Best Center-Channel Speakers in 2022

Last update: November 16, 2022

Can I just use a center channel speaker alone?

Can I use a bookshelf speaker as center channel?

Yes, you can use a bookshelf speaker as a center channel, but it may not provide the best sound quality. A center channel is responsible for reproducing dialog and other midrange frequencies, so a bookshelf speaker that excels in those areas would be a better choice.

Can I use any speaker for center channel?

There's no simple answer to this question since it can vary depending on the specific speaker and your particular setup. However, in general, you'll want to make sure that the center channel speaker you choose is able to reproduce dialog well and has good imaging properties. Additionally, it's often a good idea to match the center channel speaker to the main left and right speakers for a cohesive sound.

Can I use TV as center channel?

If you have a surround sound setup, you may be wondering if you can use your TV as a center channel. The answer is yes, you can use your TV as a center channel, but there are a few things to keep in mind. First, your TV may not be able to output the same level of sound as a dedicated center channel speaker. This means that you may not get the same level of clarity and detail in the dialogue. Second, if you have an older TV, the speakers may not be properly aligned to create a proper soundstage. This can


Klipsch RC-62 II Center Speaker Black - Each Review:


This center matches up well with the RF-62 ii's in a synergistic fashion, together it all sounds great, especially considering it's a two way system. Sure, you'ld figure that a two way system ( woofers and a horn that covers midrange and high frequencies would get a little directional at times, but these are smooth, the tractrix horn is a well developed lens stemming back to a design they've been using for years.I had the BIC PL-89 II's and a PL-28 II center, they were pretty good, but occasionally they would get a little harsh, mostly directionality, the driver is good enough quality, they just don't have the design of the tractrix lens, which can really make or break a horn.Along with the RF-62's they make a smooth and capable combination for movies and music. Really, it's movies and that make a center channel worth it. Personally, I still think that if your front channels are good, you have all you need for music, but movies tend to mix to a center channel, ro keep the imaging, a good center becomes a necessity for both movies and videos.Between the really nice horn tweeter and the cerametallic woofers (with small back ports and the ports on the side of the RC-62) bass is well articulated but not overly powerful as it is in some of the Heritage stuff( Cornwall, La Scala (smooth) and Klipschorn (serious power, needs a serious sound room) (serious power, needs a serious sound room). Bass just sounds good and is well articulated. The whole RF/RC-62 system was well thought out and sounds it, it has power and clarity, two really good attributes.



Klipsch R-52C Powerful detailed Center Channel Home Speaker - Black Review:


For the price, it's sturdy and has wonderful sound. Unfortunately, I didn't attach this speaker to the AVRX3400H by itself to hear how it would sound, however it sounds fantastic when compared to my old Sony center speaker in terms of highs and mids. It's difficult to tell where the other speakers pick up the slack in the lows because I have my front L/R full band Klipsch as well as of course 2 subs and tears and sides, but I can say this was a wonderful purchase for the price and I have been very delighted for a few weeks now.



Polk Audio CS10 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Black) Review:


I added the Polk CS10 center channel to a family room of our new house that already had 4 ceiling mounted speakers but no center channel or sub-woofer. Based on Amazon reviews, I chose the CS10 model. I have this connected to a Sony DN1060 amplifer, and the Polk PSW10 sub-woofer. Our family room is about 30' by 40', so pretty good size, and it is open to a very large kitchen and dining area too.Center channel speakers really do the lion's share of the work in any home theater setup, and this Polk CS10 is up to the challenge. The wooden shell is robust and heavy, providing what I believe will be years of service unencumbered by vibration noises found in cheaper speaker systems. I chose the black color for my application, and I'm happy to leave the fabric cover in place.I had to add an adapter in my application as an in-between do go from RCA to the two separate wires that this speaker uses, and that's really a non-issue. It's easy to build these adapters yourself, and they can be found online too.This speaker does an awesome job in my home theater setup. It delivers a very rich sound—not at all tinny or cheap sounding, but also not booming base either (the job of the subwoofer) (the job of the subwoofer). We listen to movies a little louder than regular TV programs, and it fills the room nicely.I have a Bose 5.1 system in another room, and of course it does a fine job, however I would not say that it is not miles ahead of the system that this CS10 is accompanying.



