A blast from the past

organ

I fell madly in love with the RT1000p when I first heard them many, many years ago. I was 15 or 16 at the time and didn't make good money. I knew I had to have a pair some day. I remember asking Mantis from this forum many questions about the 1000's. That's what he was using at the time.

A few years later, I stumbled across a pair of RT800i on sale and got them instead. I owned the 800's for a few years before selling them (which I regret to this day:() Even when I had the 800's, my lust for the 1000 was never fulfilled.

So today I scored on a pair of RT1000p in mint condition. They are the BEST I've heard from Polk so far and feel they were totally underrated. Other speakers I own from Polk are RT15i, RT800i(sold), RT5 and LSi9.

I have found the perfect setting for the powered subs and I have to say, this is the most balanced sound I have ever heard in my rig. Having bass in stereo makes such a big difference in the way the bass just wraps around you and seems to energize the room. Subs never really worked out for me in 2ch. I also own some rull range speakers (Klipsch RF-35 and Klipsch Cornwall). They're full range but, but they don't deliver bass like this. They're more visceral. The bass from these 1000p is so polite and beautiful. They can hit very hard when asked to. Next to my La Scala and Omega single driver, the Polk RT1000's are the most musical speakers I've heard. The mid range is so transparent with beautiful highs. Polk never sounded the same to me anymore after they stopped producing the Tri-laminate tweeters. I loved them. I prefer the Tri-lams of the RTxxx over the RTxxxi where it was toned down a bit.

I am having such a blast with them. This is one of the best sound I've ever heard. The most tuneful and beautiful sounding bass!

I think one thing that makes their sound so special is the fact that the bass is omnidirectional. The small port under the front mid driver is completely sealed. The 6.5" sub is also completely sealed in the cabinet. All the bass comes out of a band pass design to a power port on the bottom of the speakers. This makes the RT1000 series unique among the rest of the RT line during their time. The sound is spread out 360 degrees.

I'm going to keep my eyes open for more local sales. These speakers are gold. I want another pair for HT.

Anybody else had the chance to hear them properly back in the days?

I'm listening as I write this and I just can't believe how good they sound. Relaxed with all the "bloom" in the bass I could ask for. wtf, the sound is absolutely amazing. One of the best speakers I"ve heard to date.

cnh

Any Pics?

I see RT2000p and RT3000p in the Polk vintage speaker list but what does a RT1000p look like?

cnh

organ

They don't have the 1000p on the data base but they have the RT1000i. Pretty much the same thing with an enhanced mid driver and tweaked tweeters.

I'll post a pic tomorrow when I can get access to a camera.

Toolfan66

Enjoy!!!!!

Kex

I have two pairs of the big RT55 that are almost identical to the RT800, and I also have a pair of RT800. I actually prefer the RT55 (more classy design IMO). I recently sold a CS400 monster center, and a CS300. That generation of RT speakers is frequently overlooked IMO, but they can really put out some tremendous sound!

The RT55 and RT800 will soon follow the CS400 and CS300 to another home, since I am changing my systems this year, but I already miss the joys and experiences I had with them. Of all the equipment I tried (Yamaha, Denon, Emotiva separates, harman/kardon, NAD), I think that NAD was by far the best of them all with these. The synergy of the whole system was really something to behold IMO, but now that the CS400 is already gone, its not nearly as good any more. I'm really worried about breaking up something that was working so perfectly, in case I'm disappointed with the intended replacements (which will also be Polk Audio, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed).

polkie4life

It's a great feeling, nabbing that pair you always wanted. For me it was SRT's, an introduction to HT that i never forgot.

The RT line was awesome, Enjoy.:)

Toolfan66

A few months ago i went out looking for the RT1000's, i remember them when i got the RT55i's at circuit city years ago. but money was tight then so i settled with the 55's for my mains. when i went looking for them i found the A9's as the 1000's could not be found. so i got the A9's, then i found this place and changed everything plus more. i also parted with the rest of my system but the 55's not sure if i ever will time will tell.

The RT35i's were great for the surrounds as well.

Larry.

rtart

Good for you!!
I started with the RT1000p's, found a set of RT1000i's, and went on to the RT2000p's and then the RT3000p's. I still own all but the 2000p's.

Can't beat the RT's with a big stick, IMO.

VR3

One of my all time favorite speakers to this day is the RT35i... that speaker stayed in my posession longer than any other speaker Ive owned...

The last RTi series (not the current) is ON PAR with the 2nd and 3rd versions of the RT series IMO. I have not heard the current.

Never heard the RT1000P -- I have heard the RT1000i and was never impressed with them. But my understanding is the powered versions are far superior.

The RT2000P and RT3000p is one of the best speakers Polk made in that time period as I recall.

organ

Kex,
Oh no, that's not what I meant. It is a personal choice. Don't forget that most people probably prefer the newer ones.
There used to be many complaints about the Tri-lams being shouty, dry and edgy. The shout can be minimized with good amplification. I only notice it with receivers. Yes, they are slightly dry and edgy, but it's the tone of the tri-lams that I love, so a bit of a spike here and there doesn't bother me.
I'm sure you'll enjoy the newer RTi's.

