Just bought 60-inch flat panel, need speaker help!

tazbigdog

Hi,

This is my first posting on this forum, so please be gentle.

I have just bought a 60-inch flat panel Sony for my living room. Got rid of the old entertainment center and got a TV table for the new one coming.

Ok...trouble is, I have a pair of Polk RTi70 floorstanding speakers, a pair of Polk f/x300i wall mounted rear speakers, a Polk PSW 450 subwoofer and a Polk Center Channel 100. The TV stand will only allow me to put 17.5 inches or less for a center channel under the TV for surround sound. My Polk 100 is over 18 inches wide, so I have to get a new center channel speaker.

Ok, here it comes, what Polk center channel speaker would fit in my TV stand, under 17.5 inches wide, and still give me great sound? I have seen the new Polks and the better ones are too long/wide, so that won't fit. I am guessing some of the older Polks might due here.

I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks,

Jeff

okiepolkie

Welcome to Club Polk, Jeff.

The only one that "might" match what you are looking for is the 245(not the i version). It would be the right size, however it would sound a little different. It does utilize a soft dome tweeter, so it would be reasonable for the RTi series you have now.

Hope this helps.

Zach

bobman1235

Depending on how your listening area is set up, you may be able to do without the center channel altogether - some have had great success with this. Basically as long as the majority of your seating area is directly in front of the TV, it'll work pretty well.

tazbigdog

Hi,

Thanks for the help. I have been looking at both the 245 and the 245i. But what is the difference between the 2?

Thanks,

Jeff

okiepolkie

The "i" version has the trilaminate dome tweeter, which somewhat different than the softdome tweeter.

tryrrthg

You could also try an RTi28 or 38 and just set it on it's side. Then you wouldn't have to worry about the difference in sound between your mains and center.

okiepolkie

RTi28 or 38 and just set it on it's side

Excellent suggestion. I would do this much more quickly than I would use a 245. I can't believe I didn't remember this myself. I've used a bookshelf speaker as a center for at 4 different years I've been into HT.

VR3

okiepolkie wrote:

The "i" version has the trilaminate dome tweeter, which somewhat different than the softdome tweeter.

Huh? They are both soft domes...

Tri Lam is Magnesium, Aluminum, Titanium laminates over a silk base...

The regular and I have very little differences - the drivers, enclosures, and xovers were slightly reworked all around.

The RTi28 uses a Silk/Polymer dome... - again, it has similar sounds to the Tri-Lam, not as much detail - IMO.

okiepolkie

You are right Sid, I guess I just consider the old RT series, including the original 35 & 245, with the polymer dome, to sound more similar to the newer RTi series(polymer/silk). And since the trilams use the metals coatings, I tend to place them in a different category in my mind(meaning I usually don't think about them being soft domes)

The metal/soft dome tweeters added detail make them sound different to me than either of the other two.

tazbigdog

Hi All,

Thanks for your suggestions. It was very helpful.

Jeff