Center Channel in Audio Upgrade?

lawdog · Feb 20, 2018

If keeping factory head unit/DSP (I have 2018 B&O Play), but upgrading the front speakers, what would you do with the center channel? Upgrade/replace it, remove it/disconnect, or leave it alone?

If replaced, what with? My installer is saying that the B&O DSP is crossed over at the source, so the impedance at the center is for a 4ohm speaker, not 8 like a lot of setups. I'm sure there's just a crappy paper cone 3-3.5" in there now (anyone who's actually pulled it please confirm), so I can't imagine a full-range signal is going to it. It's more for fill on the DSP and maybe nav/phone. Would putting a 2way 3-3.5-4" with a tweeter in there really upset the DSP/soundstage?

I want to put JBLs back in the front...either Stadium 960C 6x9 components, Club 9600C components, or GTO 939s 6x9s with Stadium 750T tweeters. If I switched the center to a 2way, I can't match the Stadium tweeters, but I can with the Club line. I could also do it with some Infinity Reference models.

Or, could I upgrade the center speaker with something like this:

https://www.parts-express.com/faitalpro-4fe32-4-neodymium-professional-full-range-woofer-4-ohm--294-1120

It would be a better quality speaker, match the impedance, and has higher sensitivity.

But, the JBLs are 3ohm speakers, meaning they should play louder than the stock speakers off the stock headunit. If this is true, they might overpower the center anyway.

For this reason, my installer is recommending the JBL GTO 20M...it will match the lower impedance of the other JBLs, but it's purely a component midrange speaker. Oh, and it's $150 for the pair, with a fancy crossover I won't need, meaning I'm paying $150 for one single midrange speaker...not appealing to me.

So, what would/did you do about the center channel? Sorry if TL, DR.

smurfslayer · Feb 20, 2018

Buying a little extra in the speakers now, saves you from more work when you get bored with winning and pitch the stock amp altogether.

Do it now, and when you go a little overboard with your amp purchase, you’ll be ok.

Guy · Feb 20, 2018

When I went to the 3.5 inch pioneer with the tweeter....

It made ALOT of high range tweets, cymbals Etc. it is a pretty full range signal I think. At least on the Sony.

I didn’t run into distortion so there must be some kind of low pass filter.

The stock Sony center was 8 ohm.

lawdog said:
If keeping factory head unit/DSP (I have 2018 B&O Play), but upgrading the front speakers, what would you do with the center channel? Upgrade/replace it, remove it/disconnect, or leave it alone?

If replaced, what with? My installer is saying that the B&O DSP is crossed over at the source, so the impedance at the center is for a 4ohm speaker, not 8 like a lot of setups. I'm sure there's just a crappy paper cone 3-3.5" in there now (anyone who's actually pulled it please confirm), so I can't imagine a full-range signal is going to it. It's more for fill on the DSP and maybe nav/phone. Would putting a 2way 3-3.5-4" with a tweeter in there really upset the DSP/soundstage?

I want to put JBLs back in the front...either Stadium 960C 6x9 components, Club 9600C components, or GTO 939s 6x9s with Stadium 750T tweeters. If I switched the center to a 2way, I can't match the Stadium tweeters, but I can with the Club line. I could also do it with some Infinity Reference models.

Or, could I upgrade the center speaker with something like this:

https://www.parts-express.com/faitalpro-4fe32-4-neodymium-professional-full-range-woofer-4-ohm--294-1120

It would be a better quality speaker, match the impedance, and has higher sensitivity.

But, the JBLs are 3ohm speakers, meaning they should play louder than the stock speakers off the stock headunit. If this is true, they might overpower the center anyway.

For this reason, my installer is recommending the JBL GTO 20M...it will match the lower impedance of the other JBLs, but it's purely a component midrange speaker. Oh, and it's $150 for the pair, with a fancy crossover I won't need, meaning I'm paying $150 for one single midrange speaker...not appealing to me.

So, what would/did you do about the center channel? Sorry if TL, DR.

smurfslayer · Feb 20, 2018

Guy said:
When I went to the 3.5 inch pioneer with the tweeter....

It made ALOT of high range tweets, symbols. Etc. it is a pretty full range signal I think. At least on the Sony.

