MHO, if these are the conditions: 1. a small room 2. especially if in nearfield listening (less than 7 ft), 3. careful and optimal speaker placement Then, a center channel is not a MUST. That of course, also providing that you have a superb/excellent processor and preamp. I can say that from experience of owning planars (ML and Maggies) which are different from direct-radiating speakers. So, the answer to your question ("Is there a real difference at the listening ?"), I'd say,"Not really!" MHO, hope it helps
Center needed in small rooms ?
In a small room and in the case the listener is placed at the center of the room, is a center speaker really essential ? I've Martin Logan SL3 as front speaker. So the center would be The Cinema wich is hard to place as it is a quite big one. Is there a real difference at the listening ?