RTA-8t worth $70?

homerjsimpson
homerjsimpson Posts: 9
edited November 2008 in Vintage Speakers
Found a set in nice shape for $70 in a pawn shop.

What is the story on these? I noticed they were ported instead of having a PR.

I am also trying to get a set of 11's also...
Post edited by homerjsimpson on
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  • warlocks1
    warlocks1 Posts: 1,252
    edited November 2008
    I don't believe you can find a better set of speakers for the price. I owned these and the 11t's. I peferred the 8t's. Go for it.
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited November 2008
    I have found far more heralded speakers than the 8T, for a lot less money than $70, but if Jeff says it's a good deal .......

    What is the story on those? I had four pair of 11T and TL but never heard the 8T.
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  • stubby
    stubby Posts: 723
    edited November 2008
    For that price, grab 'em. There's a pawn shop in my neck of the woods with a pair for 140 clams and they are NOT nice. Not very negotiable on them either. They must have owed somebody a favor.

    I have never listened to any of the "tower" RTA's. But have always wanted to hear the 15TL's. George used to say his 11's were shy on bass. Maybe the extra drivers of the big boys would help out.

    stubby
    SRS 3.1TL
    Harman Kardon Citation 5.1
    Anthem AVM2



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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited November 2008
    I think Polk lit claimed something like 26Hz as the bottom end for those Stubby, but I never heard that. I used four in a surround rig, twice, in two different rooms, and never got what I thought was 26Hz. The AR-9 claims -3db@28Hz and only two in the same room outperform the 11's.

    Don't get me wrong, I think RTA 11T's and TL's are okay.
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,391
    edited November 2008
    Before I bought my RTA11TLs in '91, I listened to the 8TLs. They were ok but I could hear too much of the box. This may be remedied with some cabinet tweeks. Still $70 isn't too bad.
    Stan
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited November 2008
    I've had my 8T's for 18 years. They stay until they die!

    That's a great price, get them & enjoy.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • warlocks1
    warlocks1 Posts: 1,252
    edited November 2008
    The 11tl's sounded much better tha the 11T's. I loved the 15 tl's. For some reason the 8t's base and midrange seemed much tighter. I haven't owned either for years, so I am trying to go by memory. Maybe the shop wil let you take them home and try them.

    I am sure George has found way better speakers for $70.00. He has the uncanny ability to find amazing items at give away prices. He has been touched by the speaker gods. Hoping it would rub off, I tried to touch him at the Polkfest, but a mysterious force get me at bay.
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited November 2008
    I kept Steve's 8Ts here for a couple of months. For a fairly short and narrow tower, they put out surprising bass as fronts and timbre matched SDAs for surrounds. Not very pretty, but sure sounded great.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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