Oops, got excited on eBay and bought Rti6 AND RTi8

RutgersFTW

Hi, n00b here, long time reader, first time yadda yadda...

I was looking for a largish bookshelf or smallish floorstander for my apartment, read all the great press on the RTi series and thought I'd pull the trigger. I made conservative bids on like new pairs of RTi6 and RTi8 speakers and assumed I wouldn't win either since I wouldn't be babysitting and frantically F5'ing ad nauseum. Oops, my "lucky" day.

So now, my problems (beyond explaining to my lovely wife why there are two more pairs of speakers joining our family) -

I've got a Panny XR57 and was planning on using it bi-amped in a 2.0 set-up, but now I'm thinking I could try out a 4.0 or 4.1 set-up (I have a nice Jamo center somewhere, I know it, so I won't be springing for a CSi3 yet to go 5.1). My sub is an older Acoustic Research 8-inch powered model; I had to replace the woofer with one from Parts-Express last week and I'm not sold on keeping it in the set-up. It claims to get down to 28hz and definitely adds some punch to movies, but I prefer all my bass to come from my mains. So, the questions -

- Will the RTi8s satisfy a moderately rocking 20-something's need to fill his apartment with muscular tunes without the sub? The RTi6, for that matter? I know I should just wait until the RTi6s get here tomorrow or I pick up the 8s later in the week, but I want opinions now.

- Will the RTi8 be able to keep up with movie soundtracks if handling all bass and center channel information, too? I'm only a moderately critical listener, my room isn't perfect (12X16, wood floors), my equipment is all fairly lo-fi, and I don't expect that gut-punching bass feel you get from a big sub. I just want to hear/feel kick drums and explosions enough, if that makes sense. If anyone seems to think it can and my first impression is the same, I want to return the replacement woofer to Parts Express and get my $50 back! (since I just spent almost $400 on speakers I *arguably* don't need)

- Without delving into cable voodoo too deeply, will my budget 12 gauge Phoenix Gold wire be up to the challenge with these? I want to feed them quality juice, that's all.

- I know it's all preference, but even with that in mind the number of different opinions here and elsewhere on these speakers is staggering. Is the RTi8 "brighter" than the 6, or more neutral, as I've seen both here? Will these speakers rock my socks?

Thanks for any info/impressions on these. I'm eager to plug them in and check this out. Since Polk reliably updates these every few years I might get some A9s in 2013 or so, but for now I'm psyched (I hope)!

Ron Temple

Congrats on the speaks, but you're gonna need a sub. The 8s are very clean and offer tight bass, but it's certainly not going to give you LFE. When you get your wife settled down, start shopping for a nice sub. You'll have a very nice system.

RutgersFTW

Thanks for the reply. If I hook up a sub, should I cross it over ~ 50 and feed the RTi8s full range, or should I cut off the RTis at say 60hz and set the sub accordingly?

dorokusai

Did you get them from Polk Direct on eBay? Just wondering.

Ron Temple

RutgersFTW wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. If I hook up a sub, should I cross it over ~ 50 and feed the RTi8s full range, or should I cut off the RTis at say 60hz and set the sub accordingly?

I preferred the 8s cut at 60, but some run them large. The 6s should be cut no lower than 60hz. Every room is different so experiment and use what sounds right to you.

Welcome to the Club BTW .

RutgersFTW

dorokusai wrote: »

Did you get them from Polk Direct on eBay? Just wondering.

No, they were from other sellers with enough feedback for me to mostly trust. The RTi6 were "opened and tested" but "placed back in their boxes" immediately. I'm not too worried if they were played more than that, as the pics look immaculate. The RTi8 are new in box AND local pickup only 10 miles away - lucky coincidences are great!

RutgersFTW

Ron Temple wrote: »

I preferred the 8s cut at 60, but some run them large. The 6s should be cut no lower than 60hz. Every room is different so experiment and use what sounds right to you.

Thanks again for the helpful tips.

Ron Temple wrote:

Welcome to the Club BTW .

And thanks for the welcome! This forum seems much more genial than my normal haunts. I've seen some heated talk about amplification in an LSi thread but otherwise it all seems like good fun.

