Polk FXi3 or FXiA4 vs. RT25i vs. RTi4 for Rears

jlandbl
jlandbl Posts: 40
edited March 2009 in Speakers
I currently have RTi4's for front R/L and center, RT25i for rear, R10 for back surrounds and a Velodyne sub. My room is on the large side, for example the back surrounds are a good 10 feet behind the couch and the fronts are about 14 feet ahead from the sweet spot. All speakers are mounted on the wall which is my preference. I'm a matching freak who also wants good sound. Please note I love the RTi4 sound.

Should I...
a) switch the rear and back surrounds to RTi4 so all 7 speakers are the same (if I can find good ones for sale)
or
b) switch the rear to FXi3 or FXiA4 and move the RT25i to the back surrounds
or
c) do something else

Thanks,
Bryan
Post edited by jlandbl on
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  • kneedragger37
    kneedragger37 Posts: 108
    edited March 2009
    jlandbl wrote: »
    I currently have RTi4's for front R/L and center, RT25i for rear, R10 for back surrounds and a Velodyne sub. My room is on the large side, for example the back surrounds are a good 10 feet behind the couch and the fronts are about 14 feet ahead from the sweet spot. All speakers are mounted on the wall which is my preference. I'm a matching freak who also wants good sound. Please note I love the RTi4 sound.

    Should I...
    a) switch the rear and back surrounds to RTi4 so all 7 speakers are the same (if I can find good ones for sale)
    or
    b) switch the rear to FXi3 or FXiA4 and move the RT25i to the back surrounds
    or
    c) do something else

    Thanks,
    Bryan

    The advice on most threads on this topic comes down to personal preference. If you like the effect dipole/bipole surrounds (I do, personally), then use FXi's on the sides and RTi's in the back. If you like the sound of direct-firing surrounds, and are a matching freak as you say (I am too), then go with RTi4's all the way around.

    If you can't find a place to audition them, then at least visit some of the higher-end home theater stores in your area so you can hear the difference between dipole/bipole and direct-firing if you haven't had a chance to hear the difference side-by-side already...
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  • jlandbl
    jlandbl Posts: 40
    edited March 2009
    Thanks for the advice. I'm with you on personal preference and I know it's hard to help with questions like this. There are so many factors involved (i.e. cables, source, room, etc.). It's hard to do a true demo especially since some of the speakers I'm interested in comparing are discontinued currently. I do like the sound of the dipole/bipole but have no idea how they would sound in my room unless I try them. I might just buy more RTi4's and the dipoles and do some a/b comparisons, keep the setup I like then sell what I don't use. Kind of a pain but might be the best way to go. Any other insight anyone has, especially if someone has gone with one of the set-up's I describe please let me know. Thanks
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited March 2009
    jlandbl wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice. I'm with you on personal preference and I know it's hard to help with questions like this. There are so many factors involved (i.e. cables, source, room, etc.). It's hard to do a true demo especially since some of the speakers I'm interested in comparing are discontinued currently. I do like the sound of the dipole/bipole but have no idea how they would sound in my room unless I try them. I might just buy more RTi4's and the dipoles and do some a/b comparisons, keep the setup I like then sell what I don't use. Kind of a pain but might be the best way to go. Any other insight anyone has, especially if someone has gone with one of the set-up's I describe please let me know. Thanks

    If you do any comparisons - be sure to write up your impressions and post them back here! I'd be interested in some sonic comparisons between bipole/dipoles and direct firing.

    I run RTi4s as my surrounds - just because I got a package deal on the setup - and I didn't really do any listening with bipole/dipoles. I can say that, to me, the RTi4s sound pretty darn good as surrounds for BD movies (5.1 lossless tracks)....but...it would be interesting to know if the experience would be any 'better'.

    Keep us posted!

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • jlandbl
    jlandbl Posts: 40
    edited March 2009
    Erik Tracy wrote: »
    If you do any comparisons - be sure to write up your impressions and post them back here! I'd be interested in some sonic comparisons between bipole/dipoles and direct firing.

    I run RTi4s as my surrounds - just because I got a package deal on the setup - and I didn't really do any listening with bipole/dipoles. I can say that, to me, the RTi4s sound pretty darn good as surrounds for BD movies (5.1 lossless tracks)....but...it would be interesting to know if the experience would be any 'better'.

    Keep us posted!

    You got it! Thanks
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