anybody know rt3000p speakers??

pietsch288

I have the rt5000 series speaker system (1000 center-3000 mains-fx1000 rears) and I have a treated room. I have noticed that the midrange is sharp or aggressive. I was going to replace the caps and see if that would help....but the speakers are 10-15yrs old, am I just wasting my time and money. There is a pair of paradigm studio 60's for sale locally. Would the paradigms be a step up in SQ??

pietsch288

Just plain Ol uncomfortable midrange. I realize I'm amplifying the situation by using the "current" outputs on the sunfire and bi-amping, but I did that because the tweets are just a little ripe for my taste--the sunfire was a perfect fix for that. I'm x/o them in the 120-150hz range because the upper bass/ lower midrange....just doesn't sound as good....clarity isn't there when I x/o them in the 80hz range. With movies its fine. When listening to music (2 channel) many of the songs seem harsh and aggressive while 1 or 2 are comfortable. Luckily the 3000's have powered bottoms so I can still x/o higher (in the receiver) to help the tops and turn the volume up on the bottoms to compensate for the loss in the bass range (40-80hz). I feel like it might be time to move on to a different type of speaker. rich

pietsch288

I was hoping the paradigms would work...I see they win lots of awards ect. I should just suck it up and buy some martin logan's or the like.... something that is known for fantastic midrange/detailed clean sound. rich

pietsch288

Don't get me wrong the 3000 are easily the best speaker I have ever owned (to this point) and I am getting a little picky. But there is an issue there I would like to address/fix. The issue is with the tops only.....the bottoms are fantastic. rich

pietsch288

I guess using that theory all I would need to do is get some really good bookshelf speakers and park them on top. Like B&W or something. rich

pietsch288

Sorry I keep rambling on..... but this site is a little tuff on guys that are new. rich

pietsch288

classic music sounds fantastic.....but its just not my thing. rich

pietsch288

When I x/o lower the satellites loose their clarity and don't seem to handle the extra bass good. The bass and midrange seem poor when I run them off the "current" output on the amp, so I use the voltage and the reward is better mid and tighter bass. I assume the difference between the SRT and the rt3000 is the exact issue I'm having, but not having heard the SRT, I can't be positive. rich

pietsch288

Do you still have your 3000's???? rich

pietsch288

Since I started listening to music again....lol

pietsch288

I bought this system used about a year ago and love them for movies (up to 6 months ago never listened to 1 song).....but whenever my buddies come over they want me to show off (music) and I'm not really super impressed with the sound....sure they don't suck.... but would like a speaker that makes everything sound good, instead of making excuses that something isn't a good recording ect. I do understand that can be an issue and a viable argument but more often than not it happens. Now I'll have to admit there are certain songs that I have never heard sound better and are perfect. What did you loose/gain with your current speakers???? rich

pietsch288

Ok, I'll have to admit. I have never heard a pair of speakers in a house sound as good as these, But now I want more......I enjoy showing off and listening to music again, so I would like to either fix these or upgrade, because of my room and set up I can really tell the weak spot of a speaker. rich

pietsch288

I used to have klipsch rf-7's, the more room treatments I did the more I hated the sound....rich

WLDock

I think I'm a little confused also. The midrange in these Polks is far from sharp and aggressive..IMO they are more laid back than some of the later offerings. I've heard some Seas Excel drivers that were MUCH more like what you describe... or some older Kevlar cone drivers from Diamond Audio that were sharp in nature. So I find it interesting that you mentioned B&W has some think their speakers are sharp and agressive. What is interesting is that your room is treated? So what gives? Are you using the room correction software? I say play the system in pure direct mode and see how different things sound. Have you manually played with eq?? Can you temporarily move the speakers further away from the walls to see if anything changes?

Maybe an overly treated room is not working? IMO, you might have a room that takes a lot of work to get a desired sound with any speaker you put in it....you never know? Sounds like its time to play around with some things.

pietsch288

I have never heard B&W speakers...They seem popular that is why I mentioned them. I am using audyssey. I have moved them out from the corners (3' from the side wall and 3' from the back wall) helped a little but they are in front of my screen. I guess I could try using manual eq mode when listening to music. I only listen to music in pure direct mode. We moved to a different house 3 months ago.....and I have the exact same problem I did at the other house. The old room was 15x23x10......the new room is........ 15x27x8 with almost the exact same sound. With both set ups I x/o the receiver at 120-150hz to help the satellites and turn the volume up on the bottoms to compensate, like I said the bottoms are perfect the satellites just have something going on......rich

TNHNDYMAN

Did you recalibrate audyssey when you moved to the new space?

