Looking for opinion on a next tower purchase
jimmypet
Posts: 4
Hello Fello Polk Fans.
I am a long time lurker and reader here, I just officially joined recently.
Like most of you I am a huge fan of the older "Vintage" Polk sound. In my head it's what a stereo speaker should sound like.
I'm an older guy (63). I like classic rock, mostly things like Steely Dan, James Taylor, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Elton, Billy, Led Zeppelin, etc. I think you get the picture.
I was given a demo of the LS90 in a stereo shop showroom back when they were new and I have never been able to get that sound out of my head. I could have never hoped to afford them back then but as I grew in my career and had the means I started collecting what are now considered vintage Polks.
Over the years I have accumulated sets of RTiA9s in my HT, a couple pair of 11T that I absolutely love (11T are my favorites) along with a few sets of Monitor 5, 7s 7Bs (I have not gotten round to a set of 10s yet but thats not the point of this post.
QUESTION: I really feel like I want to find a nece set of LS90s to add to my collection but I cannot find any threads that compare the LS90 to the 11T and/or the RTIA9.
I believe all three of these were considered the top of the line tower in their respective time period.
My main question is how would buying a set of LS90s hold up against the 11T and the RTIA9s?
Am I looking at those through an old man's rose colored glasses?
Is this a situation of dont meet your heros when compared to the 11T and the RTIA9?
I found what appears to be a nicely preserved set of LS90s a couple hours away from me.
Would you recommend adding those to my collection?
They would be for music listening only.
I searched and searched for posts or threads comparing those three generations of towers but couldn't find any. If there is such a thread my apologies, please point me to it.
I thank you in advance for your advice and input (as well as all the knowledge I have gotten here as a lurker over the years).
Sorry if this post duplicates, I wrote a whole post and then it disappeared so I retyped it all again as close as I could get LOL.
I am a long time lurker and reader here, I just officially joined recently.
Like most of you I am a huge fan of the older "Vintage" Polk sound. In my head it's what a stereo speaker should sound like.
I'm an older guy (63). I like classic rock, mostly things like Steely Dan, James Taylor, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Elton, Billy, Led Zeppelin, etc. I think you get the picture.
I was given a demo of the LS90 in a stereo shop showroom back when they were new and I have never been able to get that sound out of my head. I could have never hoped to afford them back then but as I grew in my career and had the means I started collecting what are now considered vintage Polks.
Over the years I have accumulated sets of RTiA9s in my HT, a couple pair of 11T that I absolutely love (11T are my favorites) along with a few sets of Monitor 5, 7s 7Bs (I have not gotten round to a set of 10s yet but thats not the point of this post.
QUESTION: I really feel like I want to find a nece set of LS90s to add to my collection but I cannot find any threads that compare the LS90 to the 11T and/or the RTIA9.
I believe all three of these were considered the top of the line tower in their respective time period.
My main question is how would buying a set of LS90s hold up against the 11T and the RTIA9s?
Am I looking at those through an old man's rose colored glasses?
Is this a situation of dont meet your heros when compared to the 11T and the RTIA9?
I found what appears to be a nicely preserved set of LS90s a couple hours away from me.
Would you recommend adding those to my collection?
They would be for music listening only.
I searched and searched for posts or threads comparing those three generations of towers but couldn't find any. If there is such a thread my apologies, please point me to it.
I thank you in advance for your advice and input (as well as all the knowledge I have gotten here as a lurker over the years).
Sorry if this post duplicates, I wrote a whole post and then it disappeared so I retyped it all again as close as I could get LOL.
Comments
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Hi jimmy and welcome.
I say yes, you should absolutely get them and add to your collection.
I have the same addiction except for Phase Linear gear.
In no way can they compare with newer gear but, I don’t care.
I love the memories….
Skip -
Thanks for the reply Skip.
I know sometimes when a newb comes in an asks a long winded, broad reaching question like the one I posted the forum regulars may just say search newb, but I sincerely appreciate your reply.
I can relate to your love of the old Phase Linear gear.
I would love to find a pair of the Clair Brothers Audio modified Phase Linear amps.
I run all of my speakers via old BGW 750Bs or 750Cs.
The Phase Linear's were such a great warm sounding amp and the modifications the Clair Audio guys did to them made them as bulletproof as a Phase Linear gets.
Those are super rare finds.
Cheers and Thanks again
Jimmy P -
Never heard the LS90, so can't comment.
Don't like the 11T.
The RTiA9 are home theater speakers.
Don't bother getting Monitor 10, the 7 is the best of that series.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Never heard the LS90, so can't comment.
Don't like the 11T.
The RTiA9 are home theater speakers.
Don't bother getting Monitor 10, the 7 is the best of that series.
Thanks for your reply.
I guess the real truth is seeing if the LS90 seller can set them up so I can listen to them and see if they live up to the memory I have of them LOL.
I really have no use for them other than an almost addictive urge to "collect all the things"
I seem to have gone through this with old cars, old watches, old amplifiers and lately old Polk speakers (maybe not truly old but stuff from the 70s and 80s that I couldnt afford back then).
I'm old, I have no kids, may as well just have fun LOL.
Curious what you dont like about the 11Ts?
You are surely one one of the OGs on this forum, your posts are always informative.
There is no wrong or right answer, just I love the 11Ts and it seemed like over the years on this forum they are an almost universally loved older model. Like I wrote, of all the versions I own the 11T and the few 7s I have are my favorites, but if I had to get rid of all of them but one, I'd keep the 11ts. -
Get the LS90. Test them against your current speakers and share the results. Win win!
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Never heard the LS90, so can't comment.
Don't like the 11T.
The RTiA9 are home theater speakers.
Don't bother getting Monitor 10, the 7 is the best of that series.
Thanks for your reply.
I guess the real truth is seeing if the LS90 seller can set them up so I can listen to them and see if they live up to the memory I have of them LOL.
I really have no use for them other than an almost addictive urge to "collect all the things"
I seem to have gone through this with old cars, old watches, old amplifiers and lately old Polk speakers (maybe not truly old but stuff from the 70s and 80s that I couldnt afford back then).
I'm old, I have no kids, may as well just have fun LOL.
Curious what you dont like about the 11Ts?
You are surely one one of the OGs on this forum, your posts are always informative.
There is no wrong or right answer, just I love the 11Ts and it seemed like over the years on this forum they are an almost universally loved older model. Like I wrote, of all the versions I own the 11T and the few 7s I have are my favorites, but if I had to get rid of all of them but one, I'd keep the 11ts.
Just didn't care for their sound/presentation. I'm sure the SL2000 tweeters played a part.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Conradicles wrote: »Get the LS90. Test them against your current speakers and share the results. Win win!
I have to say I like the way you guys are enablers LOL -
Was bi-amping kappa 9’s with the 700’s….
https://us.v-cdn.net/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,width=800/https://us.v-cdn.net/5021930/uploads/editor/i1/ghzmmwtb21my.jpg
If you can find them get ones with the full White Oak Audio treatment.
