Anyway to add a center channel?

[dlantz]

I have logitech Z560 speakers (4.1) I've been wanting to add a center channel but don't want to buy a whole new set of speakers. (Seems like a waste of money just to add 1 speaker.) Is there any way I can add just a center speaker, or will I need to buy the full set if I want 5.1?

 

[astrallite]

As long as you can find some way to amplify the channel, as your center channel lineout isn't being used, I don't see anything preventing you from adding a center channel.

 

[Crashman]

Yeh, you can add a center channel. Split the Center/Sub output and send the "Center" to an amplified speaker.

 

[dlantz]

How do I split the output, and where can I find an amp'd speaker? Been looking for speakers and can't find anything that'll work.

 

[Crashman]

Radio Shack sells a stereo headphone to left and right mono headphone splitter block, I have one here, one channel has a black plug and the other has a silver plug.

For the amplified speaker, you could just use a cheap computer speaker with the other side removed or tucked out of the way.

You don't really even need the splitter, the stereo plug carries center plus sub, you can connect a set of PC speakers and disable the one that's rattling.

 

[astrallite]

I'm pretty sure the Z-560s only use the front and rear lineouts, leaving the center/sub one unused. If this is true, you wouldn't need to do any splitting at all.

 

[MasterLee]

As long as there is an output for the Center Channel on your sound card all you have to do is buy a cheap pair of speakers and only use the one with the volume control on it for center.

 

[Crashman]

Yes, you can use stereo speakers and disable one side (the side that gets the sub channel) so that the speaker doesn't rumble. I hadn't thought about doing that in software, but it's actually possible to mute the sub channel in software.

Of course muting the sub channel doesn't sound "right" to someone with 4.1 speakers because they might not be thinking "hey, my sub doesn't use a separate channel".