Polk rti8

dizzy

My recent speaker upgrades have made movies sound so much better. Especially the psa v1800. Problem now is that music doesn't sound so good with the rti8's. Is there a way to fix this? If not, then what speakers could I replace the fronts with that will sound good with movies and music?

Willow

I hear you. I like my 8s but they can get fatiguing for music. I'm in the same boat, I'm considering swapping them out soon and moving them to the basement for when we get a theatre room.

dizzy

If Usher is my only option, then I will need to start a go fund me page. Lol

I'm still considering an amp. Will that make the 8s better or worse? I assume if I change my fronts then I will have to change my center to match. My wife is gonna kill me more than she already has for the sub upgrade.

dizzy

I'm using monoprice 12 guage speaker wire. Hdmi for everything else.

dizzy

What speaker cable do you recommend?

Would the rtia7 or rtia9 be better?

dizzy

No room treatments. All hardwood floors with no rugs or anything right now.

dizzy

Room is open and furniture is pleather. Not sure what the wife will allow for room treatments. I'm sure I can get an area rug but don't know about the walls.

tonyb

dizzy wrote: »

No room treatments. All hardwood floors with no rugs or anything right now.

....add in the Monoprice cables and that's a recipe for some icepicks in the ears. lol

Lots of reflective surfaces there pal, an area rug would help as Skip suggested. Maybe even throw a nice decorative blanket over the back of the couch too.

After that, look at your settings and see if you can adjust anything that might tame down the higher ends. You need a much warmer cable given the room and speaker, Kimber cables are more budget friendly and warm, 8tc to be more specific. MIT too, but you won't have to spend an arm and a leg if you stay in the AVT lineup and buy used.

Which receiver are you using btw ? Did you set up those inputs for music ? Whats the source for music ? CD's....digital.....MP3'S ? You using your BDP to spin cd's ? In any event, those monoprice cables are doing you zero favors.

tonyb

These are also on the warm side, stiff....but SQ is way above the price point of 150 bucks.

http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649242713-reality-speaker-cables-original-version/

dizzy

I just listen to pandora or iheart radio. I am using the settings the auto cal did. I need to take the time and make separate settings for music. I'm using pioneer elite sc-07.

I will look into new cables. Should I change the cables for my surrounds also?

dizzy

When I had my Monitor 70s, I didn't have this problem. The 8s sound better with movies than the 70s did. Will moving up the Polk ladder help at all?

EndersShadow

dizzy wrote: »

When I had my Monitor 70s, I didn't have this problem. The 8s sound better with movies than the 70s did. Will moving up the Polk ladder help at all?

Nope. The better the speaker the more it exposes problems with your room/sources, etc for music.

Movies "might" still be better but even movies will benefit from room treatments.

Like the folks have said, try for whatever room treatments you can get it, area rug, some stuff on the walls, etc.

Then once thats done look at using a better source for music (if possible). Tidal, Spotify, etc.

Everything starts at the source. Your just now hearing it because the RTi are better than the Monitors by far. The LSi are a "bit" more laid back as are the LSiM, but their is considerable cost to upgrade to those speakers v the cheaper option of room treatments and a better source.

And ANY speaker benefits from that, regardless of quality. The AMOUNT of the benefit may be smaller but a properly treated room and good source let each speaker perform at its best.

Again understanding you likely have some limiting factors like the rest of us (significant other's approval, price, set room dimensions, etc).

Willow

I have the exact same issues, HW floors, on the full long wall to the left is leather couch, the long right wall has a window then fireplace then window and 9ft ceilings and a back of the room open to kitchen and breakfast nook. Not many areas to put up treatments except an area rug.
I feel you @dizzy - I'm going to concentrate on the room (which will also please my wife) a new material L shaped couch is in the works for the fall.

dizzy

I will see what I can do about room treatments.

I will also check out tidal. Thanks

tonyb

dizzy wrote: »

I will see what I can do about room treatments.

I will also check out tidal. Thanks

Tidal, while better, cost 20 bucks a month, so keep that under your hat.

Yeah, the junky quality of those MP3 style services aren't helping your situation. Skip nailed it though, the better your speakers are, the more apparent the other flaws in your system become.

Upgrading speakers will only make things worse.....until you confront the other things already mentioned. Some room treatments such as an area rug, better source other than Pandora, and better cabling.....and no, leave the surrounds alone as they are just ambient sounds anyway.

