Looking for some advice

xfactir831

I currently have a extremely old Panosonic HTIB. I am currently thinking of upgrading to all polk speakers. I am either thinking of getting the RTI A9's or RTI A7's. I listen to a lot of bass heavy music so I would like a polk sub that could go low. My living room space isn't that big but kind of shaped in a L. If i got say a DSW pro 660wi and the RTI A9's would a pioneer vsx 1123 work? i really like how it's 2 HDMI out can be independent from each other and that's very important for me.
*edit* I also play games and watch movies but honestly it will probably be 70% music

F1nut

An AVR isn't going to be able to drive the A9's properly if running full range, that is set to large. You would need a power amp for those. The Pioneer SC series AVR's will do an ok job with the A7's set to large. If you run the 7's or 9's small you could get away with the AVR you're looking at.

The DSW Pro 660wi is designed more for HT use rather than 2 channel music. For music the MicroPro subs are better.

xfactir831

Thanks for the responses. Do I really need a power amp if I don't plan on blasting the speakers?

tonyb

If you don't want to get an amp, then stick with the A7's, the 9's will need an amp. The micro-pro subs are Polks better subs but you can also look at subs from HSU, SVS. Subs don't have to match speakers.

Hermitism

xfactir831 wrote: »

Do I really need a power amp if I don't plan on blasting the speakers?

I'm not speaking from experience, but from everything I have read on here, a power amp brings a lot to the table in the low end. Even at a lower volume, it brings out a lot in the bass. The RTi line is known for being bright sounding, and the correct amp will tame the highs. Parasound or B&K amps are recommended a lot for RTi speakers. Takes that edge of those higher frequencies without losing detail.

cfrizz

xfactir831 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses. Do I really need a power amp if I don't plan on blasting the speakers?

Welcome to Club Polk X. It is not abut blasting your speakers or loud volume. It is about having your speakers operate to their full potential no matter where the volume know is at. That is what an amplifier does. Very few current day receivers are able to do this.

pearsall001

You're getting a lot of good advice here. It's all a matter of your budget & if you want to go new or used. Also keep in mind that setting your speakers to small at 60/80 XO setting will free up your AVR's amp from having to power the low end. The nice thing about that is that the midrange also opens more too. The MicroPro is a great sub but also look at Velo, SVS, Rythnik Audio, Power Sound Audio for other great subs. There's a lot of great subs out there at all price levels. Adding an amp is always recommended but that can always come later. Budget is always the driving force in how fast you can achieve your goals.
Here's a great article that will shed some light on the subject:http://www.ecoustics.com/articles/set-speakers-small-receiver-setup/

Hermitism

If you want to save money on the speakers so you can devote more money to a good sub or amp, check out Polk's eBay store. They sell manufacturer refurbished speakers and new discontinued speakers (both with a warranty), and you would still be buying directly from Polk. Polk's RTi line was replaced with the RtiA line (same drivers/redesigned cabinets/newer crossovers). But I admit the RTiA cabinets are much more appealing with the curves.

ALSATIAN in USA

bigger is better, go for the A-9, and later buy on EBAY a good amp (ADCOM around $500)...No regret!

xfactir831

Would an amp like this work? http://www.bestbuy.com/site/technical-pro-slimpro3000-3000w-amplifier-black/6813122.p?id=1218807573451&skuId=6813122&st=amplifier&cp=2&lp=14

xfactir831

Or what about using bookshelf speakers like the RTi A3's with a good sub? I don't want to spend more then prob $200 on a sub

tophatjohnny

I know less than the average here, but am a firm believer in the huge difference a nice amp makes. You will learn and the forum has some of the best audio pros in the business here to guide you in the journey. Welcome to the forum

ZLTFUL

xfactir831 wrote: »

Would an amp like this work? http://www.bestbuy.com/site/technical-pro-slimpro3000-3000w-amplifier-black/6813122.p?id=1218807573451&skuId=6813122&st=amplifier&cp=2&lp=14

No...and not only no, but an emphatic no.
Look at brands like Adcom, Parasound, B&K, Rotel, etc. Used market, you can pick up Adcom GFA-555s all day long for $300+shipping. And while it is only 200wpc, it is a real 200wpc instead of the marketing BS that Technical Pro amp is.