Pioneer SP-C22 Andrew Jones Designed Center Channel Speaker Review:


I fell in love with the Pioneer BS-21 speakers after hearing them for the first time from Andrew Jones. An affordable "British sound" speaker with a lovely, laid-back midrange focus. I adored them to the point where I based my 7.1 surround system on them. I never bought the matching center channel because I already have a Boston Acoustics center with a comparable voice that worked great.In the present, I decided to create a simple surround system for my new house. Simply a good-sounding 5.2.1 Atmos system driven by a mid-range Denon, nothing out of the ordinary. I saw this as my chance to truly commit to the sound of the BS-21 speakers that I so much adored. In my present setup, the front speakers are SP-FS52 towers, the surrounds are a pair of BS-21s, the SP-T22A Atmos modules, and this center channel. As I already had a Dayton Audio Sub-1200, which is a better fit for the room this setup is in, I decided against purchasing the Jones-designed subwoofer.This speaker's voice is identical to what I enjoyed about the original BS-21s, but it is presented as a well-balanced center speaker. The dialogue has a wonderful broad range and is clear. This is true of the entire Andrew Jones series, even though this center channel lacks the desired "sparkle" in the high end. Once more, the midrange dominates the sound. Some have called it "veiled," which is an accurate description. Either you adore it or you don't. I find it enjoyable because of the wonderful tonal harmony. In particular, as I become older and lose a lot of the higher frequency sound produced by other speaker manufacturers.This speaker delivers a lot of power for the price it costs. For the record, this isn't "audiophile" level material. It's not a negative thing, though.With the sound that this speaker produces, you can get a good idea of what high-end audio systems in your home are capable of. It demonstrates to the typical user that speakers are capable of more than just'making things louder'. They can contribute tone, color, and voice. One of the best audio engineers working today created hi-fi for the average person.This is a fantastic option if you're searching for a home entertainment system that looks good and sounds excellent. If you're an audiophile who believes that you can achieve greater results for a higher price, you're correct. You may. But keep in mind that perhaps this speaker isn't for you in this particular instance. Instead, it serves as a starting point to introduce more people to the movement and teach them to value high-quality audio solutions.



Polk Audio 255C-RT 2-way In-Wall Center Channel Speaker - The Vanishing Series | Easily Fits into the Wall | High-performance Audio | With Power Port and Paintable Wafer-Thin Sheer Grille Review:


I bought a house with a normal-size living (okay...small). it's The house was pre-wired for surround-sound and a co-worker of mine who used to perform as a musician for a living recommended these speakers. He stated that you cannot beat the sound and quality for the size and price. He was absolutely correct. These are perfect for my living room that is approximately 12x15. I have this center speaker and two Polk Audio RC65i 2-way and two Polk Audio RC80i 2-way in ceiling speakers. By the way, I am so glad that I had someone put them in the ceiling. I had several people tell me that it is okay to mount them on the wall. I didn't want crap hanging from my ceiling. I have higher ceilings, but they certainly aren't 20-foot ceilings. I whole-heartedly recommend the speakers - and putting them in the ceiling if you are able to.



Polk Audio T30 100 Watt Home Theater Center Channel Speaker (Single) - Premium Sound at a Great Value | Dolby and DTS Surround Review:


