Flatscreen between speakers

A projection screen or no screen if music is the top priority.

+1 projection screen, you beat me to it :)

That said, 2-channel and HT should not share a system, or a room if possible. I do realize folks living in NYC apartments will have to share space, but when that's the case it’s definitely best to segregate speakers and electronics.

@elliottbnewcombjr  "I am surprised that you do not have a true center channel, when content is originally created, center dialog/content does not exist in FL and FR so Phantom Center cannot create what doesn’t exist. There is no need for Bass in the center."

Depends on your processor. Lyngdorf has the option of sending all center channel info to front L&R. Pretty sure other processors also have this capability.

shooter41

correct, if you have no center speaker, you have to send center to FL & FR, thus the AVR needs to make it’s own psuedo-surround with phantom center,

I am simply encouraging people to try even a SMALL center, it doesn’t take much, as a matter of fact it is important to avoid too much center, 

Often my TV starts in some pseudo-surround, I don’t know who, when, where, but if I change to ’DIRECT", it may change to 2 channel and actually sound better. The Industry thinks we want ALL our speakers working all the time, like the weird stretch that makes basketball players look like football players, playing with a weird oval ball.

@elliottbnewcombjr I actually have a very nice center, I just choose not to use it. I also think you are not quite grasping what the processor does. You say center info does not appear in front L&R, which is true, but that's not where the phantom center comes from. The processor recognizes when there is center channel info available so if no physical center is present it sends that info to front L&R. It's not trying to "create what doesn't exist", it's simply re-routing that center channel signal. I can see there being some differences in how well various processors do this, however.

Also, your room is a big factor in the necessity of a physical center speaker. If you have seating that's frequently used that's off to the sides of the screen or if you have a really large room then I agree that you should probably use a physical speaker, but in my room and I'm sure in many others, you really can't sit off axis. My room is not small at 15' x 22' but with the speakers properly pulled out from the wall and the seating at the proper distance from the speakers you are close enough to them that the phantom center works quite well.