Polk Audio vs Paradigm vs Definitive Technology

josh_parsons626

I got my two sons recently a HTiB system and I'm thinking I wanna totally re-do my system, so I'm gonna give my boys my 2 monitor 40s,cs1,and paradigm cinema adp's.

I've looked at all kinds of speakers and done a lot of research on this one. I've looked Polk LSi, Paradigm Reference, Klipsch RF, Axiom Audio M80, Onix Rocket, Definitive Technology BP10B, Revel Ultima2 and PSB Platinum. The Revel I've heard very good things about but I couldn't really find something in the lines of 7.1 HT I liked very well. Sorry.

The choices I AM leaning toward though are Polk LSi, Paradigm Signature, or Def Tech. Now, I currently have Polk Monitor and Paradigm surrounds so I can kinda get a feel for the both of them. But the Def Tech I know nothing about. Now if anybody has anything to offer on the above, could somebody steer me in the right direction from the 3 mentioned?

powerlord

All three brands have obvious advantages after you pass a certain price range,and I'm not saying what I'm about to say because I'm on a Polk site,but I listened to quite a few speakers before landing my Eosone HT system,and have listened to a few Polk LSi systems and really liked the tone,but then again I like the DT's also.I guess i've never really heard expensive Paradigms because they have never impressed me that much.It's all in your ears though,everyone has opinions.You might like something nobody likes.

josh_parsons626

I'd really like to stick with Polk and then maybe move up to the next line of product which is the RTi series. Maybe the 8's first. How does everybody like them?
The reason I'm starting all over is cause I hate the Monitor lineup. Everytime I turn it on I wanna throw it away LOL I'm seriously gonna give it to my kids and get a new lineup. I think I might wait on the big price of the LSi and get the RTi for now. I should've got that series to begin with but at the time I didn't know anything about HT and/or Hi-Fi stero systems.

phipiper10

I have the older RTi with fx/cs surrounds/center and they do a great job for home theater. That's the general consensus around here, that the RT series does a very good job in home theater. If it will be strictly home theater you might just stick with the RT and not upgrade to the LSi.

If you plan to do a bunch of 2 channel listening then the extra dough for the LSi might be worth it for you.

Of course you'll want a quality sub too.

tommyboy

josh_parsons626 wrote:

I think I might wait on the big price of the LSi and get the RTi for now. I should've got that series to begin with but at the time I didn't know anything about HT and/or Hi-Fi stero systems.

Stop. Do you want the LSI's or not.... if you do, then save up some money and get them and don't waste your time(and more importantly, money) with the Rti's.

cfrizz

200% agree!!!:D It doesn't make any sense to settle for less than what you want especially if it's going to cost you twice as much money doing it twice!:eek:

tommyboy wrote:

Stop. Do you want the LSI's or not.... if you do, then save up some money and get them and don't waste your time(and more importantly, money) with the Rti's.

dane_peterson

Agreed. I did that, and lost hundreds of dollars jumping around. Finally at LSis, and I'm satisfied (but still don't have everything together)

Sami

josh_parsons626 wrote:

I think I might wait on the big price of the LSi and get the RTi for now. I should've got that series to begin with but at the time I didn't know anything about HT and/or Hi-Fi stero systems.

I think that says it right there. You'll be saying the same thing once you get the RTi's and wish you got the LSi's instead. Get the LSi's even if it means waiting out a little longer.

Holydoc

Josh,

Let me start out by saying I love my RTi setup. On Monday since I was off, I made my second trip to listen to the Paradigms and B&W's. Even took 5 of my own CDs this time. What I found out is that I really like my RTi's even better now. They are a perfect compromise between HT and music. I just like their sound.

With that being said, I totally agree with Tommyboy. If you like the LSi's and have your heart set on them, then nothing is going to satisfy you until you get them. If you are anything like me, then you will not be able to rest until you get what you want. Buying pieces of a system to just get by until you can afford better will just be an exercise in futility and money. Save up and buy what you want. Until then you can go into the kids room to listen to music.

josh_parsons626

Holydoc wrote:

Josh,

Let me start out by saying I love my RTi setup. On Monday since I was off, I made my second trip to listen to the Paradigms and B&W's. Even took 5 of my own CDs this time. What I found out is that I really like my RTi's even better now. They are a perfect compromise between HT and music. I just like their sound.