For the price, these are excellent speakers. They sound super-clear with accurate full-range reproduction and even a bit of bass. I got them at a sale price which made them somewhat of a no-brainer, although I considered Yamaha and Sony 3-way bookshelf speakers and the Polk tsi100 which is almost functionally the same except it has an active crossover, which these lack. However for my purposes, that didn't matter — I am using them as surrounds in a 5.1 system, all Polk, with a Sony receiver. You could pay more for surrounds, but why? Sound quality is excellent, and they handle transitions between complext passages to more isolated ones faithfully. They also do well with both acoustic and electronic musical elements. If I had to describe the soundstage, it's present, with clear separation between frequencies. They are maybe a little on the crisp side but not shrill, in terms of tonality, though that will also depend on what music you play through them. I havent done extensive testing yet, nor put them throught heir paces with a home theater audio source, but their performance with music raises no expectation that they wouldn't handle typical movie audio as well. They are only rated to 50w continuous/100w peak, so that is something to consider if you are thinking of using them as mains. I would say they are perfect as surrounds in a 5.1 system, which places lower power demands on rear speakers so the wattage rating doesn't matter. But I could see going with 4 of these in a home theater set-up, or 4 plus a subwoofer, for a small room. The freq. response only goes down to 60khz, so you are not going to get deep bass from these. But you will hear some bass, which sounds surprisingly clean on sound selections where low-end is isolated and "ripples" through all channels. I personally chose the Monitor 60s as my mains because I listen to a lot of music. But honestly, those might be overkill in some regards because it doesn't take a lot of volume to fill the room they are in, which is maybe 10x10 or 12x12. Anyway, the M60s sound great paired with the T15s and PSW10 and could easily work as a main system in a larger, living room space. I would also have no reservations about swapping the T15s with my Yamaha surrounds on the main system, except they are just a bit larger and bulkier. They do have a keyhole opening on the back if you want to wall-mount or secure them. The cabinet itself is very well-made and these look impressive without grilles. Overall, very pleased with my purchase, so far they have performed flawlessly and are exactly what I expected. if you want bigger bass from a bookshelf speaker, your options become at least2x-3x more expensive, but will also be limited by physical space. For example, the Yamaha 3-way advertised as a bookshelf speaker packs a largeish woofer into a midsize cabinet, where it can potentially overpower the treble and mids. maybe that's an option for mains if you dont have room or budget for a subwoofer and/or floor-standing speakers, but also probably overkill for surrounds in a 5.1 setup. The T15s, on the other hand, aren't trying to give you floor-speaker performance in a smaller package, but they do compare favorably with more expensive 2-way bookshelf speakers. At this price point, they are something of an engineering/design marvel, and as long as you have realistic expectations, they will meet or exceed those expectations.



Polk Audio Blackstone TL1 Speaker Center Channel with Time Lens Technology | Compact Size, High Performance, Powerful Bass | Hi-Gloss Blackstone Finish | Create your own Home Entertainment System Review:


Nowadays, TV and movie audio enthusiasts enjoy experimenting with surround sound, and watching 80s and 90s TV and movies with mid- to low-grade centre speakers works just fine. However, sound engineers are now adding more frequency levels that older centre channel speakers can't handle, so you lose frequencies. These frequencies that were missed due to outdated centre speakers can now be heard with this speaker.I discovered that until I switched to non-surround sound settings and fiddled with the equalisers, I simply could not comprehend the words spoken when watching many recent BBC broadcasts.



Polk Audio AM3365-A TL3 Center Channel Speaker (Black) Review:


We purchased this Polk Audio Center Channel Speaker to replace a Mirage Nanocet Center Speaker because we were having trouble hearing dialog on many movies. Our other speakers in our surround sound system are four Mirage Nanosat Small High-Performance Speakers and a Velodyne DEQ-10R 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer. I chose this Polk center speaker based on Amazon customer reviews and because of the size, mainly the height of this speaker. It fits under our TV without blocking the screen and has a very nice look to it. I have to mention here that the room we're using this in is an acoustical nightmare. It's like a double room with the family room on one end and the kitchen on the other, covering about 42 x 24 feet. Porcelain tile floors with only a couple area carpets and blinds on the windows rather than drapes, windows along one side and a couple open doorways on the other - well, you get the picture. I know I can't expect perfection, I just wanted "better". I tried turning up the volume on the Mirage center speaker only but that didn't really sound natural. I hesitated with using a different brand speaker for the center, knowing that the speakers have to work together, but now I'm glad I did.We used an Audyssey MultEQ to automatically equalize and recalibrate the system, along with the other speakers. As soon as we started watching a movie there was a noticeable difference between this and the old Mirage center speaker when listening to dialog. We didn't have to turn the sound up as high in order to hear. When listening to sounds that moved from one side of the screen to the other, this set-up was seamless. Perhaps using the Audyssey MutlEQ to equalize it took care of that. For listening to music, I don't hear much of a difference between this and the Mirage, both sound good, but for dialog this Polk seems to have a better mid and high range, more accuracy and detail so that I can hear the dialog without straining to hear it over music or other sounds going on at the same time in the movie.I'm sure we could get even better sound with bigger, more expensive speakers but I didn't want them to visually dominate the room and we can't really afford to put a lot more money into a system that will never be perfect with these acoustics. This set up, with the Polk Audio center speaker sounds very good and has enhanced the home theater experience for us.



