Best matching center for the Cornwalls III's?

[Digic25]

First off I know that many of you will suggest the Heresey for the center, but space is an issue so the Heresey is out. Out of the following models which would be the best to go with.

Vienna Acoustics Theatro:

System Type : 2 way system
Bass System : Bass reflex
Frequency Response : 44 - 20.000 Hz
Mid-Woofer : 2 x 5,5” transparent XPP cone

Tweeter : VA Silk Dome
Sensitivity : 91 dB
Impedance : 6 Ohms
Recommended Power : 30 - 200 Watts

Dynaudio Focus 200c:

Sensitivity: (2.83 V/1 m) 87 dB
IEC Long Term Power Handling: 250 W
Impedance (nominal): 4 Ohms

Sonus Faber Piccolo:

System: High speed two-way center channel.
Tweeter: 20 mm silk dome ferrofluid magnetically shielded.
Mid-woofer: 140 mm multicoating paper cone magnetically shielded.
Crossover: First order attenuated.
Sensitivity: 86 dB/1W/1mt.
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal.
Connection: Bi-wiring.
Power handling: 30 W - 150 W without clipping.
Frequency response: 50 - 20.000 Hz ±3 dB.

Usher X-616:

2-way system	tweeter 1.25" (9950C-15), mid-bass 7"x2 (8836AC2)
Sensitivity	90 dB @ 1 watt / 1m
Nominal impedance	4 ohms
Frequency response (-3 dB)	38Hz ~ 28 kHz
Power handling	100 watts
Crossover frequencies	2.95 kHz

[Budman]

if a heresy 3 won't fit i wouldn't use a center channel at all. i have 4 cornwall 3's with a heresy 3 for center with a flat panel on the wall and it works great. can you lay a heresy on its side to fit ?

[Digic25]

It needs to sit in front of my tv on the stand. So the Heresey would be to large either way. The Piccolo comes close the the frequency response of the Heresey, but not the sensitivity. Out of the four which would be the closest to the Heresey?

[bhendrix]

Hi Digic25,

Welcome to the Forum,

None of the specs posted on any speaker will tell you about the timbre, or the quality of a musical note, or sound, or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production. It is very important to have the closest timbre match possible across the front three speakers.

Imho, none of the speakers you have listed will have timbre anywhere close to the Cornwall III.

If I were to select a candidate list according to my preference for closest timbre match, I would probably list them as follows:

1. Cornwall III - exact timbre match

2. Heresy III - same squawker and tweeter, second closest timbre match

3. KLF C-7

4. Academy

If space will not permit the first two, then perhaps the KLF C-7 or the Academy, built as center channel speakers, will fit in the space available.

Good luck on your quest for sonic nirvana . . . . .

[Digic25]

Thanks for the reply. I checked the measurements on those last two you mentioned and they will still be to high.

[Digic25]

I need a speaker to be at 6.5" or less in height. It really limits me but I can't rearrange my room for one speaker.

[colterphoto1]

sadly, its sometimes a tradeoff- what do you want the best sound or decor?

B Hendrix gave the list exactly as I would have.

Answer- new furniture must be in the works.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Come on now....do you want great sound, if you get the right furniture???

Or want to compromise?

Look at what Bill said..

Remember that 70% of the front info dialog is in the center channel? The less it is compared to the rest the worse off it will sound.

Otherwise, stick a "you know what cube in there" and be done with it! (I would not suggest doing this..) Were trying to help you.

[wuzzzer]

Out of the four which would be the closest to the Heresey?

None of them. As others have said, don't compromise on the center speaker. Just because two speakers have similar characterics on paper tells you nothing about how they actually sound together.

Klipsch did make a center speaker called an Academy that many have used with speakers such as Cornwalls with pretty good success. It is a very large speaker so it probably wouldn't fit your space requirements.

Please don't purchase any of the other speakers you listed - you'll be seriously bottlenecking your unbelievably awesome Cornwall IIIs!

[Digic25]

How would the RC-64 sound with the Cornwall's? I know that they are
larger than what I was looking at, but I decided to buy a cabinet for
the speaker and sit the TV on top (I can't buy new furniture because I just bought my stand less then two months ago). I can't find the Academy or the KLF C-7 and the Heresey will be to large no matter what I do.

[wuzzzer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Klipsch-KLF-C7-Center-Channel-Speaker-Academy-Oak-EX_W0QQitemZ180304992693QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSpeakers_Subwoofers?hash=item180304992693&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

KLF-C7 on eBay.

[bhendrix]

Hi Digic25,

I believe you have made a wise decision to employ a new/different cabinet. The RC-64, while a very good speaker with other Reference speakers, will not provide the proper timbre match that you seek.

Wuzzzer posted the ebay link for a KLF C-7 above. In addition, Michael Colter (colterphoto1 on the Forum), has an Academy for sale that would also match well with your Cornwalls. The Academy was first designed to match, among others, the Cornwall II.

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/108992.aspx?PageIndex=1

You should talk to Michael about his Academy. I have seen it and it is in excellent (near minty) condition. Michael is a great guy and, as you will discover by other threads on the forum, has provided other folks with great deals on great speakers.

[Digic25]

Thanks guys... The links have been helpful...

[psg]

What kind of TV is it that there is no room above or below?

Projection?