Calling all Polkies:Official Polk thread - Page 189

Haha thats my roomates creation. It is pretty ghetto, but gets the job done. The TV is a 40", LN40A550.

hi everybody: i asked a similar question to this one a few pages ago and nobody bit, but in light of the newegg sale, i figured i'd give it another shot.

i recently got a good deal on a very gently used pair of monitor 70s. i have a polk psw350 sub, am hopefully swapping out the crappy old kenwood HTIB surrounds i'm currently using for a pair of monitor 40s, and an older energy center channel speaker. i've never been terribly happy with the center, and i'd like to get a hold of a cs2 so i can have a matching, budget-minded system, but finding a black cs2 either new or in decent used shape is turning out to be quite difficult (my wife won't go for cherry, despite the good price that they're going for on amazon).

so, i've been looking at the cs20, which appears to be the natural successor to the cs2, but in light of the sale that newegg is having on the vm20, i'm considering it instead.

my question to all you experts is this: would either the cs20 or the vm20 "match" my monitor 70s well enough to give up searching for a cs2? would either the cs20 or vm20 compliment my setup better than the other? i know i should go audition them both, but i'm not sure if any local stores have them (and i live in a noisy apartment next to a freeway, so a perfect match isn't super-critical - i just want something i'll be satisfied with when i eventually move out of my crappy apartment into a house where i can enjoy watching a movie at a level that isn't driven by what my neighbors will tolerate )

my wife has been amazingly okay with my recent speaker/receiver/blu ray player purchases, and i'm trying to get as many in as possible before my luck runs out.

thanks!

If you go with a CS20 you can always go with one from Polk Audio Direct on Ebay and save some money as well. They carry a warranty also and a 30 day return.

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Polk-Aud...34Q2ec0Q2em322

I would give Polk a call, 800-377-POLK (7655) and ask their opinion, they build em.

Real nice guys, they are here in the states, and have always been very helpful when I have needed parts and such.

Hi Folks,

I'm assembling my first HT system and drug out my vintage SDA-2Bs for the fronts. I've got them attached to a Yamaha 663 and some crappy speakers for the surrounds and rear. The surrounds and the rears will be replaced on a piecemeal basis, as the one purchase a month plan stays within my wife's tolerance level!

My wifey is complaining that she cannot hear the dialog well, so time to pull the trigger to get the center! Do you have any recommendations for a center that would well match the SDAs?

The SDAs base is sufficiently good that I'm not bothering with getting a subwoofer. The SDAs are 4-6 ohms (my original material on them is ambiguous, stating that it depends upon the frequency). My Yamaha prefers 6-8 ohms, so I'd like not to push things concerning tying in 4 ohm centers (until I unmothball my vintage 900w/ch Yamaha amp and investigate whether or not if I can use it as a separate amp for the centers).

Thanks!

Hi all - I just picked up a pair of FXi3 refurbs from PolkDirect. Unfortunately, the serial number sticker does not indicate right or left (as it shows in the manual). Does anyone know if the side with the midrange driver faces forward or to the back?

Thanks.

Forward.

That is, the left speaker from the listening position would (as you turn left and face it) have the midrange driver on the right half of the unit.

The midrange driver would face the front wall or in the direction towards the tv/video display.

Thanks 007 Dave.

Hey guys. Just finished my setup and wanted to share a pic with you guys. Love the RTi A5's!!

There are several options. If you don't want to look around for a close match used center, then the current CSi A6 works pretty well...8 ohm and easy to drive...and it can keep up. I use a CS400i with 1Cs and thinks it's a closer match. It's got a trilam tweeter that's a bit more laid back than the current center. A CS350 is also a sought after center for SDAs. If you're not space constrained and can handle a bookshelf, then a Monitor 5 or M5jr is just about a dead on timbre match. The LSiC is a 4 ohm speaker and also gets used.

Dig out the amp and use it on the 2Bs, your AVR can handle one of those centers just fine. 2Bs are great speakers, I bought a pair for a song and use them as surrounds . All the SDAs of that generation are 6 ohm nominal, but dip below 4 ohms occasionally. You might find that your AVR will tend to run out of current at spirited levels.

Can you play the ps3 longer than 10 minutes without it shutting down? It's gotta get super hot if that position in the pic is correct.

Looks great!

Yeah I use it for bluray all the time. It actually doesn't get *that* hot

I agree, that isn't the best location for it.... however, if it works it works. Just be aware if you start noticing issues with either your PS3 or cable box that you should try separating those two and see if that resolves the problem.

I was sent on a fix a couple weeks ago where a guy was having issues with his PS3 while playing BDs. He had his PS3 set on his Onkyo (notorious for running hot) and that was what caused his problems.

I mostly agree with Cornhulio. Vintage Polks that were made in Maryland are pretty good. When they went to Mexico, they got worse. Now that they are made-in-China and their stock has fallen to Pink-sheet status (near bankruptcy)... it is generic junk.

