Matching LCR? Is it worth the trouble?

[spyboy]

Seems to me that matching LCR has been the gold standard for as long as I can remember. But, it seems like the majority of HT users go for a horizontal MTM speaker that stylistically fits in better than a vertical speaker.

What do people think about using matching LCR?

TIA

[woofersus]

Well, a horizontal speaker can match a pair of vertical speakers tonally, so that's not generally what people mean when they say "matching LCR." The problem is that a horizontal MTM or WMTW speaker isn't ideal for horizontal off-axis listening because it creates a lobing effect in the soundfield, thus leading to frequency response variations across the front stage. The ideal arrangement is three identical horizontal speakers across the front stage, but most people aren't able to do that since their screen would be blocked or their wife would revolt. Now, some center channel speakers are better than others at handling horizontal off-axis response, so finding a good one can mitigate that problem to a certain extent.

IMO, it's VERY important to match your front LCR tonally, so don't mix and match there unless your L/R speakers are amazing and HT is a secondary concern. Get the same brand and model for all three or choose a center and fronts from the same manufacturer that are designed to go together. If you can position three identical speakers horizontally across the front, even better.