CRS (AS A Center) Opinion

marvelous

I am thinking about keeping my CRS's apeakers and using them as my center. Are there any members who have done this and are you satisified with the results?

nascarmann

I think rafie1 and madmax both have done it. One day if room allows....I may as well

rskarvan

Why would someone waste the sda effect of a set of CRS's on a mono-signal in the center? Serious question.

RuSsMaN

...point taken, but then again, for seamless HT imaging across the front soundstage, is there a better option?

I don't have any SDA's, but plan to in the not so distant future. I'm sure I might feel different if I had a few pair, but right now, I can't imagine 'wasting' them on HT period... not as mains, not as centers, esp not as rears....

Cheers,
Russ

hoosier21

1. Some are of the opinon that most Center speakers suck. (I do anyway)
2. There are no SDA Center speakers for the perfect match.

Using a (or pair) CRS speaker would be give a Center channel of very good quality, with good power handling and would match perfectly or very close to other SDA speakers across the front.

rskarvan

Hoosier21/Russ,

Do you think the CS400i sucks? Curious.
I like mine - a lot actually.

I've seen the CS1000 for sale "new" at substantial deep discounts. I'm even "tempted"... but, so far, have resisted the urge.

Wouldn't it be more economical to throw a single (or, pair) of Monitor 10's up on top of the TV vs. the CRS?
Afterall, you aren't using the sda imaging anyway.
Also, the distance from the rear wall is critical for the CRS (but,
not critical for the Monitor 10).

If you must have a matching center speaker with 250 wpc power handling... I think the Monitor 10 would be the better way to go.

However, there is nothing wrong at all with the CS400i.

mhw58

Also the CRS would not be shielded if you plann on setting
it on your tv. I have SDA2's for my fronts and just bought
a 400i as my center channel. I'll let you know how it sounds
when I get it hooked up.
Mike

nascarmann

Also the CRS would not be shielded

And......the Monitor 10's are..... :rolleyes:

F1nut

Guys....you can shield the CRS or the 10's by adding magnets to the driver magnets. This cancels the magnetic field....ask the guys at Polk for the proper info. The guy I bought my 2.3TL's from did it and swears it works. Of course since I'm a 2 channel nut I haven't checked this out.

DarqueKnight

Originally posted by rskarvan
Why would someone waste the sda effect of a set of CRS's on a mono-signal in the center? Serious question.

I like SDA's for more than the SDA imaging effect.

I use a pair of CRS+'s as center channels for better accuracy, sonic impact, and seamless imaging and timbre matching with the SDA 1C's I am using for fronts and rears. I was using a second pair of CRS+'s as rears, but I replaced them with SDA 1C's for better matching with the fronts. On some material, like battlefield scenes, and scenes where one sound is "walking around the room" the 1C's in the back stage make a big difference. With a really good soundtrack, it is like being immersed in an ocean of sound.

Am I wasting the SDA effect? Absolutely. Especially since I rarely use the HT rig for music. However, I have hoarded enough SDA's that I can afford to "waste" a pair (or three).:)

I have a CS 400i sitting in my audio treasure closet. I like it a lot, but It does not give me the "big sound" (compared to the CRS+) that I like in the center for my main HT rig. It is an "o.k" sonic match for the SDA's, if you are not too picky about timbre matching. No matter what center channel I use in the future, I do not envision that I could ever go back to just one speaker in the center, unless it is something like the CS 1000.

I am still giving serious thought to replacing the SDA's in my home theater rig with LSi speakers, but I have some reservations. One thing that makes me somewhat hesitant about the switch is that the LSi9 has only 80% of the interior volume of the CRS+ and the LSi15 has only 60% of the interior volume of the SDA 1C. This has an effect on impact. Whereas the LSi's seem to have louder bass, the SDA's seem to have more tactile bass. Another thing is that the SDA CRS+ has 3 drivers and a large passive radiator compared to the LSi9's three drivers (and three ports). Likewise, the LSi15 is 4 active drivers (and three ports) compared to the SDA 1C's 6 active drivers + 1 passive radiator. With more and slightly larger drivers, the SDA's simply move more air.

