Some questions on my new 2-chan setup (with RTi6's)

LocutusX

Hi all,

First off, I am basically an audio-newbie. That said, I recently tried to set up a stereo music system for my study, which is a medium sized bedroom on the upper floor of a house. This stereo system will double as my computer speakers, but also has a standalone CD player connected for proper "hi-fi" music listening and for use when the computer is off. Here are my system specs:

Yamaha RX-397 stereo receiver
Yamaha CDC-697 5-disc CD changer
Polk RTi6 speakers (2)

- "premium" Monoprice cable used throughout (16AWG for the speakers)
- AUX port connected to Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS on the computer

The Polk speakers are new - hence why I'm posting here! The other A/V components I have had for about 2 months. I have put the speakers through about 5 hours of music playback so far, mostly at moderate volumes, with the occasional song @ "party" volumes.

So even though the RTi6 has seen only 5 hours of breaking-in, it still sounds great. I mean, I really love how it sounds with a lot of my rock music. I listened to the Queen greatest hits CD yesterday and all the songs came out just terrific!

Some concerns though:
- When I listened to The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again (from a greatest hits CD) I thought I heard a little distortion on some of the guitar notes on the right speaker. I had put the volume up quite a bit because I love rockin' out to that song. But it's a 40 year old song, right? Is the distortion from the ancient mastering/recording or is it because I put the volume up too high? I didn't even reach the halfway point on my receiver's volume knob!

- I don't listen to R&B (pop) often, but I tried a few songs yesterday and I noticed a thumpy sort of bass drum on some of them. Best demonstrated on Alicia Keys - No One. The drum beat that goes throughout the song... it sounds lifeless and doesn't have a solid "thud". Is that a limitation of this speaker? Part of the reason I chose the RTi6 is because the specified low frequency response is lower than that of competing speakers in this pricerange. I was hoping I could get away without using a subwoofer. Maybe to get the solid "thud" I need a subwoofer?

- On my computer I tried this frequency tester program found at ... ok, I can't remember where exactly... but anyways, it seemed to indicate that the 60 Hz bass frequency comes out louder on these speakers than 50 Hz or 70 Hz. A bit strange... is it the Polk's that are doing this?

These are all the questions I had for now. Congratulations if you actually read my entire post without getting bored!

organ

How big is your room? Either you've reached the limits of your Polks which means, towers are more suited to your set up OR you've reched the limits of your receiver.
If I had to guess between the two, I would say your receiver is clipping. Lower the volume immediately once you hear any type of distortion so you don't blow a driver or tweeter.

Did you raise your bass/treble setting? Leave those centered. I believe your receiver has a Direct Sound setting. You should use it.

The 60Hz bump could be caused by your room. Play around with speaker placement, toe-in, etc.

nguyendot

A few questions:

1) how are the speakers mounted? Are they on stands with spikes or on the bookshelf? The best sound from a bookshelf (contrary to the name) is on a good set of stands spiked if on carpet. This will help with bass response.

2) That receiver is only 50w rms per channel, where your speakers are 125w rms capable. More than likely you have reached the limit of your receiver, it does not have the dynamic headroom (extra power reserve) to play what the speakers want to play. In order to power these speakers to their full extent you will need 125w rms or more. Playing it loudly without enough power will blow your speakers because of distortion. I would recommend either not playing it so loud, or getting a more powerful amplifier.

3) Like organ asked, are you using the tone controls? You should not be. Use source direct or leave them centered.

4) What is your source? How is it hooked up? RCA interconnects or optical/digital coax? These can have an effect on your sound quality depending on the component used. If you have a cheap cd player, use the digital output as your receiver will have better Digital/Analog converters than a cheap player. If your player is very good, use the analog output with a good set of interconnects. If you are using your computer, and the source is not lossless (mp3), it will diminish your sound quality.

slowpolky

rti6's are awsome , your setup is not

LocutusX

organ wrote: »

If I had to guess between the two, I would say your receiver is clipping. Lower the volume immediately once you hear any type of distortion so you don't blow a driver or tweeter.

OK - I just thought that clipping shows up as the audio cutting in and out. The fact that this distortion accompanied a guitar chord and only on the right speaker... i thought it was something else, or maybe even a part of the song that i never noticed before.

