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Center Channel

post #1 of 21
4/19/11 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
Hey guys, I have been running my RXV650 in stereo mode for about a year now, at the moment I'm just looking for the best center channel I can get for around $200. Any input would be great.


Thanks,
Phil

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Check out post 5 to see what I'm thinking about getting.
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post #2 of 21
4/19/11 at 5:39pm
Get what matches your L/R speakers.
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post #3 of 21
4/19/11 at 5:47pm
It would help if you knew what kind of speakers you want next.

it's really important that your center and main speakers have the same tonal quality. I'd advise you to buy the matching center for the SS-B3000s unless you know what main speakers you'll be purchasing next.

For instance don't buy a Polk center now and then decide to buy Klipsch towers in the future. They're not a good match. Buy your center and mains from the same manufacturer and preferrably from the same product line.
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post #4 of 21
4/19/11 at 5:56pm
Thread Starter 
Hey guys, I'm going to replace my L/R speaker hopefully soon and was more or less wanting to build around my center channel. I really wanted to get as good a center channel as I could because clear dialog is very important to me. After that I listen to a lot of music at pretty low levels and my Sony boxes aren't cutting ti right now, they may eventually make it as rear surrounds but at the moment they will have to be okay for my front stereo speakers.

Let me know if there is any more information that could be helpful.

Thanks
Phil
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post #5 of 21
4/19/11 at 6:26pm
Thread Starter 
Alright, any Opinions on these? I could pretty much buy the CS1 center and two Monitor50 floor stands at the same time.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-211-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290205
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post #6 of 21
4/19/11 at 6:31pm
Those will definitely be better than what you have now. I'd wait a couple days and get the Monitor 60's instead of the 50's though. I've see the 60's for that same price when on sale.

Actually the Monitor 60 is cheaper than the Monitor 50 now once your apply the promo code which drops the price by $32.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290207
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post #7 of 21
4/19/11 at 6:36pm
Thread Starter 
If they sound good I guess I'll just grab them now while they are on sale..... got the sound better than these Sony SS-B3000. Right....
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post #8 of 21
4/19/11 at 6:39pm
definitely.
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post #9 of 21
4/19/11 at 6:40pm
Look on eBay something like the Paradigm CC-370 center channel, should be about $200. The CC-370 is a dynamic center channel that will integrate well with other Paradigm speakers as well as many other speaker brands.
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post #10 of 21
4/19/11 at 7:04pm
Thread Starter 
I'm pretty much decided on the Polks, I can get two monitor60's and the CS1 for $308 shipped from egg right now. Unless the CC-370 sounds that much better than the CS1. I won't be able to get matching stereo speakers to go with it for that price.

One more thing I guess I should have mentioned this from the start these are going to be hooked up to my computer in my bed room it's not for a living room, I will mostly be using these for listening to music, but watching movies ( one of my monitors is a tc-p42s1 ) and play some video games but only very rarely. I also already have a BA 8" powered sub. so the low end is covered.
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post #11 of 21
4/19/11 at 7:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ythe1300 View Post

If they sound good I guess I'll just grab them now while they are on sale..... got the sound better than these Sony SS-B3000. Right....

I would not buy that polk center, as the tweeter is in line with the woofer centerline. That is a bad design. Anyone I've ever seen on this forum complaining of the performance of their center speaker was just like that.

You either want to have a 2-way center that has the tweeter above the woofer centerline, or a 3-way that has the tweeter and the midrange vertically mounted.
Here are two examples of what I'm talking about. The Infinity on the left is a $500 center, currently on sale for $212, harmanaudio.com
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post #12 of 21
4/19/11 at 7:31pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4DHD View Post

I would not buy that polk center, as the tweeter is in line with the woofer centerline. That is a bad design. Anyone I've ever seen on this forum complaining of the performance of their center speaker was just like that.

