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    • Polk Audio RTiA7 Mod Thread

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    • Posts: 14,340
      edited April 2011
      In a ported speaker, I wouldn't bother. Besides, it could alter the voicing of the speaker enough where some crossover adjustments would be need.
      "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      I do not like the boards on the RT series. In comparison to what Def Tech and Monitor Audio uses - I would consider their board quality to be substandard. Not to mention the soldering seems sloppy in comparison to the LSi. (Just my observation)
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 1,998
      edited April 2011
      thanks maudioguy for saying oh so politely, "stop whining! Get off your duff & do something about it!"
      mdaudioguy wrote: »
      Why don't you try some divider mods and report back?
      I will. A lousy excuse: planning to relocate soon; they're in boxes.
      mdaudioguy wrote: »
      Your posts are becoming repetitive...
      you're right! I've wasted too much of others "action-based" time. I'll limit any future communiques' of these subjects as PMs to 'A7 owners.*
      mdaudioguy wrote: »
      Time to take action
      As soon as we're moved in.
      Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro, Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer

      Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside
      BJC 10 ga - LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
      8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
      *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop)

      LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels*. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - RB981*
      Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981* -> Bi-amped CSi A6
      Surrounds: Rotel 981* -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3
      *all connected w/Premiere ICs
      5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”

      Power Conditioning & Distribution:
      4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Alright - here we go!

      Im waiting on resistors from Canada - so this is my stopping point for now!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 1,627
      edited April 2011
      Looks good, cant wait to hear them.
      AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
      Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
      Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Rear: FXI A4
      Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
      TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
      Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
      IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Me either - It always amuses me how these awesome crossovers sound with free air drivers ;)

      But seriously - cant wait to hear your impressions! I am sure you will love the change!

      I like constructing these - its kind of like a puzzle..

      Thanks!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 1,627
      edited April 2011
      How tall are they going to end up being? You have a test bench you hook them up to test them out before shipping them.
      AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
      Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
      Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Rear: FXI A4
      Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
      TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
      Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
      IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Around 8" or so - Yes! I always test them out before I ship them back!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Alright!

      Resistors are here except one - my fault - DOH!!!

      But I think they turned out pretty bad **** if I do say so myself!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Not to add fuel to the fire on a previous discussion but there is -zero- high pass filtering on the midbass. It is playing everything.

      Odd design

      (I have them running free air)

      I am also using a bi-wire cable as well
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 1,627
      edited April 2011
      That looks like a lot of work.
      AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
      Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
      Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Rear: FXI A4
      Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
      TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
      Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
      IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      lol

      I tell ya what - soldering the top caps on to that board in that 1.25" space was a treat!!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 51,031
      edited April 2011
      Do you think there's a concern with the plastic tabs breaking off the binding post plate with all that extra weight hanging out so far? Not a criticism, just my own curiosity.
      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

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    • Posts: 1,998
      edited April 2011
      Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »
      Alright!

      Resistors are here except one - my fault - DOH!!!

      But I think they turned out pretty bad **** if I do say so myself!


      WOW!! Awesome out-of-the-box work! Nice pics.
      Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro, Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer

      Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside
      BJC 10 ga - LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
      8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
      *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop)

      LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels*. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - RB981*
      Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981* -> Bi-amped CSi A6
      Surrounds: Rotel 981* -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3
      *all connected w/Premiere ICs
      5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”

      Power Conditioning & Distribution:
      4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      F1nut wrote: »
      Do you think there's a concern with the plastic tabs breaking off the binding post plate with all that extra weight hanging out so far? Not a criticism, just my own curiosity.

      I would guess not - the metal rods go in pretty deep and I actually pulled on it pretty hard with very little stress.

      I think think should be good for the long haul!


