Upgrade rt7 to rti a5 for home theater?

mongoosevsgt
mongoosevsgt Posts: 3
in Vintage Speakers
I still have my CS 350 centers and a pair of RT7's I use and are in excellent condition. I don't have any surrounds so that is where my dilemma begins. I could purchase floorstanding speakers(rti a5) and use my rt 7's as my surrounds and continue using my cs 350 for center channel, or I could purchase surrounds(fxi 4) and use my existing speakers for the fronts. Is it worth taking a shot that the rti a5's will play well with the cs350 and would there be a considerable upgrade from the rt7's? or should I just purchase the fxi 4's?
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    The RTI A5 would be a pretty good upgrade. I really like them for HT duty. The CS 350 isn't timbre matched, so you may or may not be able to localize your center channel. The cabinet is a different shape, so that's a noticeable difference also.

    I would do the A5 upgrade, and if you don't like the sound, look for a used CSI A4 or A6, A4's are easily found used probably from people upgrading to the A6. I run the A4 and am quit happy with it. Just haven't heard the A6, so don't know what I'm missing. Cheaper that way also.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mongoosevsgt
    mongoosevsgt Posts: 3
    Thanks, rp!
    I guess it would be wise to upgrade my rt 7s than to have them as my mains only to damage one of the vulnerable woofers. I suppose using my rt 7s as my surrounds wouldn't put so much stress on them. And as for the centers If the rti a5s don't match the 350s I will just have to deal with it and purchase the csi 6.

    Thanks again!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BDT
    BDT Posts: 212
    I think that the RT7 is probably the best bookshelf....with the exception of the LSi line...Polk made. Love that speaker and don't know that you'd be making anything but an, at best, lateral move.

    my .02
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mongoosevsgt
    mongoosevsgt Posts: 3
    I agree, bdt. which factored in my decision to keep the rt7s, in addition to finance as well. as rp stated the cs 350s are not timbre matched with the rt line. so I decided to purchase rti a1s(for surround) and the csi a6. I can purchase the rti a5/7 later on.
    I am still waiting for the csi a6 to arrive but tested the rti a1 as my surrounds with my current setup. the rti a1 did not go well with the cs 350 ls centers. I can clearly hear the quality difference between the cs 350 and the rti a1s. so my concern now is if I will actually downgrade the sound quality for the center channel from the cs 350 to the csi a6? anyone hear both that could offer their opinion between the two? also polk advices that if I wanted to keep my cs 350's I would have to upgrade my rt7s to the ls im 703. not going to pay that much for bookshelves just for HT. hopefully the csi a6 will offer the same quality sound as the cs 350 ls speakers.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter