Best Of

My first experience with Polk speakers was at a high end audio store that demoed them with a Carver amp and pre. They were trying to show that the small Carver amp could power the big SDA speakers. They sounded awesome and that was my dream combination. Now I have to admit that I was more enamored with the Carver amps because I don't know the model of the speakers that I listened to, probably SRS. Fast forward a hundred years later looking for a HT setup, I ran across the Polk brand I knew they were good speakers. I decided on the TL250 with a DSWPro 500 sub knowing I was going to upgrade my receiver. A few weeks later while looking for a receiver during the test guy switched to these speakers that stood heads above the others he used and I asked him what they were. Turned out they were RTI 8s, he also displayed the 10s but I was looking for a receiver. After I got my receiver I was telling my wife how much I liked the 8s and since she was with me it didn't take much convincing to go back and get them. I decided on the 8s since I already had a sub. They have definitely renewed my interest in music.

I'm now the proud owner of the 1.2TL as well as a few other models for HT.

Yes, this is a cool thread!

I started out with a Polk RT800 and a PSW10 subwoofer a very long time ago. These suited my tastes for about a decade, may be much longer, until I decided that I finally wanted to upgrade my speakers. Seeing that I had had many speakers before the Polk's and given the longevity of how long they had stayed in the system, as other gear flew in and out, I decided that I would get another pair of Polk speakers.

Well, I didn't do any research and bought a pair of RTi10 3-way floor standing speakers. Great bass punch and mids, but no one had told me that these speakers were designed for HT, and I didn't read any audio rags, still don't actually. That tweeter ended up being way to bright for 2 channel music and I missed the overall sound of the RT800's. They were just a clean sounding speaker that were a great choice for 2 channel music. From parties, to background music, to background music to critical listening. Just a very enjoyable speaker. All great attributes that were factors in me keeping them for so long.

Anyhoo, a very long story short. In some ways, I wish I had never gotten rid of those RT800's, as replacing them sent me on an upgrade path that has lasted 20 or 25 years and cost me well more than my house is worth to get to where I am at now.

I had some other Polk speakers as well. Surround speakers from BITD that I don't even remember the model number of...I think they were some sort of Fx series or something like that, but decided that HT wasn't my thing, so out the door they went, along with all of my other HT gear. Had a pair of (at the time), the most highly upgraded 1C's that are still in the "family" here at Club Polk. I currently have a main listening room that unfortunately, does not have any Polk gear at all....BUT, I do still have Polk's in my house.

I have a humble LR TV/stereo setup that features LSi7's and those still get daily use from the entire family. Great little speakers for when the family wants to sit down and watch a movie, no complaints here.

BTW, there are some really great posts in this thread and (at least to me) it has been a very welcome and enjoyable read.

Tom