Rta 12c

RuSsMaN

Anyone seen my baseball?

reeltrouble1

chuckle chuckle yea, ya think the 2.3tl might be a tad more speaker!!

The 12c are mighty fine speakers that most anyone who has any interest in audio would enjoy. As I said the imaging was very apparent the moment I hooked them into the B&K 7270, so we did some listening (father & son time), both with and sans the subwoofer their new owner (my son) gets a big smile on his face says cool, snatches them and hauls them up to his room, he plays with them all of yesterday, finally comes back down stairs and says " I think I need some better gear for these."

I explain the time alignment as it was relayed to me, he says ok, nice to know if someone asks me but he could really give a crap about all that right now, he just likes his new speakers.

Guess that about says it all.

RT1

Tour2ma

Like Father, like son, eh Ted?

Agree on $200 being around the top end for these. Tad more perhaps if mint and boxes, manual part of the deal...

As I think others are hinting, I don't find their bass to be weak by any means.... not SRS big, but I certainly don't feel they require a sub for music.

Type of music... Really good on some, but really not good on others. Not good bits included harsh highs and/ or bloated bass on some selections. It seemed the more "complex" the music, the more they struggled.

They looked like rock speakers to me, but found the above to be true in that genre'.

On the right music, I agree with the openess of the soundstage mentioned above, and "right" = simple...

Tour2ma

Originally posted by George Grand
The speed of sound varies as to the density of air molecules. Higher up, less molecules, higher speed of sound. Lower down, more molecules, lower speed of sound.

The density of the molecules at lower altitudes is more resistant to sound waves as well as aircraft movement.

Analogy doesn't ring true here, since a plane must push through air whereas sound uses air to move...

I thought for sure speed would decrease with altitude since we know the speed of sound increases in denser mediums such as water and again in solids. Where in air the speed is ~770 mph, in water it's 3240 and in steel it's over 10,000 mph...
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/soundv.html#c1

While it does turn out that sound does slow with increasing altitude, it's surprising (at least to me) that air density does not play a significant role. Temperature is the determining factor (colder ===> slower).
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/sound.html
Issue with temperature is that since sound must "excite" air molecules to travel, colder molecules are less excitable than warmer ones.

George Grand

That's my limit. Enough. I just want to listen to them.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

methenyiac

I have a pair of RTA 12s in my listening room, right next to a set of KEF 104.2s. Soon, I'll be selling the KEFs. Although they're reknowned on sources like AudioReview.com, for me they don't deliver the magical highs of the old Polks. If I was a bass fanatic, I might choose differently. But all that the others have said about broad imaging from the Polks is true. These guys sing from outside the box! Price is also an issue, though-- The KEF's eBay price is over $600, while RTA 12s seem to go for less tham $200. Choosing between two great speakers is easy when one choice leaves $400 in your pocket. It only makes it better, for this audio cheapskate, that the Polks cost me $15, in perfect operating condition. I was making a donation to a local thrift store and there they were at the loading dock, not even priced yet. Charity has its rewards...

dorokusai

Where are you located Methenyiac?

cfrizz

Henry! How many times do I have to tell you SPEAK ENGLISH!!!;)

Doro, No more trivia ? that give me a headache & stop dissin my beloved RTA-8T's!

George Grand, you're the only one out of this whole group that's making any sense.:D

The rest of ya, stop analyzing & just enjoy the music!:rolleyes:

Originally posted by HBombToo
because it is the tower that radiates not an antenna on a mast that radiates. That is the reason for all the ceramic isolation on the guy wires....

again when there is conduction there is resistance and the loss in power is dissapated as heat. "conservation of energy and mass "

HBomb

methenyiac

dorokusai, I'm located at the foot of the Rockies, far from you. Why do you ask?:)

dorokusai

Meth - I saw a KEF model that I have always been interested in....too bad you're not closer.

Cathy - I'll let you kick me in the butt when you come to Polkfest.

methenyiac

Well, Doro...Just give me a call and I'll hold the phone in front of both pairs of speakers. What kind of music do you prefer? I have a lot of (no further hints necessary.):->

I'd be happy to jot down a few thoughts about the difference. I'll plop down in front of both for an hour and pretend I'm a critic on assignment. I'd hate to appear to hijack the topic of this thread, but so what.

My first, unscientific impression of the two is that the KEF is more realistic, more neutral, while the RTA12 has a sweetness and spatiality to the treble that I find captivating. If I hadn't heard that effect, I'd never miss it. And I'd marvel at the rich, full sound of the 104.2s. Which will be for sale soon, stay tuned.

methenyiac

By the way, what is an RTA 12c? My speakers say RTA 12. Is there a big difference?

George Grand

Cathy,

These are the same guys who busted the **** out of their toys when they were kids, cause they just didn't know how to PLAY with them. So they busted them.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

cfrizz

I believe it George!!! Or worse they took them apart to see how they worked & then couldn't put them back together again.:D

Originally posted by George Grand
Cathy,

These are the same guys who busted the **** out of their toys when they were kids, cause they just didn't know how to PLAY with them. So they busted them.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

shack

Originally posted by cfrizz
I believe it George!!! Or worse they took them apart to see how they worked & then couldn't put them back together again.:D

Then again...there were those who took them apart and not only were able to put them back together....but made them sound better in the process. You know....guys like Henry Kloss, Roy Allison, Paul Klipsch...and yes even Matt Polk, to name a few. Thank God for the "geeks" that not only liked the music, but liked the technolgy too.....

reeltrouble1

WTF

I started this thread to talk about my kid liking his speakers and to get some info, now were talking about busting things.

He is still loving the 12C's could care less about the science of RTA. Doro did him a favor turning him on to these for little coin.

I have "busted" lots of things, some hard some soft, come play with me.

RT1

Airplay355

hey george,
sound needs molecules to travel so if theres less molecules won't the sound travel slower? i'm just thinking of the whole bell jar expiriment and how sound doesn't travel in a vacuum, so wouldn't sound be faster with more molecules to vibrate?

reeltrouble1

Originally posted by dorokusai

Cathy - I'll let you kick me in the butt when you come to Polkfest.

hehehehe and when Frizz kicks it my camera will be ready!!

BottomFeeder

I'm new to the forum and have just bought some RTA12C's in absolute mint condition. I love the "open" sound, how the music never seems to be coming from the boxes, but from the air or stage. IMO, the imaging is great. I also think the bass is good as well.

I'm lovin' em!

reeltrouble1

Well, congrats, they are fine speakers, the best of the RTA line IMO.

RT1

ohskigod

the rt-12b was my first vintage polk.. will allways have a soft spot for those things.