Looking for advice...

TECHNOKID

Welcome to Club Polk Afterburner! (...and sorry to hear about your son :sad:)

Afterburner wrote: »

Wow I love all this help for a noob thank you... I am leaning hard right now towards the Emotive XPA-3... I like the idea of new with a warranty and yet appropriately priced for getting our feet wet. Knowing that I normally end up going all in on any project like this. I feel getting something like the EMO allows me the headroom/protection the RTi12's need yet gives me all kinds of time to research, find and change to AMP(s) XYZ when that time comes... Does that all make since?

You are definitely on the right track, the EMO XPA-3 will provide for a stronger front stage which is desirable for HT and your gaming addiction () and will provide relief to the ONKIO which will then have plenty of power available for the surrounds and rears (which do not require as much as the front stage). The addition of the XPA-3 will also provide for 2 channels listening.

cfrizz wrote: »

It makes perfect sense AB! Go for it, and Welcome to Club Polk.

Afterburner wrote: »

That is good to know. I was reading the Onkyo manual and the THX website and decided to do exactly what you suggest (Two rear speakers close together). Onkyo is calling it (For this model anyway) 7.1-SB. It seems the majority of they types of audio we listen to fits this placement need. We have actually been discussing getting two more RTi4's or even two more CSi5's for up front. But think for now it is overkill as we believe the next purchase that would have a larger impact will be a pair of subs, rather than some "Fill-in" speakers up front...

You are definitely on the rigth track. Adding more speakers would IMHO be effectively overkilled but the addition of sub(s) is definitely a must, maybe some bass shakers perhaps (:cool: 4 gaming! )?

Afterburner

cnh wrote: »

Welcome to Club Polk!

Speaker set is very nice! The Onkyo will serve you well, but the RTi-12s could use a bit more "power". Consider adding an external 3 channel power amp for the L/C/R channels--the Onkyo has pre-outs that allow you to bypass its amps and add more powerful amplification. Think about something "used" if you're on a budget: Rotel, Parasound, NAD, B&K, Carver, Adcom, etc. You want at least 200 watts a channel into 8 ohms with those Rtis! The Onkyo can drive the surround Rti-4s, no problem!

Otherwise, things look pretty good. JBL sub is adequate but you could spend a bit more there, think about a HSU, SVS, or EPIK sub in the over $600 range if you can. See their offerings online!

And have fun!

cnh

Thank you for your help... I forgot to respond to your post... I am leaning towards a pair of EPIk Empire's at this point. The plan for now is to get this system installed and run it for a few weeks or so as we fine tune it... Then decide what to do. Our concern is the base will be strong enough with six 7"ers in the RTi12's and the JBL can "Dust" the room if we let it. Problem is it runs out of gas just as we get the rest up and running... So we know we will need to replace it as it is not as "Tight" in response as we like.

We do not like the "Boom" so to speak, but I want to hear and feel the fast response free of distortion. I get that in our cars and to be honest... It is night and day better in our cars than our home has ever been. Like many things.. Once you know what "True" base response can do (Including going low enough we cannot hear it but we can "Feel" it) it is hard to not want that in everything we do with sound... Because of that we may have to be patient and look for the best deal in a true Sub...

cfrizz

Don't neglect to take a look at Polk's DSW line of subs. I have the Pro 400 and it has quite a slam to it but also compliments the music nicely. My brother has the 500 and it does well with rattling his glass cabinets.