Customer Reviews

Polk Audio Monitor Series CS2 Center Channel Speaker (Single, Black)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently decided to switch out an existing center channel for a polk because my front speakers are monitor 50s and I wanted the fronts and center to timbre match in order to get the best sound. I was trying to decide between this center and the cs1. Since I will probably upgrade my fronts to the monitor 70s one day I went with the cs2. First off, it is HUGE. As far a footprints go guys this one has a shoe the size of bigfoot. I bought an omnimount center channel shelf and used the shelf to stick it on top of my hdtv. It actually looks o.k. with the shelf but it is rather large guys so be prepared. The second thing I noticed is the sound quality. My previous center speaker was a boston acoustics vrc. Usually I would crank up my receiver to about level 70 (onkyo sr605) and I noticed that anything above that level would put out a greater volume from the center but the sound quality would not be the same as at 70 or below. It was almost like a person yelling at one volume vs yelling at an even louder volume. After switching out the vrc with the cs2 I noticed an immediate difference. Now I can crank my receiver up to almost 80 and the sound is louder but the quality of the sound is more clear and refined. This center is definitely made for higher end receivers and is more than prepared for those times when you want to crank up your home theater and wake the neighbors. I have been using the die hard trilogy in blu-ray as my home theater testing material and after playing the tunnel scene and the apartment shoot-out from live free or die hard I could tell an immediate difference. The cs2 does cost more than the cs1 and I can't really speak for the cs1 since I haven't heard it but if you are willing to fork over the extra dough this speaker most definitely is worth it. My only regret is that I bought the cherry finish model in order to save money. My wife picked out a dark cherry wood color scheme for all of the furniture in our living room and I took a chance on the cherry finish being close enough to match. Turns out the black finish would have been better. Anyway you can't go wrong with this speaker whether cherry or black. Just be ready for its size.

The size is a little bulky but the sound is great. Dialogue sounds like they are in the room with you. A lot more clearer than the cs1 model, worth the extra money.

Have this paired with Polk RC80i ceiling speakers. Amped through Onkyo SR705. YMMV with different setup.

Vocals are clear and accurate during movies and music. Nice separation and clarity. One reviewer noted that it lacks bass...well, agreed, but that's what subwoofers are designed for. This isn't the speaker to buy for bass.

I prefer the Polk sound, as there is a good balance of highs and lows without the mids being scooped out. The highs are also never harsh, so if you like super-high, somewhat harsh sounds, this may not be for you.

Overall, Polk delivers a great value. There are better speakers out there, but you'll likely pay much more for them.

I got this cs2 to go with 2 polk audio monitor 70's in a home theater setup. Before this I had a yamaha center that was less powerful, but sounded good.

First off, like others have mentioned, the speaker is HUGE. It is worth mentioning again. Take your idea of a large center speaker and then multiply it a few times. Seriously. It actually seems thicker than the floor standing polk 70's. You must check measurements and make sure you have extra clearance in your home theater setup to accommodate. You will need about 8 - 10 inches height in a shelf to be safe, and quite a bit of depth. Trust me on this one and check the size. I had an IKEA benno tv stand with what appeared to be a pretty large shelf and never dreamed a center speaker would be too big for it. It was just 1/2 inch too short. I finally purchased a Z-line Balboa Park TV stand from Target for a decent price just to fit this speaker. Once you set it up, it actually looks pretty good and discrete with the grille.

It sounds silly to spend extra money just to accommodate a center speaker, but I really feel it was worth it. The sound experience watching blurays and playing ps3 games in 5.1 is really amazing. The sound is huge and clear, even at lower volumes. If the speaker is not at ear level, you can place it upside down so the speaker points up at you. This is part of the design of the speaker, and it works incredibly well. Dialogue sounds just like in the theater, and in some cases even better. Amazingly crisp and full of depth. Make sure the front of your center speaker is in line the with front of the front channel speakers and the tv for the best sound.

