Critique my speakers before I buy + I need help on finding a center channel

[Predator6sic6]

I chose these parts based on help you guys gave me from my earlier thread here:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1282620

Basically this setup is for a small 11x11 room and I'm going to be connecting my xbox 360, PC and eventually PS3 to them. They will be used for probably 50% games 25% music, 25% movies.

Receiver - Onkyo TX-SR505
http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp=38513098&source=EWBBASE&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=38513098

Sub - Dayton SUB-100
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-633

Rear - Athena WS-15
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ATWS15&variation=BLK

Front - Insignia NS-B2111
I already bought these and I'm very happy with them they sound great for the price.

Center - ??
I'm not sure what center to pair with the Insignias, I cant simply use another Insignia on it's side because it would be too tall to fit under my monitor + it doesn't have parallel walls.
Here are a few different ones I've been looking at:
Polk Audio CSR
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Center-channel-speaker/dp/B000OOQUTM/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1205300139&sr=1-13
Aperion Audio Intimus 422-C
http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/Intimus-422-C-Center-Channel-Speaker,8,0,9.aspx
It needs to be low and wide like those ones.

Thanks in advance

 

[Predator6sic6]

Oh I forgot to ask would it be safe to place my receiver on top of the sub?

 

[SJetski71]

3 different brands of speaker is probably too much of a sonic mix and match. You may "hear" the difference between them, especially when using a different brand center channel, and this can be annoying for some. Ideally you would try to match the three front speakers, the rears aren't as important. I know it puts you in a bind since you already own the insignias. Don't get me wrong, it may work out ok, just wanted to give you a friendly heads up.

Your receiver may rattle a bit resting on top of your sub, i don't imagine that being a good thing in the long run.

 

[bboynitrous]

3 different brands of speaker is probably too much of a sonic mix and match. You may "hear" the difference between them, especially when using a different brand center channel, and this can be annoying for some. Ideally you would try to match the three front speakers, the rears aren't as important. I know it puts you in a bind since you already own the insignias. Don't get me wrong, it may work out ok, just wanted to give you a friendly heads up.

Your receiver may rattle a bit resting on top of your sub, i don't imagine that being a good thing in the long run.

Completely agree unless you've heard them all together. I have a 2.1 Athena set and like the way it sounds. I wouldn't change it for the price I paid.

 

[Predator6sic6]

Maybe I should just use a "phantom" center channel. If I were to do that and use those rear speakers would I be ok?

Your receiver may rattle a bit resting on top of your sub, i don't imagine that being a good thing in the long run.

If I isolated the vibration from the sub would it be alright? I;m mainly concerned about the magnet in the sub causing problems.

 

[SJetski71]

A phantom center sounds like a good idea. There's been plenty of debate about the topic but from what i remember, running a phantom center may reduce the "sweetspot". That may not be much of a problem as long as you're sitting in that spot . You could always try out a center channel later on, just buy it from a retail store, this way you could easily return it if it doesn't sound right.

Not sure how well the Dayton sub-100 is shielded. You could always A/B test it to find out. Isolating your receiver with some vibration absorbing material would be another good idea imho.

 

[Nicolaskl]

The main problem with not having a center occurs when you're sitting off axis (not in the middle of the two speakers). If you're not in the middle, then you're closer to one of the speakers, which means you hear it first, which means the center "image" starts migrating towards that speaker. Stuff the should sound like its coming straight from the center of the television will sound like its coming from the right or left.

If only one person at a time is using your system and they always sit dead center, then using a phantom center is fine (potentially better than having a real center, in fact). But if that isn't the case, then you have a problem. Whether or not it's a big problem is up the viewer, but supposedly even being off axis by 6" makes enough of a difference to be noticeable.