Polk Audio Monitor Series CS1 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Cherry)

by Polk Audio

Product Details

Product Manual [313kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 17 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00030CHPI
• Item model number: AM1512-A
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,252 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #57 in Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Stereo Components > Speakers > Center-Channel Speakers

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The name "Monitor" is special to Polk Audio. The original Polk Audio Monitor Series, produced in the mid-1970s, ushered in the modern loudspeaker era by setting the standard for performance and value. The original Monitor Series is the line that made Polk Audio famous with its simple, sturdy construction, clear, accurate sound, powerful bass and superior imaging all at a price that made great sound available to everyone.

The newly reborn Monitor Series is classic Polk: a quality-built, affordable line of high performance loudspeakers for music and home theater. They are highly efficient, so they can be driven by unpretentious receivers, and they are voice matched for lifelike surround sound environments. The Monitor Series boasts a stylish contemporary look, modern titanium faces, and bold stabilizer feet on the tower models. Built for speed, sound quality and value, the Monitor Series is a great introduction to high performance sound.

The CS1 center speaker has been designed to be the perfect match for Monitor Series speakers in multi-channel systems. The CS1 features a high efficiency design to reveal the classic Polk Audio sound (open, spacious and clear) even when driven by modestly-powered amplifiers and receivers.

The 1" (25mm) fabric/polymer composite dynamic balance dome tweeter with powerful neodymium magnet structure delivers clear and detailed high frequency response for realistic reproduction of vocals and instruments. Ultimate flexibility comes via the reversible-design cabinets that can be turned upside down to aim up when placed under a video monitor.

Product Description

The newly reborn Monitor Series is classic Polk: a quality-built, affordable line of high performance loudspeakers for music and home theater. They are highly efficient, so they can be driven easily by unpretentious receivers, and they are voice matched for lifelike surround sound environments. The Monitor Series boasts a stylish contemporary look, modern Titanium faces, and bold stabilizer feet on the tower models. Built for speed, sound quality and value, the Monitor Series is a great introduction to high performance sound. The CS1 center speaker has been designed to be the perfect match for Monitor Series speakers in multi-channel systems. Driver Complement - Mid/Woofer 2 - 5-1/4 Diameter Dynamic Balance Bi-laminate composite cone drivers, magnetically shielded; Tweeter 1 - 1 Diameter Dynamic Balance Silk/polymer composite dome, magnetically shielded Overall Frequency Response 55 Hz - 25,000Hz Nominal Impedance 8 ohms Recommended Amplifier Power 20 - 125 w/channel Crossover 2.3kHz, second order high and low pass Inputs 5-way binding posts Cabinet Size - 7 H x 18 W x 9-5/8 D Product Weight 13.00 lbs Speaker Warranty - 5 years parts and labor

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid product!!!, December 2, 2008

By 

Ktulu (Philly PA, USA Earth, Sol system) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polk Audio Monitor Series CS1 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Cherry) (Electronics)

First off I must rate JR Computers & Electronics;
5 stars there. Ordered this unit on a Wednesday & it arrived via UPS Friday, same week. It was in original factory carton unopened, packed inside a second larger box with still more packing material, safe and sound! I've ordered other items from JR and as always, for an online purchase I barely had time to blink.
Now about the product;
Nice looking wood finish, with the face in silver. (w/o the black grill) Very solid and heavy construction. Certainly does not feel or look cheap. Being a noob to the home theater scene, and by no means an audiophile the price made me nervous because I was assuming that it couldn't be as nice as it is for the price. The sound is just as impressive, sounds great in my low budget setup. Frequency response is good per the specs on both ends, (high and low) and it has a good midrange for voices.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Upgrade, But the CS2 is Better Overall, October 31, 2011

By 

Wolfy (Southern Va) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polk Audio Monitor Series CS1 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Cherry) (Electronics)

The center that came with my Sony 6600 HT in a box set has annoyed me for 6+ years. I was about to buy another set of smaller speakers in a set, that is, until I saw this one. This isn't the biggest and baddest you can buy, but that wasn't what I was looking for. I'm no real audiophile and I'm not a dude who needs to impress others with the size of my equipment (no pun intended). I just wanted something that wouldn't sound so puny watching movies or CNN.

First thing I noticed, this box is big and heavy and I can only imagine the size of this thing. I knew the dimensions on paper, but it was quite different seeing this speaker in person. This is quite big for those used to dealing with a Home Theater in a box. I can only imagine the magnitude of the CS2. I'm sure it's a great speaker, but it would be way too big. This speaker was less than a 1/4" too big for my entertainment cubby so I had to shuffle some things around to accommodate it. When they say 18" wide, they mean it.

Update:
The only con I can find is that the treble seems a bit harsh. I had to keep making adjustments to the treble and bass for better blending with my front Polk Monitor 60s. I'm curious if the CS2 has the same issues as this one. As is, I can't fit this speaker into the cubby I planned, so it won't make much difference with going a bit wider. I'm still debating on trying the other. For reference, I still have my old Sony Subwoofer, but plan on upgrading the HSU STF-2 sometime soon.

One note of caution. Once you buy this, it will probably set you on a path to upgrading the rest of your system.

Update II:
After just receiving the CS1, I ordered the speaker (CS2) that everyone at the AVS forum previously recommended. The CS2 is a much better speaker overall. Now that I was able to try them both out, I can say that the CS1 definitely has a sharper tone. Yes it's very clear, but it is also very harsh in regard to treble. Almost too high, even with receiver adjustments.

The CS2 has much more bass, but it also blends in with my other speakers much better. My system now sounds like one voice, instead one isolated speaker a majority of the time. The CS2 even blends well with my smaller RM6751 Surrounds.

The CS2 Cabinet is not that much bigger than the CS1, and for some reason the CS1 feels heavier. The CS1 is going back to Newegg tomorrow.

For Reference: I have Monitor 60s in the front and 6751s for surronds.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I didn't read the dimensions carefully..., June 5, 2008

By 

James Potter (Woods Cross, UT United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Polk Audio Monitor Series CS1 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Cherry) (Electronics)

This center channel is a bit bigger than I had thought it would be because I just imagined a size with the picture they provide, which provided no basis for me in guesstimating the size. Regardless, this thing sounds amazing and is a great deal! Highly recommended.