RTiA7 Advice

williamgauci
williamgauci Posts: 88
edited January 2012 in Speakers
OK, I'm looking for some of all your expert advice on my set up. I finally upgraded my old RTi3's and I'm just waiting for some RTiA7's to be restocked so I can pick them up. A quick rundown of what I?m using. I have an older Yamaha 6080 7.1 channel (105-120W/ch) and an Emotiva XPA5 (200w/ch), a CSiA6 and 2 RTiA1's as my surrounds. I'm currently running 5.1 setup with all 5 channels through the Emotiva and I'm happy with everything.

My question would be, with the addition of the RTiA7's, would there be any advantage to changing things around? Take the Emotiva, wire my center off one channel, and use the other 4 channels and "bi-amp" the 7's and take the power for my RTiA1 surrounds off of the Yamaha amp seeing as how they're only rated at 125w. I do understand from many of the other posts that this isn't really bi-amping and I?m not increasing or doubling the power. But I am wondering if it's advantageous to split the driver load over two channels seeing as how I have the room. I'm working off the assumption that the Yamaha is adequate to provide decent power only running the two 125w surrounds and the 7's would benefit from having the load shared over the other four channels.

Any opinions would be appreciated. I about 80/20 HT over music for what it's worth.
_____________________________________________
Yamaha 6080 Emotiva XPA-5 CSi A6 RTiA-7's RTi A1's Velodyne DLS-4000R
Post edited by williamgauci on
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Comments

  • DaveHCYJ
    DaveHCYJ Posts: 89
    edited January 2012
    Try it both ways and let us know which is better :cheesygrin:
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  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    edited January 2012
    I would keep it simple. Just the way you have it now.
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  • jbooker82
    jbooker82 Posts: 1,627
    edited January 2012
    Keep it how it is now. You dont need big watt's just clean power and high current.

    My RTI A7's use around 60-80 watts to reach 106 db with the volume set at 82 (Referance). Besides if you bi amp it your still only going to have 200 watts going to the woofers, and 200 watts going to the mid and tweeter. You just splitting up the circuits, not doubleing the wattage.
    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
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  • EDUBAG
    EDUBAG Posts: 403
    edited January 2012
    i tried biamping my a7 and honestly could not hear a difference. my receiver is a diferent one but i think that the result will be the same for you.

    so, my recommendation is: use the emotiva with the a7 via the preout of the avr, and the csi6 powered by the center channel amp of the avr and the a1 powered by the surround channels of the avr. since the emotiva will be powering the a7 then the avr is going to run much much easier with the other speakers. that is how i did it when i got a rotel amp for the towers.

    regards,

    eduardo
    HT:
    POLK AUDIO RTI4 FRONTS
    CSI3 CENTER
    DEF TECH PROMONITOR800 SURROUNDS
    PSW 125 SUB
    PIONEER ELITE AVR23TXH AVR
    APPLE TV 160GB
    PANASONIC BLURAY PLAYER
    50" PANASONIC PLASMA TCP50C2

    2 CHANNEL:
    KEF R300 THREE WAY BOOKSHELF GLOSS PIANO BLACK
    ROTEL RC 990BX PRE
    ROTEL RB 990BX AMP
    OPPO DV980 (AS CD PLAYER)
    PIONEER PL100 TURNTABLE WITH SHURE MX97E CART
    MIT EXP2 SPEAKER CABLES
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,685
    edited January 2012
    Don't bother with the "biamp". Keep it like it is now, but I would dump the crappy stock jumpers on the binding post with quality wire. Or you can get something like Signal Cable ultra speaker wire in bi-wire.

    The stock jumpers suck, one of the best things I ever did for my A7's and LSi 9's was to dump them.
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  • Nerd
    Nerd Posts: 68
    edited January 2012
    Do you think that a 12 gauge wire will be better than the jumper that comes with the speaker.
    Polk RTi12
    Polk Csi A4
    Polk FxiA6
    Outlaw LFM-1 EX
    Onkyo TX SR806
    Adcom GFA 555 MkII
    LG 55" 3D 55LW6500
    LG Blue ray BD670
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,755
    edited January 2012
    Yes.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Nerd
    Nerd Posts: 68
    edited January 2012
    Should I use a banana plug or a spade connector or just simply the wire to connect them,
    Polk RTi12
    Polk Csi A4
    Polk FxiA6
    Outlaw LFM-1 EX
    Onkyo TX SR806
    Adcom GFA 555 MkII
    LG 55" 3D 55LW6500
    LG Blue ray BD670
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,685
    edited January 2012
    I used spades for the jumpers and my speaker wire is banana plugs.
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  • nerdbot
    nerdbot Posts: 20
    edited January 2012
    Upstatemax wrote: »
    Don't bother with the "biamp". Keep it like it is now, but I would dump the crappy stock jumpers on the binding post with quality wire. Or you can get something like Signal Cable ultra speaker wire in bi-wire.

    The stock jumpers suck, one of the best things I ever did for my A7's and LSi 9's was to dump them.

    I have the monitor70s, not the A7s, but I'm interested in this too. I've got plenty of extra 12 gauge cable, what would be better - biwiring or replacing the stock jumpers with the 12 gauge? Or do those methods basically amount to the same thing?
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,685
    edited January 2012
    I have not done a back to back with jumpers and biwire....

