smooth highs, clear at high volumes, solid construction

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I purchased the CS245i because it has the same tweeter (and similar drivers) as the ones in my Polk RT800i's. From my experience, you can get better HT sound if you've got the same (timbre mathced) speakers all around as opposed to mixing and matching speakers from diff. manufacturers. After about a week of break-in the highs cleared up and smoothed out nicely. They might even be a little too smoothed out for some systems, but since my Yamaha HTR5250 is a tad harsh it works perfectly. The dual 5 1/4" drivers do a good job on voices and the limited effects that are produced through the center channel. The construction is SOLID. It's suprisingly heavy for its size. The blue cones look cool too. It can handle 180W, and it likes to play loud. Listening to the Eagles Hell Freezes Over DVD in DTS is a real treat now! If you've got Polk main speakers with a Tri-laminate tweeter this is the best value for a center channel.

Sound, matches well with RT35i's, binding posts, wood cabinet, heavy!

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This is a great center channel speaker! Mine is actually the CS245i, 2000 year model, and it will be spending a long time sitting on top of my tv! Crisp highs, good midrange and solid bass all at an affordable price. It sounds great whether used in HT or strictly music in my Denon AVR3300 5 channel stereo mode! Highly recommended, this is a great addition to a 5.1 system.

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Clean sound,not "tinny",plenty of power,the perfect size

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This is simply the best in it's class..for a $169 price tag,it can't be beat. The sound is not too "tinny" or too low,and everything can be heard cleanly. Power is not a problem..it does wain out at very high volume settings,but only a little,which will happen with any speaker at the max settings.
Fits in almost any place but is not too small to do the job.
Only 3 words...Simply the Best!

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Infinity,DCM,Optimus

Volume, clarity, price.

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I actually bought the CS245i. I think the difference is the wattage output- the i model has a bigger power output of 180watts. The price was $199.99 and I believe I might have purchased the best center speaker for the price. The sound is crisp and clear and it can handle a very loud volume as well. It's small enough to fit on top of my 21" TV. I am more than satisfied with its performance.

Excellent bass and midrange. Very natural sounding for voices. Great build quality.

Does not sound quite as clear if you pair them up against a pair of Infinity speakers.

I bought this speaker mainly because of the Polk name, the value, and its wide frequency range of 55-23,000hz. When paired up to my Infinity speakers, it does not sound as clear, and yes i also have the problem of the CS245 being much quieter then my infinities. And so i also had to use my DD settings to boost up the decibles for the center channel. It can hit the highs, but only when needed to. It doesnt have that always bright sound that Infinity speakers seem to have. Its warmer and has more emphasis on the midrange. More natural than the Infinity's i have, which sometimes sound too bright for its own good. If you want the Infinity trademark highs in your center speaker, go for the SM Video. Its priced about 20 bucks cheaper than the cs245.

Wide Frequency Range, Excellent Quality of Construction, Incredible Value

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I purchased the CS245i with a pair of RT600i's from Crutchfield. Recommended Center for the RT600i's is a CS400i. I got the CS245i for $50 as part of a promotional deal from Polk. At first I was concerned about ordering the CS245i vs. the CS400i but I have not been disappointed in the least. They match very well with the RT600i's and create an incredibly large sound stage. Dialog is absolutely amazing. I used to spend a large amount of time rewinding movies to try and sort out the dialogue. The dialogue is crisp and clear and is not drowned out by special effects as is the case with many Centers. Speaking of special effects, this baby handles special effects with aplomb!! If you purchase this puppy, you will not be disappointed. They go the distance and are an outstanding value.

Thanks to everyone here for their insights and reviews. It was instrumental in my purchase of these speakers and I am EXTREMELY pleased with my purchase! Outstanding job, PolkAudio!!

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Clear and smooth sound, handles high volume well, and very affordable! Nice look too!

None to date.

I have used the Polk CS245 now for about 6 months and have found no reason to regret it's purchase. First off, it looks nice, and upon closer look, seems to have very good and durable build quality.
It has very good sound, at low and high volumes. It really, in my opinion, stood out above all the sililarly priced products, and was as good if not better than some of the $100-$150 more expensive models. The next best I heard was of course, the larger Polk center channels.
I believe this unit usually runs for around $200 or so, but I bought mine as an open-box unit at Circuit City for $149.00.
I am giving this product 5 stars for both Value and Overall Ratings, however, that is not to say it's the best center speaker in the world, as I mean, if you have $400+ to spend on a center channel, I'm sure you can find something that will out perform it, but for it's price, I don't think you'll find anything that can truly compare without putting out quite a bit more money.

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Listened to a wide variety at several stores upon selection.

clear sound,build quality

sounds weak when working with my rt55 and fx500

I upgrade my cs245 to cs400 because is doesn't sound loud enough when matching with my rt55 and fx500. I wil sell it for $100. It's in absolutely perfect condition.
My number:212-6556105
Please call by March 22.

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Low price, availability

I picked up my CS 245 at Circuit City for $20 along with a pair of discounted Polk F/X dipole/bipole rears (on sale for $340/pr). I'm using a Yamaha RV1105 receiver hooked to an external power amp (B&K ST-140) driving a pair of high-end full range speakers (Thiel CS 3.5).

My initial impression of the CS 245 is that it’s well made, has fairly neutral sound and decent dynamics… it’s hard to find fault considering the price. If I had paid around $200, I’d be more critical of its bias towards mid-bass which makes deep male voices sound too heavy and bassy. The upper frequencies could be a bit more detailed, but overall the CS 245 is easy on the ears, mellow and musical. BTW, I’ve not compared it to any other center channel speakers… just to my main speakers (which cost around $4k in today’s dollars) and on absolute terms, and the CS 245 faired very well.

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Polk quality and build. Excellent sound. Crisp Highs and no distortion. Very clean sounding and full

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I purchased this center channel speaker from p.c. richards for less than $200. The original price was around $400. All I can say is that this is the best sounding center channel speaker in it's class. The sound is clean, full, and crisp. No coloration. Excellent highs. You hear everything! For music it's excellent and for movies it's amazing! The dialouge is clean and rich. This speaker is an excellent addition to a home theater setup. It also has a nice look to it and the weight is just right, heavy! That's quality. It has binding posts which distinguishes it from a low end speaker. Totally high end. I would definitely reccomend this product for sound and ofcourse price!

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