Need feedback on RTia5
mguevarra61
Posts: 55
Hello. New here but seriously considering buying the RTia5 floorstanders. I am also getting the Azur 650C CDP by Cambridge Audio. I have a C340 Integrated Amp by NAD connected to the variable in of a C270 NAD Stereo Power Amplifier at 120W x 2. Are the RTia5 floorstanders good speakers for the money? I have an old pair of RT400 and they work just fine but they are 10 years old and since $$ would permit me, I thought of upgrading to the RTia5 now. The specs on these floorstanders say from 20 to 250 W. Will the NAD be enough to drive these? By the way, I am also looking at the Parasound preamp model 2100 and the power amp model 2125. Any feedback on these? I spoke with someone from Parasound and he said that the advertised watts on page is conservative. He told me that if the page says 125W it would actually be about 145w continuous. Is this true? Should I buy Parasound or Rotel preamp and amp? Is there such a thing as "house sound" from Parasound and Rotel? Is Parasound warm or bright? What about Rotel?
Post edited by mguevarra61 on
Comments
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Thanks. I just looked at the Emotiva website and boy, their stuff is pretty reasonably-priced. Do you like the Emotiva amp you have? Is it reliable and does it last a long time? The 2 channel amp says it is 250W x 2. Is that conservative? Would you say they put out more continuous power than 250, say 265, maybe? If that's the case, would the RTia5 be overpowered by it?
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The RTI a5's are great speakers for HT and good for music. They are also very efficient and easy to push. The Rotel and Parasound are both great companies with great products.
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mguevarra61 wrote: »Thanks. I just looked at the Emotiva website and boy, their stuff is pretty reasonably-priced. Do you like the Emotiva amp you have? Is it reliable and does it last a long time? The 2 channel amp says it is 250W x 2. Is that conservative? Would you say they put out more continuous power than 250, say 265, maybe? If that's the case, would the RTia5 be overpowered by it?
You'd have a hard time blowing up the A5s with a good power amp....they can take it! Don't worry about it...just use your ears....don't clip the amp and you'll be fine.....but frankly I doubt that you would get close to clipping with those speakers....they would play as LOUD as you want them to with any good power amp..
As has been said here 1000s of times...you damage speakers with too little power not too much clean power!
cnhCurrently 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] -
Is it just me or does every thread seem to come back to Emotiva at some point? This is getting to be like 6 Degrees of Separation or something. No bashing here, just asking a question...
To the OP, welcome to club Polk. The NAD has all the power you need for the a5's. They are a great speaker and are quite nice to listen to and easy on the eyes as well. I love the shape of the speaker and to my ear they are quite detailed. You will not be dissapointed.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
Oh Boy. Did I open a new can of worms with the Emotiva?
But seriously, I am sold on the RTia5's. I am buying these in January. I would love to put away my NAD C340 integrated and C270 power amp and replace it with the Parasound Model 2100 preamp along with the Emotiva 250W 2 Channel Power Amp. I'd really be saving on money with the Emotiva Amp instead of buying the Parasound Model 2250 Power Amp. The more I look at the Emotiva Amp, the more I am liking the heft of it. Any feedback on this? Would I be better off pairing the Parasound with another Parasound? How about the interconnect from the preamp to the power amp? Any feedback on Audioquest Diamondback? -
Understand your desire to save some coin. Whether or not that's the thing to do in this case only you can decide. My opinion, even though most like to be thought of as neutral, as in not adding anything to the sound, amps do have certain unique sound characteristics. So I would prefer to use amps from the same manufacture. Of course this would depend on your speakers and how critical your listening tastes run.
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If you want to save some coin, then just run them off your NAD, it'll be easily up to the task of driving the RTIa5s without a sweat. Should sound great.
If you're going to upgrade, make a more substantial upgrade than going to the Emo.I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.
Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii
Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999
Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3
HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000 -
Yeah, I thought so. The Emotiva Amp just looked too good to be true. Will save more dinero for the Parasound Model 2250 power amp then. Thanks for the advice.
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mguevarra61 wrote: »Yeah, I thought so. The Emotiva Amp just looked too good to be true. Will save more dinero for the Parasound Model 2250 power amp then. Thanks for the advice.
It's a nice entry level amp if you're going from nothing, but you've already got a quality piece. It'd be more of a lateral move than anything. Lateral moves are silly. (Do as i say, not as i do. )I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.
Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii
Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999
Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3
HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000 -
Would you still consider this to be a lateral move? The NAD C270 power amp I have is 120W X 2. It is connected to a C340 NAD Integrated (40W X 2). The reason I bought the C270 9 years ago was to boost the watts to drive my 10 year old RT400's. The plan is to replace the C340 Integrated with the Parasound Model 2100 preamp and possibly hook it up with my current C270 or why not go with the Emo 250W x 2, to boost the watts further? I am getting the RTia5's anyways. Is this still considered lateral? I'm sure the Parasound 2100 preamp will sound better compared to my years old NAD C340 Integrated. Or I may be wrong. Need feedback and sorry if I am obssessing over this. I guess this is the whole point of a forum like this. To be able to obssess and vent?
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mguevarra61 wrote: »Would you still consider this to be a lateral move? The NAD C270 power amp I have is 120W X 2. It is connected to a C340 NAD Integrated (40W X 2). The reason I bought the C270 9 years ago was to boost the watts to drive my 10 year old RT400's. The plan is to replace the C340 Integrated with the Parasound Model 2100 preamp and possibly hook it up with my current C270 or why not go with the Emo 250W x 2, to boost the watts further? I am getting the RTia5's anyways. Is this still considered lateral? I'm sure the Parasound 2100 preamp will sound better compared to my years old NAD C340 Integrated. Or I may be wrong. Need feedback and sorry if I am obssessing over this. I guess this is the whole point of a forum like this. To be able to obssess and vent?
You're getting way too hung up on numbers.
I'd still consider it to be a lateral move. I really dont want to start another Emotiva fan war, but the gist of my experience was that the XPA-2 provided some more power than my Onkyo M-5150, but not a HUGE amount. Certainly not $600 worth more power. The nail in the coffin was that it didn't sound as good. The Oinker is "only" rated at 150wpc.
NAD gear from what i've read on here seems to sound great with Polk products, and your amp will put out a REAL 120wpc. It'll be more than capable of pushing the RTIa5s just fine.I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.
Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii
Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999
Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3
HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000 -
You're the man, Stan!
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Eh, i try. Someone will probably have a different viewpoint, that's the beauty of the forum.
Save up for something serious. Maybe spend the money you would have spent on the Emo on a preamp upgrade. That's where i would go first. Well... cables and preamp.
There's a nice B&K Reference 5 preamp for sale in the FS section for less than what the Emo would have cost you. I can vouch from personal experience that it's a GREAT pre.I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.
Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii
Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999
Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3
HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000 -
The Parasound Model 2100 preamp at $650 retail price (new). Is this not good? Should I opt for the used B&K Reference 5 preamp for sale in the FS section instead? What to do...What to do.....I guess my question is this? Would you consider it a lateral move to switch the NAD C340 Integrated Amp to a brand new Parasound Model 2100 preamp?
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mguevarra61 wrote: »The Parasound Model 2100 preamp at $650 retail price (new). Is this not good? Should I opt for the used B&K Reference 5 preamp for sale in the FS section instead? What to do...What to do.....I guess my question is this? Would you consider it a lateral move to switch the NAD C340 Integrated Amp to a brand new Parasound Model 2100 preamp?
I'd say that would be a step up i would imagine.
I haven't heard the Parasound, though, nor any parasound gear for that matter. I should get on that.
I think the B&K would definitely be a step up. I'm madly in love with mine.I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.
Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii
Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999
Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3
HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000