Vintage Polks were unique and worthy. Bose is somewhat unique and, actually, is a very well-run company with excellent marketing. Polk is just blah. Nothing special. Just low-fi, low-tech audio reproduction for the best-buy and circuit-city masses.

Cornhulio got a bum rap from a bunch of mindless follow-the-leader drones. Yes, he is a bit repetitive. But, his advice here is right on the money.

Of course, you can flame me for siding against Polk. But, truth-be-told, I sided with the truth and that put me at odds with Polk philosophy.

I'm a big advocate that speakers should speak the truth. Polk speakers scream... made for profit. I'm more an advocate of made-for-accuracy.

Later,

Ron

^^^^^Obvious troll is very obvious

Oooooo! Very Nisch!! Me like! One suggestion though..... I would move the SVS away from the that vicinity. I say this because thats a great,very loud, sub. The RTis do bass pretty well, so unless you know how to calibrate your set up really well, you may get some boomy bass bouncing off the walls (especially since the wall pushes in). I'm just suggesting and maybe getting too technical. If it sounds good to your ears, than by all means keep it there. I'm gonna put a pic of my R.I.G. soon. I'm just cable managing and moving things around. By the way, you an avid gamer or just a casual one? What's your favorite genre?

WOW! Don't know what to say to that? Polk? Hmmmmm... I like mine, some old powered towers, a huge center channel at 70+ lbs... that can move some air and your hair back. I do not even know of a company that even makes a beast like that anymore.

For the money, if you shop around, Polk speakers are hard to beat. And the customer service is top notch. I had to replace a x-over not long ago on an 9 year old set of towers, had a new one in under a week. I asked about their stock, they had less than ten left, but told me not to worry, as they would send out the schematics so that I could build my own or pay someone to make a replacement. Now that is service in my book. And I actually like how they sound. Imagine that?

Sound and speakers are subjective, bashing speakers is foolhardy, unless we are speaking Bose, but that is due to marketing and only being able to purchase under the strictest of pricing guidelines.

Take it somewhere else please.

Here is mine...



The old Polks and the SVS hood shaker!

And that tv is 52 inches, just a tad bit bigger and lighter than that Polk center channel... And not looking to replace that beast any time soon.

I love Thiel, Krell, Adcom, Monarchy Audio, Margin Logan, etc.
I even like Bose and Klipsch.
I just really dislike Polk Audio. They suck!!!

So, call me a Troll if you like. But, Polk is like Trix... for kids.

local net... those aren't old Polks. Those are RT800's.

Nope. Guess again genius. Had them for near 9 years...

And who is Margin Logan?

Bose? Give me a break!

So how about you show us all what you got? Here is my other little HT... And my God, is that a Polk Surround Bar on the bottom shelf?!

Hey Ron, did you and Carl decide to team up ?

What's your point? That Polk Audio changed in 1992 and later in 2000? No question. All companies evolve...grow...shrink...move manufacturing...in effect, change. Now, I tend to agree with you on vintage Polk vs. the current lines. Not about build or overall quality, but I do prefer the sound quality. That quality wasn't due to a better build or more QA, it was the big honking boxes, design and the goal of producing the best stereo sound at a reasonable price in the entry level, midfi and hifi markets...something they succeeded at. Today, the goal is similar, but with different criteria...that's all.

It's fine to have an opinion, but why piss on Polkie's cheerios?

Ron,

You are so right in regards to Polk, both yesterday and today. The towers and center I own (big boxes compared to today) cannot be replaced today, especially the center, for what I paid for them. And they still work flawlessly, other than the x-over that blew and was repaired. And it blew on my dime, my screw up.

I could not have said it better.

Mike

Considering rskarvan has three posts, all of which are here bashing Polk, maybe he/she is someone who has been here before and is just looking to troll under another name.

Karvan, if you like those other brands so much, good for you and go enjoy those threads. I am not gonna piss on your cheerios so please don't on mine. Thanks!

Sad thing is, is that he doesn't know Polk speakers. Imagine that?

local what center is that above your tv in the first pic? It looks like a lawsuit from a guest waiting to happen

That is a CS1000p http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/p...ecent/cs1000p/

And yes, it is a beast to say the least. Powered subs and all. The shelve is 14" x 51" mahogany out of the S Pacific held up with Ikea brackets with 8, 3" #10 (?) SS screws into studs. And she sounds marvelous. You cannot buy a center like this anymore as far as I know. And I have looked...

The only thing that heavy would be the CS1000P, but I can't tell with the grill on.

Mike, when I'm talking about big boxes, I mean the old 70s -80s quasi-bookshelf/floorstander M10 and M7, then the very large SDAs. The towers you've got, which I assume are 1000, 2000 or 3000p are exceptional speakers too.

[quote=Ron Temple;16108243]The only thing that heavy would be the CS1000P, but I can't tell with the grill on.

Whoa, what happened? continue on to the next post....