With that being said, I totally agree with Tommyboy. If you like the LSi's and have your heart set on them, then nothing is going to satisfy you until you get them. If you are anything like me, then you will not be able to rest until you get what you want. Buying pieces of a system to just get by until you can afford better will just be an exercise in futility and money. Save up and buy what you want. Until then you can go into the kids room to listen to music.

LOL Hey I could do that! Nah, their system is theirs, I wouldn't do that to them. I'm a Polk fanatic from the first time I heard them which was the Monitor series. Now I'm just getting upgraditis. I wanna move up to the RTi, because I know it sounds crazy, AND expensive, I wanna "taste" all of the different flavors that Polk offers. LOL. I'm thinking about going with the 8's. I'll have just 2-channel HT and stereo for a while but I'm fine with that. I think I'm gonna post in the WTB for a pair of good RTi8. What would be a cheap price that somebody would be willing to sell theirs for?

McLoki

I agree with most here. Start building the system you want to end up with, not the one you can settle for.

I would get a nice multi channel amp first so that is out of the way and you can get any speaker you like. (providing you are getting the LSi's of course)

once that is done - be on the lookout for a good deal on a pair of front speakers (or front and center if you can swallow them at the same time). Decide from there if it is worth upgrading your rear speakers or not.

You could also just get the amp and speakers together. (nice 2 channel with the fronts and a monoblock with the center) But from my own experience I will tend to skimp if I do it that way. I will end up with a much better system if my focus is in stages (amp, then fronts, then center, then surrounds) rather than amp and speakers together - I tend to shortchange one or the other when purchasing 2 things at once.

Anyway - that is my recommendation, whatever you end up with - purchase it planning to enjoy it for the forseeable future. You already have the starter system to get you by, now its time to get the system you want if it takes you a few years to get there, dont worry about it.

Michael

tommyboy

josh_parsons626 wrote:

I wanna move up to the RTi, because I know it sounds crazy, AND expensive, I wanna "taste" all of the different flavors that Polk offers. LOL.

Can't you "taste all the flavors that polk offers" at a store?

I'm not trying to be mean, but IMHO what you want to do is just stupid. You need to stop right now and think what your doing. You said in an earlier post how you regretted getting the monitor series, how are you going to feel later on after buying the 8s?

You like the polk sound, but hate the m40s when you listen to music. So wouldn't you want to get the polk speakers that sound best with music? The rti series are great speaks, but you hear from a lot of listeners here that, though they are great for HT use, they are not the best for music.

Its your money not mine, but I(and others) feel you are making a big mistake. All I ask is to think of what you really want.

tommyboy

josh_parsons626

So instead of getting rid of everything, (or maybe I should go ahead and do it like that and buy the amp) is find the LSi, which is what I really want anyways, and find a cheap pair of 15's on the 'Gon or the 'Bay?

What do you think about this? Sell all my speakers right now, cause I really dont like any of them, and with that get me a cheap pre and amp?

cfrizz

Then you won't have any speakers to listen with!:rolleyes:

josh_parsons626 wrote:

What do you think about this? Sell all my speakers right now, cause I really dont like any of them, and with that get me a cheap pre and amp?

josh_parsons626

LOL! Yeah I realize what I said now

Early B.

Sounds like you have money constraints. What's your budget?

josh_parsons626

Well after I would sell my speakers (keep in mind I have 2 other tower speakers that I dont use that came with an old Pioneer stereo system way back in the 80's that I replaced the blown subwoofers with Kicker 4-ohm car subwoofers.) I can take the money from the speakers throw in some from my pocket and get my 2-channel setup ready for HT in the future.

It would either be the RTi8 for HT/stereo or Monitor 70. But I feel and y'all probably a feel that I would be better off with the RTi vs Monitor, correct?

cfrizz

No we think you should cool your jets, save more money & get the LSI's that you really want rather than wasting money on a temporary system.

How does your wife feel about this brilliant plan of yours?:p

josh_parsons626 wrote:

Well after I would sell my speakers (keep in mind I have 2 other tower speakers that I dont use that came with an old Pioneer stereo system way back in the 80's that I replaced the blown subwoofers with Kicker 4-ohm car subwoofers.) I can take the money from the speakers throw in some from my pocket and get my 2-channel setup ready for HT in the future.

