CS1

by Alexander Pablo, October 27, 2004

Strengths:

Highly accurate dialogue quality. Boxless perception sound field. Perfect build quality. Unmatched center at any price point. Believe me I know. Kudos to Mr. Matthew Polk and his entire staff. Keep perfecting what already is perfect!

Weaknesses:

Weakness? None found.

Review:

This center speaker is the cure for: "What did he say?, "Put it louder I can't hear it!", "Did you get that?". By far one of the world's best sounding center channel speaker without "Logan" prices. This center gives the listener the perception of a live person speaking right in front of you. Sharp and crystal clear dialogues. Unrivaled dialogue accuracy.

by Marcelo Culotta, June 7, 2009

Strengths:

Sound and look great.

Weaknesses:

It is a 4 ohm speaker that could blow your amp if not careful. In my case I needed a transformer to bring the impedance to 8 ohms.

Review:

The reason I gave the CS1 4 stars is that the specifications are really vague. When I look at a speaker, there are two main numbers I look at, one is POWER and the other is IMPEDANCE. The manual has no power rating and states that it is "compatible" with 8 ohm systems (whatever that means). I bought it based on the reviews and they were right, it sounds great. Something to consider: When I first connected it, it made my system go into PROTECTED mode, which means that it turned itself off because I was exceeding the power. I measured the impedance to make sure and to my surprise it is 4 ohms. I decided to keep it because it sounds great and looks even better so I matched impedance with a TRANSFORMER so that my amp sees an 8 ohm load. If you have the same problem, please do not try to bring the impedance to 8 ohms by adding a 4 ohm resistor in series, use a trasnformer instead. The resistor would consume about half the power and for a center channel of 100 watts it would be a big 50 watt 4 ohm resistor that would get really hot. I measured the impedance for two R50's and guess what...they are also 4 ohms. They did not give me problems because my amp will take 4-8 ohm front speakers, but only 8 ohm center speaker. I don't know why online specifications show 8 ohms for R50 and CS1 because they are 4 ohm speakers.

Polk Response:

Please do not use resistors to "bring up" the impedance to 8 ohms. If you "measured" 4 ohms, you're likely using a multimeter which is only measuring the DC resistance of the speaker, not the actual impedance (which itself, is an averaged number). If you're getting protection on your receiver, something else is wrong. Second, the power specifications are done a little differently than other manufacturer's. We recommend a range of amplifiers to be used with our speakers, this is because speaker power ratings are also very approximated. There's several variables including- frequency, duration, acceptable distortion levels.

by Greg Cook, June 14, 2005

Strengths:

Crisp, Clear and Accurate.

Weaknesses:

Non at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Review:

Crisp, Clear and Accurate. I just recently replaced my Bose VCS-10 with the CS1 and what a huge difference. With the Bose I had a very hard time hearing the dialogue. With the Polk I hear everything and even at lower volumes!!! I was so happy with the Polk I replaced my front Bose AM-3's with the Polk R30's. Not only do the Polk speakers sound great they look great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Brian, March 14, 2007

Strengths:

Movie Dialogue is outstanding. This blows my previouse Yamaha center speaker out of the water.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

This center channel is perfect. Never to loud, blends in without being noticed and over bearing. The highs are smooth and this speaker will surprise you with the amount of voice range reproduction, without missing a step. There is nothing in this price range that is anywhere close.

by Richard Ferguson, December 11, 2004

Strengths:

I looked and listend to them all in this price range. No comparison, this one is a winner.

Weaknesses:

Weakness, Polk speakers? You must be having a nightmare.

Review:

I already had a centre channel speaker when I bought this one. Why would I need another? I was always doing the listening stretch to catch something, hitting rewind to replay etc. Not anymore. I can hear again!!!

by Jay O'Neill, March 20, 2006

Strengths:

For the price this is a great speaker

Weaknesses:

It's BIG MAN! BIG!!

