Help with new center channel buy

[jjp735i]

I want to upgrade my center channel. RIght now I'm using an 14 year old onkyo that sounds dull to me. All my other speakers are yamaha. The front 2 are Yamaha NS-836 with upgraded crossovers and tweeters. I like that the Onkyo can be set upside down so that angles upwards, seems to bring the voices right onto the screen.

I was looking at Polk centers just because it can also be placed upside down and angles up. Are there any others I should look at, would like to stay around $300.oo or under.
I was looking at this one, I know at litte more, but that is ok.

Polk Audio - TSi Series Loudspeakers

Thanks, jjp

[recoveryone]

Why not look at the same series of Yammys to keep the same spec's as your fronts or the NS-444

[jjp735i]

I like the yamaha but they don't have the angle set up like Polk, It makes a huge difference having it angled up then straight out. I don't want to just lift the front, it doesn't look right. I need to have the angle up so that when I pull the big screen down the center sound comes from the screen and not underneath. I'm very anal about making sure the dialog looks like it is coming from there lips and not there feet. lol

[kelsci]

I personally would not use a that 3 way design yamahas in a 5.1 system regardless of the center channel used. I have a similar pair of KLH 900b in that design and did not like some of the phasing characteristics it created. I would much rather use a two way speaker design similar to most on the market. I could take thos Yamahas or the KLHs, disconect the internal crossovers by pulling off one wire of the tweeter and midtange and make a concocktion that would allow the speaker to be a two way design by placing a piezo tweeter on the top of the speakers. I discuss some of this on my blog.
KELSCI's ELECTRONICS AND HOME THEATER NOTATIONS: August 2010
This does not mean that I do not like this design of speaker for it has its place. It is great as a stereo system speaker. If a receiver has a Dolby 3 setup, these speakers can be used with a D'Appolito center channel. They were also good in a Dolby Pro-Logic 4.0 set-up.
My brother recently bought a Polk center channel speaker to be used with 4 Mirage Omnis as its center channel. The speaker works well and for the 50 plus bucks he paid for it you cannot beat it. Of course you can always listen on your own set-up and see if you like what you hear.

[BadAssJazz]

I like the yamaha but they don't have the angle set up like Polk, It makes a huge difference having it angled up then straight out. I don't want to just lift the front, it doesn't look right. I need to have the angle up so that when I pull the big screen down the center sound comes from the screen and not underneath. I'm very anal about making sure the dialog looks like it is coming from there lips and not there feet. lol

Could the issue be one of timbre-matching and not simply directional audio reception/perception?

I'm not one to knock anyone's sense of pragmatism, but if your "fix" is to look for a front speaker that you can invert, well, I get a little this:

If purchasing a third Yamaha NS-836 is not a possibility (I know it's a discontinued model) and your budget doesn't allow for upgrading both your center and mains, then all we can tell you is to try it and see. But keep that receipt handy and make sure the seller doesn't charge a restocking fee.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I like the yamaha but they don't have the angle set up like Polk, It makes a huge difference having it angled up then straight out. I don't want to just lift the front, it doesn't look right. I need to have the angle up so that when I pull the big screen down the center sound comes from the screen and not underneath. I'm very anal about making sure the dialog looks like it is coming from there lips and not there feet. lol

If the speaker itself does not have a angle capable pedestal, you can make one yourself using a rubber door stop. Get a Yamaha speaker which would likely (or not) be more of a timbre match, and use the door stop in the color of the speaker to aim it upwards.

[jjp735i]

I guess I'm just going to have to try different speakers, tinbre matching is probably going to be real hard, because the 836's don't sound anything like they did originally, Like I said they now have crossovers with pot controls and realistic super tweeters installed. If this helps at all they now sound really natural, but with crisp highs, but not harsh. Almost like the pair of HPM 100's I own, but not quit as nice. They are a old pair of speakers, but they work very well with home theater and pak a good punch when needed.

Thanks for all the suggestions.