Polk Audio Monitor Series CS1 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Black)
By: Polk Audio Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 15
More Information
 On: 2008-05-24
I bought this to join with my Polk Monitor 50s and it works great. Dialogue sounds much clearer. I still have to turn up the center speakers volume because a lot of movie soundtracks STILL like to drown out their dialogue with sound effects and make the dialogue volume low and the sound effects blast. It looks great and is somewhat huge compared to my flat RCA speaker.
The only con is that the speaker rises slightly above the bottom of my LCD TV screen, so I have to put a cushion under me or find some way to place it lower (they are both on one table right now).
On: 2008-05-21
I bought this center speaker to complement my Polk R50s and R150s.
Perfect combo at the best price. Amazon did it again!
On: 2008-05-08
I was using a Bose double cube for my center channel. It was weak, and insufficient. I decided to go with the PA CS1, wow what a difference. Great sound at a lower volume. Vocals are clear and defined. I tested the unit listening to that "movie previews guy" voice. EXACTLY like it is in the theater. AMAZING. Even regular TV voices/narration sound waaay better, (I watch alot of NGEO, TruTV, Discovery etc.) programs that have lots of narration.
One note, its big. But if your TV is 50in or larger, it looks decent. I think if it was with a smaller TV 42 in or smaller it would look overwhelming. If you have a large rear projection TV >60in, like I do, it looks great sitting on top of it, like a "beefed" up version of your TV. I like this look personally. Maybe its a guy thing. I wouldnt get this if you dont like big speakers, and want to be discrete about it. But Im personally convinced you will NOT get the same sound out of a BOSE center channel than you would with this. BOSE double cubes are great for surround, but that center channel was weak.
 On: 2008-05-07
Unfortunately, Amazon doesnt understand that "17 pounds" isnt enough for the Dimensions field. Here are the actual dimensions.
18"w x 7"h x 9-5/8"d
To give you a sense of scale, that is about 1 inch wider than most home stereo components (like your amp, receiver, or DVD player), so itll stack, but there will be a little overhang. Just think of it as love handles for your center channel.
The price and sound quality more than make up for the largish size, as long as youve got the room. Be warned, this beast isnt wall mountable.
On: 2008-05-04
make sure you check out the dimensions before you order, to know if it fits on your area. i have sitting on my tv stand and it hangs over the edge a little bit in front of the TV. other than that, it produces very good quality sound.
On: 2008-04-29
I purchaced this speaker along with four Polk Monitor 30 satalites, a Pioneer VSX-1017TXV-K receiver, and a Velodyne VX-10 sub about two months ago. I did tons of research and read hundreds of reviews for about a month before I pulled the trigger. The center channel sound is a perfect match (to no surprise) with the other Polk Monitor speakers. The sound is warm and crisp, but not too bright. Voices sound natural and well defined. When watching a movie, it really feels like im in a theater. My budget was 900 dollars and I cant believe what I was able to get. Through my research, I dont think you can do much(if any) better for 900 dollars.
On: 2008-03-31
I have nothing to complain about this central speaker. The sound of the voice, the clarity of dialogs is outstanding. Not only the dialogs sound great, but other frequencies too, when I listen to the music.
This PolkAudio speaker works great with my Onkyo 5.1 receiver and a mix of other speakers (Sony 3-way towers). I am a big fan of Polk Audio, so no complains at all!
On: 2008-03-22
I ordered this Monitor CS1 and Monitor 40s to replace the speakers in my Onkyo HT-SR800 HTiB...HUGE improvement in sound quality. They will play very loud and clear without distorting with the crossover set at 80 or 100hz. While they dont produce the very realistic 3D soundstage you get with more expensive speakers (high-end Polks, internet direct brands like Axiom/Ascend Acoustics, etc.), they will blow away any HTiB system for just a few more dollars. You definitely want a subwoofer with them, and a great budget sub is the Velodyne VX-10 here at Amazon.
*edit*
The only complaint I have is that the finish on the top of the speaker is somewhat marred- it looks as if a paper towel or something with similar lint touched the top of the speaker after it was painted leaving two 3"x3" patches with lint. This is somewhat peculiar because the speaker has a vinyl veneer type finish instead of paint. It came sealed in plastic wrap in a factory Polk box and was sold as new, not refurbished. Its placed in my TV stand so you dont see the defect, but if it was placed in front of a projector screen on a stand or in front of a wall mounted flat panel, I would have definitely sent it back.
