Center Channel replacement matchup..opinions on these three? or others...

[ridergroov1]

Opinions? Just looking for something in the $150 range for now to replace my current center. I've read good things about all of these and wanted to get some opinions from here. Thanks.

Models

Bose® VCS-10
Boston Acoustics CS 225C
Infinity PC350

[ZedsDead]

I tried to find out what tweeter you have in your Pioneer's so your front sound stage would be timbre matched, but I could not find any information on them. Anyways I would recommend grabbing a Polk Center Channel like the Polk CS2 for $120 on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-024-_-Product

[callas01]

I say since you have the Boston surrounds get the CS225 and then later you can save up and get these towers and you will have a nice Boston setup.

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/it...oustics-cs226c

[ridergroov1]

Originally Posted by callas01

I say since you have the Boston surrounds get the CS225 and then later you can save up and get these towers and you will have a nice Boston setup.

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/it...oustics-cs226c

Yeah I went with the Boston center for the reasons you indicated. I do need to get some new fronts as well. Are those ones you indicated pretty good? Is 6.5" woofers enough? I know my 15" Pioneers are old and I've been told that you don't need that big of a woofer anymore because of the technology used but what is the average woofers for front speakers now?

[callas01]

Originally Posted by ridergroov1

Yeah I went with the Boston center for the reasons you indicated. I do need to get some new fronts as well. Are those ones you indicated pretty good? Is 6.5" woofers enough? I know my 15" Pioneers are old and I've been told that you don't need that big of a woofer anymore because of the technology used but what is the average woofers for front speakers now?

typically woofers on tower speaker now-a-days will range between 5.25, 6.5" or 8". there are a few 7 and 10 inch woofers out there also, but really the most common tend to be about 5.25" and 6.5". The 6.5" in my experience give you a little better bass... however, if you get some 5.25" speakers that have a nice crossover on the lower end with say a 2.5 way or 3 way speaker you can still get some good bass out of them. It all depends on how the speaker mfg sets up the speakers internal passive crossovers.

The fact that they are 2 way speaker make me thing that they will have OK bass but you will want to have it crossover and use a sub for low end extension.

My Energys are 2 way, with a single 6.5" woofer, YET I still get slightly better bass extension then the Polk Monitor 60s/TSi 400s(3 5.25" woofers) they are pretty much the same and it isn't that much of a deep thump, but when there is an explosion the sound is a little tighter and deeper, so 2-way speakers can have decent bass but don't expect what you get with a 15" old school hi-fi speakers.

[ridergroov1]

Originally Posted by callas01

typically woofers on tower speaker now-a-days will range between 5.25, 6.5" or 8". there are a few 7 and 10 inch woofers out there also, but really the most common tend to be about 5.25" and 6.5". The 6.5" in my experience give you a little better bass... however, if you get some 5.25" speakers that have a nice crossover on the lower end with say a 2.5 way or 3 way speaker you can still get some good bass out of them. It all depends on how the speaker mfg sets up the speakers internal passive crossovers.

The fact that they are 2 way speaker make me thing that they will have OK bass but you will want to have it crossover and use a sub for low end extension.

My Energys are 2 way, with a single 6.5" woofer, YET I still get slightly better bass extension then the Polk Monitor 60s/TSi 400s(3 5.25" woofers) they are pretty much the same and it isn't that much of a deep thump, but when there is an explosion the sound is a little tighter and deeper, so 2-way speakers can have decent bass but don't expect what you get with a 15" old school hi-fi speakers.

2 follow ups....what is 2 way exactly? Also, are you saying my 15" old schools are superior than a 6.5" or 7" tower I might buy today with better technology? I mean I love my 15" Pioneers. Unfortunately the woofer in the right side is pretty chewed up and missing a lot of the material around the speaker but I don't know how much that comes into play if I am using a sub. I figure the bass crosses over to the sub before it gets to the point where that right speaker aging would matter. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the sound they provide yet I haven't really heard any of the newer speakers that are out now in the smaller woofer configuration so either I don't know what I'm missing or I"m going to be bummed out when I have to eventually replace them. I wish Pioneer still made replacement woofers for them..

