My CSi5 Needs Help!!!!!

Vgamer4550

Hey ya'all.......I think my center channel needs a little help and I am not quite sure what I am doing wrong.

I picked myself up a Polk CSi5 Center Channel speaker and I am currently powering that with a Denon 3805 Reciever. I also picked myself up a Denon DVD-1600 DVD player (awsome player but not sure if that really has anything to do with my problem). Now I know I am doing the speaker an injustice by not running a seperate amp to it but budget restraints are making me hold off on that for a bit. I will be purchasing an Outlaw M200 Monoblock Amp just for the CSi5 as soon as I am able to.

Now here is my problem, while watching movies I am having a heck of a time hearing the dialogue from 5.1 soundtracks. I have referenced my setup and I have the center kicked up about 2dbs higher then the other speakers in my setup and the Reciever is setup to crossover at about 80hrz. I still have to kick up the volume on most soundtracks to hear what they are saying and then turn it down again when the action starts.

This might be a stupid problem but its one that I cant seem to shake and one I thought the CSi5 might be able to help me with. If you guys have any opinions please lend me your two cents. I would appreciate it greatly, thanks.

Mjr7531

What's the rest of your setup?

VR3

is the center angeled up or down ( down if its above your TV, up if its below) - you want the tweeter firing at ear level.

Vgamer4550

The Rest of my setup consists of 4 Polk FXi3s for surround (its a 7.1 setup), 2 Old, Giant Yamaha Speakers for the fronts and a 10" Sony Subwoofer that needs to be replace (this is all still a work in progress).

As for how the Center is placed, it is sitting on top of a 55" Mitsubishi RPTV, WS-55515. It is pointing straight out at the center of the room right where I usually sit, just above ear level I should think.

I do have the Denon currently setup so that if sound is sent to the surrounds (and its not a DTS ES or Dolby EX soundtrack) that the surround gets output through all four surrounds instead of just the surround sides. I did this to make use of the extra speakers and because I cant setup the surrounds the way they really need to be set up do to room constraints.

Need anymore infor to help just let me know.

PolkThug

This could be the problem:

"2 Old, Giant Yamaha Speakers for the fronts "

You've mated the Csi5 with fronts that have a different tonal quality and probably different efficiencies.

Vgamer4550

I am looking into Purchasing a set of RTi10s eventually and then an HSU VTF-3 MKII sub to complete the setup. If the dough comes in I may end up with the RTi12s but I personally did not see that much of an improvment over the 10s to pay an extra 2-400 bucks for them.

The Yamahas aside, is there anything else I might be able to do to improve the sound from the center.

VR3

Put some rubber door stops under the center.

Mike Reeter

I also have the CSi5 and a Denon 3803...I have also had problems with dialog from the center...have calibrated hot,didn't seem to help much.

I added 200 wpc to the center and it came around using the Denon as a pre/pro.

Must be Denons nature to be a little weak on center output,it's now just powering our side/rear surrounds and is doing very well...

Vgamer4550

Hey Mike, That sounds pretty much how I want to get my setup to get to at some point in time. I want to get a Pair of RTi10s, get a Crown XLS-402 Amp to power them and then the Outlaw M200 Monoblock for the center, that way I take most of the pressure off the reciever and let it handle the surrounds only.

Once you set it up that way did it seem to help things out a bit more with center channel sound.

Burnzy

I'll have to try and find an amp for my CSi5. I'm having the same problem, I have an older Denon and it's hard to hear the dialogue as well. Hopefully an amp will solve the problem.



Regards,
Scott

PolkThug

My Onkyo 700 is pushin the Csi5 just fine.

Hey Vgamer, since you are going to get a nice sub to handle your frequencies below 80Hz, save some money and go with the Rti8's for the fronts.

Mike Reeter

Vgamer4550 wrote:

Hey Mike, That sounds pretty much how I want to get my setup to get to at some point in time. I want to get a Pair of RTi10s, get a Crown XLS-402 Amp to power them and then the Outlaw M200 Monoblock for the center, that way I take most of the pressure off the reciever and let it handle the surrounds only.

[Once you set it up that way did it seem to help things out a bit more with center channel sound.]

Yes,adding the external amps made a difference on the output levels of the center/mains...The Denon has a "laid back" sound to it,seems to be in their nature.

This is not a bad quality,especially with music...but for Home Theater,it just doesn't have that "in your face" sound to it...

I would opt for a good used 3-channel amp to power your mains/center...forget the Pro-amp for your mains...that, or,pick up 3 monos from Outlaw...

Either way,more power is a good thing....

Ricardo

You mentioned you "referenced" the system...maybe you already did this but I'll ask anyway....have you used a sound level meter to calibrate? I have a Denon 3803 powering CSi5 and RTi8's in the front stage and dialogue comes crisp and clear from the center.....

Airplay355

try using the dynamic range compression feature

Vgamer4550

Ya, I used a sound level meter to reference the setup. I actually referenced them out at about 85db which is a little louder then most of my friends like, which might be why I always get so blown away by the action when it starts but you cant really feel like you are there unless you can feel it right :0)

I think it just might be time for myself to focus on getting an amp for the CSi5, I know it needs it and it just might help more then I thought.