Sr6500 warmin up

SqJay

I don't get to post very often so i just wanted to let everyone know how awesome these things are!!! They have broken in real nice and are one of the best sounding speakers I've ever heard!! I encourage everyone who can, to get a set. Even with 75 watts per side their very dynamic and handle everything i throw at em!! (you may now return to your regularly scheduled program).

MacLeod

Im with ya bro! Ive been singing from the mountain tops the praises of these things for a couple months now. Best speaker on the market as far as Im concerned!

1996blackmax

Have you heard any of what Rainbow offers in their higher lines?

Jstas

1996blackmax wrote:

Have you heard any of what Rainbow offers in their higher lines?

Have you heard the SR6500's?

1996blackmax

Yes, but not to the extent that I wanted. The sale's person was in the demo room with a couple of customers, and I had to get going. I am just curious as to the statement that was made regarding the SR's being the best speaker on the market. If he had heard some Rainbow's upper end stuff, that would give me some info as to where he thinks they stand in relation to the SR's. I will be getting some components a little later and will take a closer listen at several different ones. I was looking at some Rainbow Profi Line CS 265 components, and also the ones with the Phase Plugs. I can get them for a good price, and if the difference in sound is not much, then the CS 265's are looking better for me and my wallet.

http://car.rainbow-audio.de/products/introduction.php?lan=2&pro=1&lin=4

exalted512

well rainbow has some $25k components...i wouldnt say the best on the market, but theyre def. up there. I havent heard everything out there, but these things rival my iridiums in sq and theyre 3-ways with a custom install. the SRs are just mounted in the stock locations in my g/f's civic...
-Cody

neomagus00

and the sr's are rather less than 25k...

[Deleted User]

1996blackmax wrote:

I was looking at some Rainbow Profi Line CS 265 components, and also the ones with the Phase Plugs. I can get them for a good price, and if the difference in sound is not much, then the CS 265's are looking better for me and my wallet.

What's a "good price"? I'm just curious.

audiobliss

^^ me too

madmax

At polkfest I heard an A-B comparison between the SR6500's and a $5500 B&W home speaker system. (their reference). The 6500's gave up nothing except the low bass to the B&W's. Of course that is what a sub is for anyway. I was in total disbelief...
madmax

MacLeod

No, Ive not heard the $3000 Rainbows but I have heard $1000+ MB Quarts, Bostons, and Focals and the SR's are as good as the Q's and Utopias and better than the Z's but yet cost $400 less.

And for arguments sake, lets say the $3000 Rainbows sound a little better than the SR's, I feel pretty confident that they wouldnt be $2250 better so Ill say that the SR's are the best speaker on the market.

Jstas

I'm starting to wish that more people had put petty differences aside and took some time to audition the dB's in my truck. They are $300-400 components about 10 years ago and they will outperform alot of other stuff on the market, even today. The SR's are a step above thm at the very least and these dB's will compete with the 1K+ speaker range and do it for over 500 less. Then again, Polk Audio was the only speaker company using the technology they developed for thier award winning home speakers in thier car speakers. I woudl expect the old dB series to outperform damn near everything in the car audio market from that time period.

The SR's are different though. They use the same technologies from Polk's praised LSi series but they are adapted to the car audio realm. There still is no other company out there using the R&D done in the much more competative home market to improve thier car audio lines of speakers. I've heard the SR's. I've seen them A/B'ed and I have listened to the competion that they were aimed to stomp all over. I've also listened to the competition that everybody thinks is above the SR series. Yes, I know there are better speakers out there but, when looking at measurements and specifications, it is clear that the SR series does not have an equal in it's price point and it's even hard to find competition on the next rung up the cost ladder.

Think what you want but until you hear them and compare them to other speakers, you will not understand where the people who are gushing over them are coming from. I would hit a Tweeter now and A/B them again if you already have because they are well past the break-in period now and should be seeing the full potential.

BTW, while at Polk HQ, I noticed that they were being sneaky in the In-Wall room. When oogling one of the new THX Certified in-walls, I noticed that teh crossover network was using the same air-core inductors as the SR series. Sure enough, my suspicions were corroborated and we were even told that the production level in-walls would have a very similar crossover design to the SR series of car speakers.

MacLeod

If I remember right John, thoser WERE the SR crossovers in there. They hadnt developed the home versions yet so they stuck the SR's in there for the time being. Pretty cool to have car audio speakers that are trickling down to the home audio field! Its usually the other way around.

1996blackmax

MacLeod wrote:

No, Ive not heard the $3000 Rainbows but I have heard $1000+ MB Quarts, Bostons, and Focals and the SR's are as good as the Q's and Utopias and better than the Z's but yet cost $400 less.