    My A7's have jumpers and my LSi 9's are biwire. I would think biwire should have a bit of an advange, but not sure.
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  • williamgauci
    williamgauci Posts: 88
    edited January 2012
    Thanks for the replys...
    jbooker82 wrote: »
    My RTI A7's use around 60-80 watts to reach 106 db with the volume set at 82 (Referance). Besides if you bi amp it your still only going to have 200 watts going to the woofers, and 200 watts going to the mid and tweeter. You just splitting up the circuits, not doubleing the wattage.

    I know I'm not adding wattage as I mentioned in the OP. My thinking was if it was worth the effort to split the current load over four channels instead of two.
    EDUBAG wrote: »
    i tried biamping my a7 and honestly could not hear a difference. my receiver is a diferent one but i think that the result will be the same for you.

    so, my recommendation is: use the emotiva with the a7 via the preout of the avr, and the csi6 powered by the center channel amp of the avr and the a1 powered by the surround channels of the avr. since the emotiva will be powering the a7 then the avr is going to run much much easier with the other speakers. that is how i did it when i got a rotel amp for the towers.

    regards,

    eduardo

    I have 5 channels on the amp, wouldn't it be better to feed the A6 off the Emo even if it's running all 5 channels over the Yamaha that probably isn't giving me more than 80 or so real watts?
    _____________________________________________
    Yamaha 6080 Emotiva XPA-5 CSi A6 RTiA-7's RTi A1's Velodyne DLS-4000R
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited January 2012
    Amen! Why do some of you do your best to make something that is so simple and clean into an unmitigated mess????
    Just hook up all 5 speakers to the amp, sit back and enjoy.
    chumlie wrote: »
    I would keep it simple. Just the way you have it now.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • williamgauci
    williamgauci Posts: 88
    edited January 2012
    Well, it looks like the tribe has spoken. I'm more than happy with the way things are and I agree simple is best. I just want to make sure I'm getting what I can out of my humble setup. Thanks again for the advice.
    _____________________________________________
    Yamaha 6080 Emotiva XPA-5 CSi A6 RTiA-7's RTi A1's Velodyne DLS-4000R
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  • williamgauci
    williamgauci Posts: 88
    edited January 2012
    OK, I set everything up last night and I've spent the day playing with my new toys. I did my Yamaha auto set up and then manually adjusted my speaker levels with my SPL meter. Everything sounds good and I love these speakers. One question I'm looking for opinions on is what crossover setting can I use with these speakers? I have all my speakers set to small and my crossover at 60hz right now. I'm going to play around with the crossover tomorrow, just curious what others are using.
    _____________________________________________
    Yamaha 6080 Emotiva XPA-5 CSi A6 RTiA-7's RTi A1's Velodyne DLS-4000R
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  • DaveHCYJ
    DaveHCYJ Posts: 89
    edited January 2012
    You should probably using "Large" or "Full Range" or whatever its called on your system. The speakers with the XPA5 are certainly capable. Otherwise try 40Hz as a comparison point.
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  • Geoff4rfc
    Geoff4rfc Posts: 2,478
    edited January 2012
    DaveHCYJ wrote: »
    You should probably using "Large" or "Full Range" or whatever its called on your system.

    To the OP, if you have a sub, I wouldn't do this. Too much bass can overpower the SQ i.e. too much "boomyness", "echo chamber", etc etc.

    I take my sub out on the system and set my mains to full band aka large ONLY when I'm listening in 2ch mode, my 9's can dig it.

    Back in H.T. land, mains set to small and the sub does the grunt work.

    Just my opinion of course :biggrin:
    Source: BRP Panasonic UB9000, CDP Emotiva ERC3 - Display: LG OLED EVO 83 C3 - Pre/Pro: Marantz 8802A - Amplification: Emotiva XPA-DR3, XPA-2 x 2, XPA-6, Speakers, Mains/2ch-Focal Kanta No2's, C-LSiM706, S-702F/X, RS-RTiA9's, WS-RTiA9's, FH-RTiA3's, Subs - Epik Empire x 2

    Cables: AudioQuest McKenzie XLR's/CDP/Amp, Carbon 48/BRP, Forest 48/Display, 2 channel speaker cable: Furutech FS Alpha 36 12AWG PCOCC Single Crystal (Douglas Connection)

    EXPERIENCE: next to nothing, but I sure enjoy audio and video MY OPINION OF THIS HOBBY: I may not be a smart man, but I know what quicksand is.
    When I was young, I was Superman but now that old age has gotten the best of me I'm only Batman
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  • williamgauci
    williamgauci Posts: 88
    edited January 2012
    From all the reading I've done over the years, it seems to be as Geoff recommends. With my receiver, setting the speakers to large sends all the LFE to the sub and any speaker set for large. I set the crossover this morning to 60hz and I'll give it a day to get used to it before I try 40hz. Unfortunately, it only lets me step for 40,60,80 and a 100 at the lower end. Anyway, thanks for the feedback, I wasn't sure if the 7's would really handle down to 40 hz effectively.
    _____________________________________________
    Yamaha 6080 Emotiva XPA-5 CSi A6 RTiA-7's RTi A1's Velodyne DLS-4000R
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