The centre speaker problem
The centre speaker problem
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Panamax

Original Poster:

9,800 posts

64 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
I don't want a soundbar or ceiling speaker. I like decent stereo-type speakers that have enough internal volume to properly deliver a wide frequency response.

Finding decent front and rear speakers is easy but I'm really struggling to find a "centre" that isn't at least 6" deep. My TV hangs on the wall with no furniture underneath so there's nowhere to put a bulky centre.

Any recommendations for a relatively skinny centre that I can hang on the wall either below or above the screen? For practical purposes the price doesn't matter.

Sporky

12,250 posts

94 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
PMC CI range maybe? About 10cm deep. Or Monitor Audio Sound Frame, 87.5mm.

tonyg58

470 posts

229 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
These are brilliant -

https://www.paradigm.com/en/lcr/millenia-lp-2

Buy some floorstanding speakers from the same company (or even use these for all three and get a good sub).

Panamax

Original Poster:

9,800 posts

64 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
A couple of good suggestions there. Thanks guys! smile

Red 5

1,107 posts

210 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
Some brands offer to tailor make a centre speakers, to suit your TV.

This is a Triad model and partnered more conventional speakers on stands.

Lucid_AV

487 posts

66 months

Monday 27th March 2023
quotequote all
Panamax said:
I don't want a soundbar or ceiling speaker. I like decent stereo-type speakers that have enough internal volume to properly deliver a wide frequency response.
Do you need a centre speaker at all?

Good stereo images well enough that the phantom centre thing works perfectly. All decent AV receivers support phantom centre mode.

Pulse00

572 posts

129 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
Kef t series

h0b0

9,074 posts

226 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
I solved this by using an in wall speaker.

EdR

95 posts

237 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
I ended up with a Monitor Audio Apex A40 (just over 4” deep) when trying to find a shallow centre (slightly different placement though, as I wanted mine to go on a window sill)

https://www.monitoraudio.com/en/product-ranges/ape...

simon_harris

3,154 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
I have a similar problem although my issue is not that I need a shallow centre i need one that isn't very tall - any suggestions there?

Simon

Panamax

Original Poster:

9,800 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
Pulse00 said:
Kef t series
Wow, with a depth of just 35 mm that is certainly a skinny one.

As it happens my "old" set-up is KEF 5005, now ancient.

I've been looking at Monitor Audio "Apex" system. Anyone got those and happy with them?



EdR

95 posts

237 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
quotequote all
Panamax said:
Wow, with a depth of just 35 mm that is certainly a skinny one.

As it happens my "old" set-up is KEF 5005, now ancient.

I've been looking at Monitor Audio "Apex" system. Anyone got those and happy with them?

I’ve got an MA Apex setup , with 3x A40 for the front and 2x A10 as surrounds, albeit with a REL sub instead of the Monitor Audio one (it is only in a small room, so wanted a small sub to fit in a particular place in my study).

I’m very happy with it - mostly use it for films through a Marantz SR6015 AV receiver, although occasionally for music as well. The speakers certainly punch above their weight, I went with them as a reasonable balance between size and quality primarily - to be fair, they don’t sound as good for music as the ones in my main system, which are somewhat larger and cost a bit more too. I’ve got the front and rear pairs wall mounted which works well for my space.