RTiA owners input please

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afterburnt
afterburnt Posts: 7,892
in Speakers
Any thoughts on the RTiA series for music. I would like my system to do both music and HT even though I like my music better than HT. I am looking to upgrade my front L/R when the price is right. I just got a CSiA6 and I really like it compared to the CS20 that it is replacing. My next move would be to an RTiA series speaker for the fronts, I may not have the bucks for anything else for a good while. I am looking for current owners of the RTiA's opinions on how the like them with music. Hell I guess this is all wishful thinking, I am enjoying all of my old CD's with the monitors and emo amps, Tito Puente's stuff is not to bright for my taste (neither am I) and just about everything I have recordings of "cracks".
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
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    I found my old A7's to be pretty good with music when paired with a warm amp and the right cabling.

    The MIT EXp2's did a good job chilling them out.
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
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    I ran A5's, full range, and was happy with the overall sound. (until i heard something else) A little tin-y up high but it never bothered me.
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    I want some A9's just because they are big honking speakers are they gonna sound any better than the 5's or 7's?
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
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    Never owned the 7's or 9's so ill let others comment.

    A5s, A4, 3s, 1s,
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • polk500
    polk500 Posts: 1,171
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    Hello owning both the 7's & 9's I enjoy them as a all around speaker.

    That being said due to my location I've hadn't had many chances to listen to other brands, and the ones I have weren't set up in what I would call ideal location and didn't sound all that great.

    And certainly IMHO not worth the extra scratch, but I think with (as been said many times) the right components the Rti line play well above their price point.

    Cheers
    Roger
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  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
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    Have the RTI A5's. Compared them with A7 and A9 at Fry's with a Denon AVR, don't remember the model number, but not high on the food chain. On a, at best, mid-range AVR, the A5's sounded best. Not enough power for the 7 or 9.

    That said, I have no complaints with music on an upper end Marantz, but an entry level Yammy was a little harsh with higher octive vocals.

    If you plan on listening to opera on a entry level Yamaha, these aren't speakers for you. Blues or rock on a more laid back system, pretty good. As a foot note, a lot of the brightness was toned down by switching from 2 channel to surround sound.
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,066
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    Basement full of Rita's I do listen to the A5's running dual subs in two channel, the reason being as the Oppo is the only player I have that plays SACDS they do a great job and really shine in the HT department.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • gumbay13
    gumbay13 Posts: 360
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    You cannot go wrong with any in that series.
    Really just depends on how much you want to spend and the size of your room.
    I have been driving my A7s with just my Denon receiver for both music and HT and could not be happier.
    The more i listen to them, the more i am impressed by them. Feed them QUALITY recording from a quality source and you will not be disappointed. I listen to lots of music of different genres and I am yet to be disappointed.
    Feed them an SACD or a Bluray disc and their precision and dynamism is taken to a whole new level.
    They are the goods and are good value for money. If you can get one on sale i would say go for it.
    AMP/Pre Pro: Outlaw 7000x, Marantz AV7703
    Speakers: Fronts:LSiM 705s/ Center: LSiM 706c / Surrounds: LSim 703s
    SUB: Rythmik LV12R x2
    Source:OPPO UDP-203
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
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    You've got the juice to power anything in the RTIa line and have a nice sub to boot. If music comes first, try to find some SDAs in decent shape, have Trey (VR3) do the mods, and you will still probably spend less and have a much better musical experience.
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  • minion24
    minion24 Posts: 25
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    Rti a3s as fronts with a powerd sub..if u have the external amp run a7s at full potent. And they come alive.(with a sub aswell)..alot of people need to invest more in treating the room..you can make even the cheapest speakers sound good wit some treatment....a3s wit reg av rec. Or if you want to go all out, a7s would give more mid/fuller sound with amp. Dont expect deep bass rumbles..thats where subs come in.
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  • specd_out
    specd_out Posts: 505
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    I have a5's, csia6, and fxia6. I have had them for several years. The a5's come to life when quality power is given to them. Paired with a good sub they can be very good for both music and movies. I have my lsi9s for critical listening and my a5's for mainly HT and house filling music. I enjoy them equally for the roles I use them for. That being said I wouldnt use the a5's as my critical listening setup. Too bright and too forward sounding, but thats what makes them a great HT speaker.
    HT Rig Samsung 64F8500 |Pioneer Elite BDP-52FD|Pioneer Elite VSX-32| Two Carver TFM-15cb Bridged for mains|Polk Audio RTiA5 Cherry|Polk Audio CsiA6 Cherry|Polk Audio T-15 Heights|Polk Audio FXia6 Surround|DIY 8cuft Dayton Ultimax 15" powered with a Crown XLS1000
    2Channel Rig Polk Audio LSi9 Cherry| Carver C-1BillD Mod|Carver M1.0t MkII Opt2|Pro-ject RM 1.3|SpeedBox S|AQ King Cobras|AQ Rocket88|
    ISF Level 2 Certified Calibrator
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,066
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    The OP just bought a decent CSIA6 center channel, so let's lead him in a totally different direction why don't we? Mismatched fronts and Monitor 70's for rears yeah solid advice :D
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,066
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    True but being that the OP is strapped for cash and the RTIa's can be obtained for a buy 1 get one at half price that would be the more logical way to go. A decent dual purpose rig, then perhaps start saving for a strictly 2 channel rig for music down the road, or saving for a front Soundstage that is better suited for both applications down the road.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
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    In the right setup, the RTiA3s can do a very admirable job with music.

