Best Polk speakers ever?

Texas42
Texas42 Posts: 404
edited November 2007 in Speakers
Just curious on what the prevailing opinion is (although I'm sure there would be a bunch of different opinions). SRT? SRS? other?
Post edited by Texas42 on
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited October 2007
    My favs?

    The SRS 2 for the SDA series.

    The RT7 for a shelf speaker.

    The RTA8 for a small floorstander.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    RuSsMaN wrote: »
    My favs?

    The SRS 2 for the SDA series.

    The RT7 for a shelf speaker.

    The RTA8 for a small floorstander.

    Cheers,
    Russ

    Cool...I own that top one. Not that you necessarily put them in order. :D

    Actually, I'm sitting here listening to some Amy Grant on them and they just sound spectacular as always.
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited October 2007
    Everyone likes Amy Grant, but it takes a real man to talk about it openly.
    Jake
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,645
    edited October 2007
    The Model 9's.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited October 2007
    zingo wrote: »
    Everyone likes Amy Grant, but it takes a real man to talk about it openly.

    One of my favorite albums is Amy Grant's "Behind The Eyes". I think I mentioned a couple of her albums in the "What are you listening to" thread. Whats to hide? Interesting voice...good singer. I like some of her CC stuff... some I don't. Some of her stuff is too "Pop" oriented but some I like a lot.

    It's hard to pick a BEST Polk speaker because that's very subjective (which seems to have gotten a bad rap lately). Russ' choices are excellent, but as with anything are open for debate. The best for me are:

    Large floorstander: SDA 1C - a great all-round speaker that does everything well.

    Bookshelf: RT55i - One of Polk's speakers that has a great reputation that is warranted.

    Small floorstander: RT400 - Every time I listen to these I am amazed just how "listenable" they are. Specs. say not that good...but my ears tell me otherwise. I think Tour was somewhat impressed (not that it matters - just another opinion).

    The fact that I own each of the speakers listed above has absolutely NO bearing on my selection. ;)
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • bdaley6509
    bdaley6509 Posts: 1,167
    edited October 2007
    SDA 2.3TL with the LSI 15's coming in 2nd (unbiased, of course).
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,894
    edited October 2007
    Original Model 7/Monitor 7A IMNSHO represent the best-ever packages of Polk sound/philosophy. I'm sure the Polk Folk themselves wouldn't agree, though...
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited October 2007
    The LSi9's my favorite for sound quality. The most important in the Polk's history are the 10B's.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited October 2007
    SRS 2.3tl's - lg floorstander
    RT7's - shelf
    7a's - small floorstander

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited October 2007
    I am pretty sure Amy is kinky.

    I can't pick a fav speaker, I love them all the same like they are my little children.

    But I sure wish I still had those 55i's.

    RT1
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited October 2007
    I must say that my 12 year old Polk Rt12's are great speakers, I still use them as my rear channels to this day.
    Testing
    Testing
    Testing
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited October 2007
    Lasareath wrote: »
    To me if Polk made a tower with (12) 6.5" drivers and 8 tweeters that they would most likely sound the best than every other Polk.
    Sal


    You are in luck Lasareath, Polk came out with a similar speaker. They are the little talked about 1.2XLs and from what I hear, they can really fill a room... literally.



    SDA SRS1.2XL

    Foundation-standing home stereo loudspeakers.
    Listen carefully...everything you hear is true, until your ears bleed.

    Driver Complement
    Subwoofer 4 - 15" Diameter (38.10cm)
    sub bass radiator
    Midrange 96 - 6-1/2" Diameter (16.51cm)
    drivers
    Tweeter 48 - 1" Diameter (2.54cm)
    SL3000 trilaminate dome tweeters

    Electrical
    Overall Frequency Response 6-26kHz
    Lower -3dB Limit 27Hz
    Upper -3dB Limit 26kHz
    Nominal Impedance 2 ohms
    Recommended Amplifier Power 500-"Good Luck" w/channel
    Efficiency 85 dB

    Dimensions
    Cabinet Size 170-1/2" H x 60-3/4" W x 18-1/8" D

    Shipping/Other
    Total Shipping Weight "Good Try" lbs.
    Jake
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  • daesdaemar
    daesdaemar Posts: 34
    edited October 2007
    My best speakers ever are my 1986 SDA SRS.
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  • BrettT1
    BrettT1 Posts: 560
    edited October 2007
    Lasareath wrote: »
    I think that the more drivers you have the better the sound stage and the more detail you will get out of the speakers.
    Sal

    I agree with ya. :D
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited October 2007
    My favorite is the Monitor 10's.
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited November 2007
    I would say, the later version of the compact SDA, with RDO upgrades. The only thing that could make those better is drivers that were shielded.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,194
    edited November 2007
    I think overall the entire SDA line, in particular the last 2 generations. There really never was another speaker line like them before or after. If you are a Polk Audio fan you owe it to yourself to have these pass through your system at some point during your audio journey.

    They are made even better with a little x-over tweaking and the addition of the newer, nicer RD0 tweeters.

    LSi's are a very close 2nd as they offer excellent value and sound just superb.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited November 2007
    I consider my Rti6 the best speaker I have ever heard. Not because it is the best sounding speaker I have ever heard but because at the time I first heard it . . . it played the most beautiful music I ever heard. Since then I've moved on to AZ Adagios, but there's nothing like the first time you hear that sound that captures a little of the high end. It's like a loss of innocence that you can never get back. Once you get used to high-end sound, you can never have your innocence back. I've been hooked on audio ever since.
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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited November 2007
    The RTi6 is a relatively new speaker. This is interesting how you arrived at this, because I have been "corrupted" for much longer, hehe, but I can only imagine what it would be like, to go through life not paying attention to music or audio, just "hearing" it, not really taking it in... then coming upon a moment where everything fell into clarity, and suddenly music was more than just sound, but a passion, whereby delivered art and science tuned to one purpose. That moment is magic, and it almost doesn't matter what speaker or system it happens with, but it also matters entirely. It is like a drug... you are always seeking that first experience. If you came to this world deaf and blind, and yet had your mind opened by the RTi6, then for that reason alone, it is a worthy speaker, but it wasn't "just" a speaker... it was, as you said, a taste of true high end, and gave to you a gift that you will undoubtedly will cherish for the rest of your life. It will be a passionate relationship, I am sure.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited November 2007
    My favorite is the Monitor 10 since it was the first loudspeaker I ever owned. The most overhyped loudspeaker is the SDA 1.2TL.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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