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should side & rear speakers be the exact same as the fronts?

post #1 of 13
2/3/11 at 6:28am
Thread Starter 
on a 7.1 amp.

should side & rear speakers be the exact same as the fronts?

I've sean (from this site peoples setups) mostly larger front speakers compared to the sides & rears.

I was checking out a new amp. at a high end stereo store man told me the ultimate sys. has fronts, sides & rears all the exact same speaker so I'm a little confussed.
BTW this amp. was a self calibrating type. I'm not planning on a high end amp.
about a mid level.

also my front speakers Polk audio M30s have a 5 1/4" mid. woofer I'm considering getting a center channel speaker ?should the mid woofer also be 5 1/4"

Thanks
STB
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post #2 of 13
2/3/11 at 6:39am
They don't need to be identical. However, they should be a close match sonically. For example, different speakers from the same line (say, PSB Image series) are a good match with each other, while mixing brands etc might not always be a good idea. But it all depends on how "picky" you are, and on the specific speakers.

My 4.1 HT setup has two pairs of PSB Alpha B1s, so fronts and surrounds are identical. But there's so little happening overall in the surrounds during movies that it wouldn't be a huge deal if they weren't the same, or even the same brand. With multichannel music it'd be more critical, though.
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post #3 of 13
2/3/11 at 6:40am
It can't hurt but it's really not necessary. There's not nearly as much content in the sides and rears so they don't get worked as hard as the fronts. Plenty of folks put different sides and rears in and never notice the difference. As long as the three up front blend well you should be fine.
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post #4 of 13
2/3/11 at 6:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevethebrain View Post

on a 7.1 amp.

should side & rear speakers be the exact same as the fronts?

I've sean (from this site peoples setups) mostly larger front speakers compared to the sides & rears.

I was checking out a new amp. at a high end stereo store man told me the ultimate sys. has fronts, sides & rears all the exact same speaker so I'm a little confussed.
BTW this amp. was a self calibrating type. I'm not planning on a high end amp.
about a mid level.

also my front speakers Polk audio M30s have a 5 1/4" mid. woofer I'm considering getting a center channel speaker ?should the mid woofer also be 5 1/4"

Thanks
STB

I have Energy speakers, fronts are RC 50's, an RC-LCR center and RC-mini for surrounds. I have an extra set of RC 10's that will probably see front wide use when I move soon (more room). All are timbre matched, but their size is based on the amount of traffic they see.

I think the ones most heavily used in rank are:

Center (RC-LCR for me)
Fronts (RC 50's)
Front wides( RC 10's)
surrounds (RC mini's)

So the least important as far as size goes are the minis. I also took into account that the best position for the surrounds is towards the back about 2 feet above the listening position. This is hard to do with large speakers like the RC 50's and impossible to do with WAF concerns.

So if the ideal is one type of speaker at all positions, it may be a compromise, but sounds great to me.

(I do have a sub, en ESW-V8, but we were talking fronts and surrounds).
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post #5 of 13
2/3/11 at 6:47am
Thread Starter 
yes I'm planning on my new amp. to be a minium of 5.1 channels and possiably 7.1

another ? on speaker size cound'nt the center channel speaker be just one of the fronts?

I have read that the center channel sends alot more power to the speaker. compared to the amount of power sent to the front, sides & rears?

so you guy's are saying have nice speakers for fronts and center then less expensive as rear surrounds?(kindof like fill speakers).

also my front speakers Polk audio M30s have a 5 1/4" mid. woofer I'm considering getting a center channel speaker ?should the mid woofer also be 5 1/4"

Thanks

STB
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post #6 of 13
2/3/11 at 6:58am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hernanu View Post

I have Energy speakers, fronts are RC 50's, an RC-LCR center and RC-mini for surrounds. I have an extra set of RC 10's that will probably see front wide use when I move soon (more room). All are timbre matched, but their size is based on the amount of traffic they see.

I think the ones most heavily used in rank are:

Center (RC-LCR for me)
Fronts (RC 50's)
Front wides( RC 10's)
surrounds (RC mini's)

So the least important as far as size goes are the minis. I also took into account that the best position for the surrounds is towards the back about 2 feet above the listening position. This is hard to do with large speakers like the RC 50's and impossible to do with WAF concerns.

So if the ideal is one type of speaker at all positions, it may be a compromise, but sounds great to me.

(I do have a sub, en ESW-V8, but we were talking fronts and surrounds).

I'm impressed w/ my new Polk M30s. and really don't see a need for large speakers Hell I gave away the tower speakers that came w/ my old amp.

I also don't like a cluttered look big speaker taking up space.

STB
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post #7 of 13
2/3/11 at 7:00am
A polk cs1 center is the matching center to the Polk monitor 30's. I personally would spend money on a decent subwoofer once you get the center before you get surrounds
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post #8 of 13
2/3/11 at 7:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevethebrain View Post

yes I'm planning on my new amp. to be a minium of 5.1 channels and possiably 7.1

another ? on speaker size cound'nt the center channel speaker be just one of the fronts?

