Center placement problem

comer
comer Posts: 18
I have a problem installing the center channel (CS400i to complete RT2000i and fx/500i) around a big screen RPTV (60"). It's fairly large, so I coudn't put it below the TV, but putting it on top makes the sound to separate from the picture :( Even though I slanted it forward on it's shelf, so the tweeter points directly at my sitting position or slightly below.

Any ideas? :confused:

comer
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Post edited by comer on

Comments

  • Kris Siegel
    Kris Siegel Posts: 309
    edited April 2006
    Is this a Hitachi 60VX500? If so, why not get the stand for it? The stand looks good under it and you could put the center on it (though that may be a bit low).

    That or maybe purchase a stand just for your center. We have 2 in our online store: Sanus SFC and Sanus NFC
  • comer
    comer Posts: 18
    edited April 2006
    Thanks for suggestion, Kris. I have a Sony and I do have it on the original stand. Putting a stand in front of the TV is not an option - WAF is 0 or below :) I am thinking of putting a smaller center channel in the stand below to offset the main center channel and bring the sound down. However, the Polk page for my mains do not say anything about centers smaller than cs400 - that is if they sonically match the rest of RTxxxi series.

    Does anyone know if cs175i (the smallest) will match well with RT2000i and cs400i?
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    If height is the below restriction, the CS350LS is a lower profile center that will match the 400 tweeter-wise as will the 175.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited April 2006
    Get a center channel stand and put it in front of the TV whenever you watch a movie, then remove it once the movie is over. I do that with my front speakers. No WAF issues if you do that.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    Danger there is being too tired to move it one night after an evening of HT.

    "I'm tired of this ****... You want it moved? Move it yourself," also is pretty low on the WAF scale... ;)
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • comer
    comer Posts: 18
    edited April 2006
    Thanks for replies guys. For now I flipped the center so the tweeter is lower and closer to the screen. Helped a bit, but later I may add a low profile center below the screen as well.
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    Worth a try... But the 350 does sound different than the 400. I'm sure "ditto" would apply to the 175.

    Twin 350's could be your best bet. Here is it's info...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • comer
    comer Posts: 18
    edited April 2006
    At least it has the same tweeter... But you are right, it will sound different. The only other realistic option I see is to modify a stand to accomodate a thick center - not a very easy task, but possible.
  • Skynut
    Skynut Posts: 2,967
    edited April 2006
    I have the rt2000p's on each side of my set. I have them working with the cs1000p on top of the set.
    I ran a three way splitter from my center pre out to three channels of my amp.
    Now my center channel has no seams as I like to say.
    In other words my ears do not notice where the sound comes from.
    I like this setup.
    Skynut
    SOPA® Founder
    The system Almost there
    DVD Onkyo DV-SP802
    Sunfire Theater Grand II
    Sherbourn 7/2100
    Panamax 5510 power conditioner (for electronics)
    2 PSAudio UPC-200 power conditioners (for amps)
    Front L/R RT3000p (Bi-Wired)
    Center CS1000p (Bi-Wired) (under the television)
    Center RT2000p's (Bi-Wired) (on each side of the television)
    Sur FX1000
    SVS ultra plus 2

    www.ShadetreesMachineShop.com
    Thanks for looking
  • comer
    comer Posts: 18
    edited April 2006
    Man! You have 2000 and 3000 around your TV? sweeeeeeeet :D
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2006
    That's 2000 and 1000...

    Sn,
    Nothing under the set? ;)
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited May 2006
    Is it possible to post a picture of your TV with the center channel located on top? (with the grill cover off, from your viewing position)

    I am having a hard time visualizing your problem. (then again, my center is about 7' off the floor...)

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
  • TheReaper
    TheReaper Posts: 636
    edited May 2006
    What I did with my center on top of my RPHDTV, to get the sound to merge better. Was to move it farther back, so from my sitting position, the top of the tv appears to cut off the bottom of the center speaker.
    Win7 Media Center -> Onkyo TXSR702 -> Polk Rti70
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,983
    edited May 2006
    How about trying NO center,works well for me.If you can be pleased with that
    and the wife too,save the cash and spend it upgradeing something else.:)
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Holydoc
    Holydoc Posts: 1,048
    edited May 2006
    tonyb wrote:
    How about trying NO center,works well for me.If you can be pleased with that
    and the wife too,save the cash and spend it upgradeing something else.:)

    I do not recommend not having a center for a good HT experience. I think some of the ideas already given about location and even doubling up will work better for your needs. Either way tell us how you finally solved the problem.
    Holydoc (Home Theatre Lover)
    __________________________________________
    Panasonic -50PX600U 50" Plasma
    Onkyo -TX-NR901 Receiver
    Oppo -Oppo 980HD Universal DVD Player
    Outlaw -770 (7x200watt) Amplifier
    PolkAudio - RTi12 (Left and Right)
    PolkAudio - CSi5 (Center)
    PolkAudio - FXi3 (Back and Surround)
    SVS - PB-12/Plus (Subwoofer)
    Bluejean Cables - Interconnects
    Logitech Harmony 880 - Remote
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,983
    edited May 2006
    Yes and no,Doc.Haveing gone from a full blown SRT set-up 7.1 system down to a 4.0 have to say I don't miss the center.Voices still sound like they come from the center of the TV.Since his option wasn't wife friendly,just wanted him to try it,think outside the box so to speak.He may like it,maybe he won't.
    Doesn't hurt to try,just an option,thats all.:)
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Holydoc
    Holydoc Posts: 1,048
    edited May 2006
    Tonyb,

    My bad. Forgot about the main reason for this thread and that was WAF. You are correct and may be a very viable option.

    My apologies.
    Holydoc (Home Theatre Lover)
    __________________________________________
    Panasonic -50PX600U 50" Plasma
    Onkyo -TX-NR901 Receiver
    Oppo -Oppo 980HD Universal DVD Player
    Outlaw -770 (7x200watt) Amplifier
    PolkAudio - RTi12 (Left and Right)
    PolkAudio - CSi5 (Center)
    PolkAudio - FXi3 (Back and Surround)
    SVS - PB-12/Plus (Subwoofer)
    Bluejean Cables - Interconnects
    Logitech Harmony 880 - Remote
  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited May 2006
    Certainly easy enough to try out anyway. Just go into your AVR and set your center channel to none. (rather than large or small)

    You don't even have to disconnect anything.

    Give it a shot and let us know what you think.

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,983
    edited May 2006
    None needed man,just wanted to explain my statement there a bit more.
    The wife always wins in the long run,cheers bud.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2006
    Phantom center was a good thought... Fine for on-axis viewing, not so much for off-axis, though.

    comer,
    Progress?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • roystarman
    roystarman Posts: 4
    edited May 2006
    Does the CSi3 or 5 have the capability to mount then to a wall? I only have 49 inches above my Fireplace for TV and Speaker. From calculations, I could conceivbly fit a 50 and the center speaker up there but I'm curious as to if I could acutally mount it on the front of the Frame out for the fireplace.