what modern Center Channel with RTA 15tl's

jones

I have a set of RTA 15 tl's that I bought new back in the early 90's they are in excellent condition and sound wonderful as always. I just recently purchased a 58 inch flat screen. I want to continue using my rta 15's as stereo left and right but need a slim center channel that will match the set as well as the vintage RTA 15 tl's.

I know on one of the threads someone suggested a cs 350 but I can't find those. I can find the cs400 but those speakers are too big. I have my tv setting on a 60 inch wooden tv stand and there is only about 6 inches max below the screen and the stand that I can set a speaker. A 42 to 50 inch slender center channel like the size of the new soundbar's would be ideal.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

ken brydson

First off, welcome to CP. Check your wallet at the door :biggrin:

A 350 is the best match IMO. 400's are good too. You really need your front 3 to be as close as possible in timbre. I'd suggest wall mounting the TV and getting the correct center. I did mine last week and am very pleased with the results. I posted a thread about the process...

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109516

jones

Thanks for the advice and the link for the wall mount. The center channel has got to be wife friendly. So I guess I will have to find one that looks in good condition and not odd sitting under a 58 inch screen. I think one good thing is she can set pictures of the grandchildren underneath it.

I still like the looks of the surround bar 50. I may just use the RTA for stereo music playing and use the surround bar for movies. I wonder if I can just hook up the subwoofer output from the AV receiver to the RTA 15 tl's and use them as subwoofers? That and the surroundbar50 might be an awesome setup.
What do you think?

ken brydson

jones wrote: »

Thanks for the advice and the link for the wall mount. The center channel has got to be wife friendly. So I guess I will have to find one that looks in good condition and not odd sitting under a 58 inch screen. I think one good thing is she can set pictures of the grandchildren underneath it.

I still like the looks of the surround bar 50. I may just use the RTA for stereo music playing and use the surround bar for movies. I wonder if I can just hook up the subwoofer output from the AV receiver to the RTA 15 tl's and use them as subwoofers? That and the surroundbar50 might be an awesome setup.
What do you think?

I haven't tried any of the SB's myself so I can't comment on that. I'm sure others will chime in though. Good luck!

newrival

I second the welcome and the suggestion!

I ran the CS350 in my HT with my SDA's. it was a great center, just a terrible match. I then switched to a pair of 400i's which were much better and then i finally tracked down a cs1000. it was about as good as its gonna get for a horizontal center matching my SRS's.

I really loved all the centers, but I would bet that the 400 is going to be a better bet for your rta's. I dont know a whole lot about them but i believe they have the sl2000 tweeters my srs's have. as well as similar 6.5" drivers. the timbre match isnt perfect but its pretty darn close. far more so than the cs350.

Have you considered finding another RTA 15tl and just laying it on its side?
may sound crazy, but given the layout it could be ideal. However I'd have to defer to someone more knowledgeble than I on the subject of a D'Abollito array being used horizontally.

jones

The rta 15 tl's have the sl3000 tweeters. I don't know what is in the cs350's. I recently looked at some pics of the cs350 and they look like they are much bigger than the cs400 They might make a better match to the RTA 15's. I wouldn't want to think about shipping speakers of this size. I think your right about just using one RTA speaker as a center channel but these speakers are huge and hard to find. I'm not sure how nice it would look either.

ken brydson

jones wrote: »

The rta 15 tl's have the sl3000 tweeters. I don't know what is in the cs350's. I recently looked at some pics of the cs350 and they look like they are much bigger than the cs400 They might make a better match to the RTA 15's. I wouldn't want to think about shipping speakers of this size. I think your right about just using one RTA speaker as a center channel but these speakers are huge and hard to find. I'm not sure how nice it would look either.

The CS350LS has a tri-lam tweeter. As for the size, I think the 350 is longer than the 400 but the 400 is taller IIRC. The 350 has 4- 4 1/2" drivers vs 2- 6 1/2" in the 400. You can get an idea of the size of the 350 in the link I posted. I think it looks pretty good under a 50" :biggrin:

artinaz

I use 15tls for fronts and had the same problem. I ended up using a 8tl as the center. The 11tl has the sl3000 and the 8tls- sl2500. However the replacement for both is the RDO-198- perfect timbre match!

ken brydson

artinaz wrote: »

I use 15tls for fronts and had the same problem. I ended up using a 8tl as the center. The 11tl has the sl3000 and the 8tls- sl2500. However the replacement for both is the RDO-198- perfect timbre match!

That was gonna be my next suggestion

jones

Ok, If I get this right if I can find a 8 tls i can set it on it's side, but I would need to replace the tweeters in it as well as the tweeters in my 15tls speakers to the RDO-198?

