Does this Polk Speaker Combination Work

seadoons

Hello! This is my first post here but I have been a lurker for a while. I am trying to build a 5.1 system for my den and also add two speakers to my patio outside. I have two constraints - budget ($1,500) and how the system looks in the room. I initially looked at the Bose systems because they look clean installed but have read enough online to decide against them.

For my system, rear in-ceiling speakers are a must. The fronts don't have to be in the ceiling but relatively small so that I can put them on top of my entertainment center (not ideal, I know). The system I have assembled, based on reviews, is below. Can you give me your thoughts on how everything will sound together? I have read a lot about speakers being "timbre matched" - what does that mean and how important is it?

I have found all of this on Amazon.com and combined, drive out price is right at $1,300.

Thanks in advance.


Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR507 5.1 Channel A/V Surround Home Theater Receiver
Sub: Polk Audio PSW110 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer
Rears: Polk Audio RC80i 2-Way In Ceiling Speakers
Front: Polk Audio RM 8 Satellite Speaker – 2 way
Center: Polk Audio RM8C Center Channel Speaker
Patio: Polk Audio Atrium 55 All-Weather Speakers

seadoons

Oh, I am also considering the CS10 center channel. Any thoughts on this one?

dubradio

The CS10 center will not timbre match the RM sats, neither will the RC80i. For best matching while keep budget/size of speakers in mind, I would look into swapping the RM8 sats for either TSI200 or OWM3 and then a CS10 center in place of the RM8c

rallyshark

Go to polk direct(polk's ebay store). You can beat that set up easily with the same money or less. Click on the tab at the top "where to buy" and you'll see it. Also newegg has some good deals on polk speakers to. Amazon, while more well known, isn't the place to get the best deals on Polk's stuff.
Example:
Newegg,
Onkyo TX SR607 - $380(better than the 507!)
Polk RC 55i - $120
Polk Monitor 30 - $95
Polk CS1 - $70
Polk PSW505 - $250
Polk Atrium 55 - $250
Total - $1165

Keep in mind this is just an example, and there are a lot of other options. You can find even better polk speaker deals from polk direct and get better speakers. There are many places to get a deal on receivers as well. Other brands to look at along with Onkyo would be:Harmon kardan, Yamaha, Denon, Marantz etc. In other words, you can get better stuff for less coin than the stuff you found at Amazon. I'm sure some others will chime in with even more deals and suggestions etc. Enjoy the shopping, and good luck:)
Oh yeah, Welcome to Club Polk!

dubradio

As rallyshark mentioned, polkdirect (our official ebay store) for top notch refurbished product as well. Most refurb equipment can be purchased either via our ebay store or over the phone by calling us direct

Good post btw Rally

packetjones

i also would recommend getting something different for the fronts. The RM8's that you have listed are mainly surround speakers. The idea of TSI 100/200 for the front or the OWM's would be good. Also look into the VM series on polk direct as they are fairly small. The monitor 30/40 are pretty cheap as well.

Really look at polk direct and see what you can put together as you ill save a lot of money compared to amazon. the timber matching is important so that when sound pans across the front it sounds the same.

CCNJ

I can only comment on the outdoor speakers. I installed a pair of the POLK Atrium 55 this summer. I have a rather large deck and backyard and the Atrium 55 sound great and really fill the space nicely. I power them with a Nad 355 integrated amp.

cnh

TSI-200s up front and the CS-10, OWMs as surrounds....

PSW505 as the sub

+1 on the Onkyo 607 or maybe a Harman Kardon AVR 254 refurb?

cnh

seadoons

I really appreciate all of the advice. As I mentioned in my first post, in-ceiling speakers are basically a must for my set up in order to keep my wife happy. Based on my discussion with her last night (I showed her some of the front speakers you have suggested) - she didn't really like the way that they would look either. So, now I am thinking about putting the fronts and rears in the ceiling and having a center channel right in front of my TV. Then, a sub and call it a day.

I am probably going to start a new thread about this - but what are your thoughts on having 4 of 5 speakers in the ceiling?

cnh

Why ceiling? Polk has some nice in-walls...why not those? Excuse me, but does your wife think people are not going to look UP? I'd do in-walls if speakers are too-upsetting....

cnh

Todd Lee

I can only comment on the RC80i's in the ceiling as surrounds. That's what I'm currently using, in ceilings were pretty much my only option as well for surrounds.

The 80's sound great, not quite as good as some proper bookshelf surrounds, but they work very well as far as inceilings go! I did not box them in up in the ceilings. I just cut a hole and mounted them between the ceiling joists. I'm sure I could get better sound by creating an enclosure for them, but that would have been pretty difficult, and as it is, I didn't have to patch or paint anything on the ceiling to install them.

seadoons

I guess I meant to say that in-ceilings are a must for the surrounds. This is why I was originally looking at Bose as they can be hung from the ceiling and aren't too intrusive. I have moved away from Bose...that is why I am looking at the in-ceiling for the rear.

I have so many things in my head right now that I am not sure what i am going to do. I am probably over-thinking it, but she doesn't want speakers standing next to the entertainment center. Additionally, I considered placing small left and right channel on top of my entertainment center but I think they will be too close together. Thus, I think in-ceilings are the way to go for the front channels as well.

MrGlobe

Would you be able to get a pair of sexy tower speakers? Seems like 2 good speakers would be better than 5 oddly placed and mismatched lower end speakers anyway

seadoons

Yeah, I am working on that but I think it is going to be a no go on that too.

