Center speaker for R50 fronts?

Maley

I posted this on the AVS forum and couldn't really get an exact answer when I came here looking for help and discovered they have a forum!

So I'm building a system with R50s as my fronts. I'm new to this stuff so I'm still relying on the advice of others a lot but am learning. I was told to get a CSR center w/ my R50s as fronts. The CS1 is practically the same price and was wondering about that. The CS2 pushes me out of my budget but by this chart is a good match: http://www.polkaudio.com/education/showanswer.php?question_num=63

So should I just stick w/ the CSR because the CS1 isn't listed there?

polrbehr

I had (OK, still have) a CSi30 running with my old R50s, no complaints at all.
Still use it, though the R50s are semi-retired, replaced with RTi10s. Still 0 complaints.
If you don't mind used, you can probably pick up a very good CSi20, 30 or 40 for a good price, just look around. I would say the CS1 would be a good bet as well if you need to buy new.
Welcome to the Club, too.

Maley

polrbehr wrote: »

I had (OK, still have) a CSi30 running with my old R50s, no complaints at all.
Still use it, though the R50s are semi-retired, replaced with RTi10s. Still 0 complaints.
If you don't mind used, you can probably pick up a very good CSi20, 30 or 40 for a good price, just look around. I would say the CS1 would be a good bet as well if you need to buy new.
Welcome to the Club, too.

Thanks

I like to buy new, it's just a thing I have, sometimes I force myself to buy used though but for electronics like this I'd prefer new. Through reading around the internet, center - fronts are important to be in the same series, I've seen. So I was just worried that if I did upgrade to the CS1 I wouldn't have any compatibility issues or have my center not work the best that it could.

polrbehr

You are correct, matching front-center is important.
Since the CS1 and the CSi30 I use have basically the same specs, and the CSi30 matched with the R50s, I think you'll be good to go with a CS1. You can still save some money going used, IMO. I used to buy only new as well, but great bargains can be had with some patience and searching, and provided you can demo first, you'll minimize risk.

Maley

Ugh I still don't know what to do and Polk customer service wasn't that helpful >_>

They said it's the tweeter that counts but the R50 only has the same tweeter as the CSR, the CS1 and CS2 both use full 1", whereas the R50 and the CSR are 3/4"

NewHTguy

In the past I was running the r50's in front along with the CS2 and they sounded very well matched. I have also read that the tweeters are most critical. However, the fact that the drivers in the CS2 and R50's are very similar can't be a bad thing.

iskandam

I used CSi25 when I had my R50s and they match perfectly

polrbehr

Maley wrote: »

Ugh I still don't know what to do and Polk customer service wasn't that helpful >_>

They said it's the tweeter that counts but the R50 only has the same tweeter as the CSR, the CS1 and CS2 both use full 1", whereas the R50 and the CSR are 3/4"

IMO, you seem like you are on the fence over a very small issue.
I do not think you will hear an appreciable difference if they are not exact matches.
IIRC, Polk recommended CS1 as a matching center for R50s, so there you go .