1. Phantom Center Channel Support For Mac Os X
2. Phantom Center Channel Support For Mac Download

About the end of August I posted that I was getting rid of my Center Channel Speaker. This thread took on a life of its own with protagonists for and against. Yesterday spoke to a friend of mine in South Africa, he had bought a Package deal from someone, 500 LP's, TT, 2 speakers and an Amplifier, type not important. He told me that by chance he went into the shop where he bought the stuff and the guy said that he had forgotten to add one speaker into the deal. My friend asked me what that speaker was for and I realized it must be the Center Channel speaker. Why am I posting this you may be asking.

Well because it's the first time in 6 months I've even though about a Center Channel speaker. I am so content without it that I had completely forgotten its existence. Now this is MY TAKE ON IT, AND MINE ONLY and dont recommend for or against for anyone else, but I dont miss having a Center Channel what-so-ever. Click to expand.So is a center necessary in a multi-channel set-up where hi-end front L/R speakers are properly positioned (along with the main listening position)? What does a center add that a downmix of the center to the front L/R can't do? Isn't it more likely that the phantom image of the front L/R will sound better since integrating an extra speaker brings along several additional concerns?

I guess I'm coming from the position where it is a fact that a 2 channel stereo playing even a mono recording is quite an experience. Well designed, acclaimed hi-end speakers can often be positioned many, many feet apart (more than wide enough for even a 100' screen- for home theater) and reproduce palpably real images at any point in between. If there is something I'm failing to consider, then I'm all ears. Click to expand.Well, it’s a fact that mono, stereo, 3-channel, and multi-channel can all provide “quite an experience.” And since when is music limited to just images between 2 speakers? This is the same short-view of music as stating that you only have two ears. A proper stereo mix/playback can achieve more realistic musical image than a mono mix/playback, just as a multi-channel mix/playback can be more realistic than a stereo one. I listen to and enjoy mono, stereo, 3-channel, and multi-channel music.

I believe that joining/promoting one “camp” over another is a disservice just like the vinyl/digital camps (and many others). Click to expand.Do you have any facts to support the notion that downmixing a center into the L/R is inferior to using a center? Let's use an example where a 3-channel mix has a section where the only audio at all is coming from the center so as to reproduce a vocal dead center. How is it that a downmix where this vocal is played equally in the L/R (producing a phantom image dead center) will have less fidelity than the center speaker set-up?

Will a mono recording sound better in a typical stereo (L/R) set-up or when played from a single speaker placed in the middle of the soundstage? Click to expand.I missed that thread, but my interest is sincere. Hoping to get many informed views. My position is firm, but not immovable. My rationale has at least a small degree of merit.

If my logic is flawed, then I'm open to being swayed. I do accept that my view is in the minority. Iball lappie twist cam drivers for mac pro. It does seem obvious that a mix should be reproduced in the number of channels intended, but sometimes the obvious isn't right.

I use two speakers for mono. I use two speakers for stereo where the recording isn't true stereo (center vocal is mixed as mono). So is a center necessary in a multi-channel set-up where hi-end front L/R speakers are properly positioned (along with the main listening position)? What does a center add that a downmix of the center to the front L/R can't do?

Isn't it more likely that the phantom image of the front L/R will sound better since integrating an extra speaker brings along several additional concerns? I guess I'm coming from the position where it is a fact that a 2 channel stereo playing even a mono recording is quite an experience. Well designed, acclaimed hi-end speakers can often be positioned many, many feet apart (more than wide enough for even a 100' screen- for home theater) and reproduce palpably real images at any point in between. If there is something I'm failing to consider, then I'm all ears. Click to expand.Center channels are most often utilized for use movie/theater applications though they are used in 5.1 music mixes as well.

In a movie theater situation, the channel is designed to be played back where there may be multiple listeners. No center speaker with a phantom image is fine for the person sitting in the 'sweet spot', but nobody else in the room is going to hear the center image properly. In a situation where there are multiple seats with multiple people listening a center helps a whole lot to make it so everyone hears dialog and other center information from a precise point near the screen (above or below).

Personally I use a center for my movie/TV-oriented setups in my bedroom and theater room, but in my office where I listen to a lot of 5.1 music I use a phantom center. It's just me listening so it's great. Click to expand.Here's some shots of my movie room - (equipment is antique but movies are still fun). It may be about that size: Here I'm sitting in the 'Sweet spot'.

Phantom Center Channel Support For Mac Os X

Imaging is great, but think of the person sitting all the way to the right or left. They wouldn't hear the center image well at all.

Phantom Center Channel Support For Mac Download

Here's what I'm watching, Anderson Bruford Wakeman And Howe on LaserDisc: The view from the 'Sweet Spot': I could do without a center, but I think a center works better in this kind of situation. Here's the mostly ancient equipment. Click to expand.Boy, you got that right!

My main 2 channel system is set up in a fairly crappy manner most of the time: too close to the back wall and a massive stone fireplace in between the speakers. But when I'm on my own and I have a chance to do some more serious listening, I pull the speakers out from the back wall and away from the fireplace. The improvement is pretty dramatic! In order to maintain domestic peace I don't leave them out like that, but it really makes a difference, particularly in terms of imaging and sound stage. And, the wife is going out to an event tonight so the speakers are coming out!

Do you have any facts to support the notion that downmixing a center into the L/R is inferior to using a center? Let's use an example where a 3-channel mix has a section where the only audio at all is coming from the center so as to reproduce a vocal dead center.

How is it that a downmix where this vocal is played equally in the L/R (producing a phantom image dead center) will have less fidelity than the center speaker set-up? Will a mono recording sound better in a typical stereo (L/R) set-up or when played from a single speaker placed in the middle of the soundstage? Click to expand.There’s significant difference between an engineer mixing to mono, to stereo, to 3-channel, etc.

And having a consumer grade stereo making arbitrary decisions to recreate a faux/phantom center. There are plenty of dedicated 3-channel recordings that have been released on SACD (a lot of late 50's/early 60's classical and jazz) that also have dedicated 2-channel mixes to test this.

Either of the 2 dedicated mixes will sound better than the faux/phantom center IMO. I understand the decisions/arguments by some to use a faux/phantom center, as all stereo systems are made of compromises, but faux channels just don’t hold up to dedicated ones.