MrGlobe

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DAV-IS10-5-1-Channel-Satellite-Theater/dp/B000ROQ0YO


BAM!

Noone will even know you have surround sound!!








...even when its turned on

concealer404

MrGlobe wrote: »

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DAV-IS10-5-1-Channel-Satellite-Theater/dp/B000ROQ0YO


BAM!

Noone will even know you have surround sound!!








...even when its turned on

Oh lord....

Ever heard that setup?

As sad as it is... i would much prefer that over Bose. It sounds like ****, but far less like **** than one would expect out of cubes that tiny.

seadoons

I just remembered that on the left and right sides of my entertainment center the bottom center panel of the doors are removable. Right now they look like solid wood doors but you can take out the centers and it will expose the black speaker fabric.

I think I could fit decent size speakers in there. This is probably more optimal than putting them in the ceiling, huh? They would be about 5 or 6 feet apart but slightly lower than ear level when sitting on the couch. I guess I would need to figure out a way to get the center channel speaker as close to them as possible (height wise).

Thoughts?

MrGlobe

I would vote for them over in-ceilings anyday. Much easier to upgrade/fix/setup/HEAR?

and no I have never heard those sonys... haha I want to though

seadoons

My entertainment center is similiar to this. You can see the black grills on the bottom of the panels on each side of the TV. Thoughts?

concealer404

Too low....

If box speakers in the open are an absolutel no-no, sounds like you're a candidate for in-walls, and maybe a small set of rear surrounds hanging from a ceiling.

seadoons

In-walls are out too.

This is where I am at:

In-ceiling is a must for the rears.

Two options for the fronts: in the ceiling, or in the entertainment center as pictured above. What is the better choice? One is real high, the other is real low.

Since I think I can get better sound out of something other than in-ceiling speakers, it seems to me that too low is the better of two evils. Thoughts?

concealer404

Arg.

In my case, if i were you, just for simplicity's sake, get some decent bookshelves and put them in the entertainment center, since neither will be ideal.

Will you at least be able to get the center channel at about ear level? Or at least aimed at ear level?

You may be able to angle the bookshelves in the entertainment center to at least get the height correct, but that might introduce even more strange resonance.

seadoons

Arg is right! Yes, the center channel will be at or above ear level. I think it will be mounted above the TV or put right behind it. I am thinking bookshelves will be the way to go in the cabinet; i'll see what I can do to get them as high as possible in the cabinet by maybe turning them on their sides and propping them up as high as can go in the cabinet. I think you are right - this probably makes the most sense for simplicity's sake.

concealer404

seadoons wrote: »

Arg is right! Yes, the center channel will be at or above ear level. I think it will be mounted above the TV or put right behind it. I am thinking bookshelves will be the way to go in the cabinet; i'll see what I can do to get them as high as possible in the cabinet by maybe turning them on their sides and propping them up as high as can go in the cabinet. I think you are right - this probably makes the most sense for simplicity's sake.

I don't necessarily mean trying to get them high in the cabinet, but tilting them back to aim up at your ears. Putting stuff under them to get the whole speaker up a bit probably won't do much.

seadoons

Got it. This entire idea still has to pass the wife test before I can proceed so I am not getting too excited yet. Through all of my research what I have found is that I am not the first person to have this problem...and probably won't be the last.

concealer404

seadoons wrote: »

Got it. This entire idea still has to pass the wife test before I can proceed so I am not getting too excited yet. Through all of my research what I have found is that I am not the first person to have this problem...and probably won't be the last.

Nope you aren't....

I have placement issues, and i'm even "allowed" to have towers.

MrGlobe

I'm sorry but its terrible to see threads like this. I guess at least your 'owners' let you put speakers in your cages... :P

I'm just enjoying the freedom while I can


Anyways, yes those look like pretty low cabinet spaces, maybe cut the legs off your couch? Otherwise I agree with concealer that angling them upwards might be necessary. And who knows, maybe your wife will enjoy the sound and eventually be alright with visible speakers

MrGlobe

concealer404 wrote: »

Oh lord....

Ever heard that setup?

As sad as it is... i would much prefer that over Bose. It sounds like ****, but far less like **** than one would expect out of cubes that tiny.

When I was reading through the reviews, they said the speakers only play the high mids and highs, and the sub plays the mid bass and bass notes. Seems like a weird idea, and it sucks for subwoofer placement

rallyshark

I say get whatever you want and install it when she isn't there! Better yet, get a divorce:D Just kidding, I've had to deal with WAF to, and it sucks. Maybe that's why I'm single now:o I bet she wouldn't be as picky if she saw a nice sexy set of VMs up front, or some cherry bookshelves. Sometimes they don't dislike the stuff as much as they thought they would. I know, wishful thinking...

seadoons

So, the latest update is that she is cool with putting speakers in our entertainment center. So, I am now going to be re-building my system to include bookshelves for the front, a center channel, two in-ceilings in the rear, and a sub. I will post something later about what I am thinking to get your thoughts...

cnh

I reallly don't get any of this!! Wife must be a bit off.....or very anal at least...with an enterainment center that size...a couple of nice Polk Black Bookshelves on top of the center would do fine...the TSI-100s would look 'nice' up there and there's a shelf for the center...

Don't take this personally...but it sounds like someone got wacked by a 2x4! And is not fully rational.

Carry on...you have to remain 'married' after all. As for me, I put them up, and let my wife get OVER IT. It doesn't really last long because 'they' don't REALLY care after a while....and you have to stop looking so hen-pecked!

cnh