dual csi3s or get a csi5 ?

[Codey]

Can anyone offer their opinion on which setup would sound better ?

[jefft1314]

Csi-5 unless you are using a front projecter and can put a csi-3 above and below the screen.

[Codey]

I don't have a front projector, I was just thinking of putting two csi3s side by side under the T.V. because they would fit in my entertainement unit better than a csi5.

[marcpam]

what would you power them with?

[jefft1314]

Sound quality will be better on the CSI-5 alone I would imagine. Otherwise you'd get an effect known as comb filtering. I hear it's not very pleasant. I'm surprised more people haven't chimed in here. I'd also post the question over at avsforum.com, they'd be able to do a better job of explaining why the csi5 will sound better than i can. Or you can just take my word on it, or I suppose you could try it out for yourself and see what works best. I'm guessing you already have one csi3?

[Codey]

I was thinking of using an adcom 545 or something like that to power them. I guess I could always save the csi3 I have for 6.1 in the near future , and modify my entertainement centre to accomodate the csi5. I was just looking for an easier way out.

[scottvamp]

The question is - who big is your TV? A 36" or under does not benifit from mutilple centers.....

[Willow]

I dont see how 2 fronts will seem better with a big screen unless you have a major projection system or at the theaters. Are you happy with your csi3 ? if so keep it what do you think, or how do you think upgrading will benefit you ??

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by jefft1314
Sound quality will be better on the CSI-5 alone I would imagine. Otherwise you'd get an effect known as comb filtering. I hear it's not very pleasant. I'm surprised more people haven't chimed in here. I'd also post the question over at avsforum.com, they'd be able to do a better job of explaining why the csi5 will sound better than i can. Or you can just take my word on it, or I suppose you could try it out for yourself and see what works best. I'm guessing you already have one csi3?

Hi Jeff,

You might be interested in an other recent Club Polk thread on this subject.
Dual Centers for Front Projection?

In that thread I mention that I already posted the question at AV Sciences Home Theater Builder's forum.

Stacking Dual Center Channel Speakers?

Some professionals may be concerned about comb filtering, but I think the concern may be over stated. I'm not a 2-channel enthusiast, but I would think that if comb filtering were a problem, then everytime an enthusiast had friends over to to listen to stereo the people sitting off-axis would be confronted with comb filtering, right? But somehow, despite the fact than many 2-channel enthusiasts are audiophiles, we never heard about that problem.

You get comb filtering when there is a delay in two identical signals so that, depending on the difference in delay, the signals constructively or destructively intefer with one an other. Therefore anyone sitting off-axis listening to 2-channel stereo where the sonic image is intended to be centered, would theoretically be subjected to comb filtering because there will be a delay between the right and left speaker due to the difference in distance.

Now, let's discuss why stacked centers present less of a problem, (if there's a problem in the first place.) When you stack centers you have the option of arranging the center channel speakers so that they are equidistant from the primary listening area. If the listeners are the same distance from each speaker then comb filtering can't occur. Unlike the stereo example, in this case even listeners seated off-axis will still be equidistant from both speakers so comb filtering should not be an issue.

Larry

[Codey]

Thank you for your help guys. I think I'm just going to suck it up and make a csi5 fit and use the csi3 for a rear center.

[jefft1314]

Thanks Larry, I was aware that stacking the centers wouldn't be an issue but I was pretty sure having them side by side wouldn't work out too well, as this would present problems with distance. And as this was the original posters intent, I figured a single csi 5 woudl be a better solution. If you read up in the thread you'll see that i said that actually having one underneath, and one on top of the screen should work out well, but I didn't think placing them side by side would be a great idea. Thanks for the good explanation of comb filtering though, that clears things up for me.

[Larry Chanin]

Originally posted by jefft1314
If you read up in the thread you'll see that i said that actually having one underneath, and one on top of the screen should work out well, but I didn't think placing them side by side would be a great idea.

Hi Jeff,

Sorry I missed that previous posting.

I'm inclined to agree with you that, in theory, horizontally placed centers should present more comb filtering problems than vertically placed centers. In addition, from a personal preference point of view, I would rather have a focused center sonic image to anchor dialog versus a diffuse wide image.

Nevertheless, there are several members of this forum who have reported excellent results with horizontal configurations.

Larry

[wallstreet]

You can get all the csi3's you want and you'll end up with very loud db's within the frequency range of the speaker. The csi5 has a larger frequency range which can never be reproduced by the csi3. If at all possible, go with the 5.

[Toxis]

CSi5 > dual 3's. No matter how many centers you add, it will not enhance the midbass from a speaker. The 3 sounds good but compared to the 5, it falls flat on it's face. No midbass what-so-ever. It lacks the depth you want to match up with larger towers. Go the 5 and be happy...

[Willow]

the 5 is really that much better than the 3 ?? shoot I'll have to keep my eyes opened !!

Now will the 5 be to much for my rti4's as mains ??

[Early B.]

Now will the 5 be to much for my rti4's as mains ??

No.

[Toxis]

Originally posted by Willow
Now will the 5 be to much for my rti4's as mains ??

IMO, yes! I sell Polk and have done hundreds upon hundreds of listening sessions with Polk (seeing it's my favorite speaker line we carry). I think the 5 completely dominates the mains if you're using bookshelves (4's or 6's) but if you're running towers, the 5 is a necessity as the 3 will not keep up. Again, just my opinion. Yes I know you can adjust the volume of the channels to match the levels but I'm talking about dynamics...

[PolkWannabie]

That's why receivers and preamps have channel level adjustments ... for calibration ...

[TheReaper]

Originally posted by Toxis
IMO, yes! I sell Polk and have done hundreds upon hundreds of listening sessions with Polk (seeing it's my favorite speaker line we carry). I think the 5 completely dominates the mains if you're using bookshelves (4's or 6's) but if you're running towers, the 5 is a necessity as the 3 will not keep up. Again, just my opinion. Yes I know you can adjust the volume of the channels to match the levels but I'm talking about dynamics...

I think this is good advice. I tried a CSi5 with my R50s, and I took it back. Things just didn't sound right with more bass coming from the center, then from the mains.