Monster Jam

I really like the RTi line. Youre gonna love them. And welcome to the forum.

Remember, 200 WPC minimum is the password when challenged.

McLoki

Nice setup, second the get a sub recommendation for movies.

I would not plan to crossover lower than 60 for movies (you could run music without the sub if you wanted). I have a LSi setup and crossover everything at 80hz.

In many avr's and pre/pro's the crossover you set for your mains also gets implemented for the LFE channel. Due to that, it often works out to sound better crossing over at 80 but that is really speaker, sub and room dependant. Try all the crossover settings you have and see what works best for you. (I would not go over 100 unless you have a real need to though)

Welcome to club polk.

Michael

RutgersFTW

Monster Jam wrote: »

I really like the RTi line. Youre gonna love them. And welcome to the forum.

Remember, 200 WPC minimum is the password when challenged.

Sweet. THAT'S what I want to hear - rousing approval of my unnecessary speaker purchases.

I'll try to remember that password, thanks for entrusting it with me.

RutgersFTW

McLoki wrote: »

Nice setup, second the get a sub recommendation for movies.

I would not plan to crossover lower than 60 for movies (you could run music without the sub if you wanted). I have a LSi setup and crossover everything at 80hz.

Thanks for the tip. I'd estimate my usage at 75/25 music/movies so I'm going to put off the sub purchase as long as I can stand it. I should purge the Netflix cue of anything that may contain natural disasters, car chases, submarines, or renegade cops with a penchant for triggering explosions so I don't notice the lack of thump. It's all romantic comedies and period dramas for me.

McLoki wrote: »

In many avr's and pre/pro's the crossover you set for your mains also gets implemented for the LFE channel. Due to that, it often works out to sound better crossing over at 80 but that is really speaker, sub and room dependant. Try all the crossover settings you have and see what works best for you. (I would not go over 100 unless you have a real need to though)

Welcome to club polk.

Michael

I wouldn't dream of crossing these beautiful floorstanders over at anything over 80hz. Do people really use 100hz with RTi8s?

Thanks for the welcome, too. All this polite discourse, on the INTERNET no less, is really disorienting. I'm much more used to seeing "You won't make it," "FAIL," and " no moar n00bs" etc... in reply to first posts, not actual helpful comments.

McLoki

RutgersFTW wrote: »

I wouldn't dream of crossing these beautiful floorstanders over at anything over 80hz. Do people really use 100hz with RTi8s?.

When you set up your system, you often set your subs up (granted from a few possible locations) based on where they produce the best bass. You set up your mains based on distance from the listener, distance between the speakers, the screen you don't want to cover up and best overall full range sound.

I have thought about trying to cross over my 15's at 100 just because I have a horrid room for bass and equalize my subwoofers but not the mains in my system. I have not done it yet, but do plan to at least try it.

If I had a better room, I would cross over at 60 with my system as it stands now. When you are dealing with bass - your room changes the sound more than almost anything else - sometimes a higher crossover can really help with the bass in your room just because it is easier to control coming from one or two subs rather than your main speakers.

Michael

RutgersFTW

McLoki wrote: »

When you set up your system, you often set your subs up (granted from a few possible locations) based on where they produce the best bass. You set up your mains based on distance from the listener, distance between the speakers, the screen you don't want to cover up and best overall full range sound.

I have thought about trying to cross over my 15's at 100 just because I have a horrid room for bass and equalize my subwoofers but not the mains in my system. I have not done it yet, but do plan to at least try it.

If I had a better room, I would cross over at 60 with my system as it stands now. When you are dealing with bass - your room changes the sound more than almost anything else - sometimes a higher crossover can really help with the bass in your room just because it is easier to control coming from one or two subs rather than your main speakers.

Michael

That makes sense. My last apartment had one 20 X 30 great room with an open kitchen and 10 foot ceilings - nothing but hard surfaces and reflections. It definitely sucked the low frequencies out of everything. If we were watching a movie and I left the room I heard more bass than I did in the listening area, no matter where I placed the sub.

I guess I made a n00b mistake and equated the larger, laid-back presentation of larger speakers with low-freq. ease.

