New Setup: A Few Questions on RTI & Receiver

andrew82

Hello All,


I am setting up my first system with all Polk speakers because of the brand, price, and quality. My current targets are the following:


Receiver: Yamaha RX-V477
Left & Right (Mains): Polk RTI A3
Center: Polk CS10
Sub: Polk PSW10

My questions are the following:

1.) Would it be better to go with the A1s?

2.) Would the TSi center cause a lot of sound-quality issues? I plan to only use the RTIs and Sub for Music, and the full system for movies.

3.) Does the receiver have enough power to effectively power the speakers?

This is the first system I've ever set up, so all advice is welcome. If I go with the setup above, I plan to eventually upgrade the center and the subs.

tonyb

The A3's are better than the 1's. Center I would go with the cs20 and sub I would hit the 505.....and yes....your receiver is fine for those speakers. The only thing I would say is it might be a very bright sound with the entry level Yammies and the RTI speakers. HK might be a better choice....or Onkyo. Pioneer is fairly neutral and with a warmer sounding cable like Kimber may be very nice.

andrew82

Hey Tony, thanks for the quick response!

What exactly makes the A3s better? I heard they were "shrill"?

As for the receiver, would this Onkyo TX-SR333 provide better results than the Yamaha? Or would the shrillness be able to be mitigated by adjusting the Yammie amp?

chumlie

Better off with the CSi-A6 center. Match with RTi series.

rooftop59

RTi A3s will give you better bass, but that doesn't mean they are better overall. If you plan to expand eventually to 5.1. then perhaps start off with the A1s and then move them to surrounds.

As for a receiver, yes definitely find something warmer, like a Marantz: http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/marnr1403/marantz-nr1403-slimline-5.1-av-receiver/1.html

I have this and really like it. Unlike most other brands, Marantz doesn't compromise hte quality as much with their entry level products. For example, all their receivers (including the nr1403) have at least 2.1 preouts for upgrading your amplification. And it will mellow out the rtis a bit.

And I second TonyBs recommendation on center and sub.

Erik Tracy

andrew82 wrote: »

Hey Tony, thanks for the quick response!

What exactly makes the A3s better? I heard they were "shrill"?

As for the receiver, would this Onkyo TX-SR333 provide better results than the Yamaha? Or would the shrillness be able to be mitigated by adjusting the Yammie amp?

I started with RTi4s and then stepped up to the A3's and even ran them with a Yamaha AVR, RX-V1800. (which get a repeated categorization as 'bright').

Neither are 'shrill' - never heard that appellation for the A3's.

The RTis will benefit from good & ample power.

The AVR you listed has a spec of 80W/channel with 2-channels.

If you are doing a 5.1 setup then the power will likely drop when all the channels are active.

How strained the sound may be in this case will depend on how loud you like to listen to and the size of the room as the AVR may run out of power - that is what will hold back the potential sound quality of either the A1 or A3.

Also, the AVR you selected does not seem to have any audio preouts that you could use as an upgrade path for adding an external amp for more/better power.

Maybe you could stretch your budget a bit and step into a refurbished Aventege series AVR (which would have preouts)?

My opinion is that the A3s would be a good choice depending on what kind of bargain you can find on them. I thought they did an admirable job for both HT and music.

andrew82

Wow, you guys are great!

Rooftop: that refurbished Marantz looks like a deal. Are refurbished receivers reliable?

Erik: thanks for the advice. That power issue with the 5.1 was exactly what I was worried about. Do you think that the Marantz that Rooftop recommended would perform well in regards to the power it puts out? Would you recommend this refurbished Yamaha RX-A730 over the Marantz 1403?

cnh

Timbre matching is a concern with that center. Should have a CSi center.

Yamaha, lower end models, are too bright for music. I beg to differ about the 1800 as that is a higher series Yamaha and those have always been less bright than the entry models!

The A3s provide more bass but are not necessarily better if you have a good sub filling out the low end.

I prefer Onkyo with my Rti-4s. Still not exactly warm but it sounds better to me than the Yamaha you're listing above.

Marantz receivers would be a GREAT match for Rti series Polks. The warmer the sound the better. And yes, that Yamaha does not have a lot of power.

Erik Tracy

andrew82 wrote: »

Wow, you guys are great!