I didn’t run into distortion so there must be some kind of low pass filter.

The stock Sony center was 8 ohm.

Not to pick nits, but I’m pretty sure you meant cymbals and not symbols.
symbols are like emojis, cymbals are what percussionists hit to make sound.

In the deepest reaches of cyberspace, you can’t hear emojis scream.

lawdog · Feb 21, 2018

smurfslayer said:
Buying a little extra in the speakers now, saves you from more work when you get bored with winning and pitch the stock amp altogether.

Do it now, and when you go a little overboard with your amp purchase, you’ll be ok.

Thanks...I wouldn't mind the expense as much if I knew that it was the right choice...paying $150 for a single midrange only driver is hard to swallow. I have an email going with Ford now about this...let's see what they'll tell me.

---------- Post added at 09:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:41 AM ----------

Guy said:
When I went to the 3.5 inch pioneer with the tweeter....

It made ALOT of high range tweets, symbols. Etc. it is a pretty full range signal I think. At least on the Sony.

I didn’t run into distortion so there must be some kind of low pass filter.

The stock Sony center was 8 ohm.

Thanks for the response. As I said above, I have an email going with Ford about the issues that seem to be specific to the B&O Play system/DSP, so we'll see what I get back.

Guy · Feb 21, 2018

Yes.

And now I want to stab myself in the eye.

smurfslayer said:
Not to pick nits, but I’m pretty sure you meant cymbals and not symbols.
symbols are like emojis, cymbals are what percussionists hit to make sound.

In the deepest reaches of cyberspace, you can’t hear emojis scream.

The Car Stereo Company · Feb 22, 2018

you dont need the center speaker. its a waste. your nav voice and other commands will play through the front door peakers. any good sounding system will not have a center channel speaker. plus you would need a seperate amp to power it. auto manufacturers put center channel speakers in to mimic sound staging. its the wrong way to do it and on a good setup will make your system sound worse. no need to spend any money on a center speaker. use that money for a real processor instead

lawdog · Feb 22, 2018

The Car Stereo Company said:
you dont need the center speaker. its a waste. your nav voice and other commands will play through the front door peakers. any good sounding system will not have a center channel speaker. plus you would need a seperate amp to power it. auto manufacturers put center channel speakers in to mimic sound staging. its the wrong way to do it and on a good setup will make your system sound worse. no need to spend any money on a center speaker. use that money for a real processor instead

Thank you. I agree on the center channel when doing a full system.

If you were doing what I'm attempting (just the front speaker upgrade), would you leave it alone, disconnect it, or upgrade it with a better midrange driver/2-way 3.5"? Thanks again.

The Car Stereo Company · Feb 22, 2018

lawdog said:
Thank you. I agree on the center channel when doing a full system.

If you were doing what I'm attempting (just the front speaker upgrade), would you leave it alone, disconnect it, or upgrade it with a better midrange driver/2-way 3.5"? Thanks again.

disconnect it.

Guy · Feb 23, 2018

Ok here comes some dumb questions.

Hang with me....

Why disconnect it? I ask this for my scenario. No processor. Just upgraded speakers and a speaker level amp with a kicker 8 in my stock enclosure. Without it, won’t the sound stage be somewhere to the passenger side and at my feet? In this case is a center better than nothing?

Also, why was the stock Sony center 8 ohm? I know there is a reason I just don’t know the wiring well enough to know what it is. Is it wired off of another channel? So by going to 4 ohm am I pulling away from something else? The tweeters I upgraded seem awfully quiet?

Thanks for helping us. I know my “upgrades” are paltry compared to what you can do, but I kept it simple and invested in other areas.

Thanks man,

The Car Stereo Company said:
disconnect it.

Center Channel in Audio Upgrade?

lawdog

Full Access Member

smurfslayer

Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting sasquatch77

Guy

FRF Supporting Member

smurfslayer

Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting sasquatch77

lawdog

Full Access Member

Guy

FRF Supporting Member

The Car Stereo Company

aka grumpy car stereo guy

lawdog

Full Access Member

The Car Stereo Company

aka grumpy car stereo guy

Guy

FRF Supporting Member

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