I have read that the center channel sends alot more power to the speaker. compared to the amount of power sent to the front, sides & rears?

so you guy's are saying have nice speakers for fronts and center then less expensive as rear surrounds?(kindof like fill speakers).

also my front speakers Polk audio M30s have a 5 1/4" mid. woofer I'm considering getting a center channel speaker ?should the mid woofer also be 5 1/4"

Thanks

STB

Your are correct in that your center channel is the crucial speaker of the entire setup. And ideally, it should be exactly the same speaker. The only reason the center was designed to be laid on it's side was aesthetics and the ability to fit inside entertainment centers. Even within the same brand you can have speakers that do not sound the same. I would go with the same brand and line. Usually there is a center channel designed to complement your fronts. Just getting one that has the same size drivers isn't going to be enough. The thing you are looking for is when sound pans across the front stage it sounds seamless between the three.
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post #9 of 13
2/3/11 at 7:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazyrob425 View Post

A polk cs1 center is the matching center to the Polk monitor 30's. I personally would spend money on a decent subwoofer once you get the center before you get surrounds

Rob I have the Polk DSW mircopro 1000 as my sub. the M30s w/ sub. sound unreal.

I'm prepareing myself to be on the lookout for a better amp. and center channel.

Thanks for advice about the cs1 being the perfect match for the M30s ? is it becauce of the woofer being 5 1/4"?

STB
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post #10 of 13
2/3/11 at 7:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyng_fool View Post

It can't hurt but it's really not necessary. There's not nearly as much content in the sides and rears so they don't get worked as hard as the fronts. Plenty of folks put different sides and rears in and never notice the difference. As long as the three up front blend well you should be fine.

I agree with fool. (somehow that feels wrong wording it that way )

Think of the last time you were in a movie theater.... you probably didn't see the front speakers behind the screen. You might have seen the smaller speakers along the walls.
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post #11 of 13
2/3/11 at 8:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevethebrain View Post


Rob I have the Polk DSW mircopro 1000 as my sub. the M30s w/ sub. sound unreal.

I'm prepareing myself to be on the lookout for a better amp. and center channel.

Thanks for advice about the cs1 being the perfect match for the M30s ? is it becauce of the woofer being 5 1/4"?

STB

No it's because it is built with the same wood as the monitor 30's uses the same exact drivers as the monitor 30's(Same exact meaning the driver in the monitor 30 is the exact same as the drivers in the cs1) and it uses the exact same tweeter as the monitor 30's.... Its not just the size thing. The folks at Polk specifically designed the cs1 to work with the Polk monitor 30/40/50

For $73 shipped until 2/8/2011 here is the matching center for your monitor 30's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290210. It's a great deal and a must buy NOW!!!


BTWs your current receiver will not support a center channel so you need to buy a 7.1 or 5.1 receiver
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post #12 of 13
3/7/11 at 10:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazyrob425 View Post

No it's because it is built with the same wood as the monitor 30's uses the same exact drivers as the monitor 30's(Same exact meaning the driver in the monitor 30 is the exact same as the drivers in the cs1) and it uses the exact same tweeter as the monitor 30's.... Its not just the size thing. The folks at Polk specifically designed the cs1 to work with the Polk monitor 30/40/50

For $73 shipped until 2/8/2011 here is the matching center for your monitor 30's
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290210. It's a great deal and a must buy NOW!!!


BTWs your current receiver will not support a center channel so you need to buy a 7.1 or 5.1 receiver

Rob I'm a little confussed on this center channel speaker selection.
as you have suggested cs1 exactly what Polks web site suggests cs1 or cs10.

why I'm confussed is in another simiarl thread folks are suggesting the CS2 w/ it's 6.5" woofer over the cs1?

I'm kindof leaning toward the cs10 mainly for same size drivers.been reading about the timbre matching and thinking the cs2 mite over power the small M30s.
Thanks
STB
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post #13 of 13
3/8/11 at 6:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevethebrain View Post
Rob I'm a little confussed on this center channel speaker selection.
as you have suggested cs1 exactly what Polks web site suggests cs1 or cs10.

why I'm confussed is in another simiarl thread folks are suggesting the CS2 w/ it's 6.5" woofer over the cs1?

I'm kindof leaning toward the cs10 mainly for same size drivers.been reading about the timbre matching and thinking the cs2 mite over power the small M30s.
Thanks
STB
If you were using large fronts (Polk Tsi400, 500s, Polk Monitor 60s, 70s, or Polk R50s), then the CS2 or CS20 would be a better match. Since you're using Monitor30's, the CS1 or CS10 (CS1 will match better looks-wise) is the correct center.
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