FYI: Polk Monitor 30s $89.00 shipped from Newegg

Polk&Beans

Series II with the black face plate. (Which I think looks better)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290200

Polk&Beans

P.S. I'm grabbin a pair to mod & stack on my RTi70s.

nguyendot

I would toss them both and get some better speakers. RTi70s like the PSW10 aren't the greatest thing Polk has put out. Also why stack? It will just mess with the imaging, and the tweeters are from different generations.

Polk&Beans

I'm gonna give it a shot for hobby reasons and just to hear for myself.

I realize the tweeters and woofer size are different also. That's kinda the point. Kinda like the different size drivers in an LSIm705? No?

I have to humbly disagree on the 70s. They are a much better speaker recapped and the cabinet is 1" thick american mdf... As compared to your 55s, which I have a pair also, they are much better. IHMO.

Do I think M30s are the beesknees? No, but it could wind up being a helpfull auqmentation.

If it turns out bad, hey, it's 100 clams counting caps. THEN, I will think about a set of $3K LSIms...

Besides, it's my fun money to waste.

nguyendot

Notice, I never said anything about the size of the drivers, so your point is moot. Probably should address what I really said: they're different generations of drivers. They will not be matched in timbre at all. Your analogy is completely wrong in terms of the LSIM's.... Generations/timbre match != woofer size. The 705 is a single speaker designed to work together through a single crossover designed specifically for them, not a random amalgamation of drivers.

The design of the RTi70's was terrible, they took an awesome top half (RT55's basically) and attached a ported sub frame that didnt' extend the bass enough to be relevant. I had a pair for two years, full refurbished and it wasn't terribly great. Funny, compared to the RT55s they just were lifeless. Some have liked them given, but that group is pretty small. If it sounds good to you, I suppose that's all that matters.

In terms of stacking them, the RTi70's are already very tall. Why add on top of them when the tweeter of the second set will be too high above listening level, unless you plan on standing? Also how do you plan on volume matching them?

If all you're after is augmenting "more sound", you'll definitely have that.

Polk&Beans

Duly noted. I am well aware of the differences between all the mentioned speakers. It's all subjective.

Only thing your not aware of is, I am 6'5" with oversized furniture. So both tweeters would be ear level for me and the wife. No kids.

nguyendot

So the main tweeters will be below your listening level.... a better mod would be lifters/stands.

rooftop59

Admittedly that is a lot of speaker for the money, esp. new, and if you're just experimenting and having fun more power to you. but I just grabbed a very good condition pair of rt25is on fleabay for just under 60 shipped, and I have owned both in the past and the rt25is are MUCH better speakers in every way and are much closer timbre wise to your rti70s, so my suggestion would be to go that route. YMMV.

Polk&Beans

rooftop59 wrote: »

Admittedly that is a lot of speaker for the money, esp. new, and if you're just experimenting and having fun more power to you. but I just grabbed a very good condition pair of rt25is on fleabay for just under 60 shipped, and I have owned both in the past and the rt25is are MUCH better speakers in every way and are much closer timbre wise to your rti70s, so my suggestion would be to go that route. YMMV.

Thanks, man. That is basically it. For fun. RT25i is an option that didn't come to mind. Although it's a tri-lam and the 70s are silk domes. I have some 55s with the tri-lam and, I DO like them. The issue is the rear porting. It weeks havoc in our room with the walls and my sub. I'll post some pictures of our room and to answer some other questions posed. Bear with me, I could win the "worlds slowest" typing competition. 8^) As they say, "A Picture Tells a Thousand Words" P.S. just looked at the 25, single binding posts, scratches an option. Stereophile loved them!

Polk&Beans

Disclaimer: The responses below are not intended to be argumentative, gospel of the audio world, demeaning or meant, in any form or fashion, to make anyone feel bad or silly. They are simply one guys opinions. Music and gear is all subjective to ones ears, budget, tastes and/or part-time hobbies. All responses should be taken as “my” opinion and only “my” opinion and I hopefully with a small pinch of respect. Life is short, make it as fun as you possibly can.

"Notice, I never said anything about the size of the drivers, so your point is moot. Probably should address what I really said: they're different generations of drivers. They will not be matched in timbre at all"

I should have typed it this way: I realize the tweeters AND, woofer size, are different also. My apologies.

I should have noted that my Marantz also has Audyssey MultEQ XT included. I called them a couple of months ago and got it straight from the horse’s mouth: If I set the surround back channels to “speakers A+B”, “Bi-Amp” or even “2nd room” and run Audessey with both pairs “On” in the same room, it will level, timbre match, set the subwoofer XO & level, distances, blah,blah,blah & also does several (They say thousands) other calculations through the microphone placements to correct for non-ideal room acoustics.(See pic below) Albeit, it will be set to their interpretation of good sound but, so far, I like what I am hearing and is far easier than using an SPL meter and old ears.