It would either be the RTi8 for HT/stereo or Monitor 70. But I feel and y'all probably a feel that I would be better off with the RTi vs Monitor, correct?

tommyboy

Think of it this way,

You want the Lsis but can't afford them right now. So you put that money instead towards the Rti's But since that money is not going towards the Lsi's, that means you will have to wait much longer to get the system you wanted in the first place. Keep those m40s for now until you save up enough money for a worthy upgrade.

If you are going to have enough money later to buy the Lsi's(and proper amplification, cables, etc), you might as well wait to later then to buy anything...

I hope I(and Cfrizz) finally knocked this in your head;)

good luck
tommyboy

Holydoc

cfrizz wrote:

How does your wife feel about this brilliant plan of yours?:p

Too funny! Cathy you are great!

cfrizz

Thank you Tommy & HD! I'm bout ready to jump through my monitor & go upside his head with a rolling pin!:mad:

josh_parsons626

I know what I want in the end is the supreme Polk! But I'm really just wanting to upgrade for right now and I actually think I'll be happy with them for a while to come. I'm just starting in this life long thing and I dont know a whole hell of a lot. I've read a lot, but I haven't experienced nothing. Probably the best system I've ever heard was at a place called Sodaro's and they had a full Paradigm I think he called it the Monitor series? Anyways all it was hooked up to was a Sony 6.1 receiver. Dont know how many watts or anything, but WOW did it sound good! Now take in effect this was even before I bought my surrounds at all. All I had was my receiver, fronts and center and that's it. So I was like....that's why I think the moving up to the RTi will actually blow me away.

Holydoc

Cathy...hurry with that rolling pin.

dane_peterson

Honestly dude, do whatever you like best. I've done both Polk and DefTech, and were satisfied temporarily with both. Who knows if I'll even stick with the LSis any longer than I did my RTis, BP7006s, BP7004s, or hell, even my Sony satellites.
The biggest bug that's going to bite you is the one that is indigenous to ClubPolk. It's called the "LSite", and it's a nasty one. (And let's not even get started on the "SDAnt"s, they're a whole 'nother breed...)

josh_parsons626

Just found on the 'Gon, Athen C.5 center for 70 + shipping. How do Athena sound? I've heard that name before.

cfrizz

Nope I am now out of it! He is free to waste his money any way he wants. I do hope his wife goes upside his head instead! And if he comes back on here talking about how he now wants LSI's, I will put him on ignore!:rolleyes:

Holydoc wrote:

Cathy...hurry with that rolling pin.

tommyboy

josh_parsons626 wrote:

Just found on the 'Gon, Athen C.5 center for 70 + shipping. How do Athena sound? I've heard that name before.

Yeah, at best buy;) .

yes cathy, I am officially out of it too.:D Good luck josh parsons, hopefully your wife hits you with a rolling pin so Cathy won't have to...

josh_parsons626

OK guys I'm sorry I'll quit babbling on.

josh_parsons626

It's just I finally have a little bit of money to MAYBE just MAYBE move up to the RTi series and get rid of my Monitors which I'm not really liking anymore. And the upgrading bug bites down just a little bit harder with each new day

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Hawkeye

Sounds like you want the LSI's. So bite the bullet, save your money and buy what you want.

Everybody here gets upgradeitis. How you accomplish that is up to you. Half stepping is throwing money away. And probably everyone here is guilty of it at some point in their life. You're here to learn, as most of us are. Listen and learn from the people who have been down this road before and take advantage of the advice being given to you.

I have the Paradigm Signature S8's. When I heard them, I knew they were what I wanted. They replaced a pair of RT55's. I saved for over 18 months to be able to purchase what I wanted. Yes, the 55's were not the best, but I work too hard to throw my money away on an intermediate step up.

josh_parsons626

Hawkeye that's pretty good advice man. It just sucks to have to wait for what I want. But I guess if the LSi is what I really want then I should go for THAT right? But how should I buy? Fronts first? then center, then surrounds? Or where they are 4-ohm should I purchase electronics first? I wanna do it in stages no matter if I had the money or not. I wanna do it like that so that way I can witness the significant change in each upgrade or so at least I can notice the difference in the difference of the series.