How Do Speakers Do That?

[lextek]

OK I have a fairly high end speaker set-up. B&K amp and Pre with B&W P5 speakers. How does the sound seem to come from the center? Between the speakers? Peole think it is the center channel speaker, but it's not. I know this is what it's all about but any explanations?

 

[mbriant]

It's an aural illusion created when an identical signal comes out of both L & R speakers at the same amplitude. Your ears are tricked into thinking the sound is originating in the middle. Panning to one side or the other is created when one channel becomes louder than the other. The louder one channel becomes over the other, the more the perceived source of the sound radiates from the direction of the louder speaker.

 

[Nick Dangerous]

A tangible phantom center is one of the most significant features of my setup. Closing my eyes, I can "see" a vocalist walk the stage from left to right... entirely across the dead space in front of me... voice completely intact, palpable, and *there*.

I love that.

Later this year, I will be purchasing a few extra transformers, resistors, and C4S plates to convert my 12AV7 driven 2A3 Paraglows to use the almighty 45 tube. Driven by a self-shunt regulated 6N1P, I'm expecting good results. I may also replace my Lowther PM2As with AER drive units.

Tis the year for beautiful music.

 

[lextek]

cool

 

[raymondlin]

It's also part of a soundstage, get some well recorded material, you can tell the singer is in the middle, guitar on the left (or right), Drums will sound like it's behind the singer.... wonderful!

 

[mbriant]

Quote:

Drums will sound like it's behind the singer.... wonderful!

I'm not positive about this, but I believe if a small (milliseconds) delay is added to the drum track for instance, it'll give the impression that the drums are further away ( because the drum sound reaches your ears a split second later than the other instruments)...giving depth to the soundstage.

 

[Russ Arcuri]

A good soundstage is nice, but if you're talking about a home theater setup, you really need a center channel speaker. The soundstage becomes increasingly muddy and less convincing as the listener gets off-axis; dialogue will no longer be locked to the screen.

A good center-channel speaker fixes this problem -- dialogue is always locked to the screen, no matter where the listener is seated.

 

[Old Pa]

Quote:

Originally posted by lextek How does the sound seem to come from the center? Between the speakers?

It's like binocular vision except it's not often as good as binocular vision. It has to start with good recording technique. The better stereo recording/playback imaging is, the more the listener can "visualize" the live event when the eyes are closed. It's a good measure of total system performance.

 

[bootman]

Quote:

Originally posted by lextek OK I have a fairly high end speaker set-up. B&K amp and Pre with B&W P5 speakers. How does the sound seem to come from the center? Between the speakers? Peole think it is the center channel speaker, but it's not. I know this is what it's all about but any explanations?

It's natural crossfeed.
But the effect is ruined if the speakers are not setup properly.
Its much easier to get the effect in a nearfield setup.