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3 identical fronts or dedicated CC

I've been looking at replacing my aging Vandersteen 2Cs. I'm stuck with a plasma screen over a fireplace and currently have a Vienna Waltz Grand on the mantle as a CC.
I've been considering getting 3 identical speakers, putting the CC in front of the rarely used fireplace, considering standmounts. I'm getting some resistance with that planfrom my wife.
My budget is up to about $2500/speaker.
I've been considering Selah Tempesta or Tempesta Extreme, several Salk models, Vapor Cirrus. Philharmonics are out due to the look and size.
Ran across a great deal on the TAD inspired Pioneer EX series. I can get the S-2EX for about $5k/pr including the stands, MSRP is $8500. They won't sell me a single S-2EX for the center, but they do have the S-7EX which I can get for about $3k including the stand. It would be about 21-22" high on the stand. I know it's better to have 3 of the sam, but given the concentric tweeter/mid on these speakers, the vertical dispersion should be excellent and I wonder if it would sound just as good, if not better since the CC has 2 woofers while the S2s have one. I think it will also look less imposing that way.

Opinions?
saeyedoc

Showing 1 response by kr4

kr4's avatar
kr4
3,649 posts
 
The EX center channels employ the same coaxial HF/MF units just as do their L/R partners and, as a result, are really good matches. OTOH, simply having any center in the center and farther from the side walls changes the timbre of its reflected sound compared with that of the L/R speakers. So a perfect match is impossible, except under extraordinary acoustical conditions, even for identical L/C/R.

Kal
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