For comparative purposes, I replaced the CRS+ pair used as centers with my pair of LSi9's. There was a surprisingly good timbre match between the LSi9's and the 1C's. The LSi9's (laid on their sides butted next to each other) certainly had a sleaker, more contemporary look than the bulky, black, CRS+'s. But......my rear projector TV is big and bulky also, so the CRS+'s don't look "too" out of place. Aesthetics aside, there was more bass impact in the center with the LSi9. Typical of bass reflex designs, the LSi9's seemed to add a little more "presence", particularly to vocals. The CRS+'s are, to my ears, more laid back, defined, articulate, and accurate in that region. Over time, I could probably get used to and might come to prefer the bass presentation of the LSi's (for home theater ). Then again, I might miss the sensation of being kicked in the chest by my SDA's.:D

By the way, the amps used in my comparison were an Adcom GFA-5500 for the center speakers, another Adcom GFA-5500 for the front speakers, and an Adcom GFA-5503 for the rears. Also, bear in mind that my home theater room dimensions are 16 x 22 with a 12 foot vaulted ceiling.

With regard to magnetic shielding, I did not expect and have not experienced a problem with the CRS+'s sitting above my rear projection TV. The CRS+ pair in my home office sit in close proximity to a tube TV, but I have had no problems there either. Anyway, bucking magnets that cancel the magnetic field are available from Polk Customer Service if you experience an interference problem with your TV.

DarqueKnight

Originally posted by rskarvan
Wouldn't it be more economical to throw a single (or, pair) of Monitor 10's up on top of the TV vs. the CRS?

Oh, it might be more economical, but it sure wouldn't look very pretty. I estimate the WAF (wife acceptance factor) to be somewhere below zero, possibly in the negative triple digits. Better have a really big TV to balance them visually. My CRS+'s are pushing the limits of aesthetic acceptability. The Monitor 10B's and Monitor 10-Series 2's are twice as big as the CRS+.

marvelous

Raife1,

Thanks for the info. It gives me a better idea regarding the CRS. I felt they would blend quite well with my 3.1tl up front and a similar pair of 3.1tl in the rears. I have spoken to someone else who used the interconnect cable when listening to music and remove it when watching movies. Once again I guess we could say to each his own. thanks again for the comments. Another friend I spoke with has a pair of CRS as his side surrounds.

DarqueKnight

Marvelous,

Be aware that the CRS and the 3.1TL use a different tweeter. I don't know how picky you are about timbre matching, but there is a noticeable difference in the sound of the SL2000 (used in the CRS) and SL3000 (used in the TL series SDA's).

Rskarvan has both the CRS and the 3.1TL. He should be able to provide some valuable insight into the degree of difference in timbre between the two speakers. If you're real nice, he might even invite you up to Indiana to have a personal audition.:D

hoosier21

I should back off the CS400i sucks comment, but it has none of the bass impact I want in a center.

DarqueKnight

Hoosier21,

You never said the CS400i sucked. You never mentioned the CS400i at all. I believe your exact comment was:

Originally posted by hoosier21
1. Some are of the opinon that most Center speakers suck. (I do anyway)

I will have to agree that most of the center speakers I have heard do not have the kind of bass performance I like. But then again, I am a big speaker, big system, big sound type of guy.

Judging from the deep discounts available on Polk's big center, the CS1000, I don't think a lot of people are going for the gusto as far as bass impact in the center is concerned.

rskarvan

Marv,

The SL2000 and the SL3000 sound dramatically different.
They are both superior to the SL2500.
I think I like the SL2000 better.

Good Luck !

marvelous

The system is working beautifully!

3.1tl fronts, nad amp
definitive 2300 center
3.1tl rears, nad amp
300i side surround
crs back surround

I plan on using the crs as centers once I find another nap amp. Until then I am very please. If it sound better I may sell the definitive center. The 7.1 setup is great.

Thanks for all of your comments!

burdette

FYI on home-grown shielding... I ordered the magnets and shielded a pair of 5jr+ quite a few years ago in order to put them NEAR the TV. Before I bought a center speaker (off these forums) last month, I'd considered using one of the 5jr+ as the center... Polk told me the extra magnet wasn't enough to allow placement right ON the TV.... I didn't test it, and I'm sure it would also depend on how wide the cabinet was (i.e. how far are the drivers from the set).. but anyway, that is what Polk said... and I don't think they were just trying to get me to buy a new center.