Polk RTI8

mark_s

I am currently using a pair of Polk TSI300 speakers with an NAD C352 amplifier for 2-channel stereo (mainly Pandora as the source) and movies. I am not an audiophile, but sometimes feel that the TSI300s, as nice as they sound, are less 'full' than I would like. I would imagine that my amplifier is capable of driving more demanding speakers (it is 80 watts per channel, and I understand that NAD is quite conservative in its ratings). I noticed that the Polk EBay site is offering pairs of new RTI8 speakers for $400, and wonder if I would notice a substantial difference that would be worth the additional cost. I would appreciate opinions from forum members who have experience with these speakers with similar amplification. Thanks very much.

nguyendot

I would say yes you would notice a difference with the speaker upgrade. Where you'll see more of a difference is using a better source than Pandora. Try a flac or cd source first and see.

F1nut

Where you'll see more of a difference is using a better source than Pandora. Try a flac or cd source first and see.

I agree that a better source is a must.

I would imagine that my amplifier is capable of driving more demanding speakers

Not really. The power supply is not what one could call beefy.

tonyb

Lets see now....will the RTI8's sound better than what you have ? Yes.
Will what you have sound better with a different source ? Yes
Is Pandora your problem ? Could be....

Many things contribute to what you hear coming from your speakers. Starting with junk in will give you junk out. I suggest you visit our digital section and read up. Lots to learn in there grasshopper.

B Run

The C352 will drive the Rti8's ok, I feel like a better source will make a big improvement but so would upgrading from the Tsi to Rti's.

mark_s

Thank you everyone for the guidance. I was perhaps a bit misleading when I mentioned Pandora - we do use it because we like it, but my comments about wishing for a more 'full' sound are irrespective of the source. I have the same sensation with a CD as the source. Could you just please confirm that my C352 is sufficient to take advantage of the upgrade in speaker? I will be purchasing without an opportunity to compare, of course. Thanks again.

F1nut

Could you just please confirm that my C352 is sufficient to take advantage of the upgrade in speaker?

IMO, no.

nguyendot

mark_s wrote: »

Thank you everyone for the guidance. I was perhaps a bit misleading when I mentioned Pandora - we do use it because we like it, but my comments about wishing for a more 'full' sound are irrespective of the source. I have the same sensation with a CD as the source. Could you just please confirm that my C352 is sufficient to take advantage of the upgrade in speaker? I will be purchasing without an opportunity to compare, of course. Thanks again.

Only way to tell is to try it. But based on experience, and in this thread alone there is quite a bit - your unit is good but not going to give you the full experience of a more demanding speaker if an upgrade/more full sound is what you're after.

I bet giving more clean power to your current setup will yield good results, and give you the groundwork to upgrade to RTI8 or whatever you want down the road.

mark_s

Thanks everyone. Sounds like with the amplifier I have the difference may not be dramatic. It's not that the current speakers do not sound good - they certainly do (to my ear). I will take the advice of those of you who know much more about this and wait to invest in a better amplifier (and perhaps one that is more digital ready? I will begin to read...). Very much appreciated.

GFOviedo

I agree with everyone else. You have to remember that RTi8 will require more power to make them sound good. I usually advised people to use an AVR with amp pre-outs. That way if you need more power, you can buy an external amplifier.

I'm sure that if you were to get an external amplifier that can fee 200 - 300 wpc to your speakers, they would sound much better. However, your source will affect this as well.

plainoledave

I compared my monitor 50's with an NAD 7000 & 7600 receiver. The specs on those two (continuous/dynamic) was 50/200wpc & 150/400. The difference was stunning. My only point is that the NAD 352 is 80/115, not really enough dynamic watts to handle musical transistions.

plainoledave

I also agree with a better known *good* source. Make sure it's a good cd player and a well recorded cd. Not any cd will do, I"m sure you're aware. Even particular song on a given cd can sound like junk. Garbage in, garbage out is the name of the game.

mark_s

This is very interesting. I am now convinced to keep the TSI-300s and start learning more about streaming media players and amplifiers. No doubt our current setup of Roku box + NAD C352 can be substantially improved upon, and from the speakers we have will respond accordingly.

We of course get much better sound from CDs and DVDs than we do from Pandora and streaming movies through the Roku box. It goes without saying that the quality of the source matters, but we really like Pandora and ultimately this will be what we use the most.

First question, then, is can we improve the sound quality with a better streaming media player that accesses Pandora and other internet radio sources? If so, we'd appreciate recommendations.

The next question, which follows the first, is if this is possible, what amplifiers should we be looking toward, and how much do we need to spend to substantially upgrade from the C352?

Out of curiosity I looked on the Crutchfield site and the products from Cambridge Audio seem to fit the bill. No idea, however about quality. We do have a limitation of needing dual voltage (110/220) if we are going to invest substantially in equipment (Cambridge Audio offers this).

Continued thanks for the assistance.

GFOviedo

mark_s wrote: »

This is very interesting. I am now convinced to keep the TSI-300s and start learning more about streaming media players and amplifiers. No doubt our current setup of Roku box + NAD C352 can be substantially improved upon, and from the speakers we have will respond accordingly.

We of course get much better sound from CDs and DVDs than we do from Pandora and streaming movies through the Roku box. It goes without saying that the quality of the source matters, but we really like Pandora and ultimately this will be what we use the most.

First question, then, is can we improve the sound quality with a better streaming media player that accesses Pandora and other internet radio sources? If so, we'd appreciate recommendations.

The next question, which follows the first, is if this is possible, what amplifiers should we be looking toward, and how much do we need to spend to substantially upgrade from the C352?

Out of curiosity I looked on the Crutchfield site and the products from Cambridge Audio seem to fit the bill. No idea, however about quality. We do have a limitation of needing dual voltage (110/220) if we are going to invest substantially in equipment (Cambridge Audio offers this).

