Some good points here. I know I'm obsessed with center speakers but I love them also so much. And physically the horizontals DSP5000HC/DSP5200HC are almost identical in performance. They are both box shaped, DSP5200HC has rectangular bass reflex ports in the back while DSP5000HC has circular smaller ports in the front if I remember correctly.

Now what is the problem with this you say? Well There is only one BIG thing I have problem with the DSP5000HC/DSP5200HC and that is the cabinet volume is not matched to the L and R speakers. That means it has to work harder to achieve the same SPL volume and extension. Working harder means less sound quality than their vertical counterparts who can work more effortlessly.

DSP5500HC/DSP7200HC are physically matched with equal speakervolume size with their vertical counterparts L/R.

I would say the DSP7000-DSP7200HC-DSP7000 front to be vastly superiour to the DSP7000/DSP5200HC-DSP7000 front that is imbalanced. You will hear the difference as in superior clarity and effortlessness and extension.

DSP8000SE, DSP7200SEHC, DSP5200SE sides, DSP7200SE rears, 861v8, 210, Sim2 Ultranero 4, Stewart Cinecurve 2.35:1, XEIT CM-5E Anamorphic lens, Dune HD Duo Cinema 8K and Wireworld Platinum 48G HDMI -> UHD722 -> Shunyata Omega Ethernet. Shunyata/Furutech power-cables/filters. SR Master Fuse@861v8. Uptone Etherregen with 10MHz OCXO clock.