Picking up a CSi40

[wodom1]

Hey guys, I'm going to pick up a CSi40 this afternoon from my local CC for $200 and have a few questions about my receiver setup. Right now I've got some old Sony towers that were purchased by my parents in the early to mid 80's. I'll be replacing them in the future. My receiver is the Denon 1801. Currently, I've got the mains set to large, since I used them as a stereo pair only. How should my receiver be set now that I'm throwing a center-channel into the loop? Also, will I need to get a coax cable for audio from my DVD player into the receiver to effectively use the center channel? Right now, I've just got a stereo RCA connection hooked up since that was all I had. The CSi40 is brand new--is $200 a good price, considering that everywhere else, including the Polk site, lists this speaker at $479+? I'd like to get some surrounds next, then replace my mains with RTi70's or the new 12's. Thanks for the help, guys.:D

-Josh

[bgaskins]

$200 is a hell of a price since I got mine for 284 and I thought that was a steal. It is a great speaker too. You can keep your mains set to large if you like, unless you are using a subwoofer, and would like the bass to be diverted to that. Same goes for setting the size of your center channel. I''m not sure about the digital coax, but I would think you need to use it. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[wodom1]

Thanks for the response, bgaskins. I don't have a subwoofer, nor will I be getting one in the near future, since I'm in an apartment right now. I think that I'm going to need the digital coax too, but wasn't sure, since I won't have 5.1, just 3.0, though I will be picking up some surrounds before too long.

[bgaskins]

Oh ok. Then you should def keep your mains to large IMO. Because If you set them to small, a lot of your base will just be filtered out. Same would go for the bass setting. I would try both, you might like it.

[Airplay355]

u do not need a coax since u wont be able to use the dts or dolby digital surround settings, unless u want to listen to them without surround channels which would suck. your receiver should have a 3 channel stereo setting, or a way that u can disable the surounds in one of the menus. for music i would stick with stereo its much nicer, but for movies 3 channel stereo sounds better IMO. if im wrong someone correct me

[BoostedA4]

Just curious, does the CSi40 work with RTi38's? I'm a real noob, but they have to be timbre/voice matched, or something like that? I know the CSi30 works, but I'd rather have the CSi40 as my center channel speaker.

[PhantomOG]

yes, the 40 works.

[scottvamp]

Originally posted by BoostedA4
Just curious, does the CSi40 work with RTi38's? I'm a real noob, but they have to be timbre/voice matched, or something like that? I know the CSi30 works, but I'd rather have the CSi40 as my center channel speaker.

The 40 IS a better match all around. Compare the driver size!
The 30 has smaller driver not matching your 38's.

[Airplay355]

the fxi, rti, and csi are all timbre matched, u can match a csi30 with a csi40, or a csi40 with fxi30's.

[BoostedA4]

And do the thread starter...

How are you getting CSi40's for $200?!?!?! And this is at circuit city?

[walk]

Yes, today (12/12/03) my local CC had the CSi40 new for $200, (1 open box for $150), and the CSi30 for $150. They also still had good deals on the RTi70 and 100 towers (but not the 150s cuz I took the last pair back in Sept =)

As for your setup, set the mains to large, center to small, and yes definitely get the digital audio connection.

[wodom1]

Well, this speaker sounds great. I bought a Monster digital coax and left my mains as large and the center as small. Even though I don't have surrounds yet, it sounds great. I'm planning on getting some surrounds next, preferably FX's, then replacing my mains with some i70's in the near future. Thanks for all the help, guys.

-Josh

[scottvamp]

If you have no sub and your setting mains to large and watching mostly movies (using the center channel) you should also set the center to large - the 40 can easily handle it. That is were most of your sound from DD movies is coming from not the mains. Just a thought.....

[scornful]

I just got back from CC and was going to post this.... Macon GA has CSi40 for $200 as well. RTi28's down to $79/pc and RTi70's still holding at $299. If you can afford em right now go ahead and put what you want on lay away. It will hold em so they dont sell out, but insure you get a great price if they bust em out after Christmas. These will get really hard to find soon if you want a timbre matched set.