    Pros:
    * Easy to drive
    * Excellent low to mid-level dynamics
    * With clean amplification can cleanly go to room filling volume
    * "Sparkle" on top to reveal inner musical detail (that the LSi7s I had did not, imho, of course)
    * Can be found for a good value used or refurbished

    Cons:
    * Will brutally reveal faults with musical sources & recordings
    * Not the best choice for busy/congested musical choices, such as thrash
    * Can be pushed to go 'stoopid' loud, but soundstage will collapse and sound compressed
    * lacks a tad mid-range 'warmth' for vocals

    (based on living with RTiA3s and LSi7s for side by side in home evaluation)

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    Erik what were you running them with?
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
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    Yamaha RX-V1800 AVR, but then got much better results when I used my refurbished Carver M1.0t amp and MIT Shotgun S2 speaker cables for external amplification from the AVR.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
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    Well, I think that speaker choice really is an 'overall' process which encompasses system components (cuz everything DOES matter) and personal preferences.

    I sold the LSi7s and kept the RTiA3s.

    But have since moved on.

    There is no 'perfect' speaker absolutely at any given price point.

    Ears on and pick what you like - not what other people on the internet say...even though we all like to think OUR opinion matters.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    What is the least expensive NIB amp that would cool these speakers down?
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
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    Budget?

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    Nope
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
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    For RTiA9s, right?

    And, just how hard do you want to drive them?

    Cuz, sometimes 'stoopid' loud is fun - so, that'll require some power and coin.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    I only play stoopid loud when I am stoopid drunk. I only get drunk on top shelf stuff so I don't get drunk much cause I can't afford to lol. To be serious I would like to have enough power for them to perform at least close their full potential. I don't think I would spend more than 1k on an amp for these speakers. I may have to settle for the 7's anyway.
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited May 2015
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    This is just my opinion, but best bang for your buck would be a used SS amp. No moving parts, low risk, good reliability, good resale value in case you want to try something else.

    I'd step up and buy the Parasound A21 in the flea market...done.

    And, just to be crazy out of the box - go for the Musical Fidelity A308 Int Amp on the 'gon for $1200.

    Now that would be done...and done.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    Nice amps but not enough bucks to make those bang. I would like to buy new, the last time I bought something used there was a body in the trunk.

    At any rate I am getting ahead of myself, maybe I won't hate the speakers and bleed from my eyes with my xpa3.

    I still have my emo club for a year and a few months maybe they will make an amp that wont hasten my demise in that time.
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  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
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    DSkip wrote: »
    Parasound 2250 v2. At $1400, it'll have you begging for mercy.

    My 2250 & 2100 tickle my fancy thats for sure. Bounce them back and forth from my 11's and SDA's

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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    DSkip wrote: »
    Parasound 2250 v2. At $1400, it'll have you begging for mercy.

    Nice but I would have to forgo the speakers lol!



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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
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    Good luck in your quest - wherever that takes you.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
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    Erik Tracy wrote: »
    Good luck in your quest - wherever that takes you.

    Thanks Erik, I am well on my way to the abyss, oh the heartbreak of insanity. I actually feel a lot better now that I have almost snapped lol. I will see what speaker I can afford when and if FF comes around and go from there. If I did have the money I would get the 9's and that new Parasound Dskip posted but the "audio bucket" (one of a few "live it up now buckets") is bone dry at the moment however my "in case I live bucket" is pretty full. I will probably be def when I start spending those funds %^(
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    edited May 2015
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    Well if I had $2100 we would not have had to have this war lol.

    If I am lucky I will have a few hundred for speakers in the Fall and maybe by tax time I will have some money for an amp if the IRS doesn't gank me.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    edited May 2015
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    Furthermore I still want an amp on the rears.

    I did not intend to eliminate any amps just move em around so to speak so I would still need another two channels for the fronts.
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