CSi30 vs. CSi40

donahue · January 2003

Hi,

I received a pair of RTi70s from my wife for Christmas. These will be replacing the fronts in my RM system. Next, I am looking to upgrade the center speaker. I am having a hard time deciding between the CSi30 and the CSi40. Currently, I am swaying towards the CSi30, simply for the fact that it is smaller than the CSi40. The CSi40 seems like a huge speaker. Any recommendations out there?

Thanks,

Ray

kberg · January 2003

If you can afford it, go for the CSi40 for PERFECT timbre matching with the RTi70's. The drivers are exactly the same in the CSi40 as the RTi70's. You want as much center channel as you can afford that will ALSO match your front L/R speaks, since the center is truly the workhorse speaker of HT.

Btw, your wife needs to talk to my wife about speakers as Xmas presents for next year!

Hope this helps.

dbournival · January 2003

I have the older Cs400 which the CSi40 replaced. I would go with the 40 if you listen two in a blind A/B test you will probably go with the 40.
My wife did not want to go with the 400 because if it's size but when I did the blind A/B comparison she said "Buy the big one".

If you have a smaller room you may find the 30 ok, it's all up to your ears...

RuSsMaN · January 2003

First, the only true 'timber matched' speaker for your 70's, is another 70. However, either the 30 or 40 will mate well with your mains. I tend to prefer smaller drivers in my centers, they seem to typically handle on screen dialog better, at least to my ears.

Try to demo both, and decide which works best for you, bigger isn't always better.

Cheers,
Russ

fireshoes · January 2003

I have the center from an RM7600, which is similar to the CSi30, and I really wish I had a bigger center channel. The lack of low-end is distracting for me.

faster100 · January 2003

why do people like low end in a center?? Thats what my sub and mains is for right? The center takes care of all the talking in the HT setup so why do we need low end in a center, i know i don't want a rattleing speaker on my big screen, plus it will tend to make voices deeper and muffled if you have to much bass and low end right? Just my opinion, i have my center set to small and its a csi40

MxStYlEpOlKmAn · January 2003

Actually, the center channel does about what 60% if not more of all movies! lol! They take care of some of everything, from talking to explosions. Not to mention alot of people use theirs for music too

dbournival · January 2003

I have my polks all set to large, I have my BAs set to small. I think the both sound best that way respectively.

wlrandall · January 2003

"timber matched"...does that mean they're made from the same tree?? Just kidding.

I would definitely go with the 40, much better match for the 70s you have.

dholmes · January 2003

I am using 3 center spks ( with help from scottvamp) 1 csi40,2 rti38. I received a free sub, the polk 202 and hooked it up to the rti38s with the spk in & outs. All of them running on large setting, powed by a old sony es receiver. In my opinion it sounds great, with over 60% of action comeing from the center spk it only made sense to try it. If you can borrow the extra eq give it a try. D holmes a new member of center on steriods.

ghostjwm · January 2003

Ray definitely go with the CSi40 over the CSi30 with your RTi70's. I currently have RT800i's which are extremely similar to your RTi70's and originally started out with a CSi30 for my center channel. The RT800i's completely overwhelmed the CSi30 so I replaced it with the CSi40 and it made a huge difference. I just moved my CSi30 to my rear center channel and the sound is great. Hope that helps!

Yamaha RXV2200 Receiver
Polk RT800i's Main
Polk CSi40 Center
Polk F/Xi30's Surrounds
Polk CSi30 Rear Center
2 HSU VTF-2's Subwoofers

kberg · January 2003

ghostjwm,

Your setup is pretty close to mine. I plan on replacing my Infinity CC2 rear center with a CSi30 that I'll be picking up tomorrow. Looks like from your profile that you have a CSi40 as a rear center as well? Did you mean CSi30?

ghostjwm · January 2003

Lol yep fixed that, thanks for catching it! I actually have 3 HT setups (wife is very forgiving allows me 3 large screen tv's) the other 2 are as follows:

Denon 1802 receiver
Mirage AVS100 center
Mirage AVS200's mains
Mirage AVS200's rears
Mirage FRX-S8 subwoofer

Yamaha RXV596 receiver
Polk CSi30 center
Polk RTi28's mains
Mirage FRX-RB-1 rears
Polk PSW350 subwoofer

Shizelbs · January 2003

I recently did a listening test between the 30 and 40, and I think all you are getting out of the 40 is more bass. Which, I think makes it worth it. And your sub will make a different bass. I really wish I had got the R50's instead of the R40's just for more bass. Go for bigger.

ghostjwm · January 2003

Since I have all my speakers set to small due to having dual HSU VTF-2 subwoofers my CSi40 isn't putting out bass. There is a decided difference between the level of sound coming out of the CSi40 compared to the CSi30. Hope that helps!

ghostjwm · January 2003

Since I have all my speakers set to small due to having dual HSU VTF-2 subwoofers my CSi40 isn't putting out bass. There is a decided difference between the level of sound coming out of the CSi40 compared to the CSi30. Hope that helps!

faster100 · January 2003

how big is your house ghostjwm ? 3 large screen TV's... need we say more about long sigs,

danger boy · January 2003

my 400i really doesn't put out any bass that i can tell. even when I switch from small to large. is this normal for centers not to put out much bass? Actually, i don't hear any increase in bass from small to large.

RuSsMaN · January 2003

Twenty-Eight ****' lines, UNREAL.

faster100 · January 2003

26 lines i came up with, Lay off the hooch or is it my screwed up vision

kidding... I thought we fixed this sig thing the other day Russman??????? LOl

ghostjwm · January 2003

Lol sorry guys didn't mean for the sig to be so long I have adjusted it!

CSi30 vs. CSi40

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