Default Help me pick out some Polk Speakers
TerrieCMarrero
Posts: 2
Hi everyone, I had posted this in the Polk thread first, but figured I might get some responses by making a separate thread. I am considering upgrading my current speakers soon. I have a Polk PSW505 subwoofer (which I will keep) and a set of Onkyo speakers from the Onkyo SKS-HT540 speaker package.
I would like to go entirely with Polk audio if possible.
Anyway... a number of years ago I was able to spend some time testing the audio performance in-store of a variety of speaker brands. I walked away feeling as though the Polk sounded the absolute best out of the bunch. I couldn't afford Polk and didn't think it was worth it at the time to get the speakers, though.
The Onkyo speakers have served me well but I do have some issues. First of all, I never liked the subwoofer much so the PSW505 was a huge upgrade for me, and that's already taken care of. But I have always had some issue with the center -- sometimes, not always, the voices can sound a little bit muffled and too bass heavy. I have made some adjustments to my calibration and the sound still seems this way to me.
A couple of years ago I also experienced something unfortunate while on a plane flight that led to me having Tinnitus and some minor hearing loss. I decided sometime after that to upgrade my speakers to something better and went with Klipsch as they were on-sale for premium speakers.
Well, I never much cared for them compared to Polk and not even Onkyo so it was a bit silly of me to blind purchase them when I didn't even care all too much for the brand.
Based on my home-theater stand and current equipment setup, the best option for me if I went all-Polk would be to get the Tl3 center speaker. It would fit perfectly where I would place it.
What I want to know is...
1) Would it be OK to pair a Polk TL3 center with the Onkyo fronts and rears temporarily? Would it match OK?
2) If I went for a full set of Polk speakers should I go for the compact ones that Polk recommends, the TL3 compacts? Or would it be OK to match with bookshelf fronts and rear speakers like the RTi6 or TSi100 for fronts and R150 for back? Or some other combination? Space is not a big issue for the other speakers but I want my speakers to sound good together and have never been the best at understanding how the matching decisions work.
3) If I went from the Onkyo speakers I currently have to any of these mentioned Polk speakers would it be a good upgrade quality-wise? I'd generally imagine it would, as a Polk fan, but I don't know spec-wise... everything from Polk does list a wider frequency response.
4) Sometimes the tweeters on the Onkyo's I currently have create a sort of low hiss of sorts. An odd sound. My other family members don't seem to notice. I think it's possible it might be because of my minor hearing loss... would it be better getting a specific kind of Polk speaker? Would the compact Polk speakers help with this? I read the press release info and it said some interesting sounding things about the way the tweeter was implemented for smooth sound.
I know I just asked a bunch of questions but any help would be much appreciated.
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I would like to go entirely with Polk audio if possible.
Anyway... a number of years ago I was able to spend some time testing the audio performance in-store of a variety of speaker brands. I walked away feeling as though the Polk sounded the absolute best out of the bunch. I couldn't afford Polk and didn't think it was worth it at the time to get the speakers, though.
The Onkyo speakers have served me well but I do have some issues. First of all, I never liked the subwoofer much so the PSW505 was a huge upgrade for me, and that's already taken care of. But I have always had some issue with the center -- sometimes, not always, the voices can sound a little bit muffled and too bass heavy. I have made some adjustments to my calibration and the sound still seems this way to me.
A couple of years ago I also experienced something unfortunate while on a plane flight that led to me having Tinnitus and some minor hearing loss. I decided sometime after that to upgrade my speakers to something better and went with Klipsch as they were on-sale for premium speakers.
Well, I never much cared for them compared to Polk and not even Onkyo so it was a bit silly of me to blind purchase them when I didn't even care all too much for the brand.
Based on my home-theater stand and current equipment setup, the best option for me if I went all-Polk would be to get the Tl3 center speaker. It would fit perfectly where I would place it.
What I want to know is...
1) Would it be OK to pair a Polk TL3 center with the Onkyo fronts and rears temporarily? Would it match OK?
2) If I went for a full set of Polk speakers should I go for the compact ones that Polk recommends, the TL3 compacts? Or would it be OK to match with bookshelf fronts and rear speakers like the RTi6 or TSi100 for fronts and R150 for back? Or some other combination? Space is not a big issue for the other speakers but I want my speakers to sound good together and have never been the best at understanding how the matching decisions work.
3) If I went from the Onkyo speakers I currently have to any of these mentioned Polk speakers would it be a good upgrade quality-wise? I'd generally imagine it would, as a Polk fan, but I don't know spec-wise... everything from Polk does list a wider frequency response.
4) Sometimes the tweeters on the Onkyo's I currently have create a sort of low hiss of sorts. An odd sound. My other family members don't seem to notice. I think it's possible it might be because of my minor hearing loss... would it be better getting a specific kind of Polk speaker? Would the compact Polk speakers help with this? I read the press release info and it said some interesting sounding things about the way the tweeter was implemented for smooth sound.
I know I just asked a bunch of questions but any help would be much appreciated.
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Post edited by TerrieCMarrero on
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TerrieCMarrero wrote: »
1) Would it be OK to pair a Polk TL3 center with the Onkyo fronts and rears temporarily? Would it match OK?
The Polks use a ring radiator tweeter that would not timbre match with the Onkyos but you could use it till you upgraded the other speakers
2) If I went for a full set of Polk speakers should I go for the compact ones that Polk recommends, the TL3 compacts? Or would it be OK to match with bookshelf fronts and rear speakers like the RTi6 or TSi100 for fronts and R150 for back? Or some other combination? Space is not a big issue for the other speakers but I want my speakers to sound good together and have never been the best at understanding how the matching decisions work.
STAY within ONE Polk series! If you have a TL3 center then just go TL3 all around. If you're powering everything with an Onkyo HTIB receiver staying with satellites is not a bad idea and these are Polk's BEST sats!
3) If I went from the Onkyo speakers I currently have to any of these mentioned Polk speakers would it be a good upgrade quality-wise? I'd generally imagine it would, as a Polk fan, but I don't know spec-wise... everything from Polk does list a wider frequency response.
The TL3 series will be a very noticeable upgrade from the Onkyo package.
4) Sometimes the tweeters on the Onkyo's I currently have create a sort of low hiss of sorts. An odd sound. My other family members don't seem to notice. I think it's possible it might be because of my minor hearing loss... would it be better getting a specific kind of Polk speaker? Would the compact Polk speakers help with this? I read the press release info and it said some interesting sounding things about the way the tweeter was implemented for smooth sound.
Hissing could be a lot of things: the source, the amp, etc. I doubt it is the speakers. It could also be your hearing if it is damaged. I have some mild tinnitus and I can hear a high pitched sound whenever things are very quiet and I listen for it. It's annoying but one can ignore it.
I know I just asked a bunch of questions but any help would be much appreciated.
The BEST Polks are the full sized LSIMs see product page. But you'll need a better amp to power them and they're more expensive. Depending on your room size the TL3s will give you a similar experience with its tweeters, but the smaller drivers will lean on your sub more for fullness. But that's OK with your current receiver.
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Welcome to Club Polk! See above!
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
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Sometimes the tweeters on the Onkyo's I currently have create a sort of low hiss of sorts. An odd sound.
When you are up close to a speaker with your ear near the tweeter and the hiss sound is constant, it's normal. If it comes and goes and/or you can hear it from further than one foot, it's not normal. It's nothing to do with the speakers, it comes from your AVR.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."
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