looking to upgrade mains

krabby5

I bet you never saw that subject line, huh?

I currently have 10 year old Infinity Sterling bookshelves ($300/pair at time)...

I have a Velodyne CHT-8 (don't let the small size fool you)

rear surrounds are Bose (I like them...for surrounds)

Polk CS400 or CS 400i center channel (open box special at CC for $150! a couple years ago)

I am looking at a budget of around $1000

I've narrowed my search down to RTi10 floorstanding for $960 at Crutchfield

or LSi 9 bookshelves for $999

I use them for mostly home theatre (but a lot of music DVD's too...live shows..)

I like the smaller size of the LSi's, but would I be wishing I had gotten the floorstanding one's later?

thanks!

dave

beardog03

9`s won`t match your center, and your Bose won`t match anything

Early B.

For Home theater use, get the RTi8's. They'll mate better with your center channel. Use the money you've saved on fronts to replace those damn Bose speakers and the sub.

audiobliss

Early B. wrote:

Use the money you've saved on fronts to replace those damn Bose speakers and the sub.

Whatever you do, whenever you do it, however you do it, with whatever money you do it...replace those surrounds!


If you're mainly into HT, the RTi series will serve you just fine. The LSi series if more for revealing the most intricate of complex passages. If you like critically listening to those live performances and disecting the sound, you may find the LSi series would fit you better.

krabby5

Early B. wrote:

For Home theater use, get the RTi8's. They'll mate better with your center channel. Use the money you've saved on fronts to replace those damn Bose speakers and the sub.

Unfortunately I have a wife who puts up with 6 speakers as it is...the Bose fit nicely on the wall and out of the way...Plus I can always use the old Infinity's for the rear surrounds later

Early B.

Trust me, she'll appreciate the upgrade once you remove the Bose and step up to Fxi3's or Rti4's, then pop in her favorite DVD or CD.

beardog03

I agree...loose the bose and get some Fxi3`s..
Break them in correctly and you will be more than happy you did..

RTi`s are probably your best bet..
What kind of gear are you using.?

krabby5

Early B. wrote:

Trust me, she'll appreciate the upgrade once you remove the Bose and step up to Fxi3's or Rti4's, then pop in her favorite DVD or CD.

I want to upgrade the mains first....I will probably get the Fxi3's later though after we have move in a few years

adam2434

You could also look for used mains to match your center - RT2000i, 1000i, 800i, 600i, 55i. These were a nice series from Polk that many prefer to the newer RTi series.

Also, just curious, what model of the Sterling Series do you have? I picked up some SS-2005s dirt cheap for use in my basement workout/workshop area. Not bad, but nothing special either.

adam2434

To the point of my last thread, just saw these on audiogon:
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1142077919

amulford

Adam is right. You need to go to older RTxxx or RTxxxi series to match your center. The newer lines do not timbre match.

aaharvel

Hell no. Get the LSi9's. This won't be your setup's final configuration, and those 9's will make for a great foundation for the future.

That is... unless you want rti's for hometheater. But if you're jaded between the two lines for ht, then get the best.

krabby5

adam2434 wrote:

You could also look for used mains to match your center - RT2000i, 1000i, 800i, 600i, 55i. These were a nice series from Polk that many prefer to the newer RTi series.

Also, just curious, what model of the Sterling Series do you have? I picked up some SS-2005s dirt cheap for use in my basement workout/workshop area. Not bad, but nothing special either.

I have the SS-2003....The only thing I've had in 11 years...I wonder if I'll be blown away when I get newer floorstanders?

krabby5

amulford wrote:

Adam is right. You need to go to older RTxxx or RTxxxi series to match your center. The newer lines do not timbre match.

how are the RT1000p's

i found a pair on ebay...does the P stand for "powered"? if so I may not want or need the powered sub

krabby5

wow...I even saw a brand new in the box pair of LSi9's for a buy it now price of $680 shipped!!

damn

krabby5

ooohhh...I think I found some prospects

http://cgi.ebay.com/POLK-AUDIO-RT800i-FLOORSTANDING-SPEAKERS-MINT_W0QQitemZ5860033184QQcategoryZ71571QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

adam2434

Yeah, those are powered towers. My personal preference would be non-powered towers and a good stand-alone sub. Others may have more insight on the powered towers from that series.

You can research the older RT models here:
http://www.polkaudio.com/search/older.php

Regarding your earlier question - yes, any of the older or new RT towers should be a major improvement over your current mains, especially for music.

What are you going to use for amplification?

adam2434

You bet, 800i's would be great mains for you.

krabby5

this is nice, too...

http://cgi.ebay.com/polk-audio-rt1000i-floorstanding-audiophile-quality_W0QQitemZ5859248344QQcategoryZ71571QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

with my current Velodyne CHT-8 sub, do you think I would benefit from getting the RT1000i over the RT800i?

krabby5

adam2434 wrote:

Yeah, those are powered towers. My personal preference would be non-powered towers and a good stand-alone sub. Others may have more insight on the powered towers from that series.

You can research the older RT models here:
http://www.polkaudio.com/search/older.php

Regarding your earlier question - yes, any of the older or new RT towers should be a major improvement over your current mains, especially for music.