Review:

GREAT BIG SOUND! i had Bose cube speakers as my center and this CS1 is so much more clearer and crisp, now i don't have to rewind to try and figure out what was said in dialogue. This is great center channel speaker. I also had the BOSE vcs10 and still there is no comparison, my sound use ti be muffled, but not any more. Great speaker wire connections in the back for banana plugs. Not very speakers like this have the back firing port this one has... that puts the icing on the cake!

by Tom, December 17, 2009

Strengths:

Dialog is crisp, detailed and full-sounding. Never will you have to turn your system all the way up just to hear a conversation.

Weaknesses:

Sibilant and bright. But what might be "bright" to one person might be "detailed" to another - it's all about subjectivity.

Review:

Some of these reviews are pretty funny... To all the users who are complaining about the lack of bass - IT'S NOT A SUB WOOFER!!! If you want bass from a center speaker then I suggest you hunt down a vintage CS1000p - it has built-in powered subs. If you're unable to find one or don't have the funds for it, then do what the rest of do and BUY A SEPARATE SUB! Now that that's out of the way, onto the review. For the money, the CS1 is a great center speaker. If this is your first center or are upgrading from a "HTiB" then you'll be very happy. For a budget center, it performs remarkably well. I dare you to find a better performing center speaker at that price. Of course, the CS1 isn't the last word in overall transparency but the sound it produces is full and detailed. My only complaint is that it can sound "hissy" with s and t sounds. It's called sibilance and it usually occurs in bright sounding speakers. Some people will never notice it and to others it can sound absolutely painful. I tend to fall somewhere in the middle - I notice it but tend to ignore it most of the time so it never becomes an annoyance.

by EG1967, December 14, 2010

Strengths:

everything

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

Just got this home and hooked it up.This thing sounds amazing right out of the box.I've only been listening to it for about an hour but I love it.I have always wanted polk speakers and I am not disaponited.The cherry finish is absolutly beautiful and I love how big it is.I am getting a pair of monitor 30's for christmas and I can't wait to pair them up with this center channel.Thank you polk for making such a geat product.

by john, March 28, 2013

Strengths:

Voices and effects are loud and clear.

Weaknesses:

A little big compared to my Boston VR-10. Just glad it can be sat on the floor with the angled back.

Review:

Just got this thing in today. Swapping it out for a vintage Boston Acoustics VR-10. Liked the Vr-10 alot but paired with my Polk R40 fronts, the sound field was not timbre matched. Not a problem anymore, these speakers sound great together. Thank you Polk.

by Gus B, December 19, 2004

Strengths:

Sound and price.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

Excellant speaker. Sounds full and rich. Hear the complete movie or tv sound track and the sound is great.

by bobby sexton, December 23, 2004

Strengths:

really great open sound

Weaknesses:

none i can find...

Review:

super center channel speaker even at high volume the sound is so clear and open just a wonderful speaker for the price it cant be beat..

by Jeff, December 30, 2004

Strengths:

It does everything a center channel should, but better than expected. Very "crispe" sound. I am extremely pleased.

Weaknesses:

Boxy design, but it is growing on me. Don't touch that tweeter with the grill off! No weaknesses really.

Review:

Just beautiful. Get the entire line of Monitors for the best sound at anywhere near this price. I have the monitor 70's, and the Monitor 30's for rears, and it is just awesome. If you like good clean sound from even cheaper receivers, get this series. Clean as a whistle vocals. What else is a center for, right. Great job Polk!!

by Carlos, January 27, 2005

Strengths:

Clear Clear Clear.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

Crispy Clear Powerfull Sound that Makes u Feel Like U are Trully There!

by Tim Menz, March 2, 2005

Strengths:

Great Looks, wonderful highs

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

Dont waste your money with anything else. I have the whole voice match set of m50's, m30's, CS1, and psw 10, my home theater can rival anyone i know. There is no reason to step up to the rt series unless you are running seprate amplifiers for you home theater, so I would recommend any one to buy a set of these monitors. Doesnt matter which ones you get, or how you make your system. The whole series is voice matched, no one speaker over powers another which is so great. The only change I will be making is stepping up to the psw 12 when I get the money. I have nothing but good things to say about this monitor series. Thank you Matt Polk for making affordable speakers that put everyone else to shame.

