Which model from the RTi or RTi A series has similar sound signiture to the LSI9 ?

dvdit

I had Polk lsi9 before and loved their sound before I moved on to a Revel Performa setup. I am now in the process of moving top a new house and I need something to hold me over until I purchase a more high end system. I was set to buy the Monitor 70 series II since this was a temporary setup, I didn't want to send more. Last week I bought a pair of Infinity Primus P363 and they just didn't work for me. I find the midrange thin, bass just don't have any weight to them (weak) and boy, construction is very poor. I am shipping these back and it is going to cost me $100.00 for shipping charges. So before I make my next purchase, which is going to be a Polk, I want your help, please. Since I had the Polk LSi9 before and really liked them, is the Monitor 70 series II, the RTi10 or Rti A5 anythign similar to the Lsi in sound quality ? If not, are any of these considered bright? I hate harsh and bright speakers. I will be using these strictly for HT. Thank you all for your help.

FIY, I will be using the Onkyo TX-SR805 to drive them. I was using the NAD M25 to drive the LSi9 which I no longer have. I have Energy S10.3 sub I am going to use with them.

BTW, the speakers are going to be placed very close (only 6 inches from the side wall) but 3 feet from the back wall. I usually ran Audyssey with very good result. Still I want to avoid speakers with excessive bass output.

rooftop59

I don't think that either of those speakers is going to satisfy you after the lsi9s. I did find the rti series to be on the bright side, can be fatiguing, but lots of folks here seem to like that for ht. I have not heard the 70's (but owned the 30s and 40s), probably a bit warmer and more laid back, but build quality will be not where near the lsis. I think for your budget I would look used and outside of polk (or back to something like the rt55i or rt7, both big bookies like the lsi7 and not as bright as the newer rtis). Vanns has the energy rc10s for 300 shipped right now, obviously not as much bass as the 70s, but when I compared the lsi7s (which I owned and enjoyed for a good while) with the energy rc10s it was VERY close.

There are a couple guys here (cnh I believe for one) who own that same receiver with the 70s and like it, maybe they will chim ein.

Good luck!

dvdit

^^^ Thanks for your input. I am not that concerned about build quality since these are for a temporary setup. I am not looking at bookshelves now but towers. But I think you have a point about looking used and outside of Polk. You seem to get what I am exactly looking for. I have a Mirage OMD-15 in the family room and I love their sound. They are not a Revel, but quite good.

jbooker82

RTI's are known to be bright. They do change a little with break in. Add power to them then the bass improves. RTI A9's are probably going to be the least bright due to the 2 midrange, and 3 woofers.

I guess a lot of depends on what you like to listen to and how loud. I use my RTI's equally for music and ht. I have had the xo's rebuilt with clarity caps and mills resistors.

Nothing like Filter, Shine Down, Saliva at referance level with RTI's and a Carver amplifier.

jbooker82

You can get a pair of LSI15's from polk's ebay store for what you would pay for new RTI A 7's

dvdit

jbooker82 wrote: »

You can get a pair of LSI15's from polk's ebay store for what you would pay for new RTI A 7's

Before I bought the LSi9, I followed many threads here and other forums and learned how problematic those towers with built-in subs cab be, both in terms of placement and integration with external subwoofer. I need to palce the speakers very close to the side wall.

jbooker82

Yea i supose what about a pair of LSI 9's with a seperate powered sub? They are $550 a pair and new egg has the DSW PRO xxxWI subs on sale.

F1nut

Last week I bought a pair of Infinity Primus P363 and they just didn't work for me. I find the midrange thin, bass just don't have any weight to them (weak)

Last week, eh? Maybe you should let them break in before jumping to conclusions. Hell, since they are temporary what does it even matter!?!

SRTer

dvdit wrote: »

Since I had the Polk LSi9 before and really liked them, is the Monitor 70 series II, the RTi10 or Rti A5 anythign similar to the Lsi in sound quality ? If not, are any of these considered bright? I hate harsh and bright speakers. I will be using these strictly for HT.

I think you will find that most HT speakers are on the bright side. Nevertherless, I would try the RTi A9's but with a amp which will make the three 7 inch woofers come alive and ensure that they are not overly bright.

If you are not looking to amp the speakers and just use the AVR, I would look some where else also.

mdaudioguy

F1nut wrote: »

Last week, eh? Maybe you should let them break in before jumping to conclusions. Hell, since they are temporary what does it even matter!?!

Yeah, the OP is all over the board. I don't want to spend much, but I'll pay $100 to return speakers I bought for a temporary setup. I hate weak bass. I hate too much bass. I hate poor construction. Construction doesn't really matter. Kind of makes it hard to make any worthwhile recommendations...

dvdit

F1nut wrote: »

Last week, eh? Maybe you should let them break in before jumping to conclusions. Hell, since they are temporary what does it even matter!?!

They are not going to change much after 70 hours of break in which I already did. If I don't like them after 70 hours of break-in, I don't think I am going to like them after 100 or 150 hours. Maybe the sound will grow on me but the speakers are NOT going to sound different. As for your comment "what does it matter if it is temporary", it matters to me. I can't listen to speakers I don't like for many months until I move to a new house.

dvdit

SRTer wrote: »

I think you will find that most HT speakers are on the bright side. Nevertherless, I would try the RTi A9's but with a amp which will make the three 7 inch woofers come alive and ensure that they are not overly bright.

If you are not looking to amp the speakers and just use the AVR, I would look some where else also.

Thanks, I will entertain that suggestion. I will try to find quality speakers used at audiogon. I think Polks are not for me even for temporary setup even though they are cheap at Ebay.. It is good to see that they some folks make good sensible suggestions unlike some who cry who just cry foul.

Thank you all for all help. Signing out & moving on....

F1nut

They are not going to change much after 70 hours of break in which I already did. If I don't like them after 70 hours of break-in, I don't think I am going to like them after 100 or 150 hours.

Since it takes, on average, 200 hours for any piece of audio gear to break in, I'd say your speakers are not yet broken in.

It is good to see that they some folks make good sensible suggestions unlike some who cry who just cry foul.

It's sad when folks don't take good sensible suggestions and instead act like a 2 year old.