Decision time: need opinions, input from fellow Polk owners here please

bigsexy1 · February 2003

I have a few options here, and I would greatly appreciate some advice, input, opinions, suggestions and comments from my fellow Polk owners out there about them.
Time is fast running out for my 1 year speaker trade up program at Circuit City. I was hoping that maybe they would eventually start selling the LSi line for me to trade up to, and it's not to say that they might not yet at some point, but they obviously aren't going to before my current window of opportunity to trade up will expire.
Here is what I could get credit for to apply to the new line of RTi*** series speakers from the old line of RT***i:
RT35i = $300
RT25i = $120 (open box)
RT15i = $100 (open box)
CS400i = $200
f/x300i = $400 (2 pairs, $800 total)
Atruim 45 = $200
Total of = $1720

I also have a pair of RT1000i, but I couldn't get even one penny of credit for them because I got them for free in the first place (and no, I didn't steal them).

I was kind of thinking along the lines of keeping the CS400i, RT25i and the RT15i to go with the RT1000i. That would give me enough to have a full on 7.1 surround set up for a total investment of only $420, and then giving it to my folks for them to use in their home to replace their current Audiovox shelf system. Then trading the 2 pairs of f/x300i towards 2 new pairs of fxi50 and the RT35i towards a pair of RTi38. Then I could pick up a CSi40 and a pair of RTi150 to go with them whenever I came across a good deal on them at some point in time. Plus another thing about this scenerio would be that it would keep alive for another year the option to trade those new speakers up to apply towards LSis if CC were to start carring them within the next year.

Yet another option would be to trade either or both pairs of the f/x300i towards the new Infinity Alpha bi/di/monopole surround speakers that should match and blend in seamlessly with my older line of Infinity Interlude series of speakers, and maybe apply the RT35i towards a Velodyne subwoofer.

Or, I could try to sell what I've got on ebay or something, and use that money towards LSis.

Or, I could simply stand pat with what I've got.

Or, keep what I've got and maybe buy some Vifa tweeters from parts express.com and replace the current trilam tweeters with them.

What would you guys do in this situation? Or does anyone else have any other ideas that I might not have thought of
Thanks in advance to any who respond with their thoughts.

brettw22 · February 2003

I would definitely scrap the 300i's for a step up. I thought that CC's trade up policy was based on original purchase. It doesn't sound right that you could keep trading up every year on a single purchase......

bigsexy1 · February 2003

Oh come on people! Only one reply! I need help help here.

Brett, thanks for your reply, and I am seriously considering trading the f/x300is in towards Infinity Alpha bi/di/monopole surrounds (I can't remember the exact model # though). That's the way I'm leaning right now.

From what I've been told, if you go to a different salesman than your original one, they will ring up the upgrade on a new ticket so that they can get credit for the sale to go towards their commision, and that new ticket will give you another year's option to trade up. I don't know that for a fact, but that is what I've heard. Can anyone verify this for sure? Any CC employees here on this board?

shack · February 2003

I could simply stand pat with what I've got.

Not a bad idea.

was kind of thinking along the lines of keeping the CS400i, RT25i and the RT15i to go with the RT1000i.

Keep this setup for yourself. This would be what I would do and maybe trade some of the other stuff for a sub. I think you could still use one with the 1000is.

brettw22 · February 2003

Originally posted by bigsexy1
I am seriously considering trading the f/x300is in towards Infinity Alpha bi/di/monopole surrounds (I can't remember the exact model # though). That's the way I'm leaning right now.

True the 500i's aren't around at CC any more, but why wouldn't you match the rest of your speakers and go with the FXi50's? The 50's would sound closer to what you have than bringing in a different brand.......

jmasterj · February 2003

bigsexy1,

You know, what I want to know is what you think of your systems sound now. Are you trading because your system is lacking in some area, or because the window of opportunity is closing. Listen to your system the way you ues it if something is not performing the way you want it to then thats what you upgrade. If everything is ok, doing what you want when you want, the way you want then why change. Sounds to me like you just want something to do. Listen to your system if it ain't broke don't fix it... We can't tell you what you want to do.That, you must decide.

bigsexy1 · February 2003

Shack, you are 100% correct. The RT1000i's subs are adequate for music, but for movies, a dedicated sub is definitely needed (IMHO).

