Center channel (CSiA6) in Polk surround setup sounds off

Rogalewski

Hey everyone,

I have this setup:

Receiver: Denon AVR3312CI
Front Left & Right: Polk RTI A9
Center: Polk CSiA6
Surround Left & Right: Polk FXiA6
Surround Back Left & Right: Polk FXiA6
Sub: Epik Empire
Amp: Emotiva XPR-5 (for Fronts, Center, Surrounds)

I've had this setup for about a year. Everything sounds great except the center channel. I wish I could accurately describe it but it just sounds like it's missing something, almost like it's out of place with the rest of the setup and missing a certain punch. Like I'm waiting for it to pop and come to life. During pure dialogue scenes it quite frankly hurts my ears. I setup the speakers running Audyssey on the Denon. Since then I've played with adjusting the channel level of the center and nothing seems to make a difference.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Much appreciate any help!

Thanks,
Mike

tonyb

Is the center channel set to small or large ? Use large and see if it sounds better.

zane77

Have you tried hooking it up to a differnt channel. Possibly sometnig wrong with the amp or the Denon. Switch the amplifier channels to see if there is a problem with the amp. I have the A6 for my center and it sounds great.

tonyb

Also make sure it's wired up in phase, positive to positive, negative to negative.

Geoff4rfc

All great suggestions here. I have a similar set up as you, pretty much just a different AVR. Mine is always set to 40hz running off the Emotiva, I've found myself bumping up the center volume quite often.

As of recently, I set it a 60hz and this has made a significant difference.

Another thing I've noticed, some movies have great intelligible dialogue, and others do not. Though I'm guessing this is not the case with you.

Rogalewski

Thanks everyone for the responses.

Confirmed that it is wired up in phase. Switched it to a different channel and it sounds the same.

I changed the Center Channel to small and it seems to have made some difference. These are the settings as I have them now. Does anyone see something jump out at them that could be causing a problem?

Front L & R -3.0db, Center -4.0db, Subwoofer -11.0db,
Crossover Frequency: Front/Surround 80Hz, Center 60Hz
Subwoofer Mode LFE+Main
LPF for LFE 120Hz

Thanks again!

jbooker82

I would set the center to 80hz if your going to be running your towers that high. Your center channel shouldn't really be set to a lower frequency than the the towers.

Right now I have the following set.

Front RTi A7's - Full Range
Center RTi A4 60hz
Surround FXi A4 60hz

LFE 120hz
Subwoofer No

I do have a sub that I turn on for movies and video games but for general TV watching I just run my RTi A7's at full range.

Rogalewski

Top be honest, I don't even know what those frequencies do...should I lower the towers then? Audyssey had set them all to 80 but I lowered the center to 60 for testing.

jbooker82

The Xo frequency is where it starts to roll off or switch where the sound is going to be played. Most people cannot hear or tell direction with low frequency. So at 60z it starts re routing sound from the center channel to sub.

chiptouz

Rogalewski wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the responses.

Confirmed that it is wired up in phase. Switched it to a different channel and it sounds the same.

I changed the Center Channel to small and it seems to have made some difference. These are the settings as I have them now. Does anyone see something jump out at them that could be causing a problem?

Front L & R -3.0db, Center -4.0db, Subwoofer -11.0db,
Crossover Frequency: Front/Surround 80Hz, Center 60Hz
Subwoofer Mode LFE+Main
LPF for LFE 120Hz

Thanks again!

My $0.02:

I have a couple of things here. First lower the volume level of your sub (on your sub) and rerun audyssey and try to get the level within the +5 to -5 region

Crossover frequency is fine.

Submode should be LFE only

Make your lowpass filter lower say 40-60 htz. You need to know the rolloff of your speakers and then set this. For example of your -3db rolloff of the csia6 is 50hz then set the lowpass filter at 60. The A9's can handle lower than that.

When I did the above all my midbase and base sounded amazingly better and was not flabby and muddy. It was nice and tyte like a tiger!

chiptouz

jbooker82 wrote: »

I would set the center to 80hz if your going to be running your towers that high. Your center channel shouldn't really be set to a lower frequency than the the towers.

Right now I have the following set.

Front RTi A7's - Full Range
Center RTi A4 60hz
Surround FXi A4 60hz

LFE 120hz
Subwoofer No

I do have a sub that I turn on for movies and video games but for general TV watching I just run my RTi A7's at full range.

This is very similar to my setup, but I have the sub on and LFE is much lower, say 40 or 60hz.

jbooker82

chiptouz wrote: »

This is very similar to my setup, but I have the sub on and LFE is much lower, say 40 or 60hz.

Yea but the setting for LFE is a low pass filter not a XO. The LFE is a separate sound track in an audio source with a x.1. Since its a low pass filter it will not re route LFE sound above your setting to the mains. You simply create a hole.

The guys at Audyssey say to leave it at 120hz.
https://audyssey.zendesk.com/entries/321931-LPF-on-LFE

chiptouz

jbooker82 wrote: »

Yea but the setting for LFE is a low pass filter not a XO. The LFE is a separate sound track in an audio source with a x.1. Since its a low pass filter it will not re route LFE sound above your setting to the mains. You simply create a hole.

The guys at Audyssey say to leave it at 120hz.
https://audyssey.zendesk.com/entries/321931-LPF-on-LFE

I understand what the guys at odyssey have stated. Believe me I have ran mine for a long time at 120 hrz. For me the whole systems sounded much better when I switched it over to a much lower frequency. If 120 was the end all be all why would they give you the option to lower it?

The whole argument I am making is that you need to listen to it yourself and see what works best. That is all.

Chip