Polk Audio RTiA7 Mod Thread

gp4jesus

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

The subs are 4 ohms in series netting 8 ohms.

lightman1

Treys coffee table looks like a bad electronics experiment gone awry.

jbooker82

Just got done dynomatting the drivers.

Outfitter03

So did your new woofer tester arrive and what did the final impedance end up being? Now that you have it, you should be able to do some before and afters on these mods and see if there is a measurable change, and more importantly whether it is enough to make any kind of difference to an amp or AVR. My suspicion is there is a change but it is not very large, probably less than 1.

gdehlers

I am new so i don't have 10 post, but would love to have my A9's mod how can i contact you

VR3

vr3mxdmicblce2k7@gmail.com

Thanks!

VR3

They are all done!! woo hoo!!

I should get these out Tuesday!

I have cranked up each crossover for an hour with about 200 watts of POWA!

Everything is stable and solid and measures consistently

jbooker82

Sweet looks good the TV speakers have been killing me. The good news is my wife now apprecates the system after having to go back to the tv speakers.

jbooker82

Just to let you guys know. I had Trey (Vr3MxStyler2k3) modd my RTI A7's and CSI A4 cross overs. He did a good job, and they were a lot of work. They sound quite a bit better. It took the edeg off the tweeters. They don't seem so in your face and over powering. They are more full sounding. I liked the RTI A7's before the mod, but they are even more sweet now. I dont have an audiophile ear just enjoy great sound quality. I am currently powering them with my Onkyo TX-NR808 rated at 135wpc @ 2 channels driven.

The worst part of the deal was using TV speakers while my xo's were out being modded.

I would recomend doing it if you like the speakers you currently have, because you will love them after modding them.

gp4jesus

Between the mortite on the driver frames & the upgraded caps, after 50-100 hours of break-in your LCR should sound mighty sweet indeed!

I'd love to watch movies or listen to music @ your place then!

HAPPY listening! Tony

gp4jesus

upgraded the wire between the mid/tweet BPs & their filtering to AR 12ga OFC

upgraded the wire between the mid & its filter to 14 ga OFC

removed the sub LP filtering
upgraded the sub wire to 8 ga, this channel' s subs connected to its own XL280 w/10 ga MC

Currently evaluating with music. Modded channel's bass noticebly more percussive

will use RTA this weekend for comparative readings & tune sub/mid balance

jbooker82

gp4jesus wrote: »

upgraded the wire between the mid/tweet BPs & their filtering to AR 12ga OFC

upgraded the wire between the mid & its filter to 14 ga OFC

removed the sub LP filtering
upgraded the sub wire to 8 ga, this channel' s subs connected to its own XL280 w/10 ga MC

Currently evaluating with music. Modded channel's bass noticebly more percussive

will use RTA this weekend for comparative readings & tune sub/mid balance

Yea they sound a little less bright. I would really love to have a Sunfire Amp. That is probably going to be the next mod but it will be a long while down the road. It would be nice since you can use ethire source input or voltage input to alter the sound and give it a tube amp sound.

gp4jesus

gp4jesus wrote: »

upgraded the [internal] sub wire to 8 ga, this channel' s subs connected to its own XL280 w/10 ga MC
...Modded channel's bass* noticebly more percussive*

interesting side notes to this fact*:
2 XL280s driving the A7s in 2ch mode
Primary '280 driving both** channels**: 90+% rewired with heavier wire; heaviest grounding the driver boards & connecting the outputs to the BPs
* driving the modded channel's M & T & unmodded channel full range

the other '280 (w/original wiring) driving the modded channel's subs.

an ommission from post #72: XO'd about 150hz

JimAckley

Nice work Vr3M.

pitdogg2

post 76 reported

gp4jesus

latest configuraton:
Adjustable Mid HP output & frequency on both channels. XO'd about 150hz

Adjustable sub output & frequency for the channel w/upgraded wire.

My ear tells me the range just above the mid HP needs a little help.

to jbooker82: I'm sure you enjoy better tonal balance w/upgraded XOs. Surely the "bass comes out to play" w/out the aid of bi-amping. did "V" upgrade your wire?

hope to get time to take RTA measurements later today.

cheers tony

PrazVT

I was waiting to see how this turned out - looks good VR3M! After getting my LSi9s modded by Ben, I'm about 99% convinced that I should do this too I take it my CSi A6 would need to be modded as well for consistency?

Any other thoughts on sonic improvements jbooker? Up until now, I've been upgrading the amps / wires to get an improvement on my A7s.

-Praz

VR3

I replied to your thread.

I highly recommend modding your center too so it will be matched sonically.

PrazVT

Good deal, sounds logical to me

PrazVT

My A7/A6 crossovers are on their way to Trey now, so I'm next up to try this out on the RTi A series!

jbooker82

Keep us up to date. What all are you having done? Clarity Caps and Mills resistors?.

Does your A6 center channel have 1 or 2 circuit boards for the xo. My a4 just had one but you cannot bi amp it like you can with the CSI A6 (or at least I though you could bi amp it).

I don't know if you have enough room for a tall xo in the center channel. I could only get one finger between the caps on the XO and driver on my csi a4.

Keep us up to date.

PrazVT

I'd let Trey give the parts breakdown - I suspect it'd be similar to yours. Good question about the circuit boards on the A6 - I honestly wasn't thinking about it when I took it out, but the xo wasn't as long as the A7's. Plus the A6 is 6 inches deeper + 4 inches wider than the A4 so should be ok.

JimAckley

PrazVT wrote: »

My A7/A6 crossovers are on their way to Trey now, so I'm next up to try this out on the RTi A series!

So proud... :biggrin:

PrazVT

I think Jim brainwashed me :rolleyes:

JimAckley

PrazVT wrote: »

I think Jim brainwashed me :rolleyes:

I'd like to think I enlightened you, but may be right haha.

The ClarityCaps will blow your mind. What resistors are you going to have installed?

PrazVT

I'd like to think I enlightened you, but may be right haha.

I kid - definitely more enlightened - thanks for the encouragement & insights.

It looks like Trey will be using Clarity Cap PX with ESA bypass caps and Mills resistors. He's also upgrading the binding posts.

jbooker82

PrazVT wrote: »

I'd let Trey give the parts breakdown - I suspect it'd be similar to yours. Good question about the circuit boards on the A6 - I honestly wasn't thinking about it when I took it out, but the xo wasn't as long as the A7's. Plus the A6 is 6 inches deeper + 4 inches wider than the A4 so should be ok.

Yea I just thought I would say someting just incase. If it is 6 inches deeper then you shouldnt have a clearance problem. Is the binding post plate directly behind a driver or is it in the center of the back?

Might as well get some dynomat coming and cover the baskets and the metal magnet shields of the drivers. That is what I did to kill time while they were down. My wife though I was going crazzy being with out them.

PrazVT

Actually the binding post is somewhat behind the driver. The kickstand is in the center. There's a lot polyfill in there too.

As for the dynamat - interesting idea. How will that affect/benefit speaker performance?

jbooker82

If you take your driver and tap or knock on the side of the magnet shield it will ring. The dynomat just stops unwanted noise and vibration. How much it helps I can't tell you for sure because I done the xo's at the same time.

It helps lighter stamped steel baskets behave / sound like heavier cast baskets.

I just done it due to the fact that it couldn't hurt and the small role of dynomat was 30 bucks or less.

Just don't put any on the baskets where the driver makes contact with the wood cabnet. It won't seal and make it harder to take out.

gp4jesus

consider this alternative:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115762