Anyone going Phantom Center Channel?

On the other hand...there is a school of thought that 2-channel material is improved by using a derived center channel. I belong to that school, and have belonged since before multichannel was invented.

But I refer to music. Where video is involved the difficulty of placing the center speaker is a significant consideration. Especially if the center speaker is to be the same make and model as the main speakers (which it ought to be).

Lance_s...Laying a Maggie on its side is a no-no! When I ordered my three Maggies, and the dealer explained that I would be using one for a center channel the manufacturer threw a fit until it was clearly stated that it would be in the upright position.

Lance_s...With the Maggie (or any line array speaker) on its side, the dispersion is all wrong.

Another point..Although I am a strong advocate of having a center speaker identical to the mains, this reflects my music listening. For movies there is some advantage in a center speaker with limited and/or shaped frequency response which makes speech more inteligible. Such a speaker is easier to place, and does not have to be regarded as a compromise (for movies).