Bought a pair of RT3000Ps, what to do with the subs?

tpoppa

I was looking for a nice set of satellites to pair with a NHT sub that I like quite a bit. I came across a pair of RT3000Ps. I knew the subs had issues when I bought them, which was OK because I really just wanted the sats.

Question is, what should I do with the subs? The both have a constant loud hum that is present at all times, even with no source. They do power on & play.
-Keep'em - right now they're basically a heavy set of speaker stands.
-Fix'em - It would be cool if they worked, but I don't want to spend too much on fixing them.
-Sell'em - What are they worth? I really don't want to ship them.
-Part'em - All 4 drivers seem to be good, etc.

quickr1

there is a guy in chicago that fixes the amps. he sometimes advertises his service on ebay. from what others say the rt 3000 setup is a rally good setup so it might be worth it to fix them.

pitdogg2

quickr1 wrote: »

there is a guy in chicago that fixes the amps. he sometimes advertises his service on ebay. from what others say the rt 3000 setup is a rally good setup so it might be worth it to fix them.

This^^^^^

tpoppa

These were only used for 3 or 4 years then stored. Do these amps not age well when not in use?

WLDock

The large AC filter caps as well as some grounding issues on older versions were are known problems that could cause the hum. These RT units were manufactured from 98'-01' so the 85°C rated caps are 14-17 years old. Its simply time to get them serviced, the guy on ebay or a local repair shop are your best resource! Many, including myself, have done the replacement many times.

Gatecrasher

Get them fixed man! They are awesome speakers. You can have both amps professionally-repaired for like $300 or so. Well-worth the cost.

tpoppa

Is the repair a permanent or at least a long term fix? OOC, what would be a ballpark price be for a set that's been repaired. Cosmetically they're 8.5/10.

I like the sats very much.

WLDock

All things considered new caps, resistors, transistors, etc should give them new life...maybe another 14-17 years. Consult with this guy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-RT3000p-Powered-Subwoofer-Amplifier-Plate-Repair-Service-/251406703056?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

Also, here is a used amp for sale:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-Audio-RT3000p-Subwoofer-Amplifier-Plate-/321901838698?hash=item4af2d8416a:g:O5MAAOSwI-BWHsY3

The RT3000P go for anywhere from $300 to $600. On the high end of the scale here is a rare SUPER crossover updated modified set for $1200: http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649190055-polk-rt3000p-probably-the-best-sounding-pair-you-can-find/

tpoppa

Lots of good info, thanks.

Gatecrasher

They cost over $3,000 per pair when they were new 15 years ago.

That's over $4,000 in todays money. I bought a set brand-new in 2002 and really liked them.

For $300 the amps will be as good as new as long as everything else is OK. Well-worth it.

tpoppa

I'm still on the fence about getting these repaired.

This system is for 2 channel music, I have another for HT. It's powered by some older but mint Carver separates or sometimes a 1978 Sony STR-V7 (look it up it's awesome!). The RT3000p sats sound really good with the NHT sub I am using. So I am not exactly in need of more subs.

What is a good way to test that all 4 sub drivers are working correctly? I believe they are, but it's hard to tell with the loud humming coming from the amps. I don't want to get these amps repaired to find out the drivers also need attention.

WLDock

Bypass the amp and connect them to a good amp to test.

tpoppa

By bypass do you mean pull the amp out and connect another amp to the internal speaker wiring? Or is there another way to do it?

Gatecrasher

tpoppa wrote: »

I'm still on the fence about getting these repaired.

You should sell them then along with the satellites. Why waste them? The satellites are nice speakers too but aren't worth a whole lot by themselves. You can find other speakers to use by themselves like the RT55s for $100 or less.