Polk Upgrade

[GeneD5]

Hey Guys-
I've got the Polk rm6750 5.1 surround system...I'm hungry to upgrade and get some floor speakers for the fronts; the monitor 70's look great. This way I can also swing the two extra satellites around and go 7.1. Do any of you see any problems with this setup? I've got the Onkyo 606 for my receiver. Also does 3-way mean that the speaker plays hi, mids, and lows?

[ak808]

3 way if i'm not mistaken means it has 3 speakers within the unit. For example 2 mids and a tweeter.

[JasonR]

I would want my three fronts voice matched. Though close, you would probably be better off with a CS2 to match the Monitor 70s. It is the same exact tweeter and mids.

[Driver_King]

Originally Posted by JasonR

I would want my three fronts voice matched. Though close, you would probably be better off with a CS2 to match the Monitor 70s. It is the same exact tweeter and mids.

Yes. If he's going to upgrade, he should voice match his speakers. He could use the right and left speakers from the package as back surrounds and he'd actually have the center left over.

[GeneD5]

thanks guys...what is voicematching?

[JasonR]

http://www.techlore.com/quicktip/101...Your-Speakers/

All speakers have certain tonal characteristics known as timbre. It's ideal to use speakers that are timbre matched in a home theater system, meaning that all the speakers have the same timbre. This ensures that as similar sounds travel from one speaker to another, the tone of the sound will not be altered as it moves. Otherwise, the tone of the sound will change, causing it to sound much different from speaker to speaker.

[Schrute Farms]

Originally Posted by ak808

3 way if i'm not mistaken means it has 3 speakers within the unit. For example 2 mids and a tweeter.

Three way means high, mid and low. Tweeter, Mid-range, and woofer(s). Doesn't matter how many of each driver type.

[metalifan1]

by voicematching they mean that with your front and center channels you would want the speakers to contain very similar or the same mids and tweeters so that you are getting identical sound as these speakers will handle dialogue. it is usually a very good rule of thumb to buy the same brand and model fronts and center.

[GeneD5]

perfect thanks guys...then I won't have to worry about my surrounds as the diaglouge stays to the front channels.

Also for thos experienced would you recommend 2-ways over 3-ways?

[metalifan1]

for the majority of the time dialogue will be directed from the front and center channels, you could at times hear a voice from a surround but definately not long scenes of dialogue. it would be best to buy all of your speakers as the same brand and model, for sure fronts and center. the subwoofer is is an exception as they can be mixed and matched since it is only reproducing low frequency.

[JasonR]

Me personally, if I was looking much past the Monitor 50s I would start looking at the RTi line as well. I would rather have the RTi8 than the Monitor 60. And I would rather have the RTi10 than a Monitor 70. I own the Monitor 50s myself and love them, but if you move to that price range I would move to the RTis...

[metalifan1]

Originally Posted by GeneD5

Also for thos experienced would you recommend 2-ways over 3-ways?

3-ways will provide you with a much fuller sound especially when listening to music. since music from a cd or ipod for example is producing a left and right channel your fronts would be where the sound comes from. if this system will be a majority of the time home theater system as opposed to a home stereo you will be fine with 2-way.

[GeneD5]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Me personally, if I was looking much past the Monitor 50s I would start looking at the RTi line as well. I would rather have the RTi8 than the Monitor 60. And I would rather have the RTi10 than a Monitor 70. I own the Monitor 50s myself and love them, but if you move to that price range I would move to the RTis...

ok just came back from circuit city...of course the knuckleheads had all of their wiring and displays screwed up so I couldn't listen to anything. At any rate the monitor 70s seem like an extremely beefy speaker, especially as I live in a condo. I did see the monitor 50's and the lower profile is much more attractive to me as well. Can you tell me more about your experience with the 50's? Also what are your center and surround channels?

[GeneD5]

Originally Posted by metalifan1

3-ways will provide you with a much fuller sound especially when listening to music. since music from a cd or ipod for example is producing a left and right channel your fronts would be where the sound comes from. if this system will be a majority of the time home theater system as opposed to a home stereo you will be fine with 2-way.

This will be 99% for home theater...you really don't think there would be much difference with 3 over 2 ways?

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by GeneD5

ok just came back from circuit city...of course the knuckleheads had all of their wiring and displays screwed up so I couldn't listen to anything. At any rate the monitor 70s seem like an extremely beefy speaker, especially as I live in a condo. I did see the monitor 50's and the lower profile is much more attractive to me as well. Can you tell me more about your experience with the 50's? Also what are your center and surround channels?

I have the CS1 for a center and Monitor 30s for surrounds. I love the Monitor 50s and I firmly believe you would have a hard time finding a better tower in their price range.

[GeneD5]

Ok...I've been to the store and listened to the monitor 70's, 50's, and cs1 and cs2 centers...can anyone else speak on them. It's kind of hard to focus and hear in the store

[metalifan1]

Originally Posted by GeneD5

This will be 99% for home theater...you really don't think there would be much difference with 3 over 2 ways?

i guess it is all a matter of opinion and budget, the best thing to do is to try and find a store that carries both the Monitor and RTi Series Polk Audio speakers and give them a listen. both of these model Polks are close in price range but the RTi10 and RTi12s include woofers. since this will be your system only you can make the decision of which you prefer. keep in mind that being 99% home theater you will have a sub providing much of the low end.

[metalifan1]

Originally Posted by GeneD5

Ok...I've been to the store and listened to the monitor 70's, 50's, and cs1 and cs2 centers...can anyone else speak on them. It's kind of hard to focus and hear in the store

sorry did not see that you were looking at the Monitor 70s as well. these towers are 3-ways, 1 tweeter, 2 mids, and 2 woofers.

[GeneD5]

I think I'm pretty much set on the monitor 50's...they recomment the cs1 center speaker paired with those speakers; would it matter if I went with the cs2? The site says nothing

[Pinto]

I have had a Polk CS-2 for a couple of months now and I just bought and set up a pair of Polk R50s for the fronts. I re-ran Audyssey, which set the center and fronts at Full with no crossover. Just watched my first movie with this set-up - 7 Years in Tibet with PCM 5.1. It sounded FANTASTIC!!

I went to the store to get the CS-1 but they had both CS-1 and CS-2 in their listening room and the CS-2 sounded quite a bit better than its little brother, IMO.