L+R for NYC Apt.

Baird

Hi maybe someone can help me with this decision. I am currently in the process of upgrading the speakers on an HTIB I purchased about 2 years ago. The receiver is an Onkyo HT-R540, which I'm really not in the market to upgrade now as I feel I can get a few more years out of it.

So, I recently upgraded my center channel to the CSi A4, which I really love and now I find myself with 2 options for L+R and I really want floor standers:

1. Going with the A5's and keeping my HTIB sub, I hear the highs and mids are better then the A 7, but I have to keep my sub

2. Going with the A7's and ditching my HTIB sub, because the bass would be sufficient on the A7's, but I hear the mids aren't as great as the A5's.

I live in small apt. in NYC so I don't need to blast out my neighbors with the sound, but I do want something I can keep for at least a few years.

So does anyone have thoughts on these 2 speakers? Which do you think is better for my apt. situation? Thanks in advance for any thoughts or observations and please I'm happy to answer any questions you have about my setup.

maximillian

Honestly the best person to answer this question is yourself. You should try to listen to them if possible to see which one you like. Perhaps since you don't want to go too large then perhaps the 8's are better.

I think even with the 10's you will still want a good sub for the very low end LFE. Your HTIB may not give you enough LFE's either, but it depends on exactly what you have. If your current sub is poor then the 10's may give you more. Realize that a lot of people like bigger subs with their 10's.

I am sure the gurus will chime in with better advice. This will hopefully get you started.

Baird

Are the 8's the 5's? and 10's the 7's in the RTi A line?

obieone

Welcome to the forum.
The RTi 8, 10, & 12's were the predecessor to the RTiA 5,7 & 9. Both runs are/were good speakers. I'm sure living in NYC, you'll be able to find a few palaces to listen to the RTiA line. Good luck, and happy hunting.

Baird

Thanks for the welcome. Right now I have only found one place J and R Music to hear the RTi A line and I'm going to try and go today. Does anyone know of any other places in the city to hear these Polks?

trinidesignz

welcome baird I would say the A5. I also live in an apartment in NYC. I went to J&R to test the speakers.

MKZ

I would suggest better sub and bookshelves.

Upstatemax

I would do the A5's and start saving for a better sub...

RutgersFTW

I'd do A1s on stands and a great, articulate sub.

Baird

Thanks for everyones help so far, Rutgers what do you mean by articulate sub?

Baird

Also Rutgers in your opinion why A1's instead of floor standers?

mjjjhjemj

RutgersFTW wrote: »

I'd do A1s on stands and a great, articulate sub.

Thought you might want to look at this link - review by Stereophile on the A1
It is the only review site that I trust as they backup their review with full audio testing and share the results.
http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/908polk/index.html

mjjjhjemj

Baird wrote: »

Thanks for everyones help so far, Rutgers what do you mean by articulate sub?

Just my two cents on articulate sub. You want a sub that isn't there just to rumble which you can get away with larger speakers that go down lower in hz. With bookshelves you want an articulate (can play distinct lower frequency notes well - can really play tones distinctly) as the sub is going to be depended on for music listening.

BrettT1

You might consider finding some RTi8s for a cheap price and save the extra cash for a new sub. I bet you'd be pleased.

Brett

mjjjhjemj

Baird wrote: »

Hi maybe someone can help me with this decision. I am currently in the process of upgrading the speakers on an HTIB I purchased about 2 years ago. The receiver is an Onkyo HT-R540, which I'm really not in the market to upgrade now as I feel I can get a few more years out of it.

So, I recently upgraded my center channel to the CSi A4, which I really love and now I find myself with 2 options for L+R and I really want floor standers:

1. Going with the A5's and keeping my HTIB sub, I hear the highs and mids are better then the A 7, but I have to keep my sub

2. Going with the A7's and ditching my HTIB sub, because the bass would be sufficient on the A7's, but I hear the mids aren't as great as the A5's.

I live in small apt. in NYC so I don't need to blast out my neighbors with the sound, but I do want something I can keep for at least a few years.

So does anyone have thoughts on these 2 speakers? Which do you think is better for my apt. situation? Thanks in advance for any thoughts or observations and please I'm happy to answer any questions you have about my setup.

Baird - before providing any real recommendation answer the following:
1) What is the size of the room, including ceiling height
2) How far from the speakers would you primarily do your listening or watching movies?
3) Do you or your significant other have preference toward the look of towers or bookshelfs on stands?
4) Do you already own speakers stands that would handle the bookshelf models you are looking at?
4) How load are you able to turn up the sound now without disturbing your neighbors? Any sub maybe too much or the neighbors around you.

