datarush

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Sound Distributors

Summary:
Does it all quite well. It is of course a perfect match for my Polk RTi70 main speakers and the 500fx surrounds. The aesthetics are not the greatest and you need a nice wide flat top on a RPTV to put it on. Takes more power to drive it than my previous centers, but I wanted beefier 6.5" drivers at the center since so much movie audio comes from the center. I'm happy enough with it to keep it for a few years.

Strengths:
I watch movies much more than listen to music, and for that it is very good, matches up well with my RTi70 mains perfectly. Dialog is clear and it carries effects across the front stage seamlessly with the mains. Like many speakers, it should be broken in for several hours before you evaluate it. It was a little stiff at first.

Weaknesses:
Takes more power to drive it, but then it has bigger drivers than my previous centers. Don't hook it up to a wimpy receiver. Aesthetics are just so-so I leave the grille cover off

Similar Products Used:
NHT Supercenter Phase Technology

Price Paid:  $180.00 from Future Shop

Summary:
I think that it's a good speaker for the price (I wouldn't have paid 500 hundred for it!)

Strengths:
good enough for movies but is worthless with music..(but a central is made for movies so...)

Weaknesses:
looks cheap a little too big

Similar Products Used:
Athena

Price Paid:  $299.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
I recently found the center channel of my home theater system to be lagging behind of the rest of the system. As everyone knows, the center channel is the heart of a home theater. Based on some research, and advice given by other reviewers on this and other sites, I decided to purchase a Polk CSI40 center channel speaker. I must say that all of the praises were well founded. The sound clarity and top end performance put my previous center channel speaker to shame. The two 61/2 inch drivers and single tweeter allow for more than enough range to handle all center channel duties, wether listening to music, or watching movies. It handled the best and worst I could put it through. The enclosure is a bit unwieldy for TV top mounting, and it is quite boxy looking. All aesthetics aside, It was worth every penny.

Strengths:
mid-range clarity, bi-amp capability, cabinet veneer

Weaknesses:
Boxy design

Similar Products Used:
Bose, JBL

Price Paid:  $284.00 from cc

Summary:
after reading countless reviews , i thought the csi40 is the center chennel i need , since my main front speakers are polk i,ve been told is best to have a match speakers , so i got the csi40 , 1st of all i got an open box didn't sound the way i was expecting it , so took it back , got new one never been used , still same thing ,i don't if just me or that speaker sucks , it's for sure not worth $ 300 to upgrade , so i'll keep looking for center channel till i find what i'm looking for .

Strengths:
none

Weaknesses:
everything

Similar Products Used:
audio acoustics

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Future Shop

Summary:
This speaker has very good midrange performance but is weak in highs, compared to the centers in the same price range such as Mission M5C and PSB Image 8C, and its clarity is not as good as Mission M5C and PSB Image 8C as well. I picked Polk CSi40 as the rear center channel for my system although I was going to purchase a Mission M5C at the very beginning, just because of Polk’s better dynamic performance in mid and low frequency ranges. I would try PSB Image 9C if I had not bought this one. My current system: Receiver: Yamaha RX-V2200, Fronts: Mission M53, Front Center: Polk CS400i, Rears: Sony SS-C250AV, Rear Center: Polk CSi40.

Strengths:
Very good midranges.

Weaknesses:
Clarity not good enough. Cheap look (compared to Polk CS400i).

Similar Products Used:
Polk CS400i, Mission 77c1 & M5C, PSB Image 8C.