New advice on center channel with SDA SRS

wrich22

I just put my new SDA SRS's in service using Dual Halfer DH-500's, my center
channel is a CS350LS, powdered by a DH-220 bridged amp. Pre-Amp Processer
is Rotel 1068. Is the CS350LS a good center channel match for my SDA's?
The CS350LS appears to be dwarfed sitting next to the SDA's. What is everyone else using?

Thanks,

Bill

Phil Dawson

With mine I use a pair of cs40is. One didn't seem to get it done very well. The pair works well. I run them off of one stereo amp. 200 watts for each seems to do the trick.
Phil

rcs

I have a CS350LS with SDS-SRS IIs all powered by a NAD T752 and am enjoying it; granted, I am a complete HT neophyte and haven't heard any "reference" rigs to compare mine to. The fronts and centers seem well-matched to me in that their output blends well (i.e. the soundstage is even during complicated scenes containing dialog, music and FX) and I am impressed at the ability of the SRS IIs to handle the low end without a subwoofer assist. I plan on adding sides (RTi38s if possible) and might go back to using a NAD 2200 to power the fronts if the T753 sounds like it could use a little help.

Interested in hearing any feedback as well.

DarqueKnight

Phil Dawson wrote:

With mine I use a pair of cs40is. One didn't seem to get it done very well. The pair works well. I run them off of one stereo amp. 200 watts for each seems to do the trick.
Phil

I use a pair of LSi9's with the SRS's. Like Phil, I found that one center didn't work very well.

dane_peterson

What about an SDA CRS? I always assumed the 'C' stood for center, but I could be wrong... maybe it stands for compact or something. Either way, one of those should be a good fit.

Deadof_knight

I use a pair of 4 jrs on mine , 4.6's would be better or 5 jrs

DarqueKnight

dane_peterson wrote:

What about an SDA CRS? I always assumed the 'C' stood for center, but I could be wrong... maybe it stands for compact or something. Either way, one of those should be a good fit.

CRS=Compact Reference System.

dane_peterson

Right on, thanks for the clarification. The SDAs were probably developed before center channels had really gotten off the ground, anyway.

Either way, I would bet they would blend pretty well as a center.

dudeinaroom

That's why I'm on the look out for a pair. dual crs center hell yeah. Then I can get a set of srs's or 1's and move my 2's to the rear, then after all that is said and done set of old monitors for side surrounds.

DarqueKnight

I used a pair of CRS+'s as centers for a while, then I switched to using two LSiC's. I only switched because I did not like the bulky look of the CRS+'s above my TV.

Tour2ma

I started with a CS350 (good), but ended up going with a CS400 (better), and wound up adding a second 400 (better yet).

The 400 was a bit fuller sounding than the 350.

Larry Chanin

Hi Bill,

Originally I used a single CS400i center with a pair of SDA-1C mains. It was a very good timbre match for the 1Cs, but not perfect. I switched to a pair of stacked SDA-CRS+s. The matched perfectly and filled the large sonic hole between my widely spaced main speakers.



Larry

engtaz

Larry,

That is a sweet setup.

engtaz

Larry Chanin

engtaz wrote:

Larry,

That is a sweet setup.

engtaz

Thanks.

Larry

engtaz

I have a CS2 center channel speaker. Any thoughts on how they work in conjunction with SDA's?

Thanks
engtaz

BAD ASP

I just replaced my Klipsch center with polk's LSiC to go with my 1.2tl's. The improvement is very obvious.

engtaz

What is the best matches for SDA SRS's for center channel?

Thanks,
engtaz

snow

engtaz wrote:

What is the best matches for SDA SRS's for center channel?

Thanks,
engtaz

It appears that the best match would be a similiar speaker(s) that are small enough to fit above or below your display. Here is a very nice example of what I personally would use if I could find a pair locally. http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49616 REGARDS SNOW

wrich22

I just aquired a pair of SDA CRS's and need advice as to how to use them as a center channel.

I have been using a pair of CS400i's and have tried a CS-350 but they don't seem to match well with the main speakers

My main speakers are a bi-amped set of SDA-SRS's set about 15 feet apart, using Musical Concepts DH-500's. I play music only with 2 channels, but need a center for movies and TV. I plan to power the centers using a two channel amp DH-500, same as bi-amp amps

I am looking at these options:

1. Use both speakers for center using interconnect Cable, speakers side by side or stacked.

2. As above with no interconnect cable.

3. Rewire speakers to make them non SDA. Looing at the schematic it appears that the woofers and tweeters in each speaker could be paralled.
Not sure how they would sound.

4. use one speaker for center.

Thanks in advance for any help on this,

Bill

Dennis Gardner

The IC cable won't act as it does with stereo signals since only 1 signal is present, but having a signal pass through the dimensional mids will still help bass respnse. I would try it both ways and decide for yourself what fits your needs.

I would try option 1 first, then try option 3. Let us know what you find out.

Remember that option 1 uses 4 mids, while option 4 uses 1.

Larry Chanin

wrich22 wrote: »

I just aquired a pair of SDA CRS's and need advice as to how to use them as a center channel.

I have been using a pair of CS400i's and have tried a CS-350 but they don't seem to match well with the main speakers

My main speakers are a bi-amped set of SDA-SRS's set about 15 feet apart, using Musical Concepts DH-500's. I play music only with 2 channels, but need a center for movies and TV. I plan to power the centers using a two channel amp DH-500, same as bi-amp amps

I am looking at these options:

1. Use both speakers for center using interconnect Cable, speakers side by side or stacked.

2. As above with no interconnect cable.

3. Rewire speakers to make them non SDA. Looing at the schematic it appears that the woofers and tweeters in each speaker could be paralled.
Not sure how they would sound.

4. use one speaker for center.

Thanks in advance for any help on this,

Bill

Hi Bill,

I am not sure whether the tweeters and mid-range drivers in your SRSs are identical to the CRSs, as they are in my setup described earlier, but I believe the switch to the CRSs will likely improve the timbre match from the CS400is.

The issue of using dual center channels is rather controversial, mainly because it is possible that such an arrangement will promote comb filtering distortion.

I personally believe that the horizontal arrangement of dual centers is going to create a situation that defeats precise center imaging and promoted comb filtering. I believe that stacked centers yield a focused center image that can provide a phantom image centered both horizontally and vertically on the display. I also believe it is less prone to comb filtering effects because all the members of the audience are virtually equidistant from both centers.

I think dual centers are most likely to be helpful in situations where there is a large sonic hole between the mains, as in the case of widely separated mains. If the mains are closely space, then I think the usefulness of dual centers is marginal.

For the reason mentioned by Dennis I do not use the Interconnect on my centers. (My appologies to Lasareath for missing his earlier question on this point.)

With regard to rewiring the CRS, Raife (DarqueKnight), who posted earlier, is an expert on this subject and has done this with great success. I don't have confidence in my soldering, etc., skills and have not attempted it. I believe the advantage is to permit the dimensional drivers to be active, whereas they will not be active when feed monoaural signals, with or without the Interconnect.

Before commiting to dual centers you should try listening to a single and dual arrangement and see which you prefer. I prefer dual stacked for my particular arrangement.

Good luck.

Larry

wrich22

My CRS woofers and tweeters are the same as my SDA-SRS's they are SL-2000's and MW-6503's..........Just need to know exactly what I should do make a mono speaker out of each. From the schematic it appears if I just take the SDA ground and connect to the speaker ground and not use the IC cable I would have Mono speakers. However I do notice a resistor and some of the caps are different between the SDA drivers and the mains. Should I change them or not. I plan to install Mills Resistors and Sonic caps soon. Thanks

Bill