Speaker selection to correct a quiet centre

Loyal1

Hi everyone.
While I've been adjusting my av system for years, I didn't realize how complicated it can actually get.

I'm currently running a Denon x4300 with psb800 fronts, R15 rears, and a csi30 centre. After running the Audyssey calibration, I've adjusted the fronts down and the centre up and optimized it for dialogue, but it still not only sounds quiet, but soft, like there is no amplification. I'm not sure if I should be replacing the centre or if there is something else that I'm missing. I've tried to find out the difference between them all, but I see a t30 is available and I didn't know A) if it would make a difference or b) whether I should start matching them all to the same series. Admittedly, I have split up the Rm6750 as my first sub and my height speakers and use a Psb sub for the second subwoofer, but none of those seem to have any issues. Any help would be appreciated, even if it proves my inexperience with the equipment.

tonyb

Start with checking the easy stuff first. Check the connections to the center speaker. If your using bare wire, make sure none of the plastic/rubber coating on the speaker cable is caught inside the speakers post. Make sure you have the metal straps connecting the top and bottom post secured on the back of the speaker.

What are the speaker levels set at, exactly ? Manually adjust the level , auto calibration can get skewed if you run it and the room isn't dead quiet, and I mean DEAD quiet.

If you can't hear anything improve with the center after turning up the speaker levels, you may have a bad tweeter in it. For the time being, remove it if that's the case, and go into your settings and tell the receiver you have no center. That way it will get re-routed to the front left and right speakers and you'll at least be able to hear the voices again.

Loyal1

Ok, so I've gone through it all and the dialogue is turned up 12+ db as is the centre channel and the fronts I have turned down by 7.5 db, all to no avail. I popped the front of the csi30 off and it looks like a little finger may have deformed the tweeter. There doesn't appear to be any tears and I played with it to get it smooth again, but it's still quiet.

So the question then is if I am to replace my centre, should I start to flip it all to the t series or move beyond it? Over time, my budget isn't a problem. I just want it to work.

tonyb

Ok, if you have the center turned up to +12 with no sound, then something is wrong with the speaker itself. Providing you were playing something with 5.1 material, like a movie or digital broadcast.

Just as a second test, you can hook up the center to the front left or right and see if you get sound....just to be sure.

Until you get another center, CSIA5, would be nice or a Polk RT400i would be nice too and cheaper, just remove it and re-route the center channel info to the fron left and right by telling the receiver you have no center channel.

….and return the front speaker levels to around zero.

Loyal1

Thanks tonyb. I switched out the centre and it was still pretty quiet. I also had an old psb100sc that I tried and it sounds better in the centre and I know it's blown.

I will check out your suggestions for a replacement.

mrloren

Look on CL for a CSi-5 or A6

Loyal1

Thank you. I found a Csi a4 for under a hundred bucks on Ebay. It's given me the itch to replace my speakers though.