ALSATIAN in USA

PIETSCH. Frankly, the RT-3000 sounded better than KLIPSCH RF-7????

dpowell

I think maybe what you are running into is the same issue I ran into for years with the Polk RT series. Quick background, I first purchased RT2000's and found them acceptable but missing something in the mid-range and didn't like the harshness of the tweeter. Next, I owned RT3000's. The mid-range was improved but still the same tweeter issue and 'something' was missing. Finally, I got my hands on SRT's and found they were a much better speaker but still had the same tweeter. I tried several different amps to try and tame the tweeter and gain musicality but nothing satisfied. Even with MCAAC room correction on the Pioneer elite series, my ears weren't satisfied. All that changed when I heard a pair of modded SDA's (first 1C's and now 2.3tl's). To my ear, the SDA's are much more musical and perform superbly in home theater. There is not a single second where I miss any of the RT series speakers I've owned. I say all that because you may be on a similar journey. It's all a matter of taste and what your ears like but if something is missing on what once was a very high-end speaker in Polk's lineup, they may not be the right speaker for you. Hope that helps.

pietsch288

yes re-ran audyssey many many times at both homes. The lower I go the less clean they sound. Its like the speaker was designed with too much bass going to the satallites or both rooms hate that freq range, and audyssey just can't quit get it right. I feel like its a speaker weekness however. I am looking into anti-cables.....checking into a guarantee of some sort first however...rich

Eocuph

The entire rt5000p set is complete garbage. You should upgrade and sell the entire set to me:)

pietsch288

how do I get modded SDA's???

chefkungfu

Eocuph wrote: »

The entire rt5000p set is complete garbage. You should upgrade and sell the entire set to me:)

No way man, me first!!!!! Always looking! Lol.

WLDock

dpowell wrote: »

...All that changed when I heard a pair of modded SDA's (first 1C's and now 2.3tl's). To my ear, the SDA's are much more musical and perform superbly in home theater. There is not a single second where I miss any of the RT series speakers I've owned. I say all that because you may be on a similar journey. It's all a matter of taste and what your ears like but if something is missing on what once was a very high-end speaker in Polk's lineup, they may not be the right speaker for you. Hope that helps.

This could very well be something to think about! :idea: Like all speakers, the RT line is not one all will like playing everything in their collection.

Myself, I had to get used to the sound of the RT series. Whats interesting, just this past week I finally got both amps repaired, placement optimized, and level set to where they are sounding better. Next, I have to get a better AVR (Repairing one right now and have a backup on them as I play the old swap game) on them, and then some room treatments and better wire. As a final tweak I plan to slightly mod the crossovers in the satellites and the CS400i center to see if improvements can be heard. Actually, I have a line on a CS1000P center at a decent price (FINALLY!) but still not sure if its worth the effort as money is tight and I have other things in the system I think need to be addressed.As far as the center...The reality is for $500-$600 +shipping that many are going for...I would be more inclined to try a KEF Q Series center to see how I like it. Then, maybe replace the satellites with the Q300's?

In all....not bad speakers for music. Not the most musical and detailed that I've heard....but they sure do a nice job for home theater. I can't wait to get things complete and get some serious bottom added. At that point I will be done and will sit back and enjoy it....and dream about a larger place and additional room for a 2 ch system.

pietsch288

psssssst.....it'll never end. lol

pietsch288

I have always been a believer in......if you wan't to change the SOUND of your system----the speakers are the best place to start. If you are happy with how they sound further tweeking can be done with receiver's-amps-cables ect, but the speakers are where it starts. rich

pietsch288

I had a cs400 for a while......the cs1000p is a huge upgrade/ no comparison....I wouldn't waste your time modding the cs400, but the 3000p satellites could use a modding. Before I get rid of my rt system I plan on replacing the sandcast resistor and see if that helps any, but I think the driver its selfmay be to blame. rich

pietsch288

Compared to the 3000 tops, the rt55 are garbage. The system I just left before I entered the rt5000 system was in fact the cs400 and rt55's every where else (rears- front hight/width-sur back ect) and I didn't care for them. Then I was lucky enough to have a friend who let me borrow his 3000's and I never took them back....lol. rich

pietsch288

The biggest problem is that the 3000's are near perfect......just need something in the midrange.....just can't put my finger on it.....so close. Driving me crazy. I want it to be something easy and simple. I don't wan't to spend a lot more money to get a small percentage better. rich

pietsch288

When I had the 55's I actually took them apart and sealed the ports, that seemed to help, but the x/o and 6" drivers must be different also. rich

pietsch288

The problem is where I live.....Its 8hr drive to the nearest useable audio/video store (I live in ND and there is a Audio king in Minneapolis MN). rich

WLDock

chefkungfu wrote: »

No way man, me first!!!!! Always looking! Lol.

Check your PM.

pietsch288 wrote: »

I had a cs400 for a while......the cs1000p is a huge upgrade/ no comparison....I wouldn't waste your time modding the cs400, but the 3000p satellites could use a modding.

Huge upgrade overall or in bass? If the bass is turned off how different do the CS1000P and CS400i sound in vocal clarity, detail, and smoothness? While I can hear a difference in sound between the CS400i's and the RT3000P satellites the difference is not huge....the timbre is very similar. Also, the crossover design between the RT3000P satellite and the CS1000P is not huge, both second order same values on the tweets and 800Hz vs. 1.2KHz on the upper woofer, so I wonder why you are hearing a major difference given that they are of the same design?