Interesting Center Channel Question...Motion 6 or Motion 4?

[DavidDahl]

Hi all,

I have an interesting question. I currently have (at the apartment I am living in) two Vienna Acoustic bookshelf speakers (Haydn's) as my main channels. Integrated into the system is a Martin Logan Depth subwoofer.

I am interested in adding a Martin Logan center channel to the mix. Right now I have put in a Motion 6 center channel. After running the Audyssey calibration my receiver tells me that the cutoff is 150Hz. Quite high.

My question is: should I move to a single Motion 4 speaker and put it on a stand in front of my television (Mit's Diamond Projection TV)? The Motion 4 is rated down to 70Hz. So I think the blend would be better. However the dispersion pattern might not be up to snuff for a center channel.

Any thoughts?

-Dave

 

[Peter Soderberg]

Actually if the Motion 4 is vertical, dispersion will work very well. On its side, not quite so well. As to Audyssey, I often overwrite it as I (and others) don't necessarily agree with with it reads. Go ahead and lower the frequency of the Motion 6 to 80 to 100 hz without issue.

 

[jaandmel]

You can lower the crossover as Peter suggests, but be aware that anything lower than what Audyssey originally found will not have the filters applied to those frequencies. Personally I wouldn't worry about the higher crossover and just judge it by the way it sounds. Let the subwoofer do the heavy lifting so to speak. There is typically way better room correction with Audyssey for the sub vs the satellites anyways.

 

[Thai]

You can lower the crossover as Peter suggests, but be aware that anything lower than what Audyssey originally found will not have the filters applied to those frequencies. Personally I wouldn't worry about the higher crossover and just judge it by the way it sounds. Let the subwoofer do the heavy lifting so to speak. There is typically way better room correction with Audyssey for the sub vs the satellites anyways.

jaandmel is right. Do NOT lower the Audyssey crossover. My Stage is crossed at 150 hz too. That is just the way it is...and my system sounds fabulous! I ran the Audyssey twice just to make sure that 150 Hz is correct...it is.

 

[HamEJH]

Actually if the Motion 4 is vertical, dispersion will work very well. On its side, not quite so well.

Peter, just curious why you think the Motion 4 works better in the vertical position? Or is that only with respect as a center? I have a pair myself I use as surrounds of which I ceiling mounted. I am still tweaking them to find the best angle towards the listening position, but I have always had them hanging in the horizontal position.

 

[Peter Soderberg]

the tweeter is slightly longer when used in the normal verical orientation so dispersion is slightly wider horizontally, a bit less vertically. Placed on its side, it migh present a slight loss of detail when off to the side. Very subtle so if you are having good results, then use away as one likes. As to the lowering of the Xover point, you may, but you don't have too. Ultimatley it has to be the ears that tells you when it is right.