RTI A3 Question
I'm planning on buying new speakers pretty soon and am seriously considering the RTI A3 but was wondering a couple things. Would they sound good for Rock/Punk rock oriented music? Also this may sound like a stupid question but are the A3's meant for surround sound or can they be used solely for music playback? I ask because I've read a lot about people using them as front speakers for surround sound systems. I'm new to this and i'm trying to build a modest system. Thanks in advance.
Post edited by Miguel760 on
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I'm planning on buying new speakers pretty soon and am seriously considering the RTI A3 but was wondering a couple things. Would they sound good for Rock/Punk rock oriented music? Also this may sound like a stupid question but are the A3's meant for surround sound or can they be used solely for music playback? I ask because I've read a lot about people using them as front speakers for surround sound systems. I'm new to this and i'm trying to build a modest system. Thanks in advance.
I listen to a lot of different types of music through my RTi series speakers (from the previous series). It all sounds pretty good to me, especially at their price point, but certainly not the best. For a more full-range sound, you'd want a subwoofer with them, but then again, there are certain situations where a pair of bookshelves sounds great on their own (apartment, dorm, etc...).
You can use them in a stereo configuration, or anywhere in a surround system, really. If they're to be used as mains, a sub would be recommended for HT.
Welcome to Club Polk!
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They are what they are. A book shelf speaker. A book shelf speaker is kind of universal. They can be used as mains when size is important, and they work good as surrounds. Some people say they are bright but I like my A7's and would buy them all over again. I do have a 5.1 system instead of just a 2 channel system. I bought a NIN bluray dvd and it sound awesome.
Polk's ebay store you could get a pair of RTI A5's for $520 if you were considering buying the RTI A3's new for full retail price of $399 it would only be 120 bucks to upgrade to a tower speaker.
Black
http://cgi.ebay.com/ONE-RTi-A5-BLACK-Tower-Speaker-Polk-Audio-/230600269493?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item35b0d8deb5
Cherry
http://cgi.ebay.com/ONE-RTi-A5-RTiA5-CHERRY-Tower-Speaker-Polk-Audio-/360354104757?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item53e6c745b5AVR: 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 -
Wow that is a great deal for the A5! To bad I won't have money for new speakers til the 1st of June.
I was considering the A3's because I don't have much space and I've read good things about the RTI A1, which I was originally planning on getting but I came across the A3 on amazon and figured I'd go for those instead. -
Yea it always seem like their is a little somthing more for 100 bucks more. If you watch polk's ebay store they will have RTI A3's on their from time to time. Just keep an eye out. They are refurbs but just about everybody says their speakers look bran new when they recieve 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 -
Yea it always seem like their is a little somthing more for 100 bucks more. If you watch polk's ebay store they will have RTI A3's on their from time to time. Just keep an eye out. They are refurbs but just about everybody says their speakers look bran new when they recieve them.
Which is exactly where I got my RTiA3s from - for a very sweet price (about half for what the RTiA5s mentioned above are for).
My RTiA3s looked brand spanking new.
And for that price - pretty hard to beat for performance.
As for their use for rock/punk ...mmmhheee.... the busier the source track and the louder you go, the RTiA3s can be a tad fatiguing.
Give them clean power and as long as the source track is clean - they do an admirable job on music at the refurb/used price point.
jmo.....
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
I got my A3's from Polk's eBay store for about as much as they list a single A5 for and they look brand new. I think they benefit from a sub, but I'm happy with mine.
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Erik Tracy wrote: »Which is exactly where I got my RTiA3s from - for a very sweet price (about half for what the RTiA5s mentioned above are for).
My RTiA3s looked brand spanking new.
And for that price - pretty hard to beat for performance.
As for their use for rock/punk ...mmmhheee.... the busier the source track and the louder you go, the RTiA3s can be a tad fatiguing.
Give them clean power and as long as the source track is clean - they do an admirable job on music at the refurb/used price point.
jmo.....
Well I will be using them primarily for vinyl playback with a Technics 1200 mk2 and all my records are cleaned with a record cleaning machine so the sound should be good. What I was planning on doing is buying speakers in June and then a new receiver or integrated amp in July.
But I have read that the a3's can get a little fatiguing and that kind of worrys me. I've never actually heard any polk speakers so all I know is what i've read from reviews and message boards. -
Fatiguing, that depends on the person, as every one hears things differantly, Ive heard the RTA1,s they sounded great at higher volumes even with heavy rock music, Alot of it depends on the gear, and room acoustics, also as stated its you who should try them out,as every one hears things differantly, as far as a sub, HT, only in my OP.Not an Audiophile, just a dude who loves music, and decent gear to hear it with.
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Well I will be using them primarily for vinyl playback with a Technics 1200 mk2 and all my records are cleaned with a record cleaning machine so the sound should be good. What I was planning on doing is buying speakers in June and then a new receiver or integrated amp in July.
But I have read that the a3's can get a little fatiguing and that kind of worrys me. I've never actually heard any polk speakers so all I know is what i've read from reviews and message boards.
So, I ran my RTiA3s off of my AVR as a preamp thru a Carver M-1.0t amp, and I also used a 1200mk2 (Denon DL-160MC), and also a Cambridge Audio 640c V2 CDP.
What I meant by fatiguing was at 'reference volumes' (getting up to 'stupid loud') playing Def Leppard Pyromania (which, to me, is reprensentative of a CD with digital glare) - the RTiA3s can be a wee bit bright.
On the other hand - play a clean LP, or a clean CD...say...Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, or Supertramp's Crime of the Century, and as long as you don't go 'stupid loud', the RTiA3s will throw a spacious clear soundstage that would surprise you for the money - esp at the refurb/used price point.
So if your source LPs or CDs are already on the bright side, or are 'busy' on the high end with lots of treble AND you like to go 'stupid loud' - maybe you want to consider a speaker with a reputation for being more laid back on the high end.
Where the RTiA3s really shine is for HT, or for music at low/mid level volume with a clear source....spacious sparkling sound.
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
Erik Tracy wrote: »So, I ran my RTiA3s off of my AVR as a preamp thru a Carver M-1.0t amp, and I also used a 1200mk2 (Denon DL-160MC), and also a Cambridge Audio 640c V2 CDP.
What I meant by fatiguing was at 'reference volumes' (getting up to 'stupid loud') playing Def Leppard Pyromania (which, to me, is reprensentative of a CD with digital glare) - the RTiA3s can be a wee bit bright.
On the other hand - play a clean LP, or a clean CD...say...Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon, or Supertramp's Crime of the Century, and as long as you don't go 'stupid loud', the RTiA3s will throw a spacious clear soundstage that would surprise you for the money - esp at the refurb/used price point.
So if your source LPs or CDs are already on the bright side, or are 'busy' on the high end with lots of treble AND you like to go 'stupid loud' - maybe you want to consider a speaker with a reputation for being more laid back on the high end.
Where the RTiA3s really shine is for HT, or for music at low/mid level volume with a clear source....spacious sparkling sound.
Yeah I read really good things about Polk Audio regarding clarity and sound quality which attracted me to them. Also that the a3's go very well with the Marantz SR4023 which I'm thinking about getting. -
One more thing, before you buy any brand of speaker, id first hear them, You might prefer something else?? Polk was my choice, but then again, ive heard, and owened most of the rest, in the same price catagory, Your ears, not ours,Not an Audiophile, just a dude who loves music, and decent gear to hear it with.
