I don't care much about home theater, but...

QMercury

I am very picky about my music.

I replaced a pair of SDA2s a few months ago with a new pair of RTi12s.

The new speakers look nice and they sound pretty good...but I miss the rich sound of the SDA2s and though they are not as pretty, I have thought about going back to them.

I do hate to give up on the RTi12s though, if for no other reason than I'm still paying for them. I'm wondering if a subwoofer would help? I'm thinking about the psw505.

What do y'all think?

In case you're wondering, I'm currently using a Carver TFM-6cb with a Carver ct-24. The speakers were bought for a Carver M500-t, which is in the shop, hopefully to return soon.

Thanks:)

nooshinjohn

The m500 will make a huge difference.

TNHNDYMAN

Look into SVS or HSU subs if you go that route. The 505 is ok at best. I don't think it would add much to what the 12's are capable of with sufficient power.

deronb1

I had the 12s for awhile and honestly, I thought my rta 8Ts were better for music. SDAs wipe the floor with any rti line for music. Go back! You've got the Parasound gear which mates well with SDA.

tonyb

If you don't care much about HT, you bought a HT speaker in the 12's. That's what the RTI designation stands for. The LSIM 'S is where you want to be in the Polk line up for music.....or stick with the SDA's, or switch brands.

msg

Maaaaan, I feel your pain, my friend. I did the same thing, only backward from the way you did - I didn't have the opportunity to try the vintage speakers until after I started about a year and a half ago, and I came in with some nice looking big RTi10's. I REALLY wanted to like those speakers, but just could never get them working satisfactorily for music. in fact, it was absolute misery. I didn't know that RTi stood for Reference Theater at the time. even if I had, I wouldn't have known what it meant. I just bought some big speakers a friend recommended to me and then found this place after realizing they sounded like crap, wanting to find out what I was doing wrong.

agreed with what Tony says above - the LSiM's are nice, too. smoother.

I hate to say it, but if you liked the vintage/SDA sound, I don't think you'll find a comparable experience with the RTi12's. adding a sub might get you some nicer bottom end fill, but I found the RTi experience harsh and uncomfortable, even with relatively appropriate power.

do you still have the option of going back to the SDA 2's?

bryantspaint

I hav the rti 12s with the m500t mk11 and a bill d mod c1 and it blows away my monitor 10 with clarity caps and mills and a mint ps audio cx 200

QMercury

I really appreciate your thoughts. I could see the possibility of investing in a subwoofer and still not being satisfied...then I'd be more mad at myself.

I do still have the SDA2s. They were having some problems. The amp was having problems too though. Maybe when it comes back they will get along better.

I didn't know that's what RTi meant either. It was a good deal on them though. I suppose at the very least, I'll have decent home theater whether I like it or not

I'll check out the LSiM's, though, Bryantspaint, you do give me some hope. I am having the m500-t refreshed with the upgrades. I won't make a move til it comes back.

You all are very helpful...Thank You!

F1nut

My 2 cents. Take the money you were thinking about spending on a sub and upgrade the SDA's with the usual crossover, Hurricane nuts, Dynamat, RD0 tweeters, spikes, etc. mods. After that seriously consider getting a more musical amp. I think you'd be surprised at what you've been missing.

drumminman

The upgrades F1 describes will take the SDA's up several notches in sound quality. If you like 'em now you'll be much more impressed after upgrades.

ukcolin99

My 2 cents, adding a sub to pair of speakers you do not enjoy is not going to help.

bryantspaint

Carver TFM-6cb is the problem its 65watts a channel Rti12s need a min... of 200 per channel. my m500t mk11 is 395 a channel. Once you got the m500t. Get c-1 carver change caps /some resistors /3 opamps. Or put a tube pre to it and you will love the speakers.

tonyb

cbridle wrote: »

My 2 cents, adding a sub to pair of speakers you do not enjoy is not going to help.

Have to agree with that too. Either put the money into the SDA's or move up the line in POLK or out to another brand.

QMercury

Though the TFM-cb does not have a lot of power, it is a sweet little amplifier. At times I've wondered about that 65watts, as I blew 3 new pairs of speakers with it. It would take 6 months to a year, but they all went. Bought the SDAs...problem solved. That was before the m-500t came along. I do worry about the RTi's a little given their power demands, but they seem to be doing okay.