Baird

mjjjhjemj wrote: »

Baird - before providing any real recommendation answer the following:
1) What is the size of the room, including ceiling height
2) How far from the speakers would you primarily do your listening or watching movies?
3) Do you or your significant other have preference toward the look of towers or bookshelfs on stands?
4) Do you already own speakers stands that would handle the bookshelf models you are looking at?
4) How load are you able to turn up the sound now without disturbing your neighbors? Any sub maybe too much or the neighbors around you.

1. I think the room is about 12 X 15, give or take. Ceiling about 15 Ft.

2. The front and centers are about 6 Ft. and the RS is 7 and RL is 6

3. I originally looked at bookshelves and buying stands, but I spoke with a buddy of mine who owns floor standers in an apt about the same size and I like the floorstanders, espeically the cherry to match my den

4. I have bookshshelve speakers now, but they sit on the side of the TV, so no stands

5. My neighbors are pretty cool, I have cranked it pretty high with my current setup and no complaints even with the HTIB sub.

Baird

Again thanks guys for all your help here.

mjjjhjemj

Baird wrote: »

Again thanks guys for all your help here.

I think these are both fantastic looking speakers and I have been eyeing the RTi A1 for a bedroom setup. There really is not a big difference in frequency range or size between the two (see below). They are both good size speakers and I am almost sure you won't need the muddy HTIB sub that you likely have. I would be surprised if the HTIB sub actually went as low in Hz as either of these speakers. You should be happy with either for quite some time.

Keep an eye on Ebay for refurb RTi A5 or A7 as they are selling for around $500 bucks for the pair when they come up. There are only black pairs presently up for sale now. You could always contact polk and see if they will sell you the next refurb cherry pair.

Polk RTi A5
Product Dimensions: 15.5 x 41.6 x 7.8 inches
frequency response 40-26,000 Hz (-3dB)
1" Dynamic Balance® silk/polymer tweeter
dual 6-1/2" Dynamic Balance polymer composite woofers

Polk RTi A7
Product Dimensions: 17.5 x 43.6 x 7.8 inches
frequency response 35-26,000 Hz (-3dB)
1" Dynamic Balance® silk/polymer tweeter
6-1/2" Dynamic Balance polymer composite midrange
dual 7" Dynamic Balance polymer composite woofers

Baird

Hahaha I'm constantly checking the Ebay page about 20 times a day for updated stock

MillerLiteScott

Baird the larger floor standers are going to require and external amp to give you the bass that you are going to be looking for. I would go with the bookies and a good sub.

Scott

Baird

I was all set on the a 5's, but the Ebay page got me thinking about the A 7's since lately I have not seen any A 5's available.

Baird

MillerLiteScott wrote: »

Baird the larger floor standers are going to require and external amp to give you the bass that you are going to be looking for. I would go with the bookies and a good sub.

Scott

Even the A 5's?

mjjjhjemj

MillerLiteScott wrote: »

Baird the larger floor standers are going to require and external amp to give you the bass that you are going to be looking for. I would go with the bookies and a good sub.

Scott

I agree you are going to get better bass by using an external amp, but these speakers only present nominally an 8-ohm load so his receiver isn't going to have any trouble driving them and he will still get very good bass. You could get a great system with monitors and a nice sub, but his preference is floor standers. He can add a nice sub later and have an even better system.

Baird

Baird wrote: »

Even the A 5's?

Something like the Onkyo M-282? 2 Ch. Amplifier

Baird

I'm off to listen to them now. Thanks to everyone

Baird

So after hearing both the A5 and A7 last night I have decided to go with the A5's. I felt the 5's sounded better in the mid-high range and I feel over time I can add a better sub to hit the lows, so overall I feel its a better value both in sound and upgradeablity.

Thanks for everyones help on the forum

Upstatemax

Baird wrote: »

Something like the Onkyo M-282? 2 Ch. Amplifier

I would grab one of these over the Onkyo:

http://emotiva.com/upa2.shtm

Baird

Upstatemax wrote: »

I would grab one of these over the Onkyo:

http://emotiva.com/upa2.shtm

That is a good one, but I'm going to wait see how the A5's perform at home then decide if I need more juice

RutgersFTW

Baird wrote: »

Also Rutgers in your opinion why A1's instead of floor standers?

I think I'm too late and I'm glad to hear you liked the A5s. I had RTi8 and RTi6 in a small apartment across the Hudson from you and found the RTi8s sounded really... intense (but in a bad way) unless I had them 2-3 feet off the back wall. The bookshelves were much easier and sounded great 6-12" from the wall which helped place them much more easily. The smaller cabinets also meant more control over volume in a smaller space. Still, a bookshelf just can't match a similar floorstander for presence, drama, etc, so hopefully your room plays nice with them and you'll be very happy. The RTi8 did seem to come alive when I hooked up a NAD C272 to power them, but they sounded nice with just receiver power too. You should be very happy.

And mjjjetc nailed what I'd meant by an "articulate" sub.