Polk Audio RTi A9 vs Pioneer SP-FS52

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Comments

  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited November 2012
    Well, it is your "money"? But as for me, I've heard those Pioneers more than once. And I really, really, really tried to like them. But they were just a cheap pair of towers and nothing more. If you hear something more than that. Then we obviously don't hear the same thing.

    IMHO. Almost any Polk tower, and I mean "any" will sound better. But you need to do your homework and listen to more of these combos. Don't listen on an "entry" level receiver. You want to test them out on at least something that has High Current capability, like an Onkyo 60X or greater, an HK 3XXX or a Pioneer Elite.

    The A9s even with these receivers NEED a POWER AMP! There is NO way of getting around that. Rti-A5s you might get away with something above!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • roost28
    roost28 Posts: 39
    edited November 2012
    with your avr i would go with the A5's and a decent sub, the psw125 is a decent sub for the price, i am using one with my A7's and it sounds pretty good. unfourtunatley running the A9's on your avr is just a waste of time and money unless you get an amp at the same time. If you want something a bit bigger then the A5's you can get away with using the A7's.
    samsung un40eh5300
    yamaha rx-a3010
    oppo bdp-105
    rtiA7, front
    csiA4, center
    rtiA1, front presence
    rtiA1, surrounds
    PSW 505, sub
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  • crzycuyler
    crzycuyler Posts: 16
    edited November 2012
    How does this series perform at low volumes? There are times when volume will be a problem. I'm considering mostly the RTi A5s now.
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  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    edited November 2012
    The A5's sound great at low volumn. These are 2-way speakers, so the base is a bit lacking, but that's what subs are for.
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  • roost28
    roost28 Posts: 39
    edited November 2012
    rpf65 wrote: »
    The A5's sound great at low volumn. These are 2-way speakers, so the base is a bit lacking, but that's what subs are for.

    +1, they sound really good, you just need to use a sub with them to get the base.
    samsung un40eh5300
    yamaha rx-a3010
    oppo bdp-105
    rtiA7, front
    csiA4, center
    rtiA1, front presence
    rtiA1, surrounds
    PSW 505, sub
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  • xftman
    xftman Posts: 153
    edited November 2012
    Not sure the A5 and A7 series, But my friend has the rti 4(sold and replace by 6), 6, 8, 10(going to replace the 8), From 8 to 10 is big step up without seperate amp. Few weeks ago he ordered a pair of A9 cherry from newegg. But one of them damge from shipping. So he had one A9 for a week while waiting for the replacement but ended up return both b/c Newegg was OOS. From 10 to A9 is another huge step up even before break in. They are so heavy so I don't have the chance to compare side-by-side to my RC70.
    MAIN:
    Front- LsiM 707 (MIT Terminator 2 Bi-Wire),
    Center- lsiM 706,
    Surrounds- lsi F/X,
    Power sub PSW1000,
    Receiver- Harman Kardon Avr 3700,
    Amp - Emo XPR-5.

    Secondary (2.1):
    LsiM 703,
    HK Avr 3700,
    Yaqin MS-30L,
    Polk DSW-PRO 400.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,814
    edited November 2012
    It's BASS, not base.
    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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  • roost28
    roost28 Posts: 39
    edited November 2012
    F1nut wrote: »
    It's BASS, not base.

    yes you are right, "base" would mean the base of a cabinet. sorry if i may have caused any confusion, my typing is not the best:sad:
    samsung un40eh5300
    yamaha rx-a3010
    oppo bdp-105
    rtiA7, front
    csiA4, center
    rtiA1, front presence
    rtiA1, surrounds
    PSW 505, sub
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  • drumheller
    drumheller Posts: 14
    edited November 2012
    I heard both speakers over the weekend and agree that the Polk A9s are better.

    I either heard a poor setup or the Pioneers aren't nearly as good as people are raving about online. They're probably good for a budget small room setup, but I'm stunned that people are claiming them as better than many more expensive speakers.

    I ended up going with Klipsch RF-82s and related speakers, as well as a HSU Research sub, instead of either the Polk or Pioneer. However, given a choice only between those two, I would have gone Polk.
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  • michael1947
    michael1947 Posts: 775
    edited November 2012
    Pioneer is in the electronic business and they do a pretty good job of it, not the very best but pretty good. Polk is in the speaker business and they do a pretty good of it, not the best but pretty good. Most of us are here because we have or plan to have Polk speakers and most of us like the speakers.

    To best either company at their root business you have to go very big bucks. I would put some of my old Minitors up against any current Pioneer speaker and beat them all day long. Buy some Polks and move on.
    Main Family Room: Sony 46 LCD, Sony Blue Ray, Sony DVD/VCR combo,Onkyo TXNR 708, Parasound 5250,
    Polk SDS-SRS with mods, CSI 5 center + Klipsch SC2, Polk RT2000P rears, Klipsch KG 1.5's sides, Polk Micro Pro 1000, Polk Micro Pro 2000, Polk SW505, Belkin PF60, Signal Cable Classics,Monster IC's, 2 15 amp circuits & 1 20 amp circuit.

    Living Room: Belkin PF60, Parasound HCA2200, MIT ProlineEXP balanced IC's,Emotiva XDA-1 DAC/Pre,Emotiva ERC2 transport,MIT AVT2, Polk LSI 9's.
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