Continued thanks for the assistance.

Pandora streams 64k AAC+ for free, and if you are a paid subscriber is stream 192 kbps. So, if you want a little bit better sound from Pandora I would recommend to do the paid subscription. Its $36 dollars per year or $3.99 per month. Plus you get No Ads, Desktop application, and custom skins.

I'm actually thinking of going with the paid subcription since my wife and I use Pandora all the time. Furthermore, we can listen to music via our AVR Pioneer SC-1522-K by using the iPhone / iPad app.

nguyendot

How much is up to you. That is how much you want to save and how long you can wait. It's a different answer for everyone. Personally I would start mid range ($400-600 for an amp) and go from there.

Yes, a paid subscription gives you much better quality streaming from almost all the services. When you audition equipment use both that (since you will be using it the most) and a known good reference disc for music (some good CD you have).

Just try things out - we can only show you the door, you must walk through it (Morpheus? lol). What I think sounds good will vary wildly compared to what you think.

David R

I had the RTi8's with a Onkya NR 609. They sounded pretty good. I got the 8's for $300 the pair new at Fry's. I did not like the sound of the TSI speakers. I have the Pandora paid subscription. A better sound source would be nice.

tonyb

If your going to spend 4 bucks for Pandora, spend an extra 6 and get Rhapsody. Just sayin'.

cnh

Welcome to Club Polk!

I can't imagine that the Rti-8s won't sound pretty good on that NAD. They are not a difficult load and the NAD should give you a sufficiently full sound. I know what you're talking about regarding the TSI-300s. I have a set around here waiting till I figure out how to space for 7.1 surround. I have run them in two channel off the Denon AVR below (110 watts x 7) and they sound good but they are not as full range as the higher M-70s (similar to the TSI-500s) I've run on that same Denon in the past.

You'll be happier with the Rti-8s, it will be an upgrade, and your amp can handle them.

Enjoy.

cnh

mark_s

Thanks everyone. It sounds like perhaps the better speakers and a paid subscription to Pandora would make a noticeable difference. I will go ahead with the RTI-8s and continue learning about the rest of the details. Would a better player than the Roku make an additional difference, or is one box as good as another?

B Run

I use an Apple Airport Express into a DAC, into my Nad and have been happy with it for streaming Spotify, Pandora and iTunes. How is it connected now?

mark_s

It's just a Roku box with RCA outputs, connected to the back of my C352...

plainoledave

Hook up a decent cd player to that rig with a good cd before you buy anything. That's just me, though.

David R

tonyb wrote: »

If your going to spend 4 bucks for Pandora, spend an extra 6 and get Rhapsody. Just sayin'.

I use Pandora for my Onkyo and my android pluged in a Mark Levison automobile system. How does the bandwidth compare to Pandora?

GFOviedo

FYI: Pandora paid subscription can only play the 192 Kbps only work on the web or desktop. It won't play 192 Kbps for networked devices.

I emailed Pandora customer service, and they confirmed it. Networked devices / in-home devices can only get 128 Kbps.

mark_s

Would I be getting 64 Kbps through my Roku player now, and do you know if paying the subscription to Pandora would allow me to get 128 Kbps through the Roku, or only through better streaming media players?

GFOviedo

mark_s wrote: »

Would I be getting 64 Kbps through my Roku player now, and do you know if paying the subscription to Pandora would allow me to get 128 Kbps through the Roku, or only through better streaming media players?

From Pandoras Audio Quality:

Audio Quality

Pandora on the Web plays 64k AAC+ for free listeners and 192kbps for Pandora One subscribers. All in-home devices play 128kbps audio, and mobile devices receive a variety of different rates depending on the capability of the device and the network they are on, but never more than 64k AAC+.

mark_s

Thanks very much. I also found an excellent article at

http://hometheaterreview.com/everything-an-audiophile-needs-to-know-about-pandora/

The writer confirms that I can get 128 Kbps through the Roku, and also articulates why it is that I use Pandora as my source despite the sacrifice in source quality. The $36 per year will be well worth it.

My original post was about upgrading speakers, and many replies directed me at the source I use most (Pandora) as more important, especially given the limitations of my amp. This has been very helpful, as I'm beginning to learn about streaming media players, DACs, etc. and this is a big help. In the meantime I've chosen to add a PSW111 sub (for $170 from the Ebay site) so as to improve the 'fullness' of the sound from my TSI300 speakers without further taxing the amp.

I really appreciate all the guidance I'm getting from forum members. Great resource for a begginer.

GFOviedo

mark_s wrote: »

Thanks very much. I also found an excellent article at

http://hometheaterreview.com/everything-an-audiophile-needs-to-know-about-pandora/

The writer confirms that I can get 128 Kbps through the Roku, and also articulates why it is that I use Pandora as my source despite the sacrifice in source quality. The $36 per year will be well worth it.

My original post was about upgrading speakers, and many replies directed me at the source I use most (Pandora) as more important, especially given the limitations of my amp. This has been very helpful, as I'm beginning to learn about streaming media players, DACs, etc. and this is a big help. In the meantime I've chosen to add a PSW111 sub (for $170 from the Ebay site) so as to improve the 'fullness' of the sound from my TSI300 speakers without further taxing the amp.

I really appreciate all the guidance I'm getting from forum members. Great resource for a begginer.

From what Pandora customer service said all in-home devices will receive 128 Kbps with the free version. No need to pay.

mark_s

Oh. Thanks for that. I had misunderstood that I'd get 64 Kbps without a subscription. Appreciate it.

GFOviedo

No problem. I wish I could get 92 Kbps with all of my devices. I'm probably going to buy a Sonos for XMas.