Did you raise your bass/treble setting? Leave those centered. I believe your receiver has a Direct Sound setting. You should use it.

Yup, I left them all centered.

The 60Hz bump could be caused by your room. Play around with speaker placement, toe-in, etc.

Is toe-in a good idea if I'm using them for nearfield listening? (these are currently on my computer desk, see below)

nguyendot wrote: »

1) how are the speakers mounted? Are they on stands with spikes or on the bookshelf? The best sound from a bookshelf (contrary to the name) is on a good set of stands spiked if on carpet. This will help with bass response

I'm moving in about 2 months so for the time being they are actually on my computer table, which is made of wood. It looks like this one and sits on the 2 upper platforms ( http://www.worldcomputerfurniture.com/pimages/11401_table.jpg )

2) That receiver is only 50w rms per channel, where your speakers are 125w rms capable. More than likely you have reached the limit of your receiver, it does not have the dynamic headroom (extra power reserve) to play what the speakers want to play. In order to power these speakers to their full extent you will need 125w rms or more. Playing it loudly without enough power will blow your speakers because of distortion. I would recommend either not playing it so loud, or getting a more powerful amplifier.

That sucks. Cash is a little tight right now for me to go for a new amplifier!

(One of the reasons I got this particular receiver was that it reviewed well on some other enthusiast forums, and the listed power ratings were supposedly "conservative"...)

4) What is your source? How is it hooked up? RCA interconnects or optical/digital coax? These can have an effect on your sound quality depending on the component used. If you have a cheap cd player, use the digital output as your receiver will have better Digital/Analog converters than a cheap player. If your player is very good, use the analog output with a good set of interconnects.

CD player to Reciever is with Monoprice's "premium" RCA cables, only 6 feet long.

Computer to receiver is again with Monoprice's "premium" RCA cables, but 10 feet this time, and with a 3.5mm -> RCA adapter on the computer end of the cable.

My CD player appears to be one of Yammie's better models so I'm hoping that it uses decent electronics circuitry...

BTW silly newbie question... while preparing the speaker cables (stripping insulation, twisting the ends, putting them into banana plugs, etc.) it's inevitable that my fingers spent a bit of time touching the copper ends. Should I be concerned about finger oils etc?

organ

The clipping will sound like distortion.

Try the guitar riff on a pair of decent headphones to and see if you can still hear it. Some recordings do get maxed out and will distort. Also, try switching around your L & R speakers and see if it will play on the other one.

Also, since you have your speakers sitting on a computer table, use the plastic feet Polk provided with your RT's.

Most poeple do toe in their speakers. You pretty much want the tweeters to face your ears. But since you're doing very nearfield, try both ways and stick to the one you prefer.

nguyendot

I would not worry about your finger oils. You can always put the ends in some banana plugs and use those.

Your amplifier may have been rated conservatively, but it's still only rated at 50w rms. Even conservative, say 30% - is only 15w more. That is still far short of the 125wrms the speakers can handle. If you want to max out your speakers, and you do play it loudly, get more power.


If cash is tight, your best option is to play it less loudly.

LocutusX

Great tips guys.

Just one thing... plastic feet with my RTi6's? Sorry, I didn't get any. Was I supposed to?

organ

Well, rubber feet. They come on a strip and you peel them off like stickers. You can buy them at stores. Look for the hard ones. Or you can also use blue tac annd place a piece on each corner. You don't want your speakers to sit flat on the table. Your bass will improve.

lightman1

slowpolky wrote: »

rti6's are awsome , your setup is not

Play nice and help.
Otherwise I will be forced to verbally abuse you!

LocutusX

nguyendot wrote: »

Your amplifier may have been rated conservatively, but it's still only rated at 50w rms. Even conservative, say 30% - is only 15w more. That is still far short of the 125wrms the speakers can handle. If you want to max out your speakers, and you do play it loudly, get more power.

Gosh, this is turning into an RTi6 thread now... fortunately my system is 2-channel only so at least it'll stay on-topic!

So let's say I give my Yammie away (sniff-sniff) to my mom so she has a better TV/DVD receiver. What do you folks suggest would be an ideal 2-channel receiver/amplifier companion for this particular speaker set?