Center for RTi70's, CSi40 or another RTi70?

Sami

People talk about timber matching so I'm thinking the best option would be to go out to CC and get 3 RTi70's for $149 a speaker, or less. Or just replace my current center with one RTi70.

I've been thinking of replacing my current center with a CSi40, which speaker would give me the best sound?

Right now I have mixed setup with JBL S Center II and Infinity RS5's as surrounds, Yamaha bookshelfs as the rear surrounds. I also recently got a CSi20, either that one or JBL is going to my old setup that I am selling.

Grimster74

I think the CSi40 would be your best bet. I can just picture a RTi70 laying across the top of the tv now.:D

Pauly

CSI40 has the same drivers as the 70's. Id go with L/R for 70's and 40 for center. 1st i heard about having a 70 for a center...would you lay it on its side on top of the TV?

Spaz

Sami

Who still uses TV's?

Placing wouldn't be a problem as there is plenty of space horizontally under the screen.

http://skylinegtr.dynalias.net/lake_dallas/AUT_0173.JPG

Early B.

Looks like placement would be an issue if you used a 70 for the center. If you can get 70's for $149, then buy two 70's for the center channel and set one up on each side of the TV. Placement issue solved.

Not sure though, if there are any particular design considerations for a center channel to optimally produce dialogue that floor standing speakers don't have. Perhaps one of the tech heads on this forum could elaborate...

Sami

Originally posted by Early B.
Not sure though, if there are any particular design considerations for a center channel to optimally produce dialogue that floor standing speakers don't have. Perhaps one of the tech heads on this forum could elaborate...

That's really the only issue I have. If they would both sound similar then I don't have a problem with an RTi70 as a center. I'd rather pick one up at local CC than try to get CSi40 from E-bay.

gmorris

Not to be a **** in your punch bowl, but I doubt CC would sell you just 1 RTi70. If you look at the little card that sits on top of the speakers in the display room, it says "Priced Each" and "Must be sold as Pair".

I got my RTi70's about a month ago for $150, and they had 3 pairs left. But if you could get just one, I think it would be cool if you used 3 of them, providing you have room for it in the center. I guess you can't get any more "timbre matched" than that.

Sami

Originally posted by gmorris
Not to be a **** in your punch bowl, but I doubt CC would sell you just 1 RTi70. If you look at the little card that sits on top of the speakers in the display room, it says "Priced Each" and "Must be sold as Pair".

Could be but one of them had an open box speaker w/o a pair a few days ago. I think that one sold for $109, I have to check if it is still there. For $109 it doesn't even hurt much to try how it sounds.

Grimster74

For some reason, after I posted my reply I kinda figured you either had a projector or a plasma. Damum you:D I thinks thats going to be my next "BIG" purchase. Anyway, as long as the 70 isn't to tall, meaning, take away from the picture, I don't see it being a problem. But as I stated earlier, the 40 will do a fine job also.

dorokusai

The CSi40 is also going to radiate differently than an RTi70. You could loosen and spin the tweeter around, but it's still not a the design purpose of that speaker.

Buy the CSi40. You could even buy two of them, to accomodate your room size.

PolkThug

At our CC, you can buy all Polk floorstanding speakers as singles.

gmorris

Originally posted by PolkThug
At our CC, you can buy all Polk floorstanding speakers as singles.

I stand corrected......

As a sidenote, I've read a couple articles about multi channel music only systems (i.e. SACD & DVD-A) that use 5 identical speakers.

Here is a link: http://www.soundstage.com/surrounded/surrounded200312.htm

spyderman

Why go to all the trouble when they designed the CSi40 to be timber matched to the 70? You won't be disappointed with the CSi40. Let the speaker do the job it was designed to do.

Although, you could stand the 70 upright and punch some small holes in your screen, just like in the movie theaters...

---

RTi70 - Front
CSi40 - Center
RTi38 - Rear
PSW650 - Sub
Sony STR-DE1075

RuSsMaN

I say get the 70, not only perfect timber, but much less expensive.

Dorokoretard, spin the tweeter? You feeling ok?

Cheers,
Russ

Sami

Originally posted by spyderman
Why go to all the trouble when they designed the CSi40 to be timber matched to the 70?

There is no trouble. Why? A lot easier to find and a lot cheaper...