And for arguments sake, lets say the $3000 Rainbows sound a little better than the SR's, I feel pretty confident that they wouldnt be $2250 better so Ill say that the SR's are the best speaker on the market.

I should have been more clear. The upper ones I was referring to were the Rainbows around the same price as the SR's. A little higher and a little lower. I would not put up speakers with that much of a price difference against each other, that would not be a fair comparison. I could pick up a set for about a couple hundred less than MSRP. When I give the SR's a good listen, I believe I will like them. I just want my money to go as far as possible too. If I can find something that I like for less, then great. I have not made up my mind yet, there is still a lot of listening and reading to do. Just asking for opinions. I have read many posts were people thought that the Q's were too bright (tweeter). I would also not go that high for the price of components. I appreciate that you mentioned those other lines to as this gives me some more info. Just trying to make the best decision for me and my ears .

exalted512

well being a polk forum, i think you know what the answer is going to be:D

but i havent heard those specific model rainbows, i do know that rainbow is very proud of their equipment and price it accordingly

another thing to consider is that polk is sold at circuit city. why that has anything to with how it sounds is beyond me, but fact is, bandwagoneers that just speak out of their ****(hence, 80+% of people on other forums) think polk is **** simply because CC carries them. then when they go actually listen to them psycoacoustics starts coming into play, but when a blind test comes into play, then the truth starts coming out.

things to consider...
-Cody

beardog03

Polk makes speakers for ME..!!

and that`s why I buy em...they have a fair price tag, and they reproduce music the way I think it should sound...

That`s why they`re made for me, and I buy em..!!

go ahead and buy rainbows, or quarts , or balloons, or whatever...
Just means more for me...and my fellow Polk brethren...

ALL my speaks are Polk Audio....period.!






carry on..!

1996blackmax

Look at my sig. I am running all Polk for my interior speakers. Heck I still have the pre old DB models, the MM's. I realize this is a Polk forum, but to just state there is nothing better out there because it's not Polk is pretty close minded. If you have listened to all the other stuff, and compared it, then cool. At this point your word is worth something. You may like your sound a little different than me, but you have given your honest opinion from listening to the different products. That is what I am after, actual knowledge from others to kind of point me in more or less the right direction. If you are just talking then.............. I know Polk makes great stuff, so I can care less for the people who just regurgetate stuff, and actually don't know jack. I am just looking for information, if this offends anyone, then be it.



If you think Polk makes those speakers for you that's great. By the way all speaker companies make speakers for someone, otherwise they would not be in business. I will look at Polk as well as other stuff. I have an open mind and want to spend my money wisely.

1996blackmax

Jstas wrote:

Think what you want but until you hear them and compare them to other speakers, you will not understand where the people who are gushing over them are coming from. I would hit a Tweeter now and A/B them again if you already have because they are well past the break-in period now and should be seeing the full potential.

I am not just thiking what I want. I am asking questions. I do not understand the ruffled feathers.

MacLeod

For what its worth, at Polkfest they demoed the SR's side by side with $1300 MB Quart Q's and $1000 Boston Z's. They played the SR's first and when they switched over to the Z's everybody laughed! It was that noticeable. The Q's were as good as the SR's but again, cost $450 more. And aside from me and John, these guys were all seasoned home audio vets with plenty of experience with thousand dollar home speakers.

1996blackmax

This is the stuff I am after. It is valuable info.

Polk65

MacLeod wrote:

For what its worth, at Polkfest they demoed the SR's side by side with $1300 MB Quart Q's and $1000 Boston Z's. They played the SR's first and when they switched over to the Z's everybody laughed! It was that noticeable. The Q's were as good as the SR's but again, cost $450 more. And aside from me and John, these guys were all seasoned home audio vets with plenty of experience with thousand dollar home speakers.

The SR's were a night and day difference compared to the rest, and yes the group did laugh and gasp aloud. A VP was in the demo room too, Dan Hodgson I believe and I'm sure he was happy with our response.

Nice post Beardog, it sums up what most all of us here feel.. and hear.

The SR's to my ears, have the classic Polk Audio HA sound that I love.

madmax

Lets say also that at polk when they did the demo, they didn't pull any tricks like letting us listen and get used to the polks then quickly switch in and out the others. (salesmen will do that to you to get you to pay more because they know you develop a reference over a short period of time). They gave us plenty of listening with each speaker and switched around in different orders. After several switches it became obvious that the polks had a much more controlled sound. You could just tell the cones were in control. I was pretty blown away.
madmax