by Logan, March 31, 2005

Strengths:

Movies

Weaknesses:

Music

Review:

For HT only. I am finding if you listen to music with the monitors they suck cause they just don't have it in the low end enough.

by Richard Lacy, July 18, 2005

Strengths:

Looks great and performs well

Weaknesses:

None to speak of

Review:

An excellent center speaker. Having two 5 1/4 inch center speakers plus the tweeter is superb - especially since 52% of the sound in a 5.1 system is generated from the center speaker.

by Dan, August 20, 2005

Strengths:

build quality and sound quality for movies.

Weaknesses:

not a lot of full range that you might want in a center.

Review:

Pretty good for what I expected. I don't have a lot to compare to for center channels. My system is a Denon 2805 receiver with A/D/S L500 speakers and Polk R15 surrounds. I am happy with this on Dolby Digital and DTS movies but when i use other modes with music especially I am not as happy. That could just be more of a processing issue. I don't know if surround sound on music is really meant to be.

by Elliot Fox, September 12, 2005

Strengths:

The Clarity is what made me buy this one, also the extremely reasonable price.

Weaknesses:

None that I kow of.

Review:

I compared the CS1 to the close Infinity and Klipsch; this one blew them away!

by Apodaca, October 15, 2005

Strengths:

Solid performer on both music and home theater.

Weaknesses:

Cant think of any except that it does not sound as good as the CS2.

Review:

Solid performer delivering clear dialogue, music and special effects. The fit and finish is excellent and the design is flexible due to the ability to multiple placement options, and the low weight. Good value for the price. Sound not as full as the CS2.

by Mike Suarez, January 12, 2006

Strengths:

Clean and clear, even at high mids. Price!

Weaknesses:

It's a little bulky. The lows are not as strong as one would like.

Review:

I gave the CS1 the highest rating not because of its perfect sound, but because of how amazing the sound is for the price. I have it matched with M60s and M30s (I don't use a sub because the people in the apartment below complain) on a Denon 2105 receiver. The CS1 is astonishingly clear and clean. It does sound a little warm (something I've noticed about all the Monitor series), but I actually like it. Voices are clean and crisp, yet it blends well with the rest of the M-series speakers. In fact, it is often difficult to tell from where the sound is coming. All and all, I love it.

by spike, January 19, 2006

Strengths:

Low cost(unsual 4 Italy!!!Thanks)

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

Excellent ,especially 4 HT!! A perfect "trio" with Monitor 50! Ciao greetings from Turin Italy

by Josepe, September 24, 2006

Strengths:

Everything you think around the best sound in a center speaker you find in a CS1 speaker.

Weaknesses:

like joke, but really I want change all my speakers Bose and Sony with Polk, that's mean a weakness for my pocket. Polk is the best and period.

Review:

The CS1 is the best speaker for this price, the sound is very clean and clear, don't matter the volume level, I have two home theatre systems in other rooms, Bose and Sony, but now I was looking for HDMI connections and after one month comparing different systems, I found the Pioneer receiver 1016 like the best with THX capabilities, I saw and heard this combination in the Circuit City store, thank's God finally this is the perfect Home Theatre System ever I built it. Thanks Polkaudio, your CS1 is the King on Center speakers.

by Kenneth, October 11, 2006

Strengths:

Super Clean and open sound.

Weaknesses:

Nada.

Review:

Perfect match to the Mon 50's, Mon30's. Nice and open sound...very clean... a nice balanced system. Paired with Mon 50s, MOn 30s, Rm6751's, and PSW10.

by Heath, December 27, 2006

Strengths:

Big sound from this box, movie dialouge really comes to life. High-end sounds are crisp and clean.