Rooftop: that refurbished Marantz looks like a deal. Are refurbished receivers reliable?

Erik: thanks for the advice. That power issue with the 5.1 was exactly what I was worried about. Do you think that the Marantz that Rooftop recommended would perform well in regards to the power it puts out? Would you recommend this refurbished Yamaha RX-A730 over the Marantz 1403?

How big of a room will your setup be and how loud do you like to go with movies and music?

The Yamaha A730 does not have preouts, so that would not be on my list - it limits your future upgrade options. The Marantz does have preouts, but is lower in power. So that may work initially as long as you don't try to go 'stoopid' loud - then you can add a good external amp later.

We all got to start somewhere, right?

andrew82

That's exactly right Erik, I'm not trying to get an over-the-top setup, just a solid setup that's flexible and great for music and movies.

I won't be going very loud with these speakers. However, I want to make sure that the receiver can handle a good range demands, at least from the RTis. Do you think it will be sufficient?

The room is not that large. Maybe 14x14, but it is not entirely enclosed in that it leads into another room through a hallway.

Lastly, Marantz factory-refurbished are good quality, right?

rooftop59

yes I am running refurb Marantz's in my sig, no problems. Plus I always purchase a squaretrade warranty - which is a great company - and even with the added cost of the warranty you are still saving money.

The Marantz does not have hyped-up numbers like the others, and the RTis are pretty easy to drive. Especially with a sub in the mix, that will be plenty of power. But a few other things to consider with the Marantz; no networking, 5.1 only (no possibility of going 7.1), and no Zone 2 output. I personally wouldn't use it for my main receiver, because those last two things I need. I used it in a simple 5.1 bedroom setup. But if you don't need those things, I think its your best deal sound quality wise.

andrew82

Good to hear that the refurbished Marantz holds up well.

I just got most of the stuff that you guys recommended: the Marantz nr1403, the RTi A3s, the sub, and the CSi for the center.

It would not have been possible to have put together my system in any sort of informed way without your advice guys, thanks!

I'm sure I'll be back soon to ask about setup.

andrew82

DSkip, I'm thrilled to hear that you think so!

One last question for you guys: I just found a CSI A4 for a decent price, do you think I should go for that center instead of the CS20? It would match the RTis.

I just want to make sure that it matches the timbre and quality.

rooftop59

Yes a matching center is desirable. Now, I have had matching and not, and depending on how anal you are it might not bother you. But, if you can swing it I would

afterburnt

I was never too happy with my CS20 I have a CsiA6 now and it is far better than the 20.

afterburnt

I still think that a new RX-A2030 at $799 is a pretty darned good deal you may still be about to find it at that price.

afterburnt

andrew82 wrote: »

DSkip, I'm thrilled to hear that you think so!

One last question for you guys: I just found a CSI A4 for a decent price, do you think I should go for that center instead of the CS20? It would match the RTis.

I just want to make sure that it matches the timbre and quality.

It is probably a good idea to match the driver sizes across the front.

andrew82

So I got the following items and everything should be to my place by Tuesday:

Receiver: Marantz NR-1403
L&R Fronts: RTi A3s
Center: CSi A4
Sub: TBD

In regards to the Marantz, it has an auxiliary connect and HDMI connect on the front. Is there a significant difference in quality between the two connections for playing music from a laptop or iPhone device?

saraadi

Hi Andrew, I am wondering how your setup is working out. I am looking for a stereo system at the moment and was considering RtiA1 plus the marantz nr-1403. I am thinking of going for a second hand marantz receiver and i am getting a great deal on the open box RtiA1s.

My only concern is if the Marantz receiver 1403 is under powered when powered with the rtiA1.

i plan to use the marantz in the future as well to setup a 5.1 setup when i have the physical space to accommodate it.

tonyb

The Marantz is fine for those speakers but a few concerns. It's only 50 watts with 2 channels driven. Driving a full 5 speaker surround setup that number is going to drop considerably. The RTIA3 and a4 center, plus surrounds, is pushing it's limits if you like your movies loud.

A1'S are fine too but you have little wiggle room to add much bigger speakers down the road. If your an apartment dweller and can't play too loud, then it may suffice but your still limited on speaker choices.