factoryfat

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $189.00 from hifi.com

Summary:
Have never heard anything better. Nothing even close for the price.

Strengths:
Full range sound.

Weaknesses:
Size, but what do you want for full range sound?

Similar Products Used:
T300
MC300

tmand

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $250.00 from CSW outlet

Summary:
I am fairly disappointed with these speakers. I have Advent Legacy 2 speakers and was looking for a center channel. I wanted 3 way, acoustic suspension, and something that matches well enough the Advents. I started with the lowest priced acoustic suspension center channel in CSW store and swapped back until I ended up with this one. The dialogue is fairly clear on many discs. However, it is lifeless reproduction compared to the other speakers in my house (too tight). The sounds coming from my left and right speakers are certainly muddled when passages are intricate (2-way speakers have limitations) but bells ring vibrantly and the overall sound is qualitatively better. I am wondering if a single M80 would have been a better choice (or two in parallel) for center channel.

Strengths:
clarity

Weaknesses:
lifeless

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Ebay

Summary:
I use it as a center speaker and I love it. It is definitely the strongest feature of my system. I replaced a lower end JBL center with it and there is no comparison. Dialogue is great, but music is where it really shines. Planning on getting 2 more for LF/RF. Note: I mis-cabled it when I first got it and the sound was terrible; low and muffled. Was about ready to send it back for refund. Took a few days to find my mistake and correct it. Correct cabling is critical and not necessarily intuitive. Not difficult, just not obvious. RTFM. They sell these on Ebay all the time for $200 - $250. You'd have to spend a lot more for anything noticeably better.

Strengths:
Unbeatable cost/performance ratio

Weaknesses:
big, for a center

Similar Products Used:
JBL

Price Paid:  $250.00 from HIFI.COM

Summary:
I us the MC500 for a center. I had NO idea how much low end is needed for a center in pro-logic until I hooked this speaker up. I have been rediscovering all of my cd's ever since. I notice a distinct difference between my polk RTI28's and the MC500 thanks to the extra detail from that 3.5" poly driver. The polks are only 2 way and have a gap I never new was there until I heard my MC500. Overall this has been one of the finest center speakers I have heard yet. highly recommended!

Strengths:
Accuracy and detail in the mids are excellent! Lows are tight and punch enough to become a standard for me.

Weaknesses:
8.5" tall,hard to fit in most entertainment centers.

Similar Products Used:
polk,csw center channel plus, cerwin vega.

Price Paid:  $249.00 from hifi.com

Summary:
I originally purchased this speaker as the center channel with the CSW M80 L/R. After using the AVIA HT Guide, it was obvious that my L/C/R was not matched in tonality. I liked the sound of the MC500 so much that I returned the M80's and purchased two more MC500's for L/R. I now have the following:

MC500 L/C/R
S300 Surrounds
JVC 9010VBK Receiver
JVC XV62SL DVD
Jamo SW1008 Sub

The three MC500's together really sound terrific!!!

Strengths:
Clear, crisp! I like the lean look for the mains...tall and narrow!

Weaknesses:
Heavy and big for a center. When used as mains the tags leave holes in the knit grilles when you move them to the bottom of the speaker and the tags are easy to break, but they will send new tags if you request them.

Similar Products Used:
CSW M80, Yamaha