The cs400 speaker looks like it can be found easier than the others. I wonder how the timbre will match?

artinaz

Yep the 8tls a good option. the only problem is you will use only one, so the other has to be stored away unused.

newrival

yeah the cs350 is much wider, but the 400 uses 6.5" drivers. the 350 uses 4" if i remember correctly

newrival

artinaz wrote: »

Yep the 8tls a good option. the only problem is you will use only one, so the other has to be stored away unused.

you could always use the second speaker as a surround center in a 6.1 configuration

newrival

I just looked at some pictures and specs of the 8tl's. I think I would recommend using them both for the center channel in parallel, as long as your amp can handle the 4ohm load. I would lay them so the tops were touching in the middle, and then you can have your tv just above them. i think itd be a good look, even if a tad manacing

jones

There is a set of 8tl's on ebay but they are local pickup only. Laying them down side by side maybe longer than my tv stand. It would look intimidating.
I think I'm going to have to scale down a bit, I'm getting a little carried away. I got alot of good info now I think I'm just going to have to keep my eyes open.
I am also open to any other ideas. I think I should go to Best Buy to hear a demo of the surroundbar50 but I maybe taking a step backwards if I go that route.

newrival

Jones,

if youre interested I have a near mint CS400 I think I'm going to part with. Thought I'd offer it to you before I put it up publicly.

tbonepat11

I am in the exact same boat as you. My 15TLs have the RDO-198 tweeter. Would the CS-350 or CS-400 still be the best match or would a more modern center that better matches the RDO-198 tweeter?

jones

I want to thank everyone on this wonderful forum. Well, it seems I cannot purchase anything else until after the holidays, but I really appreciate the offer newrival.

It seems my wife has put her foot down, since I just bought the 58 inch flat screen, I need to give it a rest before I try to do a surround system. My daughter is buying me a Blu Ray for x-mas, I don't think I'm going to stand not watching it without surround sound. So, I'm going to stay in touch and keep researching in the meantime.

Who knows I may just buy a whole new system.

hangon

jones wrote: »

I have a set of RTA 15 tl's that I bought new back in the early 90's they are in excellent condition and sound wonderful as always. I just recently purchased a 58 inch flat screen. I want to continue using my rta 15's as stereo left and right but need a slim center channel that will match the set as well as the vintage RTA 15 tl's.

I know on one of the threads someone suggested a cs 350 but I can't find those. I can find the cs400 but those speakers are too big. I have my tv setting on a 60 inch wooden tv stand and there is only about 6 inches max below the screen and the stand that I can set a speaker. A 42 to 50 inch slender center channel like the size of the new soundbar's would be ideal.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Take a look at my RTA 15tl Center:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100007&highlight=rta+15tl

BassFishing

I have the 11tl and I'm planning on getting the cs400 for the center. I spent a lot of time googling this, and even talked to a Polk rep on the phone. Cs400 or cs350 should be a fine match. Even the cs245 would work, as voice matching speakers is mainly about the tweeters. I'm not if you're near NYC, but I would be interested inthose 15tl's if you ever want to part with them.

Thx!

Ricardo

I'm using the 15TL's with RDO's and a CSi5. Sounds way better than when I had the RTi8's as fronts. I dear someone to say there's a "timbre mismatch" after hearing them.

lazrdds7

1 have a cs350ls i am not using right now and would be wiiling to part with it.

Rivrrat

jones wrote: »

I want to thank everyone on this wonderful forum. Well, it seems I cannot purchase anything else until after the holidays, but I really appreciate the offer newrival.

It seems my wife has put her foot down, since I just bought the 58 inch flat screen, I need to give it a rest before I try to do a surround system. My daughter is buying me a Blu Ray for x-mas, I don't think I'm going to stand not watching it without surround sound. So, I'm going to stay in touch and keep researching in the meantime.

Who knows I may just buy a whole new system.

Dang.....I told my wife the only way I'd let her get a 50" wall mount plasma is If I could spend an equal amount on a surround system. That was in 2006 when a 50" plasma was a "bit" more expensive.

Fwiw, I just set up a cs350ls with my M10b's and I like it a lot.

BassFishing

Rivrrat wrote: »

Dang.....I told my wife the only way I'd let her get a 50" wall mount plasma is If I could spend an equal amount on a surround system. That was in 2006 when a 50" plasma was a "bit" more expensive.

Fwiw, I just set up a cs350ls with my M10b's and I like it a lot.

Sorry to piggyback this thread, but I always wondered if the cs350 and cs350ls are the same? Stupid question I'm sure.

jones

This is really bad, I want a center channel!! O h but wait I want my marriage. I think I'll start looking for one after the holidays. I should have negotiated the surround system with her when i bought the tv. You guys are all crazy. I love that center channel you made hangon.

hangon

jones wrote: »

This is really bad, I want a center channel!! O h but wait I want my marriage. I think I'll start looking for one after the holidays. I should have negotiated the surround system with her when i bought the tv. You guys are all crazy. I love that center channel you made hangon.

Thank you,

I was in the same boat as you, at one time I was running the CS350LS.
Too small and boxy sounding, the sound was a little bright and not as clear as my 2.3tl's, sound stage was narrow. Center channel bass is awesome.

I wanted a center to match my 2.3tl's, so the only solution was to build one of my own.

Look here on Polk and place in WANTED for just one RTA15tl or RTA8 then build one to sit your TV on.

Or on a smaller scale Monitor 10b's drivers are a close match.

I had a custom stereo shop build the box out of Super MDF and did the rest.

The sound stage is seamless from left to right, just like the large modern theaters you go to.

jones

hangon wrote: »

Thank you,

I was in the same boat as you, at one time I was running the CS350LS.
Too small and boxy sounding, the sound was a little bright and not as clear as my 2.3tl's, sound stage was narrow. Center channel bass is awesome.

I wanted a center to match my 2.3tl's, so the only solution was to build one of my own.

Look here on Polk and place in WANTED for just one RTA15tl or RTA8 then build one to sit your TV on.

Or on a smaller scale Monitor 10b's drivers are a close match.

I had a custom stereo shop build the box out of Super MDF and did the rest.

The sound stage is seamless from left to right, just like the large modern theaters you go to.

Thanks alot!!
That sounds like an excellent idea.