RC-64 or RF-7 as center speaker?

[Dartvidar]

Hi, I have RF-7 MK2 as front speakers on my surround system and a RC-64 as center speaker.

Im now building a dedicated cinema room with AT screen where the speakers will be hidden behind.

Has anyone compered the RC-64 MK2 with RF-7 MK2 as center speaker? I just wonder what option I should go for.

What distance is recomended from the back of the RF-7 to the wall? 

When you have speakers with port in the back, what type of acustical damping should I use on the wall.

 

Thanks

Edited April 14, 2016 by Dartvidar

[Youthman]

I have compared RC7 with a custom DIY RF7 center channel and it was a significant improvement. Having three identical speakers on front wall is ideal.

[derrickdj1]

Most people will recommend three identical speakers across the front.  This works best behind an acoustic screen.  The RC 64 is also an excellent center works well for many people.

[Dartvidar]

I have also heard that three identical speakers in front is recomended, but I have never heard the RF-7 as a center.

 

What about distance to the front wall what is recomended for RF-7 that have 2 back firing ports?

[Youthman]

I have never heard the RF-7 as a center.

Do you like the way the RF-7ii sound?  Then it will sound equally as great as a center.  Bigger horn, bigger drivers, bigger sound!

[Youthman]

In my living room, I have mine about 8" from the wall.  You just have to play with it to see what sounds best in your room.

[Rich_Guy]

Hidden behind an acoustic screen 3 large identical speakers can definitely work best.

 

Smaller or horizontal specially designed center channel speakers are better for TV displays where placement becomes more of an issue, since you cannot place the speaker directly behind the TV display as you can when using a screen and a tall large speaker for the center channel would often be difficult to use with most TV display setups and would usually also require the TV display to be too high for what is mostly preferred as eye level when using a TV display.

 

The rear port can work well with about a minimum of 8 inches, 1-2 feet and even more is preferred if possible but most often the distance must be less than the preferred optimal due to room restrictions.

[Scrappydue]

If you have th room there is ZERO reason for debate. LCR is king. Horizontal centers are nothing but a compromise to fit under a tv. Not very many want a tv above a tower. AT screen with matching speakers gives you seamless soundstage and panning. Rf-7ii will be a much better sound than a 64ii. Try it out now? Just scoot the rf-7ii over in the center spot and turn any EQ off then level match it with your left or right speaker. You'll see very quickly. I did this along time ago with my rf-82's I had. Downhill from that moment lol. Now I run LCR and will never go back to horizontal center unless it's that or no center.

[Paducah Home Theater]

7ii, no contest.  

[Paducah Home Theater]

As for the distance, I can't really tell much difference in close vs. a little further away for home theater.  If it was a 2 channel full range system playing music with no sub, maybe.  Getting it too close to the back wall may produce boomy exaggerated bass, that's about it.  Getting it right up on the wall will choke it but that's not usually the issue.  

[derrickdj1]

All speakers are effected by boundaries.  The ideal way for the three front speaker is flushed mounted in a wall or false wall.  This will eliminate rear reflection and improve imaging.  For most people this is not an option except in a fresh built HT.  It comes down to putting the speaker far enough a way from the wall to minimize reflection to where it affect the higher frequencies or close enough to wall where the bass still sounds good.  The higher frequencies can easily be taken care by EQ.  Lower frequencies are not so easy with EQ.

 

Distance to wall effect the sound stage depth.  Distance to side wall effect imaging.  Small change in distance to the rear and side wall can make huge difference on the audio presentation or get a sub.

Edited April 14, 2016 by derrickdj1

[Dartvidar]

All speakers are effected by boundaries.  The ideal way for the three front speaker is flushed mounted in a wall or false wall.  This will eliminate rear reflection and improve imaging.  For most people this is not an option except in a fresh built HT.  It comes down to putting the speaker far enough a way from the wall to minimize reflection to where it affect the higher frequencies or close enough to wall where the bass still sounds good.  The higher frequencies can easily be taken care by EQ.  Lower frequencies are not so easy with EQ.

 

Distance to wall effect the sound stage depth.  Distance to side wall effect imaging.  Small change in distance to the rear and side wall can make huge difference on the audio presentation or get a sub.

I will build a dedicated home cinema room, so I can install the speakers flushed in the wall, but I dont think that is possible with the RF-7 as they have the ports in the back?

I will have 2 or 3 subs in my system pluss Crawson tacticals in the sofa so the bas will not be the problem. My biggest problem is the distance to the wall behind the screen.

[Dartvidar]

7ii, no contest.  

I think that will be the choice. 

[Dartvidar]

Has anyone tried or heard the RF-7 build into a baffel wall behind the screen? Is that possible, and will it sounds good?

How does RF-7 sounds if you close the ports in the back?

[Paducah Home Theater]

Has anyone tried or heard the RF-7 build into a baffel wall behind the screen? Is that possible, and will it sounds good?

How does RF-7 sounds if you close the ports in the back?

 

I built a thin sealed custom center out of RF-7ii parts and it sounded great.  Surrounded it with acoustic panels like on a baffle wall.  It was stupid ugly but sounded awesome compared to a standard center channel.  A full sized factory built cabinet would sound even better.  Only problem was some resonances and slightly bloated midbass around 200 hz but that was mainly because I didn't build the box thick enough and the box was a little too small and had no stuffing.  Everything else was real nice.  Based on experimenting with that, you could probably just plug those ports with foam and you'd be fine.  Won't have the deep 30-40 hz bass that you'd get otherwise is the only problem, you'd need to cross it over like a normal center channel.  Audessey can compensate enough to make it sound good.  

Edited April 15, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[derrickdj1]

Has anyone tried or heard the RF-7 build into a baffel wall behind the screen? Is that possible, and will it sounds good?

How does RF-7 sounds if you close the ports in the back?

 

 

You would need a big enough space behind the baffle wall for it to work.  Running the speakers as small with multiple subs will certainly help.  When using subs in the rear, this helps picking the right XO: 1130 speed of sound / distance in ft to furthest sub/s.  Example, furthest sub is 20 ft., 1130/20 = 56, so the XO should be 60 Hz or less.  This will help with localization.  You just have to make sure the center can do 60 Hz well.

Edited April 15, 2016 by derrickdj1