# Anyone done a center-channel horn?



## tRidiot (Jun 29, 2006)

For imaging purposes... It would have to be differently-shaped, as it would have to disperse evenly to both sides.

Any experience with this?


----------



## bassfromspace (Jun 28, 2016)

tRidiot said:


> For imaging purposes... It would have to be differently-shaped, as it would have to disperse evenly to both sides.
> 
> Any experience with this?


I think MattyJman rocked a 6inch pro audio coax.


----------



## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

To work correctly as a true center channel, the horn would have to be fairly large and require alot of customization both with the vehicle and the horn itself to integrate into a vehicle.
It would need to play down to at least to 300hz and up to at least 5-6khz.

Trying to do a very small horn which can only play 1khz and up wont do much to help w/ center image focus or stability


----------



## SSSnake (Mar 8, 2007)

> Trying to do a very small horn which can only play 1khz and up wont do much to help w/ center image focus or stability


Why not? I would think that matching directivity at the xover point would be a good thing (this assumes a two way). Geddes' horns transition in the 1khz range I believe...


----------



## TREETOP (Feb 11, 2009)

One of the strengths of horns is the ability to get a strong center image without a dedicated center speaker. Personally I think the amount of work and tuning involved would be in vain, that you'd end up going back to just left and right side horns anyway.


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

If you had the room, you could turn say a minihorn on it's side (narrow end and motor going towards the glass) and use it that way in the center. You would still need a midbass though.

I had thought about that in my car.


----------



## tRidiot (Jun 29, 2006)

TREETOP said:


> *One of the strengths of horns is the ability to get a strong center image without a dedicated center speaker. *Personally I think the amount of work and tuning involved would be in vain, that you'd end up going back to just left and right side horns anyway.


Unless you've got a big-ass center console like me. 

I guess your horns imaged nicely with a solid center, Corey? I'm just kinda thinking out loud... looks like I'm going to be rebuilding my center console, anyways, so the thought crossed my mind, plus my processor will easily accommodate a center channel.


----------



## TREETOP (Feb 11, 2009)

My center console is the same size. 
I had a solid center and good height, and _plenty_ of volume. 
Interesting idea though, and I'm not shooting it down. It might turn out to sound great.


----------



## tRidiot (Jun 29, 2006)

TREETOP said:


> My center console is the same size.
> I had a solid center and good height, and _plenty_ of volume.
> Interesting idea though, and I'm not shooting it down. It might turn out to sound great.


That's what I was wondering, since we had the same setup... I have read alot about poor center image when there's a monster console like the one in our trucks.

I still wanna rebuild it though... that baby is CRYING for an 8" or a 10" subwoofer up front!


----------



## fredswain (Jan 19, 2011)

In my opinion if you want to use a center channel then it should be the exact same size and type of speaker as the mains. This has always been my gripe with home theater systems but space and aesthetics pretty much dictate a difference. If you wanted to use a horn as a center channel then I'd use the exact same horns for the left and right fronts as well. In other words a straight horn in all 3 places rather than cross firing designs as the outers and a straight horn as a center. Keep it all the same. I wouldn't stand a mini horn up on end as now you are limiting it's dispersion pattern to the opposite axis of the mains. If you can't keep them all the same, I wouldn't use one.


----------



## Patrick Bateman (Sep 11, 2006)

tRidiot said:


> For imaging purposes... It would have to be differently-shaped, as it would have to disperse evenly to both sides.
> 
> Any experience with this?


Check out my forum, the Opsodis paper in particular.

Here's my thoughts on center channel horns:


The more I screw around with soundstaging, the more I'm convinced that you can get width that exceeds the dimensions of the car by reducing early reflections. In other words, bringing your tweeters closer to the center of the car makes the stage wider, not narrower.
Oddly enough, *adding* reflections seems to do the same thing. For instance, using a driver that has very wide radiation, then putting it in a location where a ton of early reflections will be generated. For instance, using a small tweeter near the windshield, but pulled forward a few inches so that there are significant reflections off the glass behind it. My hunch is that so many reflections are generated that it swamps the brain's ability to localize. You basically end up with a big diffuse sound stage, which can be quite pleasant. (IE, it's not pinpoint imaging, but it's a big stage, which is a novel thing in the car.)
All of these "tricks" are complicated by the transition at 1khz from ITD to ILDs.


----------



## Watson43 (Mar 10, 2011)

bassfromspace said:


> I think MattyJman rocked a 6inch pro audio coax.


They are real hard to understand what are the actual letters written here. But whatsoever look do they present they are just fun to be written. And for sure they are not easy too to be given such shape too.


----------



## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

Watson43 said:


> They are real hard to understand what are the actual letters written here. But whatsoever look do they present they are just fun to be written. And for sure they are not easy too to be given such shape too.



Mattyjman (username) used a 6" pro audio coaxial type speaker for a center channel.

Better?


----------