      Thanks guys!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 403
      edited April 2011
      would you mind sending me via pm, how much a mod like this would cost. i have always wondered about the full potential of the a7.

      regards,

      eduardo
      HT:
      POLK AUDIO RTI4 FRONTS
      CSI3 CENTER
      DEF TECH PROMONITOR800 SURROUNDS
      PSW 125 SUB
      PIONEER ELITE AVR23TXH AVR
      APPLE TV 160GB
      PANASONIC BLURAY PLAYER
      50" PANASONIC PLASMA TCP50C2

      2 CHANNEL:
      KEF R300 THREE WAY BOOKSHELF GLOSS PIANO BLACK
      ROTEL RC 990BX PRE
      ROTEL RB 990BX AMP
      OPPO DV980 (AS CD PLAYER)
      PIONEER PL100 TURNTABLE WITH SHURE MX97E CART
      MIT EXP2 SPEAKER CABLES
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      With the CSiA5 thrown into the mix it was right around 319 bucks - so I am guessing.... 220-250 for the RTia7...

      Obviously that is with the parts used here
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Assuming all of the woofers are 8 ohms (I am using 8 ohm woofers for the load) - the crossover measures out at 5-6 ohms vs. 8 ohms -- very interesting
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 14,340
      edited April 2011
      Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »
      Assuming all of the woofers are 8 ohms (I am using 8 ohm woofers for the load) - the crossover measures out at 5-6 ohms vs. 8 ohms -- very interesting
      Even if you had the correct woofers there, you would need a woofer tester or similar tool to know the real impedance of the speaker, measuring across the binding posts only tells part of the story. As you see, the crossover itself can have a large effect on the speaker's impedance.
      "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Gotcha - well that should be here tuesday so we will get to the bottom of this! HAHA!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 563
      edited April 2011
      Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »
      Assuming all of the woofers are 8 ohms (I am using 8 ohm woofers for the load) - the crossover measures out at 5-6 ohms vs. 8 ohms -- very interesting

      I might be guessing wrong, but you may be confusing resistance, as measured with a voltmeter which is purely DC resistance with Impedance which is AC resistance or Z. This is ac frequency dependent. This is a much more complicated measurement that consists of true resistance and capacitive and inductive resistance. A meter to measure this is something like this.

      http://www.teknetelectronics.com/Search.asp?p_ID=13050&pDo=DETAIL&Fluke_PM6303A


      http://www.teknetelectronics.com/DataSheet/FLUKE/FLUKE_pm630X80408.pdf
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Yeah I ordered the Dayton measurement software with test leads and scale yesterday - so it should be here Tues/Wednes
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 563
      edited April 2011
      That sounds pretty cool and doesn't look like it will break the bank to buy. I would like to see your review of this when you get it.

      I would think that the nice poly caps should be dropping the impedance quite a bit from the cheap electrolytics in the original crossovers.
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    • Posts: 14,340
      edited April 2011
      Outfitter03 wrote: »
      I would think that the nice poly caps should be dropping the impedance quite a bit from the cheap electrolytics in the original crossovers.
      How?
      "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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    • Posts: 1,627
      edited April 2011
      Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »
      Yeah I ordered the Dayton measurement software with test leads and scale yesterday - so it should be here Tues/Wednes

      So do my xo's will get the full treatment then?
      AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
      Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
      Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Rear: FXI A4
      Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
      TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
      Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
      IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Yep - I have already ran yours free air and I put a volt/ohm meter on them. Everything seems fine - I will definitely check them with the software as well!
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Polk Audio CSiA5
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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    • Posts: 563
      edited April 2011
      This is on the edge of my HiFi physics but I will put myself out there for the masters to educate. So to the the best of my understanding:

      All capacitors have a rating of DF or Dissipation Factor for AC.

      The DF for most Poly Caps is very small, fractions of a percent so they are close to an ideal capacitor.

      Electrolytic Capacitors have different DF ratings depending on quality, but 10% is probably standard for inexpensive capacitors.

      This higher DF rating results in a larger reactive load or put another way, impedance.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissipation_factor
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    • Posts: 1,627
      edited April 2011
      I am starting to worry about the pressure of doing a review since I only power them with a Onkyo TX-NR808 avr, and dont have an audiophile ear.
      AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
      Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
      Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
      Rear: FXI A4
      Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
      TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
      Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
      IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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    • Posts: 28,937
      edited April 2011
      Dont sweat it man! Just be honest and let us know what ya think! :)
      - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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