You either want to have a 2-way center that has the tweeter above the woofer centerline, or a 3-way that has the tweeter and the midrange vertically mounted.
Here are two examples of what I'm talking about. The Infinity on the left is a $500 center, currently on sale for $212, harmanaudio.com

The bottom of the tweeter appears to be above the center line of the speakers, the tweeter is just not pushed all the way to the top like on those infinities. Also the professional reviews ( the few there are ) appear to be glowing. Plus I don't have a huge amount of space on my desk for a speaker as large as that second one and I have no idea what model that infinity is.

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I just bit the bullet I'll let you guys know what I think of them when they get here.


Thanks for all of the opinions,
Phil
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post #13 of 21
4/19/11 at 7:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ythe1300 View Post

The bottom of the tweeter appears to be above the center line of the speakers, the tweeter is just not pushed all the way to the top like on those infinities.

Doesn't matter. As a 2way, the horizontal displacement to the other drivers from the tweeter is disadvantageous. The Paradigm CC-370 suffers from the same arrangement.
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post #14 of 21
4/19/11 at 8:26pm
Thread Starter 
So if I don't like this a good replacement would be something like a CSI A4?
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post #15 of 21
4/20/11 at 5:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ythe1300 View Post

So if I don't like this a good replacement would be something like a CSI A4?

Nope. The thing below the tweeter is a port, not a midrange. Same configuration, same problems.

Now, this may not bother you so try what you ordered and see if it works for you.
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post #16 of 21
4/20/11 at 6:37am
People I know or have read their comments about their center of that type generally refer to the dialogue being muddled. Sometimes its due to early reflections. But most of the time it has to do with taking a MTM vertical array and laying it on its side and call it a horizontal center speaker.

As to the pics I posted of those two centers, the one on the left was an Infinity CC225, the right one was JBL LC2, there is also a smaller LC1.
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post #17 of 21
4/21/11 at 5:28am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4DHD View Post

People I know or have read their comments about their center of that type generally refer to the dialogue being muddled. Sometimes its due to early reflections. But most of the time it has to do with taking a MTM vertical array and laying it on its side and call it a horizontal center speaker.

As to the pics I posted of those two centers, the one on the left was an Infinity CC225, the right one was JBL LC2, there is also a smaller LC1.

If this center doesn't work out, do you think that the Infinity would match up well with the Monitor 60's? Or is there something in Polk's range that you would suggest over it?
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post #18 of 21
4/21/11 at 6:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ythe1300 View Post

If this center doesn't work out, do you think that the Infinity would match up well with the Monitor 60's? Or is there something in Polk's range that you would suggest over it?

NO, I've heard many Polk speaker and Infinity speaker. I'd say they are nowhere near alike. But you said you wanted a center first and then replace your current L/R speakers.

So keeping that in mind, whatever brand center you buy, then you want to buy mains from the same brand/series. So take a look at a complete series of speakers before you decide which center you want.

If you decide you want some other brand of mains, then you don't want a Polk center. Mixing speaker brands across the LCRs is never a good thing, 90% of the time.
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post #19 of 21
4/21/11 at 6:26am
FWIW I use a Polk CS10 with the SSB-3000's and OWM3's in our family room. Surprisingly they seem to match very well. The SS-CN5000 is a terrible center, while the CS1 is not quite as bad. The 5000 is now in a box in the garage and I'm using CS1's as rear channel in our main theater room (with a CS2, M70 fronts and M60 surrounds). The M50's are okay for the bedroom, along with another CS10, but I would not recommend a CS1 to anyone. The CS10 is slightly larger and uses a somewhat brighter tweeter. The CS10 and OWM's are actually members of the TSi family.
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post #20 of 21
4/21/11 at 6:59am
so the center channel tweet woofer line could be and issue im glad i read this before i got em.
I was looking at this setup

http://www.amazon.com/Jamo-HCS-speaker-system-theater/dp/B0012135VW/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t"]http://www.amazon.com/Jamo-HCS-speaker-system-theater/dp/B0012135VW/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

I guess I keep looking
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post #21 of 21
4/21/11 at 7:21am
IMO this center line issue may not be as great a problem as you might be led to believe.
No offense to the poster, but this is the first time I've ever seen it mentioned.
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