While everything of course has it's limits, your system is only going to be as good as it's weakest link. Right now, that's not the speakers.

dizzy

Good to know that my speakers are not the weakest link. I will probably do cables first. Not sure if my wife is ready for room treatments. New puppy and a new rug...not a good situation.

dizzy

I just looked at Kimber 8TC speaker cable. Pair of cables 5 ft long is $275. Will I hear that much of a difference in those compared to monoprice? I need to justify the cost with the wife and myself.

Nightfall

Pandora is terrible for serious listening. Spotify Premium is better, Tidal better yet.

tonyb

Buy used, don't buy new. Plus you get the benefit of them already being broken in. Used should be about half price of new.

dizzy

If I buy used, can I cut it to the length I need or is it better to keep as is?

tonyb

If it's bare wire, you can cut it but if it's already terminated I see no reason to. Having some extra length is good in case you reposition stuff or what not.

dizzy

I found a 24ft piece on ebay. That's why I was asking. Thank you.

Looked again and it's bi-wire. Not sure if I should bother with that since I'm not bi-wiring the speakers.

ksmus

I certainly agree with all those who suggest room treatments. Anything you can do to stop the highs from bouncing off all of the hard surfaces is going to make a difference. Movie theaters and recording studios all have sound treatments. Listening rooms should also have them.

K_M

Room treatments will help a good bit.
Would not waste money on cables.

The Rti line is intentionally bright sounding. That can quite easily be fixed.

K_M

dizzy wrote: »

I just looked at Kimber 8TC speaker cable. Pair of cables 5 ft long is $275. Will I hear that much of a difference in those compared to monoprice? I need to justify the cost with the wife and myself.

No, you will not. Spend your money on things that actually matter.

tonyb

K_M wrote: »

dizzy wrote: »

I just looked at Kimber 8TC speaker cable. Pair of cables 5 ft long is $275. Will I hear that much of a difference in those compared to monoprice? I need to justify the cost with the wife and myself.

No, you will not. Spend your money on things that actually matter.

I would respectfully disagree with that, but I wouldn't spend 275 on them either when used you can grab them for around 150-200 depending on length.

Cables do actually matter, and once you start treating them as part of your system instead of an after thought or **** child your audio pleasure will increase.

tonyb

ksmus wrote: »

I certainly agree with all those who suggest room treatments. Anything you can do to stop the highs from bouncing off all of the hard surfaces is going to make a difference. Movie theaters and recording studios all have sound treatments. Listening rooms should also have them.

Yes and no, recording studio's aren't filled with furniture/drapes/carpeting, all things that absorb sound in a home environment. Movie theatre's have a heck of a lot of space, not found in most homes either.

While I'm a proponent of room treatments, it's also possible to over dampen a room just as easily. Take into consideration what you already have in the room soaking up sound and at what reflection points before deciding what or if you need further treatments.

K_M

tonyb wrote: »

K_M wrote: »

dizzy wrote: »

I just looked at Kimber 8TC speaker cable. Pair of cables 5 ft long is $275. Will I hear that much of a difference in those compared to monoprice? I need to justify the cost with the wife and myself.

No, you will not. Spend your money on things that actually matter.

I would respectfully disagree with that, but I wouldn't spend 275 on them either when used you can grab them for around 150-200 depending on length.

Cables do actually matter, and once you start treating them as part of your system instead of an after thought or **** child your audio pleasure will increase.

I was referring to his particular situation. Doubtful his cables are the culprits, but more to do with the room tune, and the sound of the rti in general.

A $40.00 area rug and a couple bucks in resistors to tame the treble, would do far more to address his actual scenario. (Imho)

No cable arguing...lol, we all know how that goes, Round and round and round, and no one ever wins!

tonyb

The Monoprice cables are about as bottom barrel as you can get, they aren't doing him any favors. RTI8's are nice speakers, they deserve better. If the guy isn't handy, a resistor is out of the question and a 40 buck rug may make slight improvements but not nearly what it seems the OP is trying to conquer.

To each his own though.

halo71

Kiley, Kelly.....I see Xcapri is in your corner. lol

don0

There was a link on here somewhere, that was written by someone that did a lot of testing different cables and determined, in his and other people that was helping opinion, that monoprice 12ga speaker wire sounds as good as the most expensive wire that he tested.