Weaknesses:

Not quite as bright as I would like, and not quiet enough punch on the low-end when listening to music but at it's price point it is an excellent buy.

Review:

Wonderful speaker, wonderful value. Some say it's too big but I'm from Texas...I think its perfect. I have pieced my souround system together with the Monitor series, 40's in the front and 30's in the rear. I must say the CS1 puts out big sound. Very clean, very clear dialouge. Would recomend to anyone.

by psraj, December 10, 2007

Strengths:

Sharp crisp highs and mid tones. Nice built cabinet.

Weaknesses:

Now, this speaker is pushing me to by the Polk Front speakers, may be RT6i.

Review:

Outstanding Center channel speaker. Movie dialogs are so crisp clear. I had to turn down my center channel volume with this speaker. I have it connected to my Onkyo SR505, and never before have I enjoyed the movie dialogs and highs so much in my Home theater. So much detail in every bit of high and mid range. Still need a sub, which is no issue. Overall, I am so satisfied with my CS1.

by Scott Wilson, March 12, 2008

Strengths:

Great price and look.

Weaknesses:

It is a bit big.

Review:

Great sound. Couldn't ask for a better centre speaker. I will be getting the M50s next to go with it.

by steve, March 15, 2008

Strengths:

Awesome center channel ,I hear sounds i never heard before!

Weaknesses:

Not a weakness but the cs1 is so good sounding ,I'm thinking of getting cs2 and moving cs1 to rear surround,I hear the cs2 is amuch richer ,fuller center speaker

Review:

I had a yamaha center ,thought it was ok till I plugged the cs1 in.Man what a difference ,the sound from it was fuller and more vibrant,now my set up consista of monitor 60,s up front with cs1 and in the rear ,a pair of r-30,s and the rear surrounds are polk R-15's.

by Rich, June 6, 2008

Strengths:

HIGHS TO THE EXTREME!!!!

Weaknesses:

ZERO LOWS!!!!! TO THE EXTREME

Review:

Ok just got the CS1,gonna give polk a try . I have just a reg sony center, I really hear no diffrence, except this speaker keeps going and doesnt distort. But it will distort and has . Will be buying something that is worth the sound. TO HIGH AND VERY LITTLE LOWS!!!

by Greg, March 18, 2010

Strengths:

Crisp, clean sound.

Weaknesses:

Recently blew midrange after two years. I still give four stars cause, as I said, I'm tough on speakers.

Review:

I bought this center about two years ago, and I am not kind to speakers. I coupled this center with a set of monitor 50's in front, velodyne vx10 sub, and four m 150's to complete the 7.1. Driving all this was an Onkyo 574. Great little starter system, and this center really complimented the other speakers.

by Joe, June 14, 2010

Strengths:

Great Value. Sounds great with Bluray movies as expected. Handles music well too.

Weaknesses:

I do notice a slight hiss with c's and s's as a previous reviewer mentioned. I agree that it really isn't bothersome. It is not noticeable enough to take anything from the experience in my opinion.

Review:

This center channel is a great buy. It is mid level quality at an entry level price. I am not even going to address those who are saying that their CENTER CHANNEL lacks bass. :) I have been using this speaker for about a year now, and I couldn't be happier with the value. I am currently running it off of a Sony STR-DN 1000. It handles all 110 watts at 8 ohms beautifully with no noticeable distortion at even extreme volumes. I am using Polk Monitor 40's as front channel speakers (a perfect match for this center channel)and I have 4 Sony surround speakers which I will probably replace because they are the clear weak link in my system. I had the CS1 set up as a bridged rear channel in my living room system for a while and it performed quite well in that application as well. So well in fact that I moved it back into my bedroom set up where I watch the majority of my movies. I would rate these 5 stars as an overall value for a mid level system component. I rated them 4 stars because they obviously don't compare with a $500 center channel. I am buying a second one to use in my living room. Polk has some great deals on refurbished speakers if you check their ebay store. Highly Recommended.