RTA 11TL Troubles
BassFishing
Posts: 26
Hi everybody,
I've been reading the polk forums for the last year, but this is my first post. Thanks to you all I've learned a lot about speakers. I set up a 7.2 system (actually .4 because I split both sub outs!) and got some slick deals on a cs400, rt1000p, and about a month ago, for another room I'm setting up, a beautiful pair of 11tls! Hopefully I will get the 15tls this year. Anyhow, what a cool community you have going here.
I do have some issues with the 11tls though. I played a bass heavy track the day I got them and immediately heard some noisy punch coming from the left speaker. I discovered the top driver has a cut in the rubber surrounds. No big deal, I bought the pair for $100, and I'm going to either patch the driver or just get a replacement from Polk.
As I've spent more time with the speakers, I've noticed that the left speaker also is majorly lacking in bass output. Just the other day I used my SPL phone app and got a left speaker reading 4 to 8 DBs quieter than the right, depending on how I toggle the treble/bass. The speaker sounds great otherwise, and there's no damage elsewhere. Even the old tweeters that people frequently replace sound fine. But basically, imagine listening with the just the left channel, and when you enable the right, all this bass just washes over you. Is this related to the small break in the one surround? I'm kind of baffled. I've attached photos below. Any ideas?
PS-- I'm looking to get a center match for this pair. On their website polk lists CSIa6 as the matching for the rta 11 and 15. On the phone though they told me that the cs400 would be the closest match. What works well?
Thanks much for any advice!
I've been reading the polk forums for the last year, but this is my first post. Thanks to you all I've learned a lot about speakers. I set up a 7.2 system (actually .4 because I split both sub outs!) and got some slick deals on a cs400, rt1000p, and about a month ago, for another room I'm setting up, a beautiful pair of 11tls! Hopefully I will get the 15tls this year. Anyhow, what a cool community you have going here.
I do have some issues with the 11tls though. I played a bass heavy track the day I got them and immediately heard some noisy punch coming from the left speaker. I discovered the top driver has a cut in the rubber surrounds. No big deal, I bought the pair for $100, and I'm going to either patch the driver or just get a replacement from Polk.
As I've spent more time with the speakers, I've noticed that the left speaker also is majorly lacking in bass output. Just the other day I used my SPL phone app and got a left speaker reading 4 to 8 DBs quieter than the right, depending on how I toggle the treble/bass. The speaker sounds great otherwise, and there's no damage elsewhere. Even the old tweeters that people frequently replace sound fine. But basically, imagine listening with the just the left channel, and when you enable the right, all this bass just washes over you. Is this related to the small break in the one surround? I'm kind of baffled. I've attached photos below. Any ideas?
PS-- I'm looking to get a center match for this pair. On their website polk lists CSIa6 as the matching for the rta 11 and 15. On the phone though they told me that the cs400 would be the closest match. What works well?
Thanks much for any advice!
Post edited by BassFishing on
Comments
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A serious leak in the enclosure would affect the bass performance, however I don't think that small pinhole would have much affect. Might get some air noise from it. Are you sure both MW dirvers are functioning? It kind of sounds like only one is working & the other is just moving due to cabinet pressure.
-Dave -
A serious leak in the enclosure would affect the bass performance, however I don't think that small pinhole would have much affect. Might get some air noise from it. Are you sure both MW dirvers are functioning? It kind of sounds like only one is working & the other is just moving due to cabinet pressure.
-Dave
I just looked at them again. The MW drivers are moving, and much more than the passive radiators, so this leads me to believe they are firing from current.
I looked at the other (trouble free) speaker and I think the drivers are extending more than the left speaker's, but can't tell. It's just amazing how little bass comes out of the left compared to the right.
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do you have it wired backwards?
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That's not a small pin hole, that's a serious air leak you have there and yes, it is affecting the bass response.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
take some black or clear silicone and try patching it from the rear and see if that helps. but don't glob it on there.
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You could try sealing it with some butyl rubber cement, RTV silicone, Stix-all or something of the like that is pliable (suggestions?) until you locate a replacement driver. Just use it sparingly so that you don't get globs interfering with the speaker movement.Stan
Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.
HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60
Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601 -
Screw Driver Wound?I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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Thks all for the tip. Im going to get some sealant this weekend and see what happens. In the meantime, any suggestions for the best timbre-matched center?
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That's a good guess. Whatever happened, glad I didn't do it!
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If they had a screw driver that close then they likely had pulled the driver(s) out. You might want to pull them too to check that the gaskets are intact. If they are messed up it could contribute to your bass issues. "More Tite" makes a very good replacement. In fact, many of us have sealed out drivers with it as a low cost upgrade.Stan
Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.
HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60
Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601 -
Regarding the center speaker: A few years back, Polk had a list on their web site for matching Vintage speakers with Centers, Surrounds and Subs.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80080&highlight=matching
That list recommends the CS400i. I have also seen many recommendations for the CS350. It may also depend on if you have the SL3000 tweeter or if you upgrade to the RDO-198. Unfortunately, I can't claim to speak form experience.Stan
Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.
HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60
Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
