Center channel help


Hello,

I am quiet happy with my 2CH set up but with my HT I feel my center channel (VA Oratorio) sounds a bit harsh at near reference level.

I have calibrated my system with pre/pro (Rotel RSP1068) internal test tones at MV=75. Based on what I read in another thread AVR test tones are with dialnorm of -31 dbfs which should mean that a DTS sound track played at MV=75 should be at ref level.

Now I watched LOTR-ROTK-EE last night and I found that with my MV setting between 66-68 its ok. Above that it begins to sound a bit harsh from the center channel.

I have the floor covered with carpet and I have already set the dip switch on the back of VA to "warm" rather than "neutral" as to me this sounds better and blends better with my mains.

Now my questions are:

1) Is my performance expectation too much. Am I listening too loud anyway and its not a speaker real speaker limitation?

2) Is it because my amp (Aragon 8008BB) can't provide enough current to the center channel?

3) Is it my pre/pro either running out of juice or its sonically not good enough? For people who dont know 1068 I would like to highlight that one of its faults is that you need to set the speakers level almost at max to get decent output (too less volts IOW).

4) Is it due to the fact that my mains are going through a tube pre and amp thats making them sound more smooth/less fatiguing to be bearable at extremely loud volumes? If this is the case I was thinking about putting behringer 2496 eq with tube setting in the middle?

5) Is it due to the paper drivers on the VA? I read in another thread that normally these have higher distortion than other materials.

Any help or ideas are welcome.

Thank you
rayden1972

Showing 2 responses by rayden1972

I am using a pull down screen. Its bottom almost touches the back of the center speaker in pulled down position.

The L/R are Peak Consult Empress driven by a Ref110.
Thank you everyone for your help so far.

Shadorne: Maybe another RSP1068 can affirm but AFAIK setting the channels to or near max is a common issue. Someone told me once that this pre/pro gain was low and this issue was a result.

Steuspeed: I understand and agree with your point of view but what is the remedy for this issue other than a phantom center? I guess this should be a fairly common scenario with 2CH on tubes and the rest of speakers on SS for HT. I guess compromise is necessary in my situation (different speaker as CC and also pre and amp) but how do I minimise?

Chadnliz: Thanks very much for the tip. I have had the pro for about 2 years but never knew that you could set the trims per channel. I guess I should have read the manual more carefully :-)

Regards