What are you going to use for amplification?

oops..I forgot about my receiver...

I have a Kenwood VR6070...I really like it..for an all in one

adam2434

Just be careful when considering used, especially from ebay. I would ask for close-up pics of the drivers, especially the tweeters.

Polk no longer carries replacement trilam tweeters from the older RTs; you would have to go with a different replacement tweeter.

krabby5

so you are saying ...with my setup, you would get a pair of used RT800i's over a brand new pair of LSi9's simply because the RT800i's will timbre match my CS400i center?

Is it really that big of a difference?

audiobliss

Yeah, I would think it really is that big of a difference. And I would most definitely replace that Kenwood as soon as possible.

krabby5

audiobliss wrote:

Yeah, I would think it really is that big of a difference. And I would most definitely replace that Kenwood as soon as possible.

tell you what,,,you give about $5000, and I'll replace everything I have with whatever you suggest...my Kenwood is fine..Now I can understand ripping on my Bose..but enough already

audiobliss

Well, you did come here looking for suggestions. That's all it was. If you don't want to replace it, don't. As long as you're happy with your setup, that's all that matters. However, I bet $500 on even a new (much less a used) HK receiver would get you a lot more than that Kenwood can be.

adam2434

Don't take this as this ripping, but this is what I would personally do if I had your current equipment and a grand to spend.

1) Look for the older RTs to match your center. You have a nice center, and it is the strong point of your system right now.
2) Move your Infinity's to the rears.
3) Take the balance of what you don't spend on the mains, sell the Kenwood and Bose, and put $600-700 in a receiver from HK (find a good deal on a refurb)
4) If you have some cash left over from 3), sell the Velodyne and look into entry level subs from SVS, Hsu, and Outlaw.
5) Lastly, down the road, sell the Infinity's and look for some Polk's for the surrounds.

The LSi9's are superior speakers, but you would not have a superior system vs. what I suggested above. I would only go the LSi9 route if I were planning to put considerably more money into the system - matching LSi center, and much better amplification.

Again, just one man's opinion.

krabby5

adam2434 wrote:

Don't take this as this ripping, but this is what I would personally do if I had your current equipment and a grand to spend.

1) Look for the older RTs to match your center. You have a nice center, and it is the strong point of your system right now.
2) Move your Infinity's to the rears.
3) Take the balance of what you don't spend on the mains, sell the Kenwood and Bose, and put $600-700 in a receiver from HK (find a good deal on a refurb)
4) If you have some cash left over from 3), sell the Velodyne and look into entry level subs from SVS, Hsu, and Outlaw.
5) Lastly, down the road, sell the Infinity's and look for some Polk's for the surrounds.

The LSi9's are superior speakers, but you would not have a superior system vs. what I suggested above. I would only go the LSi9 route if I were planning to put considerably more money into the system - matching LSi center, and much better amplification.

Again, just one man's opinion.

thanks for all the suggestions guy...apparently my whole system blows sans the center channel ....Although I do like my Kenwood, I agree getting a HK would be better but I'm not getting a new amp/receiver as of right now...same with the sub...as for the Bose, they fiy nicely on the wall and the wife does daycare, so they need to be outta the way..plus I don't care what happens to them

when we move into a newer home in a few years, then I will upgrade the rest later...

I want to start with the mains first and get those outta the way..

sorry for the pissy tone Audiobliss...you were just trying to help

audiobliss

Ahh, no biggie. I could use $5000, too.

That plan certainly makes for slow progress, but if that's what it takes...then that's what it takes.

Taurus574

krabby5 wrote:

this is nice, too...

http://cgi.ebay.com/polk-audio-rt1000i-floorstanding-audiophile-quality_W0QQitemZ5859248344QQcategoryZ71571QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

with my current Velodyne CHT-8 sub, do you think I would benefit from getting the RT1000i over the RT800i?

I would get the Rt1000s over the rt800. It'll be less stress on the reciever in my opinion. The bass can be adjusted accordingly in the rear to your listening desires. I have a pair and love them. The RT800 would be nice too, IF you had a better reciever with more power or if you had a second amplifier to bi-amp (which means separate power to the lower 6 1/2" woofer for bass) In your setup I'd think you'd benefit more with the powered RT1000 towers. It's like buying 2 things in one.

As for timbre matching, at least your fronts and center are matched where in my opinion 80-90% of the sound comes out anyways for movies ... but since you were runnning 3 different brands of speakers to begin with, anything is a big improvement.

Early B.

Here's another suggestion -- sell everything you've got to fund a nice 2-channel HT system with Lsi9's, an HK receiver and eventually a kick-**** sub, then take your time to build it into a 5.1 or 7.1 system from there.

The rationale for doing this is that a great two channel setup will sound better than a 5 channel system with a Kenwood receiver with Infinity and Bose speakers with a mini Velo. Don't take that personally, just examine your options objectively. You'll get much better sound quality without reaching heavily into your wallet to get it.

adam2434

krabby5 wrote:

thanks for all the suggestions guy...apparently my whole system blows sans the center channel ....

Nah man, I wasn't dis'n what you currently own - just trying to come up with a solid reco for a $1000 budget, with the intent to get you quickly on the path to something you could be happy with for a long time.