RTA 12's

Lumpwithgoodear
Lumpwithgoodear Posts: 35
edited June 2014 in Vintage Speakers
I read in an old forum about the RTA12 polks and all I got to say that I bought these back in early 80's and they still knock my socks off! I added a pair of SDA-CRS with them and Polk PSW1000 sub and it is all I need till I die! I drive them with Carver 1.5 upgraded amp with C1 Carver preamp and I think they sound outstanding! Like to own a pair of SDA's big mommas but that might be latter in life! lmao! HONEST! there were some negative responses about the RTA12's but they got me started in great sound in my life! If they seem that bad to some means my ears got lumps in them and I can't hear the faults! I blast the hell out of them over the years! Thanks for good reading in the forums gang! SMILE and be happy in the sounds that surround you! :p;)
Post edited by Lumpwithgoodear on
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2009
    there is lots of love in here for the RTA 12's. i have never owned a pair.. but have heard them several times. good vintage polk sound.


    Welcome to the club.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Lumpwithgoodear
    Lumpwithgoodear Posts: 35
    edited October 2009
    Danger boy you seem to be very knowlegable and I wanted to add that I drive all four speakers with two briged Carver 1.5's and the RTA12's still are going strong! I blew the tweeter fuses once since I had them but than my nephew cranked the volume all the way up! lmao! Made me almost freak out! BUT....... no blown speakers at all! That is why I'm such a fan of the RTA12's! The added SDA-CRS's even took the power surge! POLKS nothing like them! I hope I don't sound to much a brooding fool! lmao!
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited October 2009
    Welcome to the Club (Club Polk) Lumpwithgoodear

    What a great name! I haven't actually heard this particular model of tower but have heard lower models in the series which are certainly fine speakers.

    You have some 'vintage' stuff there.

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • wutadumsn23
    wutadumsn23 Posts: 3,702
    edited October 2009
    reported^^
    HT Rig
    Receiver- Onkyo TX-SR806
    Mains- Polk Audio Monitor 70
    Center- Polk Audio CS2
    Surrounds- Polk Audio TSi 500's :D
    Sub- Polk Audio PSW125
    Retired- Polk Audio Monitor 40's
    T.V.- 60" Sony SXRD KDS-60A2000 LCoS
    Blu-Ray- 80 GB PS3


    2 CH rig (in progress)
    Polk Audio Monitor 10A's :cool:

    It's not that I'm insensitive, I just don't care.. :D
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited October 2009
    This is the first time I've seen or heard of someone bridging Carver M1.5 amps. I've owned quite a few of them, and none were bridge capable.
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited October 2009
    I love the RTA12s myself. I own a set of RTA-12Bs and they are damn fine speaker. I have recently purchased a set of SDA-1Cs and they are great also, but I'm not sure if they are greatly superior to the 12Bs. To me vocals, accustical instruments, and classical still sound better to me with the 12Bs than the 1Cs.
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  • Lumpwithgoodear
    Lumpwithgoodear Posts: 35
    edited October 2009
    George Grand wrote: »
    This is the first time I've seen or heard of someone bridging Carver M1.5 amps. I've owned quite a few of them, and none were bridge capable.

    :)You are right George but with a work over and a rebuild they are!;)Nice to have about 1450 watts peak a channel! lmao!
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,788
    edited October 2009
    Lumpwithgoodear wrote: »
    :)You are right George but with a work over and a rebuild they are!;)Nice to have about 1450 watts peak a channel! lmao!
    IF you somehow bridge the 1.5....how the hell can it be 1450 per CHANNEL!...... if you have bridged it, it can only be ONE channel........
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  • Lumpwithgoodear
    Lumpwithgoodear Posts: 35
    edited October 2009
    lightman1 wrote: »
    IF you somehow bridge the 1.5....how the hell can it be 1450 per CHANNEL!...... if you have bridged it, it can only be ONE channel........
    ;)Good point!!! LMAO! Yes I guess I need practice in writing class! lmao!
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited October 2009
    How do you drive 4 speakers with 2 amps that are bridged mono, and....did you know that better sound will come from bi-amping as opposed to bridging ?? Who performed the "upgrade" to allow bridging?? Got any pics?:confused:
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  • Fireman32
    Fireman32 Posts: 4,845
    edited October 2009
    Welcome to the club. I hav a pair of 12b's and will never part with them.
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  • bzielke
    bzielke Posts: 1
    edited June 2014
    I bought them in 1980-81. I don't know if they are a,b,c,s but they still work and my son born 1986 thinks they are the best speakers he has ever heard, of course as his father I agree. They still work great and I wish Polk would go back to the old thinking of speakers. The new speakers Polk is making sound good for digital but the analog sound is pure and I wish we would go back. I like analog because the harmonics are there, digital is to crisp.

    Squarewave sound is not the sine wave of the past.

    My speakers still work great and they will blow the walls down. I wish I had 2 more!
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  • Sea
    Sea Posts: 317
    edited June 2014
    If purchased in 81, they would either be plain 12's or !2B. I don't think the C's started production until 84/85.
    Main-Carver TFM35(2),Carver C11 ,Carver SD/A 360 CD,Carver TX11 ,Grace Digital Tuner, Pioneer PL707 TT,Polk SDA1C
    Downstairs -Carver M1.5t, Carver C1 Pre, Carver TX10 Tuner, Carver TL3200 CD Player, Dual 1009 TT,Polk SDA SRS 2.3tl
    Study - Carver AV634 Amp, Carver CT7 Pre, Carver DTL50 CD Player, Polk RTA12c
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    edited June 2014
    bzielke wrote: »
    I bought them in 1980-81. I don't know if they are a,b,c,s but they still work and my son born 1986 thinks they are the best speakers he has ever heard, of course as his father I agree. They still work great and I wish Polk would go back to the old thinking of speakers. The new speakers Polk is making sound good for digital but the analog sound is pure and I wish we would go back. I like analog because the harmonics are there, digital is to crisp.

    Squarewave sound is not the sine wave of the past.

    My speakers still work great and they will blow the walls down. I wish I had 2 more!
    Are the tweeters mounted horizontally or vertically?
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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