Polkie4Life,
Thanks. Can't believe you got the SRT. I have never come across a used SRT locally. lol, I"m sure that's one HT intro you'll never forget.

ToolFan,
I remember a long time ago when they were still around in stores, the RT55 seemed to be the sweetheart in the bookshelf series. Got as much love as the RT7 which was their top of the line bookshelf before the 55's.

Rtart,
Very nice. I would love to own a pair of 3000's one day. I am on a mission to get as many 1000's, 2000's and 3000's as possible. Polks powered towers are becoming an endangered species. I can't believe how much good clean bass they put out.

Trey,
The 1000's are powered. They were the Polk's intro into powered towers. They sound much, much better at home than when I heard them at the store for the first time. Problem with sales people who set up powered towers is that they crank the crap out of them to impress people. Those who already know about audio would complain about boomy over-powering bass. I've got the sub's volume at about 10% and it's very potent.

lol, I remember how much you love the 35's. I also remember your stacked system with the 70 mains and 35's on top. You were the Adcom kid back then:).


OK, I was doing some serious listening last night and was blown away by the clarity, speed, detail, sounstaging and clarity. Clearly, it was so different than the other RT speakers I own or those I"ve heard. I needed to find out why the 1000's have such a unique sound.

Here's what I found....
The mid driver/tweeter is in a sealed enclosure. This explains the clarity, speed, holographic sound etc. The mid is cut off at 80Hz. So having a sealed design to handle 80Hz and up makes for a very musical speaker.

I've already mentioned this on my original post but I'll write it again. The built in subs spread the sound 360 degrees. Also, the subs are 6.5" which explains the speed and musicality. But the result of omnidirectional dispersion, is outstanding. Bass is everywhere. Musical, tight and powerful. I know the mids are cut at 80Hz, so the subs could be playing up to 100 or 120Hz. Don't know what kind of slope Polk decided on the x-over. The bass is very similar to what I experience in a live show. It's everywhere. It has a bigness and presence to it.

I found out that these speakers actually need quite a bit of breathing room. Even when pulled away from corners, the subs are very powerful. The subwoofer's volume is at about 10% and this is where I get the best blend and proper output.

Ok, another thing that makes it unique is that the subs in the 1000's use Polk's patented "High Velocity Compression Drive" technology. It is Polk's way of making good sounding subwoofer in a bandpass design. The only other home speakers from Polk that use this technology would be the PSW100, PSW200 and the SRT.

I guess this mix of sealed mids/highs, non-direct bass dispersion and a 6.5" sub is what makes the 1000's sound so special to me.

I have them hooked up to my Audio Zone Amp-2 and it is a match made in heaven. They are very efficient because the mids only go down to 80Hz and the subs are powered. I must say, with the AZ gear, they are my favorite speakers.

If any of you guys are looking for used Polks and come across the 1000's, give them a good listen. Please treat them as you would any 2 ch system. Good gear (no receivers), proper placement, etc. I highly doubt they'll sound good with less than 2 feet to the nearest wall. It would probably just "boom" away when to close to walls.

amulford

I have RTxxx series for my HT, I for one don't think that's going to change for a LONG time. They do a great job on HT, and ARE musical as hell. It's just a great design. I love the Tri lams myself. I shudder the thought of have to switch 'em out...

miner

Take a listen to the RT20p - Polk's first foray into 2-ways integrated with a powered sub in one chassis. Bought my first pair in 1995 and have since handed down to my son.

marker

The RT***i with the tri-lams are still to this day my favorite series.

The RT25i, RT55i, RT2000i, etc., they were all very underrated IMO.

Obviously great theater speakers, but also halfway descent on music too.

Like you, I always liked the fact that the upper drivers were sealed on the towers with integrated subs.

The RT2000is are high passed at 100 Hz from the subs to the upper frequency drivers, and all it takes is a sweet little integrated to drive them.

Edit - BTW, Polk rates their subs amp's power very conservatively as compared to some others.

organ

Miner,
Sounds great. That's 14 years and still going strong. Shows the kind of quality Polk puts into their products.

Marker,
Cool. I'm checking daily in the used audio sites for the 1000's, 2000 and 3000. I want to hear them all.
I agree about using little power to make them sing. I've got them hooked up to 50w/ch mono blocks and they sound fantastic. When I get some free time, I'm going to try them on my 3w/ch tube amp.
Glad to see another member who prefer the tri-lams.

organ

Thanks Sean. I'm really enjoying them. I haven't enjoyed audio this much since I first got into it.
Are you saying Polk doesn't have replacement parts anymore? That would really suck because I plan to get them and the 3000's if I could find them at a good price.
If you still have your 2000, you can check local sales and ebay for a beater pair/single and use them for spare pars.

polkie4life

marker wrote: »

The RT***i with the tri-lams are still to this day my favorite series.

+1. I liked them so much when i sold my RT12's to a friend i went and bought a pair and replaced the silk domes. The best part is she still has them, so when i feel the urge i go round for a listen....

I think the RT series (and the RTxxi series) in the day was really well priced and because of it was overlooked by a lot of buyers. The tri lams really shine with today's amplification, so much air, and so much grace.

polkie4life

organ wrote: »

Polkie4Life,
Thanks. Can't believe you got the SRT. I have never come across a used SRT locally. lol, I"m sure that's one HT intro you'll never forget.

Yes it was, i had never heard HT before, and walked into Independence day on LD (remember that format?) :eek:. As for mine being local... Nah, shipped them 9000miles LOL. It was the best 800usd i ever spent!!!

marker

organ wrote: »

I agree about using little power to make them sing. I've got them hooked up to 50w/ch mono blocks and they sound fantastic. When I get some free time, I'm going to try them on my 3w/ch tube amp.
Glad to see another member who prefer the tri-lams.

How big is the room you have them in?

marker

Zero wrote: »

I really miss my 2000p's, and if it wasnt for a complete lack of replacement parts, I'd jump right back into a set.

The Rt2000i actually had one of the most ruler flat-like set of measured responses I've ever seen at HTM.

On-axis response of the RT2000i L/R measures +1.0/-2.8 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3dB point is at 32 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 30 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.5 ohms at 291 Hz and a phase angle of -52.8 degrees at 111 Hz. Sensitivity is 89 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

from (with graph):

http://www.hometheatermag.com/floorloudspeakers/41/index3.html

About the only other models I can think of offhand with a better set of HTM measurements are the NHT T5, Nht Xd, and Def Tech Mythos ST, although they had changed their measuring technique slightly by the time they reviewed those others. I'm sure there are prolly a few more models I haven't yet seen or don't remember that had HTM measurements close to or even better than the RT2000i, but not very many.

reeltrouble1

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

One of my all time favorite speakers to this day is the RT35i... that speaker stayed in my posession longer than any other speaker Ive owned...

The last RTi series (not the current) is ON PAR with the 2nd and 3rd versions of the RT series IMO. I have not heard the current.

Never heard the RT1000P -- I have heard the RT1000i and was never impressed with them. But my understanding is the powered versions are far superior.

The RT2000P and RT3000p is one of the best speakers Polk made in that time period as I recall.

What the hell is wrong with you, did some honey finally stroke you and run all the blood from one head to the other??? Tell me you drank two bottles of Boones Farm Strawberry before you posted that?? You dialed 1-900-I AM A Dork??? At least maybe your not thinking right as your suffering a skin rash after making snow angels in a patch of poison Ivy,...

The RT1000i are powered you goof ball, go play with your Behringer....I figure you must of bought one of those as well.


RT1

strider

I never get tired reading about people's love for the RT line. My RT55's where the first thing I bought when I got a "real" job. They got me started in this madness, still have them hooked up to my pseudo HT set up. At some point they will leave the nest; I'll miss them, but the guy I have in mind to take them will appreciate them I'm certain.

organ - I like your comments regarding the bass quality of the smaller drivers in a sealed cabinet. I've felt that smaller drivers, especially multiples in different enclosures, could really deliver tight and musical output when done right. Hopefully I'll get to test that theory with some real world ear experience soon.

I'm anxious to hear your thoughts once you get the 3 watt tube amp on them. It's amazing what you can acheive with a small amp once you get the bass frequency reproduction alloted to another amp. I've got 6 watts powering my full range monitors which run from 120hz up; really opened things up once they were crossed over that high. Running full range it tended to compress quite a bit once the ol' volume knob was turned up.

Ted - Good to see you're keeping order around here. You did forget one thing though.....

organ

Marker,
The room is about 12'x30' with an 8' ceiling. It is an L shaped room. I am using the longer part of the L. The speakers are along the long side spread out 9ft. 2ft from front wall and 3 feet from my 'fake' side walls (Klipsch Heritage speakers are big and make great false corners lol).
Thanks for posting the additional info about the 2000's. I had no idea they were among the flattest.

Strider,
I agree. I believe Paul DiComo (Polk employee) mentioned something similar about Polk not wanting to use big woofers to keep musicality.

I tried the 1000p's on my tube amp last night. WOW! Bass did not suffer one bit. I had to use a powered pre however. It didn't work out very well with a passive pre. But yeah, sounds fantastic on tubes as well. I tried them on my 2A3 amp. I think better results can be made using the 300B, not due to power but tone. The 300B has much better HF.




Here's something I found on various sites regarding the Tri-laminate tweeters....

We already know about the legendary RT25i review from Stereophile. Here's something taken out of their review of the RTi4.... However, I found the RT25i's high frequencies to be very detailed, and even more delicate-sounding than the RTi4's.

And here's something taken from tnt... This excellent performance is undoubtedly due to the tweeter, one of the best sounding metallic dome units I've ever heard.


It's too bad Polk is no longer making these wonderful tweeters.