RTi150s $646 NIB from my local CC

woodyjacobs

Okay, I have to brag a bit. I just went by my local CC in Cary NC and they had the RTi150s tagged at $323 each. That's right, $323 each. They had one pair left NIB and 1 pair of floor models.
Well, of course I had to buy them just on principal (the new ones).

So now I have a dilemma. My main ht setup has RT2000is fronts with a CS245i center (it's all that will fit in my armoire) and RT25i surrounds. I actually took all of my other rti stuff (two pairs of 38s and a csi30) back to CC since I was going to retire my home-office rig anyway and put them towards these 150s (paid about 50 bucks difference).

Of course I would love to run these as a stereo pair in the living room, or better yet as an A/B pair with my rt2000is (Phat!). Or I could sell the Rti150s to my friend who has been looking for some towers - although he has a Boston center and bookshelves that he would be moving to the back and I don't know how well they would work together. Or of course I could sell these monsters to one of you fine gentlemen, although I really don't want to ship them.



Whatcha think?

Sorry, I just feel like gloating a bit.

bigsexy1

Thank you so much for the heads up Woody! I also bought mine at the Cary store for $999 for the pair last Friday. I just got back from there with the price match, plus 10%. My total cost is now 306.50 each speaker! Man, at that price, I almost can't see upgrading to the 12s whenever they come out. At some point, you'd just as well keep the 150s, and I may now be at that point.
I thought about getting a second pair just in case I ever decide to get into SACD/DVD audio, but decided against it. I know you never say never, but I just can't see myself ever getting into that. I think I'll just stick with plain old 2 channel stereo. Just something about a guitar solo coming from behind my left shoulder that just doesn't seem right to me. Besides, who's winning the SACD/DVD Audio war? Do you guys think one will ultlmately prevail like VHS did against Beta? Or do you think they'll both go the way of DAT and DCC (and even Quad from back in the early 70s for that matter) with neither one ever really catching on?


As for your situation, I do like the new tweeter MUCH better than the tri-lams, but unless you have a lot of amplifier juice you can shoot at the 150s, I think you might be better served to just stay with 2000s.

P.S.- if you do decide to sell them, please let me know as I may be interested and could meet you locally. One of the reasons I decided not to get another pair was because I was wary of getting the last "display" pair they had left.

woodyjacobs

Hey bigsexy. Man, I would really prefer to call you by your name. Typing that gave me the heebies.

Well, I mentioned the deal to my buddy and he is all over it, so that solves my dilemma. Plus I get to go listen to them over at his house so it kind of keeps them in the family.

Glad you got your refund on...what a deal! I too was kind of scared of the pair of floor models they had there....otherwise I probably would have had to buy them too. You just don't know what has been done to those things in-store.

Yeah, the 2000i's are going to have to keep me happy for now. Since I am only running them with an 80w p/ch Audiosource Amp2
(pre-outed from a Denon 1802), I just don't think I would have enough juice to run at the 150s to do them justice. The guy I am selling them too will be running them with a Yamaha RXV620 - I'm not so sure that will do them right either, but I'm sure they will sound better than the little Boston bookshelves he has been using for mains.

Thanks!

woodyjacobs

Oh, I will. I'm not taking them over to my buddy's house until this weekend, so they will be getting hooked up tomorrow.

VR3

How is the CS245i and RT25i doing? Still kicking? Congrats on the purchase!

woodyjacobs

They are doing quite well, thanks for asking Trey. I couldn't be happier with them. Thanks again for a great transaction!