*edit #2*
They must have sent me a refurbished model or a return, as now Im hearing some distortion while watching movies, mainly in masculine male voices. Theres also a popping sound coming from the tweeter when switching audio sources or adjusting speaker levels in my receivers setup.
This was purchased through Amazon affiliate "WholesaleAV" in case anyone wants to avoid a possible refurb passed off as new.
On: 2008-03-22
I ordered this Monitor CS1 and Monitor 40s to replace the speakers in my Onkyo HT-SR800 HTiB...HUGE improvement in sound quality. They will play very loud and clear without distorting with the crossover set at 80 or 100hz. While they dont produce that very realistic 3D soundstage you get with more expensive speakers (high-end Polks, internet direct brands like Axiom/Ascend Acoustics, etc.), they will blow away any HTiB system for just a few more dollars. You definitely want a subwoofer with them, and a great budget sub is the Velodyne VX-10 here at Amazon.
The only complaint I have is that the finish on the top of the speaker is somewhat marred- it looks as if a paper towel or something with similar lint touched the top of the speaker after it was painted leaving two 3"x3" patches with lint. This is somewhat peculiar because the speaker has a vinyl veneer type finish instead of paint. It came sealed in plastic wrap in a factory Polk box and was sold as new, not refurbished. Its placed in my TV stand so you dont see the defect, but if it was placed in front of a projector screen on a stand or in front of a wall mounted flat panel, I would have definitely sent it back.
On: 2008-02-13
I ordered this to replace my previous Polk center channel speaker. I had NO idea on how huge this thing was!! But, regardless it amplifies my movies and games a whole lot. No more turning up the volume to hear the voices. Everything about this speaker is great.
On: 2008-02-13
Purchased this speaker to replace a JBL center channel that would not fit in our new TV stand. Sound not quite as rich as the JBL, but handles volume well. Very good clarity. Recommended.
On: 2008-02-12
This speaker plays fine and is better than the internal speakers of my Sharp Aquos. It is not especially efficient but it a great match for my other Polk Audio speakers in my home theatre setup.
On: 2007-07-18
It sounds good but I was expecting a little more, but that is probably my fault. I should have ordered a bigger speaker.
by: elderbed On: 2007-06-07
This speaker has it all. Great sound, great looks, and as of right now, a great price. This will be 100x better than any speaker included with a bundled home theater package. Sounds great - highly recommended.
On: 2007-06-06
This speaker has it all. Great sound, great looks, and as of right now, a great price. This will be 100x better than any speaker included with a bundled home theater package. Sounds great - highly recommended.
On: 2006-11-29
This speaker replaced cheap radio shack center channel,that never really gave decent sound. Especially dialog on movie soundtracks... My wife would always say"What did he just say?" or "I cant hear them " etc. Havent had that problem anymore. Made the biggest sound differece in speaker setup because so much of dolby 5.1 is though the center speaker. This got a good review in CNET rated 7 of 10. it is really well built and quite large. 16x7x9in It fit in my setup but might be too large for some tastes.. But the sound is VERY clear and accurate, Great for sports movies and music too, its a good choice without going broke..
On: 2004-12-11
This is my first foray (actually it was a gift) into Polk Audio merchandise. I am pleased with the crisp, clear, and detailed high frequency sound it emits. It has considerable resolution and articulation that helps deliever lifelike representations of vocals and instruments. There is virtually no distortion, and it sits above my T.V., which sometimes speakers and T.V.s will play interference with each other, but not this monitor. I have it hooked up to my Sony STR-DE697 Receiver, and it has been able with great clarity to handle high volumes. This is a great buy, even if you have a modest receiver
On: 2004-12-10
This is my first foray (actually it was a gift) into Polk Audio merchandise. I am pleased with the crisp, clear, and detailed high frequency sound it emits. It has considerable resolution and articulation that helps deliever lifelike representations of vocals and instruments. There is virtually no distortion, and it sits above my T.V., which sometimes speakers and T.V.s will play interference with each other, but not this monitor. I have it hooked up to my Sony STR-DE697 Receiver, and it has been able with great clarity to handle high volumes. This is a great buy, even if you have a modest receiver
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