centre or rears, most important?

[admin_exported]

Hi,
I have a pair of q acoustics 1020 fronts, and that's it. for my next purchase i'm either going to go for the 1000c centre or the 1010s as rears.... but which is most important? i probably watch more movies than listen to music. I use my 60gb PS3 as my source running through QED optical to a Pioneer VSX817.

Also, and this is less important but if someone knows that would be nice, my 1020s are the 1020s, not the 1020i's should i get the 1000c to match or will buying the 1000ci be a better move as its newer?

Many thanks!

 

[jetjohnson]

I guess that the most important additions are both! ..you will need the centre and the rears now to listen to 5.1 movie soundtracks ...in my humble opinion the centre loudspeaker is more crucial quality wise than the rears since you really do need that accuracy to hear dialogue properly above the din of many (blockbuster) movies!

Other's will be able to offer advice on your Q acoustics.

 

[Anonymous]

Center channel is THE most important speaker in the entire 5.1 set-up although the rears will be most noticeable at first.

 

[Anonymous]

If its 1or the other the centre should definitely be next very important for watching movies

 

[Anonymous]

Hi antony, I just did a search on the Pioneer VSX817 and found your post. Weirdly, I have a very similar set up- Samsung TV, 60gb PS3 and I just ordered a PAIR of q acoustic speakers (cant afford the others yet!).

I'm stuck on the amp however as I cant decide between the Onkyo 505, Denon 1508 or your Pioneer 817. Are you happy with it? It looks like a good receiver. What is the sound like I stereo by the way? Do you have to alter the amp settings for 2 speakers or does the receiver handle it automatically?

Sorry to hijack the thread and I will be going over to the reciever section to ask the same question!

 

[John Duncan]

Rears are the thing that will add something to your experience - a centre will only improve the experience you're already getting.

 

[JoelSim]

The centre speaker positions the sound from the TV. It is by far the logical next step. Rears will improve the sound very much afterwards but without a centre your ears won't know what's going on.

 

[professorhat]

I'm with JohnDuncan on this one. If you've got stereo sound, once you upgrade to surround, the main thing you'll notice is the rears as you've never had them before - whereas you've always had dialogue. If you don't have a centre speaker, the front and left channels will produce this sound, so you're not missing anything, it just won't sound quite as it should like a dedicated centre channel will give you.

So I would say get rears first. It will make the most dramatic difference to the sound you are experiencing and encourage you to upgrade to the full 5.1 system so you really can experience movies at their best (as the centre channels and the sub really do add so so much more).

 

[Anonymous]

Beyond doubt its the rears! My first memorable experience of surround was hearing bullets flying past my earholes and strange noises that made me look behind me towards the front door thinking someone was trying to break in!!
As for the dialogue, its not like your going to not hear whats been said is it?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

I'm going by what the great Mr Everard told me. Match your centre with your fronts and deal with the rear speakers as and when as they are not as important. I have RS6s as my front two now and await collection of the RCLCR as the centre and I will be keeping my Jamo sats as rears for a while (well I am getting itchy and will probably bag some R90s on Saturday). I think listening to a film in 4.1 is doing it half heartedly. Having a 3.1 you are at least getting the main sound correct.