VR3

Thats great! Do you know what CC is selling the RTi70 for?

woodyjacobs

Well, that was the funny thing...at the one I bought these at the RTi100 was priced at 375.00 each and the RTi70s were (I think)299.00 each. So yes, the RTi150 were tagged 50 bucks less than the Rti100s. I think it had to be a mis-price. The salesman said that the 150s were priced under cost. I could maybe understand that if they were beat-up floor models or returns, but these were brand-spankin. Oh well.

woodyjacobs

I ran the Rti150s and the 2000is side by side yesterday for an A/B comparison. Source was an Onkyo DX-C380 disc changer, Toshiba SD4800 DVD Audio player, AR analog interconns, AR 16 ga. speak wire, Rotel pre and Audiosource amp2 (unbridged so 80w p/ch). Material listened to: Police Every Breath you Take SACD hybrid, Miles Davis Kind of Blue (remaster), Diana Krall Live in Paris DVD (digital stereo), Lyle Lovett and his Large Band Live in Texas CD, Chris Isaak Forever Blue CD, NIN Pretty Hate Machine CD, Yes Fragile DVD Audio (stereo), Miles Davis Tatu DVD Audio (stereo), Metallica's "Black Album" DVD Audio(stereo) and probably some others, that is what I remember.

They both obviously sounded great. I was surprised how good the 150s sounded right out of the box. I have had RTi38s and 28s in the past and both them sounded much better after a couple of weeks use. If these 150s improve with age than they will sound really fantastic.

As expected the 150s highs were clearer and smoother than the 2000is. What surprised me is the fact that the 150s sounded a bit louder on the high end - maybe that tweeter is just a bit more efficient than the tri lam. Of course the 2000is chunked out a bunch more bass thump than the 150s due to the powered subs. (Volume on the sub controls on the 2000is were set to about 10 o'clock).

The 150s didn't impress me too much in the bass dept. Very tight and clean, but I guess I am just used to more punch after listening to the powered towers for 18 months.

I did think that the 2000is imaged a bit better than the 150s - but that could be break-in or even placement as I put the 150s on either side of the 2000is.

After switching A/B for awhile I listened to A+B and then would cut one pair off to see what was missing afterwards. The 2000is sounded kind of muffled in the high-end and the 150s kind of vacant in the low-end. They did, however sound great running A+B together !

But alas we hauled them over to my friend's house that is going to be buying them from me. Hooked them up to his Yammie RXV620.
Running in stereo they sounded kind of thin and flat, which is kind of how I think the rti sound when I run them off of my receiver (same one) in stereo. Which I why I don't. They will probably get better after a couple of weeks though, and when we through in the DVD of the Two Towers they sounded great, even with his clangy Boston Center. I've told he needs to get rid of that and get a csi40.

Well that is all I have time for. Long live seperates (at least for music...).

bigsexy1

Woody (man, typing that gave ME the heebies),
Your review is pretty much what I expected. I told you how much better the new tweeters were! If you'd have had a big enough amp to drive them with, the 150s would have been even better on bass than the 2000s as well.
In your particular case though, unless you were eventually planning on getting a much more powerful amp, you did the right thing in keeping the 2000s (IMHO)
BTW, don't forget to get a price adjustment. You've got about $88 total coming back to you (price match with the Durham store, plus 10%).

VR3

the RT2000i has one woof right?

Now you need to go get a RTi70 and watch them dual mids kill that single mid.....;) Nah, the RTi150 is a great speaker...

woodyjacobs

Hey bigsexy...I intend to do that. 88 bucks is 88 bucks. Hell that will be buy me some DVDs.
I would like to get a more powerful amp...actually I would like to find another audiosource amp2 on the cheap and bridge them to run as a mono pair at 200w/ch. I think that would drive the 150s nicely. I just don't see running the 150s with less than about 125 w/ch. I do kind of wish I still had my Denon DRA-685 stereo rcv. That thing had gobs of power....very conservatively rated at 100 w/ch. Probably shouldn't have gotten rid of it.

Trey - Per cabinet, the 2000is have 2 8" powered subs, the blue 6 1/2 mid and the tri-lam tweet.

woodyjacobs

Hey bigsexy, I was thinking. I know they are going to hassle me since they have changed the price at the Cary store (and probably Durham too). Any chance that you might fax me a copy of the sales receipt showing the $284 price so I can go in there armed with that?

