Which would you keep - RTi6 or RTi A1?

RutgersFTW

I have to let one pair go, but I can't decide which since I love them both and they sound very similar. The RTi6 may sound a touch more muscular in the midbass but the A1 is more open/airy in the treble in throws a wider, more precise soundstage. The differences are very minor, though, and I could be imagining them. The RTi A1s almost match the cherry CSi3 I just bought from devani while the RTi6 match the black PSW10 (which I'm surprisingly impressed with for what I paid, fyi).

I've currently got the RTi6 stuffed in a bookcase behind the couch as surrounds, but they're total overkill/too deep for the location. I feel like one of these sets should go live with someone else as I could just stuff some R15s or 6750 sats in the same spot and be 98% as happy with them.

So, which would you keep if you couldn't trust your ears to decide the winner: black RTi6 8.5/10 or cherry RTi A1 10/10?

RutgersFTW

Or option #4: give the RTi6 to my dad for Father's Day. He told me he was going to add a set of Bose 301s to his Acoustimass 28 system to "add more muscle." The RTi6 completely eat the Bose's lunch and would hopefully convince him to toss all of his Bose onto eBay and cross over to greener pastures, Polk or otherwise.

It's a crime; he's got a Pioneer Elite receiver, Pioneer Elite SACD player, and is purchasing a Blu-Ray player soon to feed his 65" 1080P Mitsubishi DLP set... all going through Acoustimass. It makes me shake my head.

MADGSF

I vote for option 4. He is your dad, you must save him from his audio purgatory!

Frank840

save your father

zingo

I also like the Dad idea since it is so timely.

RutgersFTW

Keiko wrote: »

Didn't I read in another thread Rutger you wish you'd have gotten an LSi system?

Another idea is to give Dad your entire RTi system, take his Bose, sell it. Then use the $ to get your LSi's. Just a thought.

Wow.


Wow.


Speechless. It's brilliant, but I think I'll take it one step at a time.


What I said in the other thread was that had I known that I could get a pair of LSi7s for ~ $400 from Polk Direct's eBay store I would've gone that route for an amazing 2ch system rather than a really great home theater.

All the same, my wife and I watched the Cleveland Philharmonic play Haydn in an enormous Austrian cathedral last night... 5.1 mix... it was heavenly, better than I could've dreamed possible for a sub-$1,000 HT set-up (well, maybe a touch over $1,000). The strings cut through, the brass shone, and the cellos, tympani, and organ blasted into my chest with poise and authority. My system kicks serious **** and I feel no shame in using the gear I have for many years. The LSi line is an improvement, but RTis are so agreeably fun and funky with even budget amplification that my eventual upgrade can wait.

But when it happens... oh sweet Jesus, it's on. I'll get like 4 SVS subs, LSi9s all around (9 of them), acoustic treatments, monoblocks to drive them... I'll never leave the room.

devani

there's pair LSi7's for sale in audiogon for $319 plus ship if you want to go 2-channel....BTW you should have CSi3 anytime...

RutgersFTW

devani wrote: »

there's pair LSi7's for sale in audiogon for $319 plus ship if you want to go 2-channel....BTW you should have CSi3 anytime...

Thanks, I got the tracking number last night. It's been "out for delivery" since 5:00 AM, so it should be here any minute hopefully.

As for the LSi7s for $319 - that's awesome! However, having just plunked down for a CSi3 to match the RTi A1s and 6s, I don't want to be back to square one system building. They would be a very bad match, right?

66chevyIISS

Option #5: I say keep the RTi A1 and sell me the RTi6's at a great price for my first fathers day present lol

nm4710

I've listened to the A1 and I own the RTi6. Actually the A1 was the only new RTi member which I thought was worse than its predecessor. Somehow I thought the imaging was worse than the RTi4 and the midrange sounded a little garbled to me. I've read other people had similar opinions of the A1 as well. In fact when i went looking for my last pair of speakers I went out of my way to look at RTi4's and FXi3's b/c I didn't like the A1s. Always possible I'm wrong though.

Honestly the RTi6's sound great and are just dead sexy. I have a pair that I use as surrounds and they are fantastic - my favorite RTi speaker (I own the RTi10 & 6, CSi 3 & 5, and FXi3 - if I could do it again I'd do RTI6's all around). The RTi6's can be wall mounted (they're rather large for that though). As for not matching, well they're you're surround channels...nobody's going to be staring at them anyway.

But...if you believe the A1's sound better...unload the RTi6's.

RutgersFTW

nm4710 wrote: »

I've listened to the A1 and I own the RTi6. Actually the A1 was the only new RTi member which I thought was worse than its predecessor. Somehow I thought the imaging was worse than the RTi4 and the midrange sounded a little garbled to me. I've read other people had similar opinions of the A1 as well. In fact when i went looking for my last pair of speakers I went out of my way to look at RTi4's and FXi3's b/c I didn't like the A1s. Always possible I'm wrong though.

Honestly the RTi6's sound great and are just dead sexy. I have a pair that I use as surrounds and they are fantastic - my favorite RTi speaker (I own the RTi10 & 6, CSi 3 & 5, and FXi3 - if I could do it again I'd do RTI6's all around). The RTi6's can be wall mounted (they're rather large for that though). As for not matching, well they're you're surround channels...nobody's going to be staring at them anyway.

But...if you believe the A1's sound better...unload the RTi6's.

I couldn't disagree more about the A1s. They're my favorite part of my setup. Awesome boxless sound (moreso than the 6) and smoother/more musical up top. The midrange is pure velvet. I can't wait to read Reina's write-up in Stereophile - if he loved RTi4s his brain will melt when he hears the A1s and considers their price.