Should I upgrade the RT12 tweeter?

nimbuscrenel
nimbuscrenel Posts: 6
edited February 2010 in Speakers
Hello, I just got a silly good deal on a pair of RT12's and have really been enjoying them. I also just had a really good interaction with Polk customer service when I called inquiring about buying a jumper plate and the lady not only knew exactly what I was talking about, but is actually sending me a free one! This is my first experience with Polk, and so far it's been great. Now after reading some posts on here and a couple other forums I've seen mention of upgrading the stock RT series tweeters to the trilaminate ones you can find on Ebay. I just wanted to know if any of you have any advice on whether or not this makes a noticeable improvement. I really like how the RT12's sound as they are, but I'd certainly be interested in any improvements that could be made. Thanks!
Post edited by nimbuscrenel on
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  • nguyendot
    nguyendot Posts: 3,594
    edited January 2010
    Jumper plate? Most people throw those away and use some higher quality wiring in place. Give it a try.

    As for upgrading the tweeters, it's not really an upgrade per se, just a matter of preference.
    Main Surround -
    Epson 8350 Projector/ Elite Screens 120" / Pioneer Elite SC-35 / Sunfire Signature / Focal Chorus 716s / Focal Chorus CC / Polk MC80 / Polk PSW150 sub

    Bedroom - Sharp Aquos 70" 650 / Pioneer SC-1222k / Polk RT-55 / Polk CS-250

    Den - Rotel RSP-1068 / Threshold CAS-2 / Boston VR-M60 / BDP-05FD
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  • nimbuscrenel
    nimbuscrenel Posts: 6
    edited January 2010
    yeah, I know the argument about not using those plates, in fact I'm just using some 12awg to bridge the posts now anyways, but for some reason I just wanted to get the one jumper I was missing so the speakers would be "factory"... it's silly, i know ;)

    So what is the difference between the 2 tweeters? I know this is subjective, and describing sonic characteristics is darn near impossible, but i'm still intrigued.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited January 2010
    Why not, give it a try?
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
    polkaudio 255c-RT Inwalls
    polkaudio DSWPro550WI
    polkaudio XRT12 XM Tuner
    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited January 2010
    nimbuscrenel wrote: »
    Hello, I just got a silly good deal on a pair of RT12's and have really been enjoying them. I also just had a really good interaction with Polk customer service when I called inquiring about buying a jumper plate and the lady not only knew exactly what I was talking about, but is actually sending me a free one! This is my first experience with Polk, and so far it's been great. Now after reading some posts on here and a couple other forums I've seen mention of upgrading the stock RT series tweeters to the trilaminate ones you can find on Ebay. I just wanted to know if any of you have any advice on whether or not this makes a noticeable improvement. I really like how the RT12's sound as they are, but I'd certainly be interested in any improvements that could be made. Thanks!

    Was it Helen Yarbor? She's awesome.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • nimbuscrenel
    nimbuscrenel Posts: 6
    edited January 2010
    dorokusai wrote: »
    Was it Helen Yarbor? She's awesome.

    Forgot to ask her name, I kicked myself afterwards. All I know is that she was youngish sounding, kind of had an accent (Baltimorese?), and she was awesome.

    So any other feedback on switching tweets?
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  • nimbuscrenel
    nimbuscrenel Posts: 6
    edited January 2010
    BTW, this is the tweeter I'm inquiring about:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=330399140745

    anybody?
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited January 2010
    Doesn't the RT12's use Tri laminate tweeters in their stock form?

    I believe that back then, everything from the RT7 and up use tri lams.

    What colour are the tweeters in your 12's?
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  • nimbuscrenel
    nimbuscrenel Posts: 6
    edited January 2010
    organ wrote: »
    Doesn't the RT12's use Tri laminate tweeters in their stock form?

    I believe that back then, everything from the RT7 and up use tri lams.

    What colour are the tweeters in your 12's?

    pretty sure the tweeters in my RT12's are silk dome- they're black not metallic like the trilams.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited January 2010
    ok, that would be the silk. I just looked at a few photos and it's silk.

    If you don't mind spending the money you can give it a shot.
    I really like the tri-lams. They're my favorite tweeters that Polk ever put on the RT line up until now. Compared to the older (not newer RT's) silks, they have more detail, better extension and clearer sounding but it does sound a little "dry" compared to the silk.
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  • Disc Jockey
    Disc Jockey Posts: 1,013
    edited January 2010
    I once talked to someone at Polk, I think it was Ken, about this very issue. He advised against it as he said the RT12s were designed with the silk dome in mind. The speakers with tri-lams were designed with tri-lams in mind and he said the two were not interchangeable.
    "The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage." Thucydides
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  • nimbuscrenel
    nimbuscrenel Posts: 6
    edited February 2010
    Thanks for the info guys. I may still give it a shot, and if I do I'll be sure to post up my impressions in the forum.
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