Home theater center channel decision to make.

Well--I'm going to offer a completely different opinion here. If the priority is 2 channel listening and it's typically used as an HT for 1 or 2 people, use a phantom center, where the center channel is divided amoungst the mains.

Here are the advantages:
1. Less expensive
2. No speaker in the middle that corrupts your 2 channel performance
3. No issues with timber matching mains to center and getting the tweeter height of the center the same as the mains. With a good 2 channel (mains) set up this can sometimes be a more seamless soundstage than when using a center speaker.

Here are the disadvantages
1. Your mains have to work harder--they have to do the work of the center speaker. For movies this is often 70% of the sound, but your mains are porbably much higher quality than you would have for a center--so this works in a way. It is possible you won't be able to achieve the volume that you want if your mains have to work too hard--but this is room and speaker dependent.
2. If you seat many people and they get off axis, the dialog will not appear to be coming from the center without a center speaker.

I own Martin Logan mains. I have the Martin Logan Logos center channel. Given my current configuration--the logos is in the box, not being used, and I don't miss it a bit. I am close to not having enough power on the front soundstage and could use a center just to achieve higher levels, but I don't listen at THX volumes (I need my ears long term).

Thank you all for the quick response. I now better understand the importance of a quality center channel. With this knowledge I now started a new thread asking "in what order should I begin purchasing the HT equipment".

Did you end up gettting the oratorio or stay with the Maestro?

I have a pair of the VA Mahlers for the front and waltzs for the surrounds and a Maestro for the center. I have been wanting to get a Oratorio center, but not quite certain if it is worth it.

I am using Mcintosh MC-207 amp and MX-119 pre along with a Denon 3910.

I actually had the Maestro and upgraded to the Oratorio, but have since sold te Maestro and went with the phantom center. Fronts are the Aerial 10-T's. The Oratotio did offer a significant level of improvement over the Maestro, the first movie we watched with it my wife commented on the difference and she normally does not notice when I make changes to the HT setup. With your current setup go ahead and put the processor into center phantom mode, sit where you normally do to watch the movie and compare the dialouge and overall ambiance with the center channel activated and then with the phantom. If you definately prefer the center playing then you will probably want to spring for the Oratorio. If you find that you like the phantom mode just as much as when the center is activated, there would be no reaseon to upgrade. Your speakers have more than enough ability to handle complex symphony arrangements and place the various instruments in a compelling soundstage. They will have no trouble creating the same environment for most HT soundtracks, all of corse

Mattkimb96...Your suggestion for a listening test is certainly appropriate, but I think it needs to be a bit more extensive, using a range of program material. Depending on how the program was mixed the role of the center channel varies significantly.