Polk Audio CS1 Series II Center Channel Speaker | Unique Design | Stand Alone or a Complement to Monitor 40, 60, and 70 Speakers | Detachable Grille | Black Review:


According to my experience, Polk produces a fantastic, low-cost speaker line that is based on the Monitor series from the 1970s. Really nice speaker is the CS-1 Series 2. Actually, my two front Monitor 40s and the CS-1 Series 2 speaker share the same speakers. Only the speaker configuration and types differ; they are in a different box. The Polk center speaker's highs, mids, and lows sound identical to my 5.1 front speakers (Polk Monitor 40s). The Polk center speaker took the place of the Jamo c400cen center speaker, and I believe the Polk center speaker improved the system's overall performance. I connected the Jamo center speaker in series with the Polk center speaker because the highs produced by the Polk speaker seem a little muted (I did this only because I had the extra center speaker). As a result, I backed down the dbs to match the volume of the fronts because it makes the center channel sound "bigger, crisper." The Jamo center had to be replaced because the Polk system I created simply did not sound good with the sound that the Jamo center produced on its own.Although not by much, the Polk CS-1 Series 2 speaker is slightly larger than the Jamo center. The Polk center may not weigh as much as the Jamo. The Polk center speaker leans toward the midrange spectrum, whereas the Jamo delivers a higher, brighter pallet of sound. They make an amazing sound when combined.The Polk CS-1 Series 2 speaker, however, can easily compete with any good speaker system in the 100–150 watt range without the need to connect additional speakers. I heartily endorse it!



Polk Audio CSI A4 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Black) Review:


This was a significantly cheap open box Amazon Warehouse item that I purchased a year ago. The item was delivered in brand-new condition. I've never been happier. In our secondary TV room, I was utilizing a Yamaha HTiB with an older 5.1 Sony AVR. The satellites in the system worked well in the modestly sized room, but my aged ears couldn't hear well on the central channel. The csi A4 immediately resolved the issue. The 8" YST sub handles the low end wonderfully (excellent sub for the money, incidentally), and this center carries the rest of the weight even better, so having it coupled to the little Yamaha speakers for a year has worked well. Nevertheless, I opted to sell the Yamaha components and pair this center with the appropriate set of timbre-matched Polk Audio speakers after spotting a stunning 12" cherry Polk Audio sub in warehouse bargains. According to what I've read, only the RTI A series speakers can be assured to have timbres that match these and the larger CSI A6. I thus placed two RTI A3s for the mains and two RTI A1s for the rears. Since the sub should be able to handle anything they have over the A3s, I didn't feel like spending the extra money for the floor-standing RTIs. When I mismatched this center a year ago, I should have just done this. This vintage 5.1 system sounds amazing. Without including the 75" TV, I have roughly $800 in it and about $6000 worth of equipment operating our main entertainment area. My aging hearing find it difficult to distinguish between them, and the high-end arrangement is not worth the additional $5,000.


Can you use a soundbar as a center speaker?

Yes, you can use a soundbar as a center speaker. Soundbars are designed to improve the sound quality of your TV, and they often include a center channel speaker. This can make dialogue and other audio clearer and easier to hear.

Do all soundbars have a center channel?

Soundbars are a great way to improve your TV's audio quality, but they don't all have a center channel. While many soundbars have left and right channels, a center channel helps to create a more immersive sound experience. If you're looking for a soundbar with a center channel, be sure to check the product specifications before you buy.

Do I need a center channel speaker Reddit?

If you're looking to improve your home theater setup, you may be wondering if you need a center channel speaker. The answer may vary depending on who you ask, but ultimately it depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you have a smaller room or you're not too concerned about dialogue, you may be able to get away without a center channel speaker. However, if you have a larger room or you really want to improve your movie-watching experience, a center channel speaker can make a big difference. There are a few things to consider when deciding if you need

How big should your center channel be?

Your center channel should be big enough to comfortably fit your TV. If you have a smaller TV, you may be able to get away with a smaller center channel. However, if you have a larger TV, you will need a larger center channel. The size of your center channel will also depend on the size of your room. If you have a large room, you will need a larger center channel.

How do I connect my center receiver to my stereo channel?

If you want to connect your center receiver to your stereo channel, you will need to use an audio cable. Simply connect the audio cable from the center receiver to the stereo channel. You may need to use an adapter if the audio cable does not fit.

Is a bigger center speaker better?

A bigger center speaker is not always better. It depends on the size of the room, the number of speakers, and the type of music you are playing. If you have a small room and only two speakers, a bigger center speaker might not be the best option.