RTi6 and CSi3 fanboy post
kingsqueak
Posts: 116
I just moved from a set of RM3000's with my CSi3 to a better matching set of RTi6's for L/R.
All the talk about matching the voicing for the front three channels is dead on. The CSi3 wasn't an awful match with the RM3000's but you could tell a difference. It wasn't unpleasant but L/R stood out pretty far from the C channel content. With the RTi6's the soundstage is much much more transparent.
I get the L/R surround material same as I used to, but now it's all part of a single stage in the image. Previously I would get the sensation but it felt like three separate 'zones' the way the image projected. Now it's a nice 180 deg feeling from the front stage. Effects that sweep L/C/R accross the 'stage' are much more effective, it's a smooth transition, it isn't hopping from plane to plane.
For music, the RTi6's provided the low-midrange body that I felt was lacking with the RM3000's. My room is too large for the RM's to really project their full range. I had a clean image for stereo, but the body and warmth was missing. The RTi's seem softer on top than the RM's, but in no way are they lacking for detail. I find there is a bit of a harshness at 5k or 6.3k 'sh range, if I had a PEQ, I would put a thumb print right around there in the curve. Just a nitpick though, nothing too harsh. My listening position combined with the stands I have puts the tweeters just below ear level so this axis may be part of it.
I only have about 6-7 feet to space the RTi6's. With a bit of toe-in I can get a pretty nice image 10 feet away at the listening position. It's a 'larger' image than the RM's projected, it feels more natural.
Also the transition to my SVS 25-31 is smoother. The RM's use a passive sub in series for what I would guess is anything below 250hz. The RTi's support this range much more directly in the image, at least in the size room I have.
With the HK I'm setting up in manual mode for EZSet calibration, using "small" and 80Hz crossover for all the speakers, 120Hz LFE crossover and 15" size for the sub setting. I'm winding up with +0db on the CSi, and +1db for the RTi6's, with the sub at +3db (a bit hot compared to a manual db meter calibration, but not obnoxiously so).
For the price, I'm very happy with the RTi6's, they filled out the front stage just as I wanted them to and my receiver drives them nicely. They turned out to be more efficient than my RM3000's (which isn't saying much) so that was a bonus.
All the talk about matching the voicing for the front three channels is dead on. The CSi3 wasn't an awful match with the RM3000's but you could tell a difference. It wasn't unpleasant but L/R stood out pretty far from the C channel content. With the RTi6's the soundstage is much much more transparent.
I get the L/R surround material same as I used to, but now it's all part of a single stage in the image. Previously I would get the sensation but it felt like three separate 'zones' the way the image projected. Now it's a nice 180 deg feeling from the front stage. Effects that sweep L/C/R accross the 'stage' are much more effective, it's a smooth transition, it isn't hopping from plane to plane.
For music, the RTi6's provided the low-midrange body that I felt was lacking with the RM3000's. My room is too large for the RM's to really project their full range. I had a clean image for stereo, but the body and warmth was missing. The RTi's seem softer on top than the RM's, but in no way are they lacking for detail. I find there is a bit of a harshness at 5k or 6.3k 'sh range, if I had a PEQ, I would put a thumb print right around there in the curve. Just a nitpick though, nothing too harsh. My listening position combined with the stands I have puts the tweeters just below ear level so this axis may be part of it.
I only have about 6-7 feet to space the RTi6's. With a bit of toe-in I can get a pretty nice image 10 feet away at the listening position. It's a 'larger' image than the RM's projected, it feels more natural.
Also the transition to my SVS 25-31 is smoother. The RM's use a passive sub in series for what I would guess is anything below 250hz. The RTi's support this range much more directly in the image, at least in the size room I have.
With the HK I'm setting up in manual mode for EZSet calibration, using "small" and 80Hz crossover for all the speakers, 120Hz LFE crossover and 15" size for the sub setting. I'm winding up with +0db on the CSi, and +1db for the RTi6's, with the sub at +3db (a bit hot compared to a manual db meter calibration, but not obnoxiously so).
For the price, I'm very happy with the RTi6's, they filled out the front stage just as I wanted them to and my receiver drives them nicely. They turned out to be more efficient than my RM3000's (which isn't saying much) so that was a bonus.
Harman Kardon AVR-435 Receiver
Polk RTi6 (L/R) CSi3 (Center) RM3000 (SL/SR)
SVS 25-31 PCi (Sub)
Polk RTi6 (L/R) CSi3 (Center) RM3000 (SL/SR)
SVS 25-31 PCi (Sub)