I'm sure many struggle with the eternal battle of increasing and decreasing volume while watching 5.1 content to hear dialogue vs. loud action scenes. I think this speaker really helps in this regard, simply due to the richness of sound and clarity. I could really hear the difference, because before I got the new tv stand, I went back to the old yamaha after already testing the cs2 -- like night and day. However, nothing will eliminate it completely if you are worried about loud volumes. I realized this the other day watching Harry Potter 6 in the theater. Dialogue in theaters really is much much softer than loud action scenes -- the sound is deliberately mastered that way and the same soundtracks end up on blurays. The CS2 really does, in my opinion, a faithful reproduction that sounds amazing. You will see definitely the benefit vs. smaller center speakers though.

I can't speak to cs2 vs cs1, but these days you can find it online for only a little more than cs1 and from what I have read, it is worth it. If you have monitor 70's, it is definitely worth it, since cs2 is meant to match the same tonal timbre as the monitor 70's. If taken care of well, speakers last for years and years, so the extra $30 or so is not bad.

If you can manage the space issue, I would highly recommend this speaker. It will really take your home theater experience to a new level.

excellent sound reproduction in mid range and high end sounds.acoustics in a room with a high amount of wood like mine makes for an enjoyable surround sound experience.

I was debating between the CS2's the the Csi3. From what I read the CS2's downfall was the box was pretty large. I am glad that I went with the CS2. It gives a full sound that is very clear for both high and low freq's. I paired the speakers with RC80i's in front ceiling, RC 60i's rear surround, and some polk towers for the front floor speakers. (and an infinity base 12" powered sub) Together all these connect into the Onkyo TX-SR606, so I am actually using all 7.1 channels. If I could afford to be a true audiophile I would be with some sort of $20k system and a hundred speakers, but for the price this set up can not be beat. I highly recommend that if you decide to upgrade your speakers anywhere to upgrade on the center channel... 80% of movie sound is routed through this speaker box. The RC60i's and RC80i's sound great with movies because not a ton of sound goes to them, but if I were using them as many channel's (front's or center's) I wouldn't recommend them. But no need to buy a 4 wheel drive if you never go off roads right. I personally chose not to overbuy, but it is very easy to do, because you want the best. but you must also ask what will I really use it for. be realistic. Like I said this setup sounds amazing, a lot better than many of the expensive systems I've heard before.

Folks, don't even think of CS1. CS2 is hands-down better than CS1 and worth every dollar. It is huge and I love it.

I purchased this to upgrade my CS1. I am surprised how clear the difference in sound quality is compared to the CS1, although I'm somewhat obsessed with speakers. I notice the voices are much deeper and seem more accurate.
Highly recommended.

I bought the CS2 to replace the damaged center channel speaker from my Yamaha YHT-390BL Home Theater in a Box. It was recommended to me by two friends, both of whom are audiophiles. I'm glad I took their advice as this speaker is fantastic.

The speaker itself is huge. It's about 24" wide, 8" deep, and 6" tall. It fits above my flat panel, but just barely. Make sure you have room for it before you buy it, as it is pretty bulky. It needs to be to house the dual 6.5" woofers that give the speaker its clarity. There is also a 1" tweeter in between the woofers. At 175 watts, the CS2 can really put out the volume (as long as your receiver can properly power it).

What really sets this speaker apart is its ability to dish out distortion free sound at all frequencies even at high volume. Voices (and especially deeper male voices) sound terrific at mid to high volume levels. It really brings out the detail and subtlety in all voices and has made listening to conversions in movies and television shows that much more enjoyable.

There are certainly many other center channel options available, but only a few with a price point lower than the CS2. The well reviewed CS1 comes in at about 2/3rds the cost of the CS2, while speakers like the Klipsch Synergy C-2 cost more than double the Polk CS2. In my opinion, for the cost, this is one of the best values on the market.

I have been very happy with this center channel. Given the small price difference I see no reason to buy the CS1 instead of this, unless you cannot fit this larger center for some reason. Your center channel is where a majority of the sound comes from so I would consider it even more important then other speakers. Mine is mounted above my wall mounted television. It does look a little odd sticking out, but that is alright because it sounds good.