As for using bookshelf speakers with a sub, yeah...that would work too. But $200 is going to hamstring you pretty good on getting a decent sub. The PSW505 sometimes drops down to around that price but you definitely get what you pay for.

rooftop59

I would say
1. get either the 3s or 7s (no 9s without an amp)
2. Run them small cross over at 80 to start with
3. Save up for a real sub (ideally something from one if the Internet direct companies like HSU, SVS, or Outlaw (there are others). You will need at least $400 to get a sub that is both tight and fast and digs deep. You were planning on a dsw 660 which I don't see for less than $500. Have you changed your mind? For under 500 I would get either this: http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-2.html or this: http://www.svsound.com/specials/outlet-specials/pb-1000-outlet.

Here are a couple places to read about other's who have had similar sub questions and journeys: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?161924-Replacement-for-BIC-F12 or here: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?159046-The-first-time-you-heard-a-quot-real-quot-subwoofer-after-owning-an-entry-level-sub

Good luck!

pyrocyborg

xfactir831 wrote: »

Or what about using bookshelf speakers like the RTi A3's with a good sub? I don't want to spend more then prob $200 on a sub

A pair of bookshelf speakers and a sub can do just right in almost every room, except maybe the bigger ones (350-400 sq ft and up)... but some bookshelf speakers are huge anyways, and will fill that kind of room when paired with a subwoofer.

Also, as stated before, $200 is a bit tight for a subwoofer. Most sub $500 MSRP subwoofers (at least here, in Canada) are a bit boomy or are very small subwoofers which won't fit in a 350 sq ft room. However, you can get a $500 subwoofer for 300 or so while on Sale, but here again, I would at least pay as much for a subwoofer than I would for a pair of main bookshelf speakers...

Keep in mind that more bass does not mean better bass. Bass you hear in clubs is either bloathed or boomy so you can feel it, even if it overpowers the rest. Good bass is tight, punchy, fast and you can "feel" and hear the difference between frequencies (to a certain degree). Almost no sub $500 subwoofer will give you good bass. At best, they'll give you big bass (or the illusion of better bass for neophytes). It may be a very personnal opinion, but I would keep my money instead of buying a subpar subwoofer and buy a better one in a few months or years.

That being said, I'm not sure I understand your budget. In your first post, you stated you would like to buy a pair of A7 or A9 (maybe $800 for a pair for the A9 while on sale, I don't know) and a subwoofer (let's say $350, but I'm sure it's closed to 450-500): so, probably a $1150-1300 budget which in the stereo world would be considered a great entry level budget. If you're asking for bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer, you should stay in the same overall budget (IMO) and look at a $500 subwoofer and a $600-700 pair of bookshelf speakers. To be honest, to expect the same sound quality from a pair of floorstanding speakers than you would from a pair of bookshelf, you must be ready to pay twice the price, but this isn't always true as it depends on your amplification and on speaker design.

Sure, a bookshelf speaker itself would require a subwoofer and a pair of stands to be in the similar quality range (at least $100), but you could expect better bass with a pair of bookshelf paired with a subwoofer than with a floorstanding speaker only. Also, while better amplification is almost always a "plus", a pair of bookshelf speakers requires a bit less amplification than full-range tower speakers like the A9. Thus, you could keep your receiver and have a better overall system IMO.

So... What is your budget?

teekay0007

rooftop59 wrote: »

You were planning on a dsw 660 which I don't see for less than $500.

The 660 (a FINE sub!) drops to about $330 (New, with warranty, Free shipping, No tax!) from time-to-time on Newegg.com.