Rta 12 info

kauai822

How come there is no information on the Polk web site on the RTA - 12 in the vintage section ? What years were they made ? I own a pair and love them. Just learned about the right and left placement requirements. Mine sound very good so I am assuming I have the left and right speakers in the correct position. How can I be sure ? Thanks in advance for the info. Matt

drumminman

kauai822 wrote: »

How come there is no information on the Polk web site on the RTA - 12 in the vintage section ? What years were they made ? I own a pair and love them. Just learned about the right and left placement requirements. Mine sound very good so I am assuming I have the left and right speakers in the correct position. How can I be sure ? Thanks in advance for the info. Matt

There's lots of info here, but the search function sucks. Try typing the CP website address into google, hit the space bar and then what type what you're searching for. That usually works pretty well.

I am the original owner of a set of RTA 12C's I purchased in '84. I've done all the mods to them except the tweeter upgrade. If yours are all original you're not hearing all that they're capable of. Biggest thing to do is replace all the caps and resistors on the two Xover boards per speaker (if yours are 12 B'c or C's-the one on top and the one attached to the inside of the binding post cup). Current production film caps and non-inductive resistors are much higher quality than what was available to Polk when these speakers were designed/built. Also, electolytic caps wear out over time and the originals are definitely past their use by date.

Geoff727 did a well documented rebuild, the best I've seen, that can be found here: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?116480-RTA-12C-s-upgraded-for-forum-member-w-pics&highlight=geoff727

I used that as a DIY tutorial when I refurbished mine.

Post pics of your speakers with the top hats removed so we can see what you have.

Welcome to Club Polk!

kauai822

Thanks for the link. This upgrade looks like it might be over my head. I am not that technically inclined. I live in chino hills , ca near Los Angeles is there some one I could pay for them to be upgraded ? Matt

soundfreak1

U can dynamat the drivers ( makea a big diff. In bass, tighter and faster) and do the rdo 194 upgrade great improvment in the high end. These mods take no skills at all. But im sure someone will chime in and do the caps for u.

soundfreak1

oh yea btw u get ( i think iys 20%). Discount from polk on all parts and free shipping. Great deal
i have never seen a manufactor offer as good a service for thier cus
especial on " vintage " products.. Others may take very good care of current product cus. But nothing on older products. Tjis is unheard of, at least i dont know any audio manufacter who supports older equip. Like polk does.

factorz

kauai822 wrote: »

Thanks for the link. This upgrade looks like it might be over my head. I am not that technically inclined. I live in chino hills , ca near Los Angeles is there some one I could pay for them to be upgraded ? Matt

I have a pair of RTA-12C and did about every mod minus Larry's rings. I too found the xo upgrade over my head and had VR3 do mine. I think I might have been his first pair he did and it turned out great. Just be careful if you choose to replace the top connector it's not too big for the hole. I ended up having to drill out a larger one to fit the upgraded connector. Head over to the mod thread and you will find him.