Best centre speaker for clear vocals in movies?

[morguk]

My centre speaker is a Wharfdale that came as part of a cheap 5.1 set ages ago. The vocals are really hit and miss. I know some movies do this on purpose (Nolan) but overall I just want less muffled voices and more clarity.

I'd like to hear recommendations on what you centre speaker have or if you made a similar upgrade and if you were happy or not?

 

[Charlie Bravo]

I have a Wharfedale Evo4.C which has no issues with vocals.

I did however have an issue with the wife when she saw the size of it!

 

[rare]

Maybe a silly suggestion but have you tried changing the volume on the one speaker? Through my surround configuration on my AVR I have the centre channel boosted up to help with dialogue.

 

[Armageus]

Its rarely the speaker, more often just need to change settings on the avr.

I've got a specific setting that helps with dialogue, and also boosted the level of the centre by a couple of dB which helps

 

[dlockers]

I have zero idea about audio but on my Sonos setup, adding the sub meant the centre basically just does vocals?

 

[hornetstinger]

I have a Wharfedale Evo4.C which has no issues with vocals.

I did however have an issue with the wife when she saw the size of it!

Yeah that's a big center only few bigger kef 204c, b and w htm1d

 

[hornetstinger]

I have zero idea about audio but on my Sonos setup, adding the sub meant the centre basically just does vocals?

Adding a sub with a AV system means bass from speakers is directed to sub typically <80hz.

Not sure about Sonos junk

As for speech being hard to hear use dialogue enhance mode.

 

[maj]

I'm by no means an expert on home cinema but it's usually recommended to have your centre matching your others but that will be the case already if you have a 5.1 bundle.

Have you tried running the wizard on the AVR? As others have said there's probably a setting you can change to help.

 

[mid_gen]

My centre speaker is a Wharfdale that came as part of a cheap 5.1 set ages ago. The vocals are really hit and miss. I know some movies do this on purpose (Nolan) but overall I just want less muffled voices and more clarity.

I'd like to hear recommendations on what you centre speaker have or if you made a similar upgrade and if you were happy or not?

It's not the speaker, it's the audio mix. See if there's a dialogue mode on your AVR which will boost levels from the center to make speech more audible.

 

[morguk]

Maybe a silly suggestion but have you tried changing the volume on the one speaker? Through my surround configuration on my AVR I have the centre channel boosted up to help with dialogue.

Its rarely the speaker, more often just need to change settings on the avr.

I've got a specific setting that helps with dialogue, and also boosted the level of the centre by a couple of dB which helps

I'm by no means an expert on home cinema but it's usually recommended to have your centre matching your others but that will be the case already if you have a 5.1 bundle.

Have you tried running the wizard on the AVR? As others have said there's probably a setting you can change to help.

It's not the speaker, it's the audio mix. See if there's a dialogue mode on your AVR which will boost levels from the center to make speech more audible.

It's the centre from a Wharfdale DX-1 package. It's very small, about a foot wide and I think that's the problem.

I already have "vocal/dialogue lift" or similar setting on my Yamaha AVR set to +2 which is its highest setting. I could increase the volume on just the centre but I feel it will amplify the issue, pun intended.

 

[mid_gen]

It's the centre from a Wharfdale DX-1 package. It's very small, about a foot wide and I think that's the problem.

I already have "vocal/dialogue lift" or similar setting on my Yamaha AVR set to +2 which is its highest setting. I could increase the volume on just the centre but I feel it will amplify the issue, pun intended.

Size is pretty irrelevant, more expensive or bigger speakers are very unlikely to make vocals significantly more audible....and if you got a speaker that significantly different tonally from the rest of your system, it would probably make the whole mix sound terrible.

You can spend a load of money on kit that will sound better, but it won't necessarily solve your problem. Maybe you just need your ears syringing Maybe you can tinker with the EQ on your AVR to bring up the mid range.

Honestly I would take one of your sources to a hifi shop and listen on some different systems and see if you notice any difference before dropping a load of cash.

 

[ChrisD.]

Not sure about Sonos junk

Classic hornetspammer comment.

Are you going to show us your setup anytime soon?

 

[Armageus]

It's the centre from a Wharfdale DX-1 package. It's very small, about a foot wide and I think that's the problem.

I already have "vocal/dialogue lift" or similar setting on my Yamaha AVR set to +2 which is its highest setting. I could increase the volume on just the centre but I feel it will amplify the issue, pun intended.

I've got wharfedale diamond 12 fronts and centre (so a step or two up from the DX-1).

I've still had to boost the centre channel by a couple of dB, as well as turning dialogue enhancement on.
It all depends on what sources you regularly listen to and at what levels.
Outside of a dedicated cinema room and perfect sources then there'll always be some trade offs that you need to make.

(If I didn't boost the centre channel, then I'd need to have the main volume cranked up, which then makes explosions and everything else uncomfortably loud for normal listening)

 

[hornetstinger]

Classic hornetspammer comment.

Are you going to show us your setup anytime soon?

No.

As for op get a higher quality center speaker. I don't have any issues about hearing speech on mine apart from Nolan mixes. I use a decent three way center.

What specific movie is it, what scene in the movie runtime etc.

 

[Armageus]

As for op get a higher quality center speaker. I don't have any issues about hearing speech on mine apart from Nolan mixes. I use a decent three way center.

Surprised you can hear any speech over your 37 subwoofers or whatever

 

[hornetstinger]

Surprised you can hear any speech over your 37 subwoofers or whatever

Akshully having a sub means you are no longer sending full range to speakers which helps that speaker immensely. Several benefits to that from lessening the demand on your amp, easier load as frequencies it was amplifying sent to sub, impedance/lower frequency range lower independence, increasing dynamics, less distortion, less port chuffing, lessen risk of driver damage etc

 

[bjorkiii]

He types whilst watching his 12 inch black and white redifusion 50p slot tv with his hearing aid atmos special.

 

[200sols]

As for op get a higher quality center speaker. I don't have any issues about hearing speech on mine apart from Nolan mixes. I use a decent three way center.

Pics.

 

[hornetstinger]

So OP what movies/scenes do you find hard to listen to? Maybe I could try on mine and see if it's ok.

Any local shops where you can try a quality center (even if it outclasses the rest of your system)

 

[morguk]

So OP what movies/scenes do you find hard to listen to? Maybe I could try on mine and see if it's ok.

Any local shops where you can try a quality center (even if it outclasses the rest of your system)

There's nothing specific, but me and the wife went through a phase of putting subs on stuff just so we don't miss key parts of a story.

To the others, I'll try putting a few more DB on the centre so I don't have to increase total volume all the time.

If that doesn't work, I think it's the fact it's small and mounted on the wall with not much space to breathe behind it (its ported).

Anyone actually upgrade and get an improvement?