Polk Vintage RTA 11T

Leosangeet
Leosangeet Posts: 19
edited December 2012 in Speakers


Hi Friends,

I'm new in this forum and need help. I heard a vintage polk RTA 11 T / TL floorstanding speaker and just loved the sound quality. I currently own a pair of JBL ES90 and a B&W floorstanding but not happy with the sound. Just to add, I only listen to 2 channel music and have a Emitiva 150 wpc stereo amp and a Yamaha preamp.

Now my question to you guys is "which of the latest polk speaker will sound similar or equivalent to the RTA 11 T " ?
OR should I buy old RTA 11T ?
Post edited by Leosangeet on
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  • brgman
    brgman Posts: 2,859
    edited December 2012
    I doubt you will find any newer pairs that sound like the 11T but i'm sure if i am wrong someone will quickly correct me.
    The RTA line was a great line and i have 4 different prs from that series.Love the RTA sound.
    Get some 11T's or even 15T's if you can find them and do the mods you see recommended on the forum and you'll be a happy listener.
    Main Rig-Realistic AM/FM Record player 8 track boasting 4 WPC

    Backup Rig-2 CH-Rogue Audio Zeus w/Factory Special Dark Mods,Joule-Electra 300ME Platinum Preamp,OPPO-105 w/Modwright Tube Mod, Auralic Aries G2.1,Polk 2.3TL,3.1TL's,Dreadnought,RTA-15TL's,1C's All Fully Modded,2xRTA-12c's ,Benchmark DAC3 HGC,Synology NAS,VPI Scout w/Dynavector DV-20XH and Rogue Audio Ares Phono Preamp,Sony PCM-R500 DAT,HHB-850 Pro CDR,Tascam CC-222SLMKII Cassette/CDR,MIT S3.3 Shotgun Cables,Shunyata Hyra-8,Shunyata and Triode Labs Power Cords

    I’M OFFENDED!!!!
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  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,430
    edited December 2012
    If you love the older Polks, you would likely do well to seek some. Depending on where you are, they come up pretty frequently.

    Another question is the rest of the system other than speakers. No personal experience with them myself, but I have read that both Yamaha and Emotiva tend towards brightness. Same with B & W. It's possible that some warmer gear somewhere might make you happier for 2-channel.
    Jay
    SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
    Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
    Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,689
    edited December 2012
    I only listen to 2 channel music and have a Emitiva 150 wpc stereo amp and a Yamaha preamp.

    IMO, those are the two big reasons you're not enjoying your music.
    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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  • brgman
    brgman Posts: 2,859
    edited December 2012
    what was driving the 11T's you enjoyed?
    Main Rig-Realistic AM/FM Record player 8 track boasting 4 WPC

    Backup Rig-2 CH-Rogue Audio Zeus w/Factory Special Dark Mods,Joule-Electra 300ME Platinum Preamp,OPPO-105 w/Modwright Tube Mod, Auralic Aries G2.1,Polk 2.3TL,3.1TL's,Dreadnought,RTA-15TL's,1C's All Fully Modded,2xRTA-12c's ,Benchmark DAC3 HGC,Synology NAS,VPI Scout w/Dynavector DV-20XH and Rogue Audio Ares Phono Preamp,Sony PCM-R500 DAT,HHB-850 Pro CDR,Tascam CC-222SLMKII Cassette/CDR,MIT S3.3 Shotgun Cables,Shunyata Hyra-8,Shunyata and Triode Labs Power Cords

    I’M OFFENDED!!!!
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    brgman wrote: »
    I doubt you will find any newer pairs that sound like the 11T but i'm sure if i am wrong someone will quickly correct me.
    The RTA line was a great line and i have 4 different prs from that series.Love the RTA sound.
    Get some 11T's or even 15T's if you can find them and do the mods you see recommended on the forum and you'll be a happy listener.

    Thanks
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    agfrost wrote: »
    If you love the older Polks, you would likely do well to seek some. Depending on where you are, they come up pretty frequently.

    Another question is the rest of the system other than speakers. No personal experience with them myself, but I have read that both Yamaha and Emotiva tend towards brightness. Same with B & W. It's possible that some warmer gear somewhere might make you happier for 2-channel.

    Can you please explain what you meant by "warmer gear" ? Can you please suggest some gears with warmer sound. I got the emotiva power amp just 2 months back. If not polk do you think any of the other speakers will be equivalent in terms of sound?
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    I think this was driven by NAD or a nakamichi integrated amp.
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    agfrost wrote: »
    If you love the older Polks, you would likely do well to seek some. Depending on where you are, they come up pretty frequently.

    I live in Houston TX
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,689
    edited December 2012
    Can you please explain what you meant by "warmer gear" ?