RutgersFTW

So I got my RTi6s today, and I have to say I'm a little... IMPRESSED! WOW! I hoped these would add a little more heft to my setup but feared I'd lose some detail/clarity in the midrange, and I was worried about reports of "harshness" up top (esp. with a digital Panny amp not exactly regarded for warmth). These are simply great speakers and great fun to listen to. I threw Led Zeppelin III and The Last Waltz at them and I'm hearing things I'd forgotten were there... drums sound HUGE! I love love love these and can't wait to check out the RTi8s in a few days!

McLoki

I have not heard the 8's but I have the 6's in the bedroom for TV, DVD, CD and Radio 2 channel (without sub) and they do sound really good. I was rather shocked at how good actually.....

Michael

RutgersFTW

I got the RTi8s last week and have been using them as my fronts. They sound fantastic, but I think they're too much for the room. I enjoy listening to the RTi6 more - in my room, they sound lively and spunky while the RTi8 just sound loud and a bit bright. Not grainy, harsh, or any negative tweeter characteristics, but a little forward... I think I may need to let the RTi8s go. Would anyone here want them? I'm no good at rating speakers, but I'd say they're at least 8/10. There's a small nick on the top right rear corner of one where the MDF is exposed, otherwise I'd say they're flawless. If anyone's interested I could list them in the flea market for local pick-up I guess.

devani

are they cherry finish?? im local too.

RutgersFTW

Sorry, black. I'll let them go for $225 if you're interested.







Sorry about the lousy photography.

RutgersFTW

I need some good, inexpensive-ish stands for my RTi6 - any recommendations? There's a set of metal ones at Parts Express that look functionally decent but low on WAF for ~ $60 shipped.

daboyz

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=240-740

These are what I've got. It'll be hard to find a better deal for the price.

RutgersFTW

I've been listening to the RTi6 for the last two days, and I just hooked up the RTi8s to A/B and figure out why I like the RTi6 so much more. I had been running them bi-wired/tri-amped off my Panasonic SA-XR57B receiver, all settings flat, but now the jumpers are back on to A/B. Acoustic Research ASP112SB sub, but I set both sets of speakers to large and turned off the sub to test them out.

The RTi8 is extremely fatiguing in my setup. I think there's good bass and mid-bass there, but the treble is overwhelming it. I tried setting delays, adjusting frequency... then it all sounded digital and out-of-phase before it got perfect. I get a headache and a high-frequency ring in my ears after about an hour. They seem to sound "loud" at any volume, if that makes sense, and very big, but I'm surprised by how little I like these speakers.

The RTi6, on the other hand, is relatively laid back with a huge soundstage, open highs, and I've yet to get fatigued. Inexplicably, despite a smaller cabinet and a single midrange, the bass sounds much more powerful and dynamic... I LOVE these speakers. Like, these are the best bookshelves I've ever heard, or short of that, my all-time favorites. When I consider what I paid for them (and what I see them going for in the FM here) I smile ear to ear.

Can anyone explain this phenomenom to me? Any similar experiences? I've tried toeing the 8s out, moving them out, moving them in, in corners, out of corners, closer, farther, and no matter what I do they're unbearably bright to my ears- is it my receiver? I know a lot of people love these speakers, but I can't listen to them. But why do I like the 6s so much, they use the same tweeters, so why aren't they bright too? I'm confused but very satisfied with one half of my purchase.

RutgersFTW

I'm seriously dismayed by how little I like the RTi8s, and I'm thinking my amp may be responsible. I can trade it for an Onkyo 605 - would this be an improvement, maybe "warm" things up a bit?

How about Harman/Kardon AVR 247?
Pioneer Elite TS-90?

devani

Official SA-XR57 thread about your receiver...to sum it up, this receiver is on the bright side and with RTi8 being bright as well, RTi8 may not be good match in your case...
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7969241&highlight=polk#post7969241
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=680833&page=4

RutgersFTW

Thanks for the links. It confirms what I've observed. Could it be that the Panasonic receiver is not powerful enough to push the low frequencies through the two mids? I love the way these look and if they can match the detailed yet composed sound of the RTi6 with more juice I'd rather hang onto them and lose the receiver - its HDMI implementation is less than stellar, anyway.

