CSM center channel speaker--problem?

Dobermann
Dobermann Posts: 84
edited January 2006 in Speakers
Hi all,

New to the site. I've been putting together my first "real" home theater system. It's modest, but I think it's pretty cool. I have the M20 towers in front and four R15's for surround, hooked up to the Pioneer 1015 THX receiver. I had been using my TV speakers for the center channel.

Now, on to the issue: I decided today that the TV speaker wasn't getting it done, so I went to Circuit City and picked up the CSM model center speaker. Pretty exciting, but when I get it home and open the box, the manual says it's a 4-ohm speaker.

Now, the manual for my receiver says not to use anything below 6-ohm speakers. I'm not particularly worried about blowing my receiver, because it's a pretty sturdy amp (the same one used in some of Pioneer's Elite line). But I'm wondering, why exactly is this speaker 4 ohms? Why didn't Polk just make an 8 ohm speaker like the CSi25 they used to make?

Just wondering if anybody had any insight on this. Thanks for your help.
Post edited by Dobermann on

Comments

  • StopherJJ1980
    StopherJJ1980 Posts: 267
    edited January 2006
    I cant imagine the CSM is 4-ohm speaker. Be sure you read that right. Id say you should have no problem with it.
    -Stopher
    Tempe, AZ

    Setup:
    Polk RTi8 Mains
    Polk CSi5 Center
    Polk FXi3's Surround
    Cerwin Vega HTS10 Subwoofer
    Yamaha HTR-5740 AVR

    Upstairs R50/R15/CS1 5.1 setup w Pioneer AVR
  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited January 2006
    It is, but try it anyway. If the receiver gets really hot think about taking it back for a CS1. Someone else had this problem a couple of months ago. Tried it with no ill effects. Great sounding speaker per Mr2Spyder :)

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
  • bpadget
    bpadget Posts: 65
    edited January 2006
    Doesn't the manual say "Nominal 4 ohms, compatible with 8 ohm outputs"?
  • tsv
    tsv Posts: 13
    edited January 2006
    Just for this exact reason, I am returning the CSM (bought from CC for $90) and getting a CSI25 from Frys. CSi25 is 8ohms. I was not sure what it means when the manual says, 'impedance: 4 ohms (compatible with 8 ohms)'. So, just didn't want to take any chance.
  • Dobermann
    Dobermann Posts: 84
    edited January 2006
    Update:

    I ran the receiver continuously at -25 dB yesterday while watching both Resident Evil flicks and Serenity. No problems at all.

    The only issue I've noticed is that the 4 ohms forces a little more power out the amp, so the center is noticeably louder than the other speakers in my system. I had to compensate by lowering the center channel level down by 2 notches.

    But so far, so good........I just don't understand why in the heck they made it 4 ohms. Very strange indeed.
  • dinnu
    dinnu Posts: 33
    edited January 2006
    Dobermann wrote:
    Update:

    The only issue I've noticed is that the 4 ohms forces a little more power out the amp, so the center is noticeably louder than the other speakers in my system. I had to compensate by lowering the center channel level down by 2 notches.

    I don't think it has to do anything with 8 ohm vs 4 ohm. Infact when I was auditioning the LSi15s and the RTi12s (connected to the same receiver and switching using a speaker switch board), RTi12s sounded louder than the LSi15s at the same volume setting. I thnink you just need to caliberate your speakers using a sound level meter.
  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited January 2006
    The LSI's 4 ohms is precisely why the RTI's sounded louder at the same volume! The LSI's simply need more power to be played at the same volume as the RTI's. That is why the LSI's sounded softer.

    dinnu wrote:
    I don't think it has to do anything with 8 ohm vs 4 ohm. Infact when I was auditioning the LSi15s and the RTi12s (connected to the same receiver and switching using a speaker switch board), RTi12s sounded louder than the LSi15s at the same volume setting. I thnink you just need to caliberate your speakers using a sound level meter.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
  • dinnu
    dinnu Posts: 33
    edited January 2006
    cfrizz wrote:
    The LSI's 4 ohms is precisely why the RTI's sounded louder at the same volume! The LSI's simply need more power to be played at the same volume as the RTI's. That is why the LSI's sounded softer.

    Why is it so much clearer when you said it :confused:

    I guess what I was trying to say was the center sounding louder was not b'cos it is a 4 ohm speaker but b'cos the speakers were (probably) not caliberated to begin with.
  • gwsolace
    gwsolace Posts: 16
    edited January 2006
    I also have the csm center on an inexpensive onkyo receiver, with no problems at all. It is unusual that the csm is a 4 ohm speaker since the specs are in line with the R series. In fact, it matches perfectly with my R50s mains and R30 rears so I believe the components are from R series.
  • gwsolace
    gwsolace Posts: 16
    edited January 2006
    I looked up frequency for csm vs. csi25, the csm has an range of 55-22hz vs. 60-20hz, so although the driver sizes are the same, the enclosure of the csm creates an wider frequency, they still timbre match with R towers
  • Dobermann
    Dobermann Posts: 84
    edited January 2006
    Still makes me wonder why they designed it like that, especially considering that Polk recommends you set the center to "small" and it's not going to get anywhere near those frequencies anyway.