Replacing that ol' center...recommend?

kawizx9r

So my center channel speaker has finally croaked. I'm a bit on a budget and am wondering what is a good choice for an affordable, closely-matching (voice matching) center channel replacement? I'll list my HT, keep in mind I've had this setup for years now and everything is working perfectly fine still, so not looking to replace my setup just to have a matching center.

Denon AVR 1604
Polk RT1000P's Front left/right
Polk R150's Surround left/right
Polk PSW10 Sub
Polk CS150 Center

kawizx9r

Also forgot to mention my room size is approximately 16' x 18'.

slowpolky

if your on a budget then look no further than a csi3 , did i mention i just happend to have a spare one lying around?

kawizx9r

csi3 you say?..i'll look more into it tomorrow. My mains have trilaminate tweeters as opposed to those silk domes and whatnot. I've got an ear that hears everything so I just don't want to get something I won't be completely happy with, but that said I might just have to spend a lil more out of my budget =( Have an old pioneer center in the meantime before I find a replacement

Kex

That generation of RT is great for HT IMO! For that setup, with those powered towers, you should really be looking for a used CS400, or a CS1000p IMO. The first is not that hard to find, although it may take a few months, and usually sells between $150 and $250 I would estimate. The second is probably a lot harder to find and I have no idea about pricing. Craigslist can be useful if you live in or near a significant city.

The product page below is for the CS400i, but they are virtually identical, and the specifications certainly are (I have owned a CS400 and have a copy of the manual). It's an outstanding HT speaker, and with your setup, it would be a shame to compromise IMO. There are a few owners of the CS1000 around too, so maybe they could chime in if they see this, but just look at those specifications!

- http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/recent/cs400i/
- http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/recent/cs1000p/

P.S. Welcome to Club Polk!

kawizx9r

The first does sound like a better match. It does retail for double of what mine did but I'd most likely have to get it used (which I don't mind at all) seeing my HT is pretty old itself. As for the second lol...I think I've got enough subwoofers for my sized room but thanks! If you can't tell I'm very new here and just looking for some advice so any at all is appreciated

Kex

^^^^ You're going to have to buy either one used. ^^^^

They are not part of the current RTi A range and will not be available new, but you should not underestimate the quality of your prior investment in the RT1000p towers IMO. A lot of members are very pleased with those, and other models from the same generation, and have no intention of selling them for something newer anytime soon. When looking for used units, remember that some spare parts, in case of damage that needs repair, may not be available (grilles, etc.).

slowpolky

if for any reason you want a csi3 then let me know and i will give you an awesome deal

kawizx9r

Thanks again slowpolky for the offer, the csi3 seems to be a great center channel but it's just not for me. Hopefully a CS400/i comes up on craigslist for cheap or something else closely matching my mains.

messiah

Just keep your eyes open and be patient. I picked up a cs400i off of craigslist for 60 bucks. It really is an awesome center channel.

Kex

messiah wrote: »

Just keep your eyes open and be patient. I picked up a cs400i off of craigslist for 60 bucks. It really is an awesome center channel.

That is ridiculous! You should count your blessings every day. I would never, in my wildest dreams, expect anyone to find one of these for under $100. Anything for $150 or less is an outstanding deal, even with some flaws, IMO.

But, yes: it's a worthy reminder that CL is not all bad!

kawizx9r

Alright cool, so the CS400 it is! My old pioneer will have to do for now then, lets just hope one pops up being in a major city. Thanks all

mdk5068

+1 for the cs400

nguyendot

CS1000p! I love how it blends with the RT's.

Dad runs it with the RT55's

kawizx9r

Yea, would definitely compliment the RT's but for a medium sized room probably not necessary. Overkill IMO. Have yet to see/meet any CS1000p owners

nguyendot

We went from CS350 to CS1000P, that thing is bad-a...

Used to be paired with RT20P's but the tv has no way to mount it on top anymore so dad moved it to his bedroom. Overkill? Definitely.

kawizx9r

Ha I bet, having 3 subs (1 from ea. tower and a dedicated one) is enough for me...but 2 more from a center channel? I may as well run 2 more RT1000P's as surrounds (if I had them) for a total of 7 subs alone in a 5.1 setup lol.

ViperZ

kawizx9r wrote: »

Yea, would definitely compliment the RT's but for a medium sized room probably not necessary. Overkill IMO. Have yet to see/meet any CS1000p owners

I enjoyed my experience with RT1000p (and still have them). These speakers definitely need a lot of power to truly show how good they can sound (I had to drive my mains with the external amp).

The exact match for RT1000p is CS400 or its bigger brother CS1000p, which might be an overkill. CS245 is the smaller center in the family and I found it quite inferior to CS400 in terms of reproduction.

Here is a photo of my CS400:

ViperZ

kawizx9r wrote: »

Ha I bet, having 3 subs (1 from ea. tower and a dedicated one) is enough for me...but 2 more from a center channel? I may as well run 2 more RT1000P's as surrounds (if I had them) for a total of 7 subs alone in a 5.1 setup lol.

I found that RT1000p subs were adequate at most.. so the dedicate sub became a 'must have'. :cool: