center channel... Hor vs Vert???

[Schu]

is there or are there any issues with running your center channel vertically oriented instead of horizontally oriented?

I am thinking about putting my 64 vertically because of space reasons... but there is room for it in a traditional Hor orientation.

[Beechnut]

Hmmm. I don't think that the RC-64ii's horn has a polarity. If not, you wouldn't note any difference in the sound from it. But the spatial difference of how the 6" drivers sit would likely be a noticeable different experience. Not sure how the timbre of a sound moving left to right would be affected.

Doesn't cost you anything, give it a shot.

[mustang guy]

It seems like it would be difficult to center the speaker in a verticle configuration. Were you planning on putting it beneath, above, or behind the screen?

[Youthman]

Two problems I see with it.

1) Since the horn is "90° x 60° square Tractrix® Horn", it has more dispersion in the horizontal position as opposed to the vertical position. If your seats are more than 60 degrees apart, dialogue will suffer from the outter seats.

2) Typically you want to try and keep the tweeter at ear level. If you did that with the 64 in the vertical position, the top two drivers would be sending sound above your head.

If you want a vertical speaker, it would be better to purchase a floorstanding speaker that is designed to be in the vertical position.

[Scrappydue]

If you want a vertical speaker, it would be better to purchase a floorstanding speaker that is designed to be in the vertical position.

i was going to do this before i bought my rf-63/64 combo. i had rf-82's before and moved a tower to the center to see how the front soudnstage sounded being all matching and at perfect matched heights....AMAZING!!! wish i could find a single rf-63 in cherry and i would do that in a heartbeat!

[Youthman]

Looks like a single Cherry RF-63 is going to be difficult to come by.

[Schu]

I think this makes sense... thanks for pointing that out.

Two problems I see with it.

1) Since the horn is "90° x 60° square Tractrix® Horn", it has more dispersion in the horizontal position as opposed to the vertical position. If your seats are more than 60 degrees apart, dialogue will suffer from the outter seats.

2) Typically you want to try and keep the tweeter at ear level. If you did that with the 64 in the vertical position, the top two drivers would be sending sound above your head.

If you want a vertical speaker, it would be better to purchase a floorstanding speaker that is designed to be in the vertical position.

[Chris A]

There is one more point that is not really discussed above: polar lobing. The RC-64's crossover regions, nominally centered at 1100 and 1400 Hz, are subject to "picket-fence" lobing in the axis of the woofers/tweeter, i.e., the horizontal direction with the speaker oriented normally. Separation of the tweeter and midrange/woofer drivers horizontally or vertically will produce this effect to some degree, even if the crossover networks are nominally matched in phase in the crossover regions. Placing the center speaker vertically actually would likely make the horizontal polars more uniform than laying down flat. Note that center speakers for HTs are designed flat with drivers mounted side-by-side for reasons of customer demand for space above or below the speaker installed, NOT for reasons of constant coverage.

I'd also guess that the RC-64 tweeter in vertical orientation can cover the listening positions well, and that side-wall reflections are usually damped with absorber panels or curtains, etc. to increase center channel stereo imaging performance. Ceiling and floor bounce are probably not issues with a center channel speaker such as this one so if the tweeter has greater dispersion in one axis or the other, it probably won't make a lot of listening difference in-room.

The only thing that you might give up is a little LF performance due to half the woofers being placed vertically farther from the floor or ceiling. Center channel speaker LF performance usually isn't spectacular anyway: you are probably crossing over to a sub to get smooth LF performance, and will probably not notice the slight loss of LF.

I'd try it vertically and move around the room while listening to female vocals: you may like it more if you can keep the tweeter more-or-less at ear height..

Chris