Originally posted by spyderman
Although, you could stand the 70 upright and punch some small holes in your screen, just like in the movie theaters...

The speaker would be on its side below the screen so I wouldn't have to do anything like that.

Airplay355

nooo lol dont turn it on its side, stand it up. if u want the thing to be placed like a center then get the csi40 but if ur gettin rti70s then dont be layin it on its side lol. stand it up below ur screen.

i say u should just go for the 3rd rti70, its not going to sound bad, and it will have better bass response then a csi40. if u wanan know how it would sound hook an rti70 to the center channel now and decide if it fills your room well enough, if it sounds kinda weird and compressed then get the csi40. (it might sound weird missing a side channel tho lol, u might wanna put another speaker in its place)

Sami

Another RTi70 is in place, turned on its side below the screen. Sound is great, now all I need to do is replace the Yamaha's on my side with another pair of RTi70's. Total price including tax for one RTi70 was $151 (demo speaker, the only one they had, otherwise they wouldn't have sold just one).

JBL S Center and Infinity RS5's were sold along with the old receiver, smaller Yamaha's and a Yamaha sub. I've pretty much replaced the old system completely once my Denon DVD-1600 gets here and I can find a pair of RTi70's. Probably won't hook up 7.1 sound because the room doesn't have a back wall.

Projector: Seleco SVP-350
Receiver: H/K AVR-7200
DVD: Denon DVD-1600 (currently: Sony CX850D)
CD: most likely uncompressed WAV from HTPC (currently: Sony CX455)
Front: Polk RTi70
Center: Polk RTi70
Surround: Polk RTi70 (currently: Yamaha bookshelfs)
Subwoofer: SVS 16-46PCi


Sony's (200 DVD and 400 CD player) are for sale to a local buyer in DFW area. I will rather keep them in my bedroom than hassle with the shipping.

Tour2ma

Nothing wrong with thinking outside the box... Some members stand twin centers on end flanking the screen.

If you'd gotten a pair, stacked on side might have been interesting. One with tweeter to the left, the other with tweeter to the right.

Airplay355

wouldnt laying an rti70 on its side take away from the imaging of the speaker? and maybe cause some nasty reflections off the floor? kinda like placing it parallel and against the wall?

Sami

Originally posted by Airplay355
wouldnt laying an rti70 on its side take away from the imaging of the speaker? and maybe cause some nasty reflections off the floor? kinda like placing it parallel and against the wall?

That's the kind of information I was after before I made the purchase (and still am curious to find out). It is actually 9 inches of the main floor. One option would be to put it on the speaker stands and that would place it right under the screen. Wouldn't this give me a better location from the sound as it is closer to the screen where the center sounds source would be? Of course I'd have to be more careful with securing the speaker.

http://sami.kallio.com/lake_dallas/AUT_0194.JPG

Here is how I have it currently setup:

http://sami.kallio.com/lake_dallas/AUT_0191.JPG
http://sami.kallio.com/lake_dallas/AUT_0192.JPG
http://sami.kallio.com/lake_dallas/AUT_0193.JPG

Shizelbs

Is that a computer at the bottom left of your setup?

Sami

Originally posted by Shizelbs
Is that a computer at the bottom left of your setup?

Yes it is. Connected to projector with a DVI-to-component adapter. Ordered a sound card with optical output. Used currently to play Colin McRae Rally and Formula One games, planning to use it for music playback as well and ditch the CD magazine.

gmorris

Sami,

From those pictures, it looks like you have a very nice house. Your home theater room is also very cool. Very classy looking.

Now, don't take this the wrong way, but putting that RTi70 on its side like that just plain looks bad, IMO. You have a beautiful room there, and it looks like one of your speakers has fallen over.

Sound quality issues aside, I think your room would look better with the CSi40 in the center.

Shizelbs

What sound card are you getting?

Sami

Originally posted by gmorris
Sound quality issues aside, I think your room would look better with the CSi40 in the center.

Come on Morris, next time you're going to tell me to get Bose so they would nicely blend in the furniture. Just joking. It doesn't look bad at all, especially now that the room is getting darker and darker. Blackout lining is in place on the window side and at the back of the room. Should soften the room nicely too.

The only thing cosmetic I don't like is that I had to remove Scarface and James Dean frames, SVS was giving them too much punishment...

Shizelbs, I ordered Chaintek's card. Should be bit perfect transfer:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=190009