new rti line?

Dr. Sound
Dr. Sound Posts: 14
edited July 2003 in Speakers
i'm thinking about trying it when it's available. the wife and kids have been begging for an upgrade to the current setup. what is the consensus on these guys? i figured i'd come to the place where the polk fans actually post!:D
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2003
    Here is some prior information from earlier threads with the search function:

    http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10370&highlight=new+rti+line

    Hello, and welcome to the forum :)
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2003
    And here:

    http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10336&highlight=new+rti+line

    :)
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Lee Bailey
    Lee Bailey Posts: 71
    edited July 2003
    I just finished upgrading all the crossovers in my current RT series speakers, so these new speakers will have to wait a while longer! (I for one, really dislike the silver color!)
    Please feel free to visit my Home Theater Page at The Bailey's Home Theatre in our Living Room.
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  • STUFFMD
    STUFFMD Posts: 381
    edited July 2003
    Hey Lee Bailey....How did the crossover upgrade work out for you??? Did you make your own or did you purchase?? I am seriously thinking of upgrading the tweets in the 800's to the Vifa XT's was also considering the crossover upgrade...was curious how your project made out.
    Thanks Stuff
    Your system is only as good as your weakest component...!

    OnkyoTX-DS 797
    NAD C270/ Mains
    Mains: LSI9's
    Center: Cs400i /Biwired
    Rear: Fx300i
    Rear Center:CS 245i
    Dvd: Onkyo DVS 555
    Vision RCA 36" Premiere Series
    Bang & Olfsen RX Turntable
    Psw 350 Front/Psw 202 rear
    Kimber Cable 4TC Mains HF
    Monster Originals/Center
    Kimber Interconnects
    Monster XP Everywhere else
    PS2/Gamecube
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2003
    Lee - that is very interesting, drop some details to us....just what I need another project :)
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Dr. Spec
    Dr. Spec Posts: 3,780
    edited July 2003
    Yeah, the Vifa is only $60 at Parts Express. I would need 9 of them so it would be <$600 shipped.

    I highly doubt the Vifa is a drop in replacement though and probably requires a crossover modification. If this is the case, it' not worth it IMO.

    What are your thoughts Stuff?

    Doc
    "What we do in life echoes in eternity"

    Ed Mullen (emullen@svsound.com)
    Director - Technology and Customer Service
    SVS
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2003
    Originally posted by Lee Bailey
    I for one, really dislike the silver color!

    I second that opinion!
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • STUFFMD
    STUFFMD Posts: 381
    edited July 2003
    Hey Doc,
    I figure I will only start out with the 3 tweets in the front and go from there. The Vifa will definately not be a drop in ,but does have several holes on the mount, shouldn't be a huge job. The Vifa will probably not live up to it's potential w/out a new crossover...but I am just really looking for the smoother, clearer highs the XT line offers. I can worry about the crossover later.
    Did anyone notice this but me......Didn't I read that the old RTI lines tweeters are made by a CO. called Meuller. The new RTI line has Vifa domes, at least from early photos.......wondering if they are any smoother than my current tweets, might be an easier replacement.
    Stuff
    Your system is only as good as your weakest component...!

    OnkyoTX-DS 797
    NAD C270/ Mains
    Mains: LSI9's
    Center: Cs400i /Biwired
    Rear: Fx300i
    Rear Center:CS 245i
    Dvd: Onkyo DVS 555
    Vision RCA 36" Premiere Series
    Bang & Olfsen RX Turntable
    Psw 350 Front/Psw 202 rear
    Kimber Cable 4TC Mains HF
    Monster Originals/Center
    Kimber Interconnects
    Monster XP Everywhere else
    PS2/Gamecube
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  • Lee Bailey
    Lee Bailey Posts: 71
    edited July 2003
    I decided to upgrade the stock crossovers in all my Polks. First, I was able to get the specs from Polk, so I knew what inductance I needed. I started with the pair of R40's. First off, Polk uses iron core inductors on these speakers, as well as electrolytic caps. I ordered Solen fast metallized polypropolene replacement caps, Perfect Lay air core inductors, and Mills 1% resistors from Partsexpress. For the circuit board, I just went to Radio Shack and got the perfboard with no copper on it to mount the components. One change right off in the design was that Polk had changed the tweeter circuit from a first order crossover to a second order one, so an additional inductor was added. I simply connected the components up, laying them out nearly the same as the schematic drawing. Took about an hour per unit, using hot glue to keep the parts in place, as well as bringing the leads down through the holes in the perfboard.

    The result: A much smoother sounding speaker! I still have to test whether the tweeter should have the wiring reversed or not, though it does not sound like there is any cancellation.

    Due to the size of the new caps(they were only available in 400V versions), the new crossover board was a lot longer. I ended up mounting them to the bass port tube for now(I may play with the location later, but there is no audible vibration).

    The picture below shows the original crossover board at the top of the pic, and the new one at the bottom. This has been a fun project!

    xover4.jpg
    Please feel free to visit my Home Theater Page at The Bailey's Home Theatre in our Living Room.
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  • Dr. Sound
    Dr. Sound Posts: 14
    edited July 2003
    glad they worked out for you!

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  • dan t
    dan t Posts: 206
    edited July 2003
    I like the look of the RTi12's. I may actually upgrade my Monitor 10's Series 2 with them. I will of course have to give them a listen before upgrading. Still like the sound of my M10's.

    Dan





    There are images I need
    to complete my own
    reality
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2003
    Lee - That is really neat, looks like a worthwhile upgrade, good job :cool:
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Lee Bailey
    Lee Bailey Posts: 71
    edited July 2003
    Thank you for the kind words. I've completed all the speaker crossover rebuilds now.

    I've got a question on the 'new' RTi line, Are they going to be using the same Vifa tweeter?

    I'm asking because on another forum, they seem to think so, though the threads here don't talk about it, just the dome tweeter.
    Please feel free to visit my Home Theater Page at The Bailey's Home Theatre in our Living Room.
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,624
    edited July 2003
    Originally posted by Lee Bailey
    I've got a question on the 'new' RTi line, Are they going to be using the same Vifa tweeter?

    I'm asking because on another forum, they seem to think so, though the threads here don't talk about it, just the dome tweeter.
    The tweeter that's being used on the new RTi line is a Vifa tweeter....(at least according to their picture) It's just a Dome Tweeter as compared to the Ring Tweeter that's in the LSi's......
    New RTi Pics.....

    But then here on this press release section, they list the tweeters as being a silk/polymer...
    RTi Feature Chart
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • Lee Bailey
    Lee Bailey Posts: 71
    edited July 2003
    Thanks for the quick response!:)
    Please feel free to visit my Home Theater Page at The Bailey's Home Theatre in our Living Room.
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