    I'd say whatever gear that was driving the Polk's you heard would be warmer gear.

    Yammie and emo are well known to be bright and forward in their presentation, so simply changing to the 11T's is not going to solve your issues.
    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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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    F1nut wrote: »
    I'd say whatever gear that was driving the Polk's you heard would be warmer gear.

    Yammie and emo are well known to be bright and forward in their presentation, so simply changing to the 11T's is not going to solve your issues.

    Thanks. Can you please suggest some warmer gears - Power amp (for under $ 500) and preamp (under 300). Just to let you know I also have a Kenwood C2 preamp. Is kenwood considered as warmer preamp ?

    The Yamaha preamp that I currently have connected is C80.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,689
    edited December 2012
    How about your friend's NAD integrated?
    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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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    F1nut wrote: »
    How about your friend's NAD integrated?

    NO thats not for sale but is NAD consider to be warm ?

    What about Kenwood preamp ?
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    edited December 2012
    I owned a pair of RTA 8Ts for over 20 years. Great sound and better when modded. I had them running on a Kenwood Basic M2 amp and was very satisfied. The Kenwood / older Polk stuff is a great match.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,689
    edited December 2012
    Leosangeet wrote: »
    NO thats not for sale but is NAD consider to be warm ?

    I meant, can you borrow it to try in your rig? Yes, I think most would consider NAD on the warmer side.
    What about Kenwood preamp ?

    I'll defer to deronb1 on that one.
    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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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    edited December 2012
    C2 is a well regarded pre. Have seen some used on ebay, but have to be careful. I would recommend shopping here. Plenty of quality stuff at good prices.
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    deronb1 wrote: »
    C2 is a well regarded pre. Have seen some used on ebay, but have to be careful. I would recommend shopping here. Plenty of quality stuff at good prices.

    I already have a C2 but not connected. The bigger problem here is the speaker as I don't find much difference when I connect even C2 instead of Yamaha.
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    F1nut wrote: »
    I meant, can you borrow it to try in your rig? Yes, I think most would consider NAD on the warmer side.

    No. Unfortunately i cannot borrow it.
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    My question to all of you :-

    Is there no speaker available in the market that is equivalent to RTA 11 T ?
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,689
    edited December 2012
    From Polk, the LSiM 705 would be the closest.
    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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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    I'm getting a pair of RTA 11T for $ 450. Is this price ok or too much ?
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,689
    edited December 2012
    Way too much! They are worth no more than $200.00.
    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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  • naturallight
    naturallight Posts: 689
    edited December 2012
    Well F1..thats a REAL large jump to tell him to get a 3K set of speakers......BUT



    Your first problem is the Emo amp...sell that as fast as you can. Maybe you should consider selling everything off..and starting from scratch???



    The JBL's if you don't like them..sell them the B&W..not sure if thats a speaker or a sub...but sell that too.

    The pre amps....im not sure about those, but the Kenwood seems to be better. Save that.



    What are you feeding the system with? A Turntable, or a CD player..and if so what is it?



    If you start fresh....then your first pick has to be the speakers. Then you can buy the amp that powers them best.

    This depends on what music you like, and what you play the most, and also what volume you listen at.
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    naturallight wrote: »
    Well F1..thats a REAL large jump to tell him to get a 3K set of speakers......BUT



    Your first problem is the Emo amp...sell that as fast as you can. Maybe you should consider selling everything off..and starting from scratch???



    The JBL's if you don't like them..sell them the B&W..not sure if thats a speaker or a sub...but sell that too.

    The pre amps....im not sure about those, but the Kenwood seems to be better. Save that.



    What are you feeding the system with? A Turntable, or a CD player..and if so what is it?



    If you start fresh....then your first pick has to be the speakers. Then you can buy the amp that powers them best.

    This depends on what music you like, and what you play the most, and also what volume you listen at.

    Thanks :-

    1) Which brand of amplifier do you recommened.
    2) I listen to CD for which I have a Sony 100 CD changer
    3) I listen to 70s and 80s - Dire straits, Pink Floyd, Police, Sting, REm and like.
    4) I listen at kind of ok voulme (not loud). I have never driven my Emotiva at over 25% to 30% Volume.
    5) I know speaker selection is highly debatable/personal choice but any recommendation on brands I should look at. Like I said I like sound quality of this RTA 11T so looking for equivalent sound quality. Is Paradigm good ? Are they considered Warm ?
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  • Leosangeet
    Leosangeet Posts: 19
    edited December 2012
    F1nut wrote: »
    Way too much! They are worth no more than $200.00.

    Yes even I thought so but was not 100% sure. Thanks.
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