Ron Temple

RutgersFTW wrote: »

I'm seriously dismayed by how little I like the RTi8s, and I'm thinking my amp may be responsible. I can trade it for an Onkyo 605 - would this be an improvement, maybe "warm" things up a bit?

How about Harman/Kardon AVR 247?
Pioneer Elite TS-90?

Of those choices, the HK will sound the best paired with the 8s.

RutgersFTW

FWIW I tried my RTi8s on an Onkyo TX-8522 2-channel receiver and thought they sounded much better. They opened up and the highs and lows seemed much more balanced / arrived at my ears at the same time... should the receiver make a difference with this? No fatigue, no headache. I got a good deal on a TX-SR605 closeout and am hoping to achieve similar positive results. I'll post (hopefully positive) impressions once I get everything hooked up Monday.

I'm sure the HK is nice, maybe even nicer, and thanks for the input to that effect. My father-in-law has an HK receiver (either a 146 or a 247) bought from BB last year with a crappy Hitachi Plasma; he still hasn't hooked it up to his 25 year old Wharfedales in need of refoaming, so if I'm unsatisfied with my Oink maybe I'll initiate a trade.

iskandam

I would highly recommend a Harman Kardon with the RTis. I used to run them with the Onkyo 605 and find the highs to be earbleedingly harsh. Switched to HK AVR 247 and found the combo of warm receiver with bright speakers to produce a more balanced and pleasing sound from top to bottom. Then I added the Emotiva MPS-1 amp and ended up right where I started. Upgraded to LSi's and all is well again in the end

Be very aware of the sound signature of each component that you're introducing into your set up as they may either work for you or against you

RutgersFTW

iskandam wrote: »

I would highly recommend a Harman Kardon with the RTis. I used to run them with the Onkyo 605 and find the highs to be earbleedingly harsh. Switched to HK AVR 247 and found the combo of warm receiver with bright speakers to produce a more balanced and pleasing sound from top to bottom. Then I added the Emotiva MPS-1 amp and ended up right where I started. Upgraded to LSi's and all is well again in the end

Be very aware of the sound signature of each component that you're introducing into your set up as they may either work for you or against you

Which RTi speakers are you using? Like I've said already, for some reason the 6s sound is (to me) much easier to love even through a bright receiver. I'd even say they trend toward "warm" rather than "bright" speakers IMHO.

RutgersFTW

Is the psw110 a good subwoofer for my set-up? How about for $110?

iskandam

RutgersFTW wrote: »

Which RTi speakers are you using? Like I've said already, for some reason the 6s sound is (to me) much easier to love even through a bright receiver. I'd even say they trend toward "warm" rather than "bright" speakers IMHO.

I had RTi8 fronts, CSi5 center, and FXi3 rears. The tweeter on the 8s can be too much at high volumes

RutgersFTW

So I hooked up the 605 and did the Audyssey setup with the RTi8s and a single RTi6 laid on its side for the center (and an old sub). I thought it was cool that it sounded like my speakers were firing aural photon torpedoes at me, but the end result of the EQing sounded pretty muffled.

As for 2-channel performance, the Onkyo has more grunt than the Panny for sure. It's still a touch bright, but a simple tweak on the 5-band EQ fixed that for me. In the end, I'm happier with this receiver and much happier with the speaks, but not because I swapped a budget AV receiver for a closeout midlevel receiver...

PLACEMENT! Why didn't I think of that sooner? I had the RTi8s almost a foot off the back wall and the left channel about 8 inches off the side wall... I thought this would help bass performance. It did produce MORE bass but nothing worth having, and the bloated midrange threw the highs at me. Well, with all the genius you'd expect a non-engineering Rutgets alumnus to possess, I pulled them about two feet off either wall. It was like a waterfall had been running in front of the speakers, then was suddenly shut off. HOLOGRAPHIC SOUNDSTAGE! BALANCE! OMG THESE ARE WONDERFUL!

In short, placement ftw. The RTi8 are absolutely fantastic speakers. I recant every cruel word I said and hope the powers that be at Polk took no umbrage. I love the RTi series rockin' personality. Polkie for life, out.