Thanks man!

Woody

faster100

I called that store, and their not going to sell them for that price, anymore.. it was a mistake and after several calls to many stores no one else is honoring this price as well...

bigsexy1

woodyjacobs
"Hey bigsexy, I was thinking. I know they are going to hassle me since they have changed the price at the Cary store (and probably Durham too). Any chance that you might fax me a copy of the sales receipt showing the $284 price so I can go in there armed with that?

Thanks man!

Woody"

No problem dude! What's your fax #?

---

"I would like to get a more powerful amp...actually I would like to find another audiosource amp2 on the cheap and bridge them to run as a mono pair at 200w/ch. I think that would drive the 150s nicely. I just don't see running the 150s with less than about 125 w/ch. I do kind of wish I still had my Denon DRA-685 stereo rcv. That thing had gobs of power....very conservatively rated at 100 w/ch. Probably shouldn't have gotten rid of it."


Woody, you might want to check ubid.com, as I've seen some Audiosource amps on there recently.
You know, you ought to at least consider keeping the 150s for yourself..... if you do intend to get more and/or better amps. You could always pick up a CSi40 or 30 and a pair or 2 of RTi28s from CC cheap to keep all your tweeters matched, and a seperate dedicated sub for movies sooner or later. To help finance all of this, sell your old Polk set to the friend. It would definitely be an upgrade for him over the Bostons he's got. Just something to think about.

---

ATCVenom


"The RT2000i is one of the premier affordable home theater speakers."

"The bass response, is killer."

No argument there.

---

" Sorry to say, but the Rt150i just cant keep up in any way shape or form in terms of extension and SPL. Give it all the power you want - it just wont get there."

You better GUESS (notice the emphasis there) again dude! I've spent a lot of time with a set of the 2000s, so I know what they can do (and can't). With a 200 watt Adcom power amp driving only the woofers on the 150s, the 2000s can't hold a candle to them. If you turn them up, then they might can "boom" louder and rattle the window blinds, but that's all. Otherwise, the 150s trounce them in every other aspect. Period! However, I do want to point out that it would take an amp of that caliber to do it though. As I've said before, if you only have a 100 watt per channel or so receiver, or less than that, then the 2000s would be the better bet.

bigsexy1

ATCVenom
"Well BIG, lets agree...to strongly disagree.

Granted, and I will lend you this , I have never used an amp to power strictly the bass..... of an RTi150...

Perhaps I mis-used the SPL term. Boom and rattling is what I was refering to and nothing more. "




Agreed. The 150s bass is quick, fast, tight, and accurate, but yet, it still HITS (with enough power that is). To me anyway, it makes the 2000s sound almost sloppy by comparison.

woodyjacobs

thanks bigsexy 577-6953 is my fax.

I check ubid pretty much everyday...I have bought a ton of stuff from them (including my audiosource amp2...they just haven't another one of those on there for ages - they do occasionally have the amp3 though...which is 150w/ch or 400 bridged. Hmmmm.

organ

You guys are getting great deals, congrats! I've yet to hear the RTi150 but I love the BOOM of the RT1000 and 2000 for HT. I'm sure the 150 is much better for music.

Maurice

bigsexy1

Woody, just wanted to touch base and let you know that I haven't forgotten you. I'm on vacation this week, but I'll definitely send your fax no later than when I go back to work next Tuesday. If I happen to run across a fax machine before then, I'll go ahead and send it. Even if it takes till next Tues., that still gives you plenty of time within your 30 day window of opportunity period for the pricre adjustment.

BTW, have you decided on what you are going to do one way or the other for sure yet?

woodyjacobs

Well, as much as I would like to upgrade and get more power, I can't do it soon, so I have decided to stick with the 2000is. My friend has the 150s in his living room and loves them (I didn't point out how much better they sounded on my 2 channel rig that with his Yammie AV rcv.).

He is stoked with the deal...but of course I would still love to get that fax so I can get the difference back. Thanks man!