Brett, in my first post, I mentioned that I have a set of Infinity Interludes that the Alpha surrounds will match up with. I wouldn't be mixing the Infinities with the Polks. I know some of you here will strongly disagree with me here, but I have both, and I'm telling you that the Infinity Interlude series of speakers is definitely a whole step up better than the Polk RT***i line, to me anyway.

Which leads me to your question jmasterj. There is just something missing with the line of Polks I have. Something just isn't there. I can't really explain it or put my finger on it, but I know you all probably understand as I'm sure we have all been through it at some point in time. Plus, the window to change this situation is closing soon, and I'm just looking at what options I do have here. It never hurts to consider them, even if you don't actually use them.

I know that the LSi series would be a big, huge step up from the RT***i line. However, I'm not sure if the newer RTi*** line would be any step up at all from the older one. IMHO, that might not be anything more than just a lateral move, and probably wouldn't be worth the $. That would probably just be throwing cash away. Plus, look at the Polk system I got for a grand total of $420 plus tax (the CS400i, and pairs of RT1000i, RT25i, and RT15i), with 1 year interest free financing thrown in to boot on top of that! Nobody could get better speakers than that for the same money! All were new also, except the 25s and 15 were "open box" store display units.

All that said though, I still don't know what I'm going to do yet, if anything. Right now, I'm leaning toward keeping most of what I've got, but I agree with Brett, the f/x300i pairs have got to go one way or the other! I wish I could find 2 pairs of the f/x500is somewhere. Will the f/xi50 "voice" or timber match the older RT***i line? I know that they definitely have different, "brighter" tweeters.

jmasterj · February 2003

bigsexy,

I see you're still trying to work it all out. I'm sure you will come up with the right solution. I remember when I first got my system put together. I wondered what I might do to make it sound better. You see it wasn't quite as good as a system I had once had. I chose to go a different route. I added a seperate power amp. A Carver tfm35x 250x2 it was almost unbelieaveable how much my RT1000i's opened up. It seemed I had never really heard them. This was just to throw something else into the equation. Keep on working on it you might get there...maybe!

danger boy · February 2003

bigsexy, what kind of receiver do you have? just curious. what have you tried to improve the sound quality.

thanks

dcarlson · February 2003

I've had the RT1000i for about a year now and after receiver upgrade the sound improved and a recent speaker wire upgrade made it sound even better. Now, I'm due a CD player upgrade that I think will make they polks shine, I hope.

Just a thought here but I'm starting to think that these can be really good speakers with good equipement supplying them, including speaker wire.

bigsexy1 · February 2003

jmasterj, you are right, a power amp would do wonders, and I do have an old Adcom 535 that I'm not using that I could throw into the equation.
Dangerboy, I'm currently using them with an old Yamaha 2092 receiver. I do have a Denon 3802 that I could use instead. I had a previous thread before where the general consensus opinion was that Denon would be a much better match for the Polks than the Yamaha.
Dcarlson, I did biwire the RT1000is as well as the CS400i, and I think I could here an improvement.
Thanks everybody for the input. I've decided to pretty much keep most of the older RT***i line I already have instead of upgrade (if you even could call it that) to the newer RTi*** series. I believe that unless it was LSis, then it wouldn't be any kind of upgrade at all, but just a lateral movement. I will be trading in the f/x300is though towards the Infinity bi/di/monopoles, and I'll just keep looking around and see if I can find any f/x500is.

dcarlson · February 2003

Bigsexy,

Nice to hear you may have heared a difference. I have a Denon 2802 and a CS400i. Looks like were on the same wavelength here.

I've been keeping an eye on the RTi38 for a sale for my surrounds but haven't had any luck.

bigsexy1 · February 2003

dcarlson, CC will put a decent deal on them sooner or later. Just keep checking them.

Decision time: need opinions, input from fellow Polk owners here please

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