Center channel

Oldfatdogs

I need a center channel for my shop to match Monitor 10s and 7bs. Polk recommends the csia6.There is a csi3 on craigs list by me for a good price.My question is do I save and get the csia6 or can i use the csi3 ?New egg also has a cs2 on sale,do I buy what I can afford now or save?

slk55amg

CSAI 4 on ebay polk direct $ 179.95

Oldfatdogs

I have been looking at polk direct, the csia6 sure looks nice. Is there thst much difference in sound between the 6 and 4?

slk55amg

Center channel wise bigger is better, if you have the room, I did not I,m very happy with my CSIA4

Slyder01

the center is the heart of your speakers, try not to skimp on it and get the best one you can...

Slaine777

I went with the CSi A6. Onecall.com has an open box price that is lower than Polk's eBay store price once taxes are added to the price from Polk. I was very happy with the cosmetic appearance of the open box speaker and it has a full five year warrantee versus the two year warrantee from Polk's eBay store. Onecall has the A6 in cherry and the A4 in black in their open box section. I can't say how these compare to the csi3 or cs2 for sound quality or voice matching other than to say that the RTi A series is Polk's top of the line home theater speakers. Also, measure the space you have to put this, the A6 is amazingly large. SRTer had a review thread of the A series that included pictures. The third picture is a good visual reference for size on the A6.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117648

tonyb

I'm kinda curious as to why a need for a center channel in a shop. Gonna be playing lots of movies in the shop ?

Oldfatdogs

Well for one I didn't listen to the people who tried to help when I first came here I guess im hard headed.:frown: Instead of getting the two channel Harman Kardon and running a and b . I found a 5.1 for a good deal,to run monitor 10s and 7bs.Now I need the center to finish things out.This set up is for music only,but when I work I like to be surrounded by music.For now I have to make do with what I have. P.S. newbies Listen to these Guys they will save you money in the long run. So now I will eat my humble pie!!:redface:

wbogart4

Please please please correct me if I'm wrong. If you are running things in a shop I think its fair to assume that the setup is not for movies. If that's true, just because you have a 5.1 receiver doesn't mean you need to fill all speaker spots. Give things a listen with some music playing. Walk around to all speakers while it is playing and you'll notice that (unless you have things set up to do so) there is no music playing out of your rear speakers. The same holds true if you were to buy a center if you're only playing music you wont hear the music through it.

Granted I'm running a 5.1 Pioneer mainly for home theater but when I play music I ONLY hear music from the front left and right and the sub. If you really are only playing music save yourself the money and don't purchase the center. Save it for when you are setting up a movie system.

Oldfatdogs

You are correct just for music. I have the 10s as mains 7bs surrounds, If I turn up the 7s to much I start to muffle the voices.I thought A center may help, On my Harman kardon I have main volume control, surround volume control and center up and down.Will the center speaker not carry the voices?Maby I should run in two channel stereo and do the a-b thing witch ever set i want to listen to that day.I was just thinking if 4 is good 5 is better.I'm probably being ocd about this.

tonyb

You have to match the volume between the 10's and 7's. Adjustment is in speaker levels in the receiver menu. You can run as many channels as you want in stereo mode, you just have to set up the receiver for it and level match all of them. That said, you could add a center,but I don't see why. If for music only, another 10 in the middle would sound better for 5 channel music, that way the 3 fronts are all matched. Obviously the suggestion depends on the room you have in the shop.

Oldfatdogs

Tony I can always make room ,I'm looking for the best sound I can get would the 10 sound better than the csia6?Finding 1 monitor 10 might take some doing,I'm just having fun playing with my toys It makes work much better.

tonyb

I would pick up a pair of 10's, that way you have one spare or use one for parts just in case. Be cheaper than buying a new center channel too. Here's the problem as I see it. If you buy a center, you have now 3 different speakers to level match for stereo sound. If you run it in 5.1 mode, the center will do the brunt of the vocals. But if you just want 5 speakers all playing the same stereo signal, 3 10's upfront would be ideal in my opinion.
Or you could run 4 10's, sell the 7's,or start another rig with the 7's somewhere else around the house. Just don't see too much use for a center speaker for music unless your doing sacd, and even then,a full range speaker the same as your 2 fronts would sound better.

Oldfatdogs

Thanks for the Input everybody, I think I will find more 10s if the deals right. I'm not in a hurry something will pop-up.As for my 7bs I have grown quite attached to them and don't think I will sell them.They need refreshing but still sound good.I am enjoying this hobby very much and the first thing that gets turned on in the morning is music. Thanks again Dan

Glowrdr

Just a quick question, and I'm probably gonna wish I just kept my mouth shut..lol

I would assume (using H/K?) that you are running in 5 channel stereo right? I came from an H/K receiver and the surround modes all pretty much sucked for realistic music (2 channel source).

I'm guessing you probably already know that - but I didn't want to be the guy that ignored the question. I work in IT, and I've been duped by the end-user that didn't have their monitor or something turned on and my smarty-pants thought I knew exactly what was going on. lol

Oldfatdogs

Just a quick question, and I'm probably gonna wish I just kept my mouth shut..lol

No need to keep your mouth shut,I have thick skin. To answer your question no it doesn't sound great with the surrounds turned up.Thats why I thought a center might help.When I run the 10s or 7s by themselves in stereo not to bad. But when I turn all up together sounds muffled.A new receiver may be down the road, This can be passed on to my son.Im still going through the menu daily to make sure im not missing something.

Glowrdr

I guess to further clarify (maybe a model number could help) - MY old receiver was an AVR745. It had your standard 5.1, in dolby, DTS, and whatever fancy surround modes they felt like throwing in. Those were TRUE 5.1 modes, but with a 2 channel input, it replicated the rears which was the reason for the low volume (it is surround and all..)

But... I also had a button that I could press to make my receiver output 2 channel stereo sound, full volume, via all of the channels. I think this was either by pressing the stereo button multiple times, or it was the Logic7 button. But there definately was a full-featured stereo mode that accomplished exactly what you are trying to do.

Unfortunately I don't think you will achieve the sound you're looking for by simply raising the db levels on a surround channel - because, well, the sound is just not physically there.

This make more sense? You may or may not have this "stereo" feature, but this is what I wanted to double check to see.

Oldfatdogs

Glowrdr I guess to further clarify (maybe a model number could help)

Its a avr25II.I bought used on ebay, no remote. Come to find out most features are only accessed by remote, so I bought a harmony 650 remote now that I have access to I think all settings.Like I said I'm still fooling with buttons,Ill get it. It wont be my first or last 100 mistake I just make do until my funny money builds back up in my pocket.Dont get me wrong it doesn't sound terrible but I know it can sound better. Are we not all here looking for better? I appreciate your help Dan

Glowrdr

After looking up the manual - I'd be more inclined to hook up your speakers using the A and B sections, rather than using the "rears" output for surround. If you've got easy enough access to the back of the receiver, give it a shot. It doesn't appear this receiver has the 5 channel stereo (it does do 3 channel though).

Oldfatdogs

Glowrdr

(it does do 3 channel though

That is one of the features that is on the front of the receiver.I will give that a try if I cant figure it out with the remote.Its funny I got the remote just to turn up my rear speakers and when I downloaded to the remote from H.K. it has 16 pages of settings. Again thanks. Dan