[Hammie]

Originally Posted by ridergroov1

2 follow ups....what is 2 way exactly? Also, are you saying my 15" old schools are superior than a 6.5" or 7" tower I might buy today with better technology? I mean I love my 15" Pioneers. Unfortunately the woofer in the right side is pretty chewed up and missing a lot of the material around the speaker but I don't know how much that comes into play if I am using a sub. I figure the bass crosses over to the sub before it gets to the point where that right speaker aging would matter. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the sound they provide yet I haven't really heard any of the newer speakers that are out now in the smaller woofer configuration so either I don't know what I'm missing or I"m going to be bummed out when I have to eventually replace them. I wish Pioneer still made replacement woofers for them..

You could always consider replacing the subs with some Dayton subs. Heck, you could even replace the mids and tweeters in your pioneer and then get extra drivers and build your own center.

Just a thought.

[JBL4645]

Its better to get matching LCR than beating around the bush.

[ridergroov1]

Originally Posted by JBL4645

Its better to get matching LCR than beating around the bush.

What's LCR? Sorry. I'm uneducated in these matters....Would replacing my Pioneers with 15" Daytons be a good idea at all? I guess I"ll have to understand this LCR thing.

[callas01]

2-way is the way a speaker is designed. It is how the speakers internal crossovers are set so that it allow highs to the tweeter, mids and bass to the woofers.

I have heard plenty of speakers with 6.5" woofers that can provide bass just as good as my dads old 12" JBL hi-fi speakers. I have found that the speakers I have give me better movie detail, they also have better mid-range and highs. Take your rear speakers... what do you think of the bass coming from them? and what size drivers do they have? The Boston C226 towers have bass extension down to 46hz, so the bass will be decent. Also remeber that the older hi-fi speakers were built to be used without subwoofers that are much more common now-a-days. Therefore towers now-a-days can focus more on the mid-bass, mid-range and highs, leaving the extreme lows to a sub.

Perhaps you may want to go to a audio shop not named bestbuy, and have a listen to some speakers and talk with them guys. It would be good to audition some towers and know what to expect.

[JBL4645]

Originally Posted by ridergroov1

What's LCR? Sorry. I'm uneducated in these matters....Would replacing my Pioneers with 15" Daytons be a good idea at all? I guess I"ll have to understand this LCR thing.

It’s a short term for (left centre right).

[JBL4645]

Originally Posted by callas01

2-way is the way a speaker is designed. It is how the speakers internal crossovers are set so that it allow highs to the tweeter, mids and bass to the woofers.

I have heard plenty of speakers with 6.5" woofers that can provide bass just as good as my dads old 12" JBL hi-fi speakers. I have found that the speakers I have give me better movie detail, they also have better mid-range and highs. Take your rear speakers... what do you think of the bass coming from them? and what size drivers do they have? The Boston C226 towers have bass extension down to 46hz, so the bass will be decent. Also remeber that the older hi-fi speakers were built to be used without subwoofers that are much more common now-a-days. Therefore towers now-a-days can focus more on the mid-bass, mid-range and highs, leaving the extreme lows to a sub.

Perhaps you may want to go to a audio shop not named bestbuy, and have a listen to some speakers and talk with them guys. It would be good to audition some towers and know what to expect.

Oddly my JBL control 5 will produce a mild 38Hz in my room go up few bands on the (sine wave) and there’s dips until they start to come in again around the 50Hz region.

It won’t be possible for them to play at high SPL db due to their size.

This is where one of the 38Hz tone will play havoc with sub bass extension cancellation for LCRS and I have to ether slot a high pass filter on the lows to keep them from interrupting with sub bass extension.

Also the crossover slope which is active crossover set at around 80Hz -24db Bessel on the Behreinger DCX2496. Sometimes, I lower down to 50Hz but not often.

All the LF HF is supported by the DCX24696 for lower lows and high highs, within their technical tolerance levels.

[callas01]

You could be right, I am talking about speakers that would have been nearly 20 yrs old, my dad has had B&W 603s for nearly 10 years and he had the JBLs when I was in Jr High and High School. I'm 33 now...