I've decided that you all are right about the subwoofer...it's out. I took a look at the LSiM's. What beautiful speakers they are, and no doubt have a sound to match. They are a bit out of my price range though.

Upgrading the SDA's makes the most sense. Will replacing the tweeters and woofers give them their original sound? I can do those, but when it comes to crossovers, Hurricane nuts and Dynamat... I'm lost.

QMercury

I have another Carver amp that I bought between the tfm-cb and the m-500t. I don't remember what it is other than it's a 100watt amp. It's boxed up. The tfm-cb has a much cleaner sound.
I also have a Carver CT-17 preamp that I bought after a CT-24 was damaged. That wasn't all it was cracked up to be and it's boxed up. Had to find another CT-24.

bryantspaint

The m500t is one of the best sounding carvers!! you put that with a tube pre and the rti12s sweet.

msg

The m500t is one of the best sounding carvers!! you put that with a tube pre and the rti12s sweet.

interesting. are you using a tube preamp with these speakers? be curious to hear which one and your impressions before and after adding it.

bryantspaint

msg wrote: »

The m500t is one of the best sounding carvers!! you put that with a tube pre and the rti12s sweet.

interesting. are you using a tube preamp with these speakers? be curious to hear which one and your impressions before and after adding it.

I Switch back and fourth Bill d mod carver c-1 And a Mystere ca21tube Preamplifier Both are pretty amazing

Nightfall

Forget the RTi's and go back to the SDA's. Just another opinion.

bryantspaint

bryantspaint wrote: »

msg wrote: »

The m500t is one of the best sounding carvers!! you put that with a tube pre and the rti12s sweet.

interesting. are you using a tube preamp with these speakers? be curious to hear which one and your impressions before and after adding it.

I Switch back and fourth Bill d mod carver c-1 And a Mystere ca21tube Preamplifier Both are pretty amazing

Absolute Sound= The real winner here is the Mystère CA21. It’s a genuine giant killer—able to boogie in the company of far more expensive line preamps. If you can accommodate its austere functionality and are willing to invest in a set of 7N7 (or, even better yet, 7AF7) tubes, then you shall be rewarded with a healthy dose of tube magic. I can’t think of another line preamp under $8k that I’d rather live with—it’s that good! But I can safely state that time and again the CA21 facilitated some of the best sound I’ve ever experienced. You normally don’t associate bass authority with tube preamps. Yet the CA21 managed just that—bass definition and drive—again with careful attention to the associated power amp.

F1nut

At times I've wondered about that 65watts, as I blew 3 new pairs of speakers with it. It would take 6 months to a year, but they all went. Bought the SDAs...problem solved.

Blowing speakers is about a thousand times more likely with an underpowered amp than with a high powered one. Clipping is what kills speakers.

Will replacing the tweeters and woofers give them their original sound?

There is no need to replace the woofers unless they are damaged. The replacement tweeters will sound much better than the originals.

The m500t is one of the best sounding carvers!!

I've heard them all. IMO, the Sunfire amps are better, Lightstar even better and the tube stuff is top notch.

drumminman

Rebuilding the crossovers with quality film caps and high quality resistors will make them sound better than when they were new, simply because lower quality components were used originally to reach a price point. If you're not comfortable doing the crossover work a couple of guys on the forum do it. Check with Westmassguy or VR3 - I've not used them but everyone who does seems to be very happy with their work.

QMercury

Thank you for that info. If they are within driving distance it would be great, though that seems like a shot in the dark. I can't see shipping them. It was $50 to ship the Carver. I don't think I want to know the cost of shipping the SDA's.

The upgrades would be nice, but if I can get them to sound at least as good as they did when I first got them (around 10 years ago), I'll be happy with them.

F1nut

You don't ship the entire speaker, just the crossovers.

QMercury

I've never dug into the speakers beyond replacing one of the tweeters when I first got them. Don't know where the crossover is. Can it just be replaced? It seems to me that if I can figure out how to get it out, I could put one back in.