opinion Polk RTiA3 or KEF IQ3

coolsax

What do you guys think? I really like the look of the KEFs and know they are pretty good quality.. do you think they are better than polks around the same or polks better? anyone w experience with KEF in general?

lanion

No local dealers that carry them?

KEF speakers are high quality -- so are the RTiA3s. Either way you are getting a nice speaker. If you can listen to them somewhere please do so. Or, at least listen to one and try to find a comparison... if you think the RTiA3s are a bit bright and you hear the KEFs are more laid back (I'm making that up) then go for the KEFs. Of course, Aesthetics do matter. If you like the look of the KEFs that much better go for it, as long as you can get a 30 day return policy. You will be happy either way.

BiotypE

I can 't speak to those specific models but I almost made a huge mistake. I have a very nice clear KEF IQ60 center channel with Polk RTIA5s for my front L and R speakers.

I just returned a pair of Kef Iq7s I picked up brand new thinking I would be better off with matching speakers along the front.

Kefs are very high quality speakers but their sound is quite a bit different from the Polks. I was very disappointed in the bass response, mid bass response from the Iq7s. I boxed them back up after a day of letting them settle and went right back to my RTIA5 speakers.

KEFS are exceptional in the quality of the midrange and highs, extremely clear and sport outstanding imaging. They, to me, sound very anemic in the midbass department. I am very happy I decided to stick with the RTI line over the IQ line for my main speakers. The difference in warmth, range and midbass extension was not even close.

Since you are talking about smaller speakers and not full towers, I can't tell you how they would compare but if the comparison is similar to my findings in between the iq7 and rtia5 I couldn't recommend the KEF speakers over the POLKS. This testing and comparison is very fresh as I just offloaded the IQ7s to FedEx a few hours ago.

Face

Thanks for the comparison.

coolsax

yes, thanks sounds like i would probably prefer the RTiA line likely then. thanks.

BiotypE

No problem. Sound quality is one of those relative things. I started with the KEF 2005.2 surround package and was blown away at how nice it sounded. I then picked up the RTIA5s since I had heard nothing but good things about their ability to handle mid range and mid bass.

I have a very soft spot in my heart for the KEF brand. Definitely quality speakers but when I played the two side by side it was almost as if I was missing an entire frequency range with the KEF towers compared to the RTIA5s. I was actually quite surprised the polks, to me outperformed the IQ7 in just about every regard except for the tweeter section of the speakers. Mid range was no comparison. My wife, who really isn't into my budding AV hobby even commented that she preferred the RTI line over the KEFS by a wide margin.

When someone who has not been corrupted into bias on forums and review boards comments on what they think sounds better that is pretty telling. It is very hard to be objective about sound quality when you sponge up everyone elses opinions about this or that. I would recommend ordering both from a place like Amazon that has a good return policy and auditioning them both side by side. I don't want to slant your decision either way but at least wanted to give you my impressions between the two brands.