This is about how I feel about my system most times. When the center is great, it’s awesome sounding. But I find I’m almost always fussing with it between different discs.One of my 5.1 set~ups includes a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 802 Nautilus Speakers in the front with a B&W 'recommended' center channel and speaker stand [angled upward] and the rears include two smaller bookshelf B&W speakers. I'm using a Parasound P7 ALL ANALOGUE pre amp which has NO audyssey room correction, etc. and a Krell 5.1 AMP to drive the system.
While watching blu ray movies and/or satellite, the system sounds 'relatively' balanced and the center acquits itself admirably doing what it is supposed to do.
While playing SACDs, DVD~A, etc. I'm a little more critical of my 'imbalanced' center channel and when I decided to play the AP three channel SACDs of Nat King Cole I did notice that the center wrecked the 'illusion' for me. When I disengaged the center.....the B&W 802s simply did their job and produced a 'perfect' phantom center and sounded way more balanced ... and might I add AUDIOPHILE.
And Ask yourselves: when playing a QUAD SACD do you really miss the [physical] center channel?
Much HAS been written about how the center channel was 'added' as a 'dialogue' channel for cavernous movie theaters and how SOUND ENGINEERS when remixing a MUSIC album into 5.1 simply weren't used to the need for a center since a perfectly balanced 4 channel system, FRONT and REAR can actually produce TWO PHANTOM CENTERS [Front and Rear].
As every system is different and one's preferences vary as well, I would think it wise to try the NO CENTER approach UNLESS your fronts are PERFECTLY MATCHED [even down to speaker cables and amplification]. Even though my B&W center channel was recommended by B&W as the perfect accompaniment to the full range B&W 802 Nautilus speakers [f/r / f/l] I can relate to you from first hand experience it is great for movies/TV but NOT for 'serious' music listening.
As a system for movies and TV, it works great. For music? It often sounds as if the center channel is someone “forced” into the mix, for lack of a better term.
OTHO, as Frogmart put it, I like having the control. Most of us agree that the Chicago albums are among the best of the 70s quad mixes, but many of us have commented (myself included) that the lead vocals are too quiet on some of them. Having a center channel to boost would be nice!