RTI-A9 Tweeter upgrade

Hi all,

I am wanting to upgrade the tweeter on my pair of RTI-A9's. Has anyone done this before?
Currently I am looking at the ScanSpeak Discovery R2604/8330 Tweeter Dual Ring Radiator, if it can fit.
I am wanting to smooth the high end and have a flat frequency response.
Is it necessary to change the crossover?
Any help would deb much appreciated.

The specs for the tweeter can be found at the link below.

ScanSpeak Discovery R2604/8330 Tweeter Dual Ring Radiator

https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/ring-radiator-tweeters/scanspeak-discovery-r2604/8330-tweeter-dual-ring-radiator/






Comments

  • This is my current system.
    I use QED reference audio 40 RCA interconnects and QED XT400 speaker cables.

    2 x Rotel power amp RB1581
    Rotel pre amp RC1580
    Rotel CD player RCD1570
    Rotel multimedia player RDG1520
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    You would first have to know the perimeters of the Polk tweeter to be able to look for a suitable replacement and as long as it is a current production speaker, Polk isn't going to provide that info.

    What you can do is upgrade the crossovers, which will smooth out the high end as well as improve the the entire presentation.

    Other than that I don't think you've done a good job matching your gear. I've found Rotel gear to have an unpleasant edge and those silver plated cables are not helping either.
    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."


    President of Club Polk

  • Thanks very much for your help. I have emailed VR3 Mods to see if he can build a new crossover to smooth the top end and give a flatter response.
    Thanks guys.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    F1nut wrote: »
    .

    Other than that I don't think you've done a good job matching your gear. I've found Rotel gear to have an unpleasant edge and those silver plated cables are not helping either.


    Spot on....I would forget the tweeter or crossover upgrades and work more so on the gear and cables.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    Have you considered environmental factors that may be causing your ears to hear these speakers this way? Maybe all is needed are some room treatments on reflecting surfaces. Just a thought. I have RTiA9s and multiple room treatments at first reflection points and I love the sound. One thing you might try also, I doubled up the batting in the mid/tweeter cabinet section and that also tamed some of the brightness.
  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,988
    edited December 2014
    IMHO: XO mods & room treatments - either early on. Then...

    The room is a component & original XO parts are CHEAP!

    Then gear & cables. After that...
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga: LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
    8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
    *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop) LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - 981, connected w/Monoprice Premiere ICs
    Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s
  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,988
    Per F1, swapping tweeters isn't like changing spark plugs, either brands or type. In another thread I posted the gross realization of quality versus, as I posted above CHEEEAAAPPPP(!!!!)*, XO parts. XO upgrade fans hawk: better ingredients, better pizza
    * per speaker maybe $5 for all the original caps!

    As Dskip said ..."lot of 'treble-rich' components thrown together..." My RTA measurements yielded broad gentle & not so gentle peaks from just below 1K to above 5K. In a room w/little or nothing to absorb or diffuse that same frequency range which, BTW, the ear is most sensitive, becomes an "acoustic train wreck!"

    I recommend 1 and/or 2, easy and low $:
    1. (temporarily) hang 4X4*, 4X8**, or 2 4X8** cotton or wool blankets to the top, left, & right sides of your listening space. The far edge about a foot* from or even with** your LCR front baffle(s), as measured vertically or horizontally.
    2. An experiment that's a little harder - learn to solder (youtube) w/some wire you don't care about. Then, for one speaker, buy low $ caps (Parts express - Dayton). Replace just the (one or more) in-line tweeter cap(s).

    After 1 and/or 2, listen, listen, listen.

    Kevin:
    The Rti A* series uses the same tweeter.
    Is a driver's size, be it woofer or, say, in this case a dome tweeter, measured from the outside of the suspension surround or just the dome/cone diameter? When I clicked on your link to see "19mm," I said "Whoa, dude! That sure looks like the "series*" tweeter," cooling fins and all. I yanked the grill, the dome itself measures under 1".

    Your thoughts, Kev?

    To op: sorry for the thread de-rail & good luck

    Tony
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga: LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
    8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
    *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop) LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - 981, connected w/Monoprice Premiere ICs
    Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s
  • Inspector 24
    Inspector 24 Posts: 1,308
    I'll add that a Parasound was the best thing I've yet done for the A9's. Made them enjoyable to listen to for more than just movies. There's an awesome HCA-3500 for sale in the classifieds. [/shameless promotion]

    Up
    LSi15 LSiC - RX-V3000

    Down
    LSiM707 - 706c - 702f/x - Dual HSU VTF-15H Mk2
    Parasound HCA-3500 - HCA-2003A - Marantz SR7005
    Sim2 D60 - Dragonfly 106" Panny 500

  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,988
    So you'll understand my "wondering."

    19mm or 25mm? 1 inch = 25.4mm. So I wonder, for real, is this the tweeter*? Yes, both the RTi/RTi A lines Polk lists having a 1" tweeter*. Polk also lists the A7/9 bottom driver, 2/3 each respectively as a 7" driver. Yet the cone measures about 5.75 inches, including the surround about 6.25".

    tony
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga: LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
    8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
    *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop) LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - 981, connected w/Monoprice Premiere ICs
    Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s