Looking to upgrade

wzitter

Let me fist say I did look at many posts before writing this. I hope I am posting this in the right spot.

I currently have the cs245i as my center, rt55i as my mains, rt25i as my surrounds.
I have PSW350 as my sub.
I have a brand new Onkyo TX-SR803 as my receiver which is hooked to a home theater pc I built.
I do not have a separate amp and I am not bi-wiring.

How can I maximize my setup. The room size is small to medium.

My main thought is upgrading my center channel to either csi400 which I can't find or the CSi5 but wasn't sure how it would match.

Also do I need bigger surrounds? Are the rt25i's big enough.
My new receiver is 7.1 would buying 2 more speakers make a big difference?

The system is used mainly for watching tv and playing dvd's and some lite music.
Overall my system sounds good I just would like to improve it without breaking the bank.

Thanks in advance.

DollarDave

You may want to consider a new center channel such as one of the CSi40's for sale on this site's classifieds. Dagame27 and DaveShepard each have one listed. You should be able to defer some of the cost by listing the 245 either here (at a discount) or e-bay.

Skynut

I have never heard the cs245i but I have the cs400i and it sounds great.
As for the 7.1 set up, unless you have a large room to fill with sound I think it will be a waste of money.
The RT55i's are a great speaker also but I have never heard the rt25i's

To improve this system I would ask if the Onkyo has pre/outs so you could add seprate amplification. that would be a quick easy way to upgrade and get better sound.

wzitter

How do I post a reply to classifieds? I am interested in the csi40 just wanted to know how it compared to the cs245i? And if he would guarantee against doa.

Skynut

You need to be around for 25 posts before you can post in the flea market.
You would need to send him a PM.

Dennis Gardner

You didn't mention your TV/display, I found that each time I increased the size of display, the need for a more full sound became obvious.

I would look at achieving a good balance throughout your system. If you are happy with the sound at the highest level your room/you can stand, I would keep it as is.

If it is strained at those volumes, then look to balance out the weak spots.

The center, surrounds, and sub are all weaker than your fronts and a great center and sub are important for nice home theater and would be a nice place to start your upgrades. I would suggest the CS400i for a perfect match if room allows. Be patient, they aren't rare, they are simply in use by the owners cause they are that good.

EricBurg

I wouldn't waste my time or money initially on building a 7.1 surround system. Depending on how big the room is, 5.1 should be great. I would spend my money on getting quality speakers for the 5.1 first, then later if you decide you want more you can always add on.

As most of the people have already pointed out, spending money and time getting a better center channel and subwoofer will benefit you more than adding 2 additional surround speakers.

Eric

wzitter

I have a sharp 32" lcd

How do the CS400i and the csi40 compare which one is better.

Where can I find a CS400i

danger boy

the CS400i is the perfect match to your RT55i's. same drivers all around. it's the best match for your set up.

Check ebay, audiogon and craigslist.org in your area.. you may have to be patient though.. the CS400i has been out of production for several years now. but they do come up on auctions every so often. Last month there were 2 or 3 on ebay..

wzitter, welcome btw and where are you located?

aaharvel

From my experience, Skynut and Eric are absolutely dead right regarding 7.1.
For me, 7.1 only makes a notable difference if your couch/chair is AT LEAST 5feet from the back wall. Anything closer, and standing waves between the 4surrounds made everything sound discombobulated.

I "downgraded" from a 7.1/DPLIIx system back to a 5.1 system using regular DTS and Dolby V.S. Wide modes and couldn't be more thrilled with the results.

Welcome to the forums.

wzitter

Thanks everyone for being so helpful.

I live in Tulsa.

I will wait and see if I can get my hands on a CS400i.

DollarDave

In the "for what it's worth department", this is from one users review that can be found under the CSi40's customer reviews on this site -

"STRENGTHS:
mates well with the rti series.

WEAKNESSES:
absolutely none.

REVIEW:
i have to agree with bill. i replaced mt csi400 with the new cs40i and i can tell you that i am very, very pleased.,and happy i did. the sound is impecable, and so lifelike that im still in a state of shock! if you own a cs400i dont be afraid to step up to the new model, it really does make a difference! 5 stars indeed!!"

Personally, I have opted for the CSi40 because of the soft-dome tweeter instead of the tri-lamenant. I should receive my 40 in a few days, but I am very optomistic that I have made the rigth choice. I should add that the RTi55's do have the tri-lamenant, though.