Csia6 is my new center channel !

Polka_sound

I have a rti line up in my basement. Rti12s for L and R csiA6 for center and rti6s for rears. I bought the rti12s this year and looked for a center that was timber matched and asked Polk support. Two people said the rtia series are timber matched so I bought the csia6 from futureshop. It's hard to hear with movies if the center isn't blending well,with your syste but music I noticed in dsp mode the csi a6 sounds like its warmer than the rti12s with high vocal songs. Im finding the 12s to be soo neutral and grand that I love them! But then I add in the center channel with vocals and I hear a warmer sound! For example, listening to Susan Bowles album I'll focus in on the center channel and it Will sound fine but then I. Move to the left and right speaker and I can hear them a little more pulled back like not as high in the notes. So what I'm asking is these speakers are timber matched then right? Like this is how a center channel would mix in a system? The older csi 5 wouldn't be different?

Willow

You are correct the csiA is the newest version of the recently retired csi lineup. Have you calibrated your system since you boight your new centre? For music, you might be better off listening in 2ch mode.

specd_out

If I am not mistaken one of the differences between the csia6 vs csi5 is that the A6 uses different crossovers which tend to be less bright. I believe that is true of the entire rtia line

tommyt21

specd_out wrote: »

If I am not mistaken one of the differences between the csia6 vs csi5 is that the A6 uses different crossovers which tend to be less bright. I believe that is true of the entire rtia line

I think the Cab is just updated. I think the x-over is still the same. A recomendation if I may, put a isolation riser under your center channel. It helped out mine tremendously, also look at upgrading the caps in the CSIA6 from VR3 well worth the work.

Polka_sound

You all bring up very interesting ideas! I haven't calibrated anything. Avr too old for audyssey or mcaac. It's just speaker wire to receiver to speaker

Polka_sound

Willow wrote: »

You are correct the csiA is the newest version of the recently retired csi lineup. Have you calibrated your system since you boight your new centre? For music, you might be better off listening in 2ch mode.

I listen to music in 2 ch mode since I get more watts from the receiver this way. But I turn on the dap to get all 3 speakers at the front working or even the prologic 2 to get the surrounds speakers in to.

Polka_sound

specd_out wrote: »

If I am not mistaken one of the differences between the csia6 vs csi5 is that the A6 uses different crossovers which tend to be less bright. I believe that is true of the entire rtia line

You are correct of the design of the speaker. It has changed. Can we confirm if the crossover has been changed as well? Is that why music sounds different through the csia6 compared to the rti12 ?

Polka_sound

tommyt21 wrote: »

I think the Cab is just updated. I think the x-over is still the same. A recomendation if I may, put a isolation riser under your center channel. It helped out mine tremendously, also look at upgrading the caps in the CSIA6 from VR3 well worth the work.

Tommyt21 I have a pad under the speaker currently it'd about 4 inches off the floor facing upward. If I get a larger riser could this change the sound to the rti12s? I'm not sure what timbre matching sounds like if these two speakers are matched

Polka_sound

tommyt21 wrote: »

I think the Cab is just updated. I think the x-over is still the same. A recomendation if I may, put a isolation riser under your center channel. It helped out mine tremendously, also look at upgrading the caps in the CSIA6 from VR3 well worth the work.

What do you mean upgrade the caps?

Polka_sound

Has anyone modded the crossovers in the rti series to help the speaker sound better or match better?

tommyt21

Me http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?137382-VR3-DIY-Fortress-Mod-quot-Plus-Edition-quot

seabeerob213

very little experience talking here, but what about getting the CSI5 which was and is the center made specifically to match the RTI series larger front speakers, yes the A-6 is the new version, but it was designed to blend with the RTI-A series

tonyb

Polka_sound wrote: »

You all bring up very interesting ideas! I haven't calibrated anything. Avr too old for audyssey or mcaac. It's just speaker wire to receiver to speaker

Thats part of your problem. Every avr should at least have channel levels in their menu. See if you can place them all to 0 then go from there. Raise the center a good foot, maybe more off the floor. What receiver do you have ? Probably underpowering the whole shebang too is my guess. You have to set up a receiver, make adjustments for the inputs, etc. DSP modes might also muffle the sound a tad so I wouldn't use them.

