RTI A5 Price check

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tooflawd
tooflawd Posts: 4
in Speakers
Hey everyone,

I'm about to purchase my first set of floor speakers to start a HT. To be honest, I listen to more music than movies, but found some used Polk Audio RTI A5 speakers for $250 for both. Seller says they are in excellent condition (I will be meeting up with him in person to check them out).

Would this be considered a steal of a price that i should hop on ASAP, or should I pass on it and wait/save up for a package deal that frys/best buys offers every now and then. Will probably buy a sub to accompany in the near future if I bought these.

Thanks in advanced for input.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,588
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    They are voiced more towards theater, get a good listen to them. They might be a little bright for your taste if music is your bag.
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  • tooflawd
    tooflawd Posts: 4
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    DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »

    If you are looking for a great deal on home theater Polk Signature Speaker Series packages (open box packages from Adorama Camera), here is a link from the SlickDeals website:

    https://slickdeals.net/f/10270748-open-box-polk-signature-speaker-bundle-pair-s50-s15-s35-550-more-free-s-h?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

    They have speaker packages built around the S50, the S55, and the S60 tower speakers.

    Thanks for the replies guys. Do you think Polk Signature Series would be better tuned for music as well compared to the rti's?
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  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
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    tooflawd wrote: »
    DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »

    If you are looking for a great deal on home theater Polk Signature Speaker Series packages (open box packages from Adorama Camera), here is a link from the SlickDeals website:

    https://slickdeals.net/f/10270748-open-box-polk-signature-speaker-bundle-pair-s50-s15-s35-550-more-free-s-h?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

    They have speaker packages built around the S50, the S55, and the S60 tower speakers.

    Thanks for the replies guys. Do you think Polk Signature Series would be better tuned for music as well compared to the rti's?

    Oh yes....
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
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  • tooflawd
    tooflawd Posts: 4
    edited July 2017
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    DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »
    tooflawd wrote: »
    DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »

    If you are looking for a great deal on home theater Polk Signature Speaker Series packages (open box packages from Adorama Camera), here is a link from the SlickDeals website:

    https://slickdeals.net/f/10270748-open-box-polk-signature-speaker-bundle-pair-s50-s15-s35-550-more-free-s-h?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

    They have speaker packages built around the S50, the S55, and the S60 tower speakers.

    Thanks for the replies guys. Do you think Polk Signature Series would be better tuned for music as well compared to the rti's?

    I have not heard the Signature series and that series has several different options for both two channel and home theater, as does the RTI series. Some of the variables to consider is your AVR receiver (how powerful, does it have pre-outs for an external amp, how many channels, etc.), how big your listening room is including ceiling height, etc.

    I wanted bigger tower speakers, but did not want to overwhelm my living room. The A5s are about as big as I will go for the size of room they are in. If your listening area is in the 175 to 225 foot range, you may be able to do all bookshelf speakers plus a center. I have Polk RTI A1s, A3s, and A5s. For 5.1 plus 2 channel music, the A1s, and A3s would work in my living room. The A5s are very easy to drive and don't need a monster amp and I'm very happy with them for both all kinds of music and movies. The S50 or the S55 speaker packages would also be a good fit for my living room.

    With any of those Signature packages, you can get brand new plus a sub for a $1,000 or less. Those Signature package deals are hard to beat.

    Are you doing a basic 5.1 home theater?

    Wow great info thanks. I am indeed planning for a basic 5.1 HT My budget is probably somewhere around $1-1250 including AVR. I guess my main concern is the flexibility to enjoy not only movies, but also music equally (someone had posted A5's may be too bright for music). I do need tower speakers, as my new living room is quite large.

    While this is a concern, $250 for the pair of used A5's off craigslist seemed to be a no brainer deal to start me off, but now I'm thinking it may be best to buy a package deal like the one you posted. Besides the signature line, are there any other brands you recommend that can do music and movies equally well?

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  • tooflawd
    tooflawd Posts: 4
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    Thank you so much for your time in educating me on all the options. As I begin my journey to build my first HT, your info has already helped a ton! I think I may just go the second route and grab the A5's to see how I like them. I'm
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,808
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    You say this your first HT, but then say music is your priority, so I take it you are trying to do both with one system. If so, you'll be much happier with the Signature speakers as they are no where near as bright.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
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    Have the RTI A5's. The price s fair, if everything works, and cats didn't use it as a scratching post.

    The RTI A series is probably the best looking speakers Polk has made. They are very good for HT. At least the cherry ones are.

    If you decide on the RTI A5's, and your concerned about music, I suggest you pair them with either a Marantz AVR or Yamaha Aventage series AVR's. There are quite a few AVR's that will make those speakers sound so bright, the will make your eyes water when listening to music.

    You will need a sub with the A 5's, they start struggling around the 40 Hz range, at least in my room.

    I've heard the signature series, but haven't spent a lot of time with them. For music, they do sound better than the RTI A series, at least to my ears. I have no idea how you would judge them, or what your listening preferences are.

    I'll give a big edge to the RTI a's on HT duty. Personally think the dialogue is much more pronounced with them. Could also be that the room acoustics, or lack there of had something to do with it.

    Will say this. When I first started building my HT system, I listened to about 20 or 25 percent music, the rest being movies or tv. When I switched from the low end Yamaha to the Marantz, and later to the Yamaha Aventage AVR, it's closer to 50 percent music.

    Not much relaxation time working 50 to 60+ hours per week, or probably be even more music. Of course I have upgraded my front three, but the RTI A's gave me close to 5 years of enjoyment.

    Point is, if you can, listen to both. Don't believe for a second that anybody on this forum, or any other is a better judge than you of what you like to hear.
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  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
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    Signatures are much better for music than Rti. I replaced my RTi8 with S60, a lot cleaner for music. HT is where the RTi did shine. RTi8 did get better once I changed out the Sony ES AVR to a Marantz.

    Other thing is RTi like a lot of power. A friend was selling his 5 channel Emo many years ago and let me hook it into my system. Rti's really opened up with the extra juice.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,981
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    la2vegas wrote: »
    Saw these recently. tigrwllsdrsf.jpg
    https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/ele/d/polk-rti-a5-tower-speakers/6245052625.html
    100 bucks, not bad.

    Man that's a great deal! A good sub or two and you have a great start for a kicking home theater!
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    edited August 2017
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    Man, glad I already sold my Rti8. Guy in Carlsbad want's $80 for a pair facp9mga6rpc.jpg
    https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/ele/d/polk-audio-speakers/6223698868.html

    If I had a place to put them I would go for it...


    oh and I got a lot more for my RTi8's :)
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
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