New Center Channel :)

[spacejamz]

Frys has the Polk CSi 3 center channel on sale for $99 (their reg price was $250 and couldn't find it on Amazon to compare)...

old center:

my current speakers were some Onkyo HTIB speakers...I just got a Harmon Kardon 1700 last week so this has given me the bug to upgrade my speakers...

Fry's and Newegg have pretty good specials on Polks so hopefully I can get some new fronts/rears/sub soon...

Although Frys has a set of JBL floor speakers for $274 (reg price on these is $999) so I might check them out...

http://www.frys.com/search?search_ty...bmit.y=0&cat=0

 

[tyanni]

Far be it for me to give audio advice since all I know I learned at AVS, but generally one would want the same manuf/series for the front 3 speakers. The center speaker matching the front L/R is considered important. Doesn't matter as much for the rears. You might want to consider getting Polk CSi's for your new front L/R instead of replacing them with random speakers.

 

[purbeast0]

Far be it for me to give audio advice since all I know I learned at AVS, but generally one would want the same manuf/series for the front 3 speakers. The center speaker matching the front L/R is considered important. Doesn't matter as much for the rears. You might want to consider getting Polk CSi's for your new front L/R instead of replacing them with random speakers.

ideally you not only want the "matching" center for the left/right, but you want the same 3 speakers for all 3.

and this is also from me learning over on avs heh

 

[Peppered]

That is what every one I heard say also. Always match your fronts with your center.

The bad thing is that some of the best centers don't have the best fronts.

To me the center is the most important part of the system, because you wont be happy if the front sound good but miss out on part of the dialog because your center cant handle it.

 

[purbeast0]

That is what every one I heard say also. Always match your fronts with your center.

The bad thing is that some of the best centers don't have the best fronts.

To me the center is the most important part of the system, because you wont be happy if the front sound good but miss out on part of the dialog because your center cant handle it.

when i was shopping around i learned that many of the "matching" centers had the exact same drivers as the left/rights that went with them, only they were in a different housing.

 

[spacejamz]

Any issues in just getting two more of these center channel speakers to use as front L/R speakers?

 

[ImpulsE69]

n/m

 

[shingletingle]

Any issues in just getting two more of these center channel speakers to use as front L/R speakers?

LOL

 

[spacejamz]

LOL

Not sure why that is funny...

The drivers would be identical, would they not? Is there some specific quality in the size of the center channel cabinet or maybe the way the drivers are filtered in the crossover that need to be addressed?

The only issue I have seen would be the difference between the horizontal vs vertical positioning of the front speakers...

 

[spacejamz]

Review of a system that used 5 center channel speakers (and two subs)...

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_10_3/athena-as-c1-7-2003.html

 

[spacejamz]

Just pulled the trigger on a pair of R300's at the Egg instead...$100 delivered...

wonder if I should get another pair for my rears...LOL

 

[reallyscrued]

Any issues in just getting two more of these center channel speakers to use as front L/R speakers?

Nope, if you've got the way to mount them right and calibrate them.

Aesthetically it will look a little odd but it will sound better than typical setups that have different 3's.

With 3 identical fronts, while watching movies, say a plane engine noise is panning from left to right, you'd have a completely neutral sound from one speaker to another.

The most passable way to do this asthetically though is 3 identical bookshelf speakers that are short enough so the center doesn't overlap and obstruct your view of your display. Plus, bookshelves have better dispersion (on average) because they are designed with creating a stereo imaging field in mind, while centers are not. Horizontal centers have always been a compromise.

 

[spacejamz]

Just ordered these from Newegg...hopefully they play well with the new center...seems like alot of people are using the R300's as rears. Once I get everything, I will see which ones sound better (between the R300 and the 45B) to see which ones will be in front.

Pair of R300's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290040

Pair of Monitor 45B's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290269

PSW505 Subwoofer:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290130

should be here by this weekend...

 

[vshah]

lots of people use 2 centers vertically as L/R, nothing wrong with it. may depend on the specific center though. some are designed for maximum horizontal disperson, so if you stand it on end that could get messed up.

 

[gus6464]

That sub is not worth $200. The Klipsch RW-12D is the one to get on a budget.

 

[spacejamz]

That sub is not worth $200. The Klipsch RW-12D is the one to get on a budget.

I just got it today and I have to respectfully disagree...In the brief time I played with it, it sounds plenty good to me...

5 stars at the Egg (331 out of 387 voted 5 stars) and 4.5 at Amazon (442 out of 526 voted 5 stars)

I got the Polk for $180 and the Klipsch is $350 at newegg and $360 on amazon...

 

[spacejamz]

Built some speaker stands for the 45B's...

Went to Home Depot to match the trim paint of the entertainment center and they got it pretty close...

Only had 3.5" between base of the entertainment center and the sub...

 

[Number1]

Built some speaker stands for the 45B's...

Went to Home Depot to match the trim paint of the entertainment center and they got it pretty close...

Only had 3.5" between base of the entertainment center and the sub...

Looks good, did you angle your center speaker downward?

How does the sub sound in that location? Have you tried other locations for it?

 

[purbeast0]

i'm in the process of building speaker stands myself, looking good!

as number1 said too, the one thing that stuck out to me in general in the pics is that no speakers look to be aimed at the main listening position. it looks as though they would all be pointed above/around where i'd expect the main listening position to be. maybe angle the speakers in/down?

 

[spacejamz]

Looks good, did you angle your center speaker downward?

How does the sub sound in that location? Have you tried other locations for it?

center and fronts are angled towards the 'sweet' spot...

I am kind of locked into that spot for the sub but it sounds pretty good there....

 

[cheez]

At one time I had Audioengine A2 speakers from L/R fronts and a Focal CMS 50 speaker as center. I lost stereo imaging. The 50 was overpowering the A2's. It sounded good though.

cheez