Willow

seabeerob213 wrote: »

very little experience talking here, but what about getting the CSI5 which was and is the center made specifically to match the RTI series larger front speakers, yes the A-6 is the new version, but it was designed to blend with the RTI-A series

The ci5 can be hard to come by. Heck I traveled from Ottawa to Orlando to score mine while I was visiting. The rtiA has not changed enough to make it an issue. It is not as though he is using Lsi with Rti for example. In a perfect world the csi5 would be best but the rtia is also best.

Geoff4rfc

Willow wrote: »

The rtiA has not changed enough to make it an issue. It is not as though he is using Lsi with Rti for example. In a perfect world the csi5 would be best but the rtia is also best.

+1 I've seen Polk advertise the Csi is matched for both the RIi and RTiA series.

seabeerob213

they have them on their ebay store, but i dont think they ship to canada, so unless you have a stateside friend near the border that might not be feasible

slider2828

Definitely suggest VR3 Modding....

Polka_sound

tommyt21 wrote: »

Me http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?137382-VR3-DIY-Fortress-Mod-quot-Plus-Edition-quot

I looked into this. Very interesting. I'm glad it worked out for you!

Polka_sound

tonyb wrote: »

Thats part of your problem. Every avr should at least have channel levels in their menu. See if you can place them all to 0 then go from there. Raise the center a good foot, maybe more off the floor. What receiver do you have ? Probably underpowering the whole shebang too is my guess. You have to set up a receiver, make adjustments for the inputs, etc. DSP modes might also muffle the sound a tad so I wouldn't use them.

Tony's, I understand what you are saying. My receiver channel levels are all set at 0 right now. I tried raising and lower the levels to balance out the problem with the rti12s as you know from my other thread. My receiver isn't very powerful but I don't really crank the music either. Just moderate levels for now.

Polka_sound

seabeerob213 wrote: »

very little experience talking here, but what about getting the CSI5 which was and is the center made specifically to match the RTI series larger front speakers, yes the A-6 is the new version, but it was designed to blend with the RTI-A series

I looked for the csi5. Very hard to come by. The csia6 is widely available and according to two Polk reps they should match the rti12s. It just sounds a tad different than the 12s. Almost slightly warmer. Not that it is a bad sounding center, it is very dynamic and efficient considering how much power is given to it.

Polka_sound

Would it be a good idea to experiment with my rti6s and use one as a center and compare that sound to the csia6. I know it would help out with the horizontal sound dispersion according to an article from audioholics.

Polka_sound

slider2828 wrote: »

Definitely suggest VR3 Modding....

Vr3 modding is interesting but I read somewhere here on the forums that it would not be a good idea to change the crossover bc of the research and analysis that Polk did to choose those specific parts. How does the modded know those parts are the exact parts mr Polk and his guys choose for the speaker? And that it doesn't alter the sound? Just really xurious

PSOVLSK

Polka_sound wrote: »

Vr3 modding is interesting but I read somewhere here on the forums that it would not be a good idea to change the crossover bc of the research and analysis that Polk did to choose those specific parts. How does the modded know those parts are the exact parts mr Polk and his guys choose for the speaker? And that it doesn't alter the sound? Just really xurious

It does alter the sound...for the better:cheesygrin:

Not like I have any experience doing this myself, but in the simplest of terms, it's just replacing parts with better parts.

mole'

In my old RTi setup I started off with RTi10,.CSi3 and FXi4. Then added the CSi5, then later added a new CSia6. It was marched perfectly imo after I messed with a few settings. The CSia6 also sounded great with my SDA 3.2TLs.

Polka_sound

PSOVLSK wrote: »

It does alter the sound...for the better:cheesygrin:

Not like I have any experience doing this myself, but in the simplest of terms, it's just replacing parts with better parts.

Isn't that something someone can do on their own? I guess the problem is finding out what type of parts are in the stock crossover. Is it difficult to open the speaker and find out what parts you need and order them yourself?

tommyt21

Polka_sound wrote: »

Isn't that something someone can do on their own? I guess the problem is finding out what type of parts are in the stock crossover. Is it difficult to open the speaker and find out what parts you need and order them yourself?

talk to Vr3 diy depends on your capabilities.

Polka_sound

Now isn't a good time to spend bucks especially since I would get both towers and the center done at once. Still hunting for rtia9s to demo they look soo much more attractive than the rti12s