Factors that prevent center channel matching perfection

[akm3]

As I plan my move back into Electrostats, I want to explore reasons I've never had good center channel matching.

I had a pair of Vantages and a Fresco center. These didn't match well obviously.

That same Fresco channel,with Fresco i L/R did match better, but it still didn't have as seamless a soundstage as phantom center. The only reason I could figure, was that the center channel was physically lower than the tweeters of the stand mounted Frescos. However, the soundstage felt weak and not airy compared to when I switched out the Fresco i for a pair of Mosaics.

The Mosaics have a back wave, and it gave the L/R sound stage a beautiful, wide open, clear sound. Running Phantom, the imaging is wonderful. Trying to use that Fresco again and it collapses. Similar to how it collapsed when I paired with the vantages. Big sound down to little sound in the middle, but what I really think was missing was the BACK WAVE.

So, I experimented. I had a pair of I think "Acculine A1" that used similar tweeters to the Fresco series. I put it behind the Fresco, pointed at the backwall, and only ran the tweeter (it was bi-wireable). So high level energy shooting backwards similar to a backwave, and similar to the Mosaic. This dramatically improved the "matching" of the center speaker to the Mosaic L/R.

So, this makes me think that any center channel that doesn't have that same backwave energy as either my Mosaic or the ESL X, ESL 9, or ESL 11A I'm considering to upgrade to. However, randomly spraying backwave around seems like a terrible idea. Perhaps I should just run phantom? My other thought would be to try to treat and absorb the backwave so the L/C/R match better, but then I feel like I would be giving up the magic that makes ML's have that open airy sound.

Phantom?

Thoughts?

 

[ttocs]

I am one who enjoys the sound when the rear wave is "dealt" with in some manner, whether that is from the L&R panels being 5 feet from the wall, or using absorption, or, as they are now - extremely toed-in such that the rear wave is directed away from the main listening position from the Left speaker and since the Right is near a corner - there's absorption on both walls in the corner to absorb most of the rear wave.

Matching the Center type to the Mains is critical for seamless operation. The best home theater experience I've had was when all 5 speakers were the same model (it was 5.1). The second best was with 4 of the same large speakers and a matching center which was the mid/tweeter section built identically to the floor-standers, so it was just missing the woofers.

I have a Motif center speaker that's wall mounted. Over the years it's been on top of an a/v cabinet at the front edge angled up, on its own stand angled up, wall mounted below the screen angled up, and now wall mounted above the screen angled down - this is the best so far. I bought it when I had smaller L&R speakers, but it still works so well that I don't feel the immediate need to replace it with a larger model, even though I truly believe that would be an improvement.

Phantom Center works well when you can sit in the middle, less well otherwise, but still a valid consideration for overall sound quality - just not for directionality.

FWIW my vote is for you to get the 11A, but I'm biased being that I'm a huge fan of powered woofers, especially with ARC.