking at you Paradigm Persona!)  I don't have room for the standalone style center.  I could reconfigure my rack if needed but like the way mine sits today.   I could shop down market a bit where the centers are more reasonably sized (Founders instead of Persona,) and likely still be pretty happy.  

I recognize that ideally you don't want a mismatch, but.....What I'm wondering is if you stay within the same family (Example:  Focal Sopra 2 with Aria center) , would your timbre match be solid enough to get by or would you create a potentially glaring mismatch?  

Any first hand examples appreciated.  

Thanks, 

Eric 


mtbiker29

Showing 1 response by james633

james633
1,051 posts
 
I would just run phantom center which runs the center channel through your mains. If you sit in the middle you don’t need one as the mains image well. 
Phantom center is typically better than having a center as the mains are more full range. 
The center channel only helps for people that sit off to the side. If you have a lot of guests it helps. I find guess I have don’t care about audio anyway…
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