"The design of the RTi70's was terrible, they took an awesome top half (RT55's basically) and attached a ported sub frame that didnt' extend the bass enough to be relevant. I had a pair for two years, full refurbished and it wasn't terribly great. Funny, compared to the RT55s they just were lifeless. Some have liked them given, but that group is pretty small. If it sounds good to you, I suppose that's all that matters"

There are 43 reviews here and another 23 on Audioreview to the contrary. Plus me :^)

What do you mean refurbished? Did you recap them yourself? Or via Polk Direct? Because the latter could be that…

I had the same issue in reverse order in my case. I bought the 55’s from a local guy for a great price. I knew something had to be amiss at his asking price. Well, he was kind enough to let me hear them and 1 speaker sounded completely different than the other. Neither, sounded that great for that matter. He let me check all the cones for voice-coil overheating (rubbing) and they were okay. So… Since I like to be a problem solver, when I got them home, I de-soldered/removed the caps, and found the 16.5uf LP cap to be immeasurable, it would not stay at a constant value, and the 9uf measured 10.4uf in one box. The 9uf HP cap on the other speaker was the same deal. Bad. $40.00 worth of MKP caps made them “un-lifeless” and clearly a major improvement. The problem with the 55’s for me, is the rear port. (See pic below) My guess is you had the same issue with your set of 70’s. I swapped a pair of RTiA8’s (Too bright & rear ported) for the 70’s. Pulled the XO and they had the same, TI branded caps, as the 55’s. You can guess the rest of this story. (They also came to life) From looking at pictures here or via my own ownership, the RT55’s, 55i’s, RTi60/70/1000’s… and LSI’s all used this brand at that time. Hey, life’s a crap shoot and so are manufactures nowadays. Polks RTiA’s and Up started using a different vendor for caps. Although most are still mainly electrolytic the DO have much better bypass caps across the HPass cap.

I think this picture will explain, better than my typing, all the issues we have in our room and why the upgraded 70’s, coupled to the floor, work better for me over the rear port 55’s. (The velo sub is front fire, slot loaded)
Sorry about the quality, it was a dark pic. Had to crank the brightness.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif


"So the main tweeters will be below your listening level.... a better mod would be lifters/stands"

Yes, when standing against them, the tweeter is at my belt buckle. When sitting up straight, they are at my chin. If I slump, all is good. If I stack the 30’s, that tweeter will be at ear level as things are now. OR, I got these (see pic) about a month ago and we shall see if it mucks up the bass any, raising them off the floor 1.5”… 1 step ahead of ya.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif

Nguyendot, I am old enough to get it and appreciate what you are saying but it is fun, for me at least, playing around/rehabbing speakers/amps/whatever... (More fun than remolding the house!) Besides I am not going for audio perfection, just a little more nirvana. Another factor, I don’t think it would be wise to spend the jack on pricey speakers right now with our economy on the brink. I could be the next walkin' the dog, jobless ****...

You are TRULY welcome to swing by my crib if you are ever in the DFW area, for say?

A Texas/OU game???

Or, for whatever might bring you. Bring your most familiar/favorite CD’s with ya also. Maybe your impressions will change hearing some upgraded 70’s.

I won’t bag on Oklahoma either, because my niece is a senior at OSU. So I really do root for them 8^)

nguyendot

I'd like to know how a calibration can timbre match drivers when that's a physical attribute of them, not an electrical (signal) attribute?

You obviously have a lot of fun modding yours, and many here (I agree) say that's the biggest part of the game. I've just not seen many do so with RTi70s. 43 reviews are few and far between compared to the RT55s or the next comparable towers such as the Monitor70s, RTi12...etc.

I recapped them myself after they were pretty disappointing. I've since graduated from them but keep my RT55's in tow for the random room that needs speakers.

As for OU Texas - Texas did very well this year, but more importantly OU just decided to be a crap team that game. I still support them as a good fan will. My company is based out of Stillwater (yuck), so like here I will play devils advocate even at the sake of my employment

Polk&Beans

nguyendot wrote: »

I'd like to know how a calibration can timbre match drivers when that's a physical attribute of them, not an electrical (signal) attribute?

You are asking the wrong person. Independent Equalizers???

There is way more information on their website and elsewhere (BluRay-Site and others) way more than the Marantz manual goes into.. I just "think outside the box" sometimes. Here is what I know from my readings; The original version "Audessey" was design by the THX guy and another guy from UCLA? It ONLY timbre matched/levels/distances/correction for the rear channels and your sub. No front speakers changes... Audessey Multi-EQ-XT will analyze all speakers up to 9.1. or do 2-2.1Ch also. They also have an XT32 version that takes up 32 mic placement measurements. The original was and is, meant for HT only. There are a number of settings in it also you can experiment with. I like it with "Light" audio compression "On" and the Audessey Dynamic EQ to "On". There is a full flat and manual EQ setting under the Audessey EQ settings also.

For you question. From what I read the simplest way to think about it as software that works like a spectrum analyzer then, makes the calculations after the mike placements, save the data, and uses something like, a 50 band equalizer, plus more software to do the rest. I just know how it really helped in a room with hardwood floors & walls, vaulted ceiling, wood blinds and a giant brick fireplace... (And, NO! I cannot "treat" the room or some Venezuelan woman might cut my weewee off with a butcher knife while slumbering) It has its' drawbacks also. #1 being, you lose complete use of tone controls, So, it sux if you got some CD that you want to bump the treble a touch, for personal taste.

P.S. I called them again and another person said I should only use A+B to match, both on. (If I even want to do that) Bi-Amp would be considered a single L/R channel by the firmware... He said it will just equalize the tones of each channel to match the others. He found it interesting that I am trying to use it this way (2Ch) though. He said it is really intended to only calibrate 1 pair of fronts plus whatever sides 7 surrounds.

Polk&Beans

Stumbled upon this. MANTIS looks to be the consummate pro. Prolly licensed too. Ask him how it works in detail.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?153266-Audyssey-pro-Calibration-Interesting-job-I-had.&highlight=mantis