Rti A7 Questions and Concerns
Dino_Spumoni
Posts: 8
in Speakers
I am looking to get started with a basic but good-sounding 5.1 Home Theater/music listening setup. I recently purchased a Yamaha rx-v385 and have a polk psw110 sub. Since I only wanted a 5.1 setup, I didn't want to spend the extra money on a receiver with more channels but figured the rx-v385 is a decent first crack at an AVR.
This leads me to my next concern, what speakers should I get? I am looking to keep the budget for the pair under $1k, and had my eyes on the Rti A7's now for a while. My main concerns come from what I read on many of these forums:
1) They can be harsh in the high end for music (other than classical, jazz and acoustic) -- I am someone that listens to a lot of rock/alternative.
2) They are "power hungry".
Considering my AVR isn't the most powerful unit and does not have preouts, will these speakers still sound good with out an additional amp? Down the road I can always sell my AVR and upgrade, but for now this is the one I am sticking with.
Also, regarding the harsh highs, would taming down the treble slightly on the AVR's eq help diminish some of these harsh frequencies?
I have always been a fan of Polk and was really hoping to get these speakers, but I would really appreciate some honest feedback -- even if there are recommendations for other models/brand speakers with my current setup.
Thank you
This leads me to my next concern, what speakers should I get? I am looking to keep the budget for the pair under $1k, and had my eyes on the Rti A7's now for a while. My main concerns come from what I read on many of these forums:
1) They can be harsh in the high end for music (other than classical, jazz and acoustic) -- I am someone that listens to a lot of rock/alternative.
2) They are "power hungry".
Considering my AVR isn't the most powerful unit and does not have preouts, will these speakers still sound good with out an additional amp? Down the road I can always sell my AVR and upgrade, but for now this is the one I am sticking with.
Also, regarding the harsh highs, would taming down the treble slightly on the AVR's eq help diminish some of these harsh frequencies?
I have always been a fan of Polk and was really hoping to get these speakers, but I would really appreciate some honest feedback -- even if there are recommendations for other models/brand speakers with my current setup.
Thank you
Comments
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Just out of curiosity, why did you pass on the Signature series? If you listen to lots of rock, then an S50 with that sub are probably a better match for that avr. You can walk into any best buy and listen to how much better they sound than the Klipsch display that sits right next to them.
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I would save and look at a different sub. The A7’s, properly powered, will dig lower than the PSW 110.
I thought about going for the A5s at first, but I was figuring having the mid-range driver would be a nice touch. I guess I should also mention that I am in an apartment, so I don't need extreme volumes by any means.
I had't had a chance to listen to the Signature series in person. Is the Signature series less bright in nature than the rti? The Klipsch sounded great to me, however, I'm not looking for extreme accuracy, which I felt they had -- I would prefer some nice color to the sound.
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
Thank you for all the advice! I am fairly new to this stuff and really appreciate the help.
Other; S60'S, M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.
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Assuming I lean toward the signature series, is there a tremendous difference in sound, particularly the high ranges, between the s50 and s55? Based on what I've heard about the RTI A7s -- if not properly setup -- they can be a little rough on the high frequencies, especially cymbals and hi-hats in rock music. I'm assuming the signatures are a little more forgiving?
I highly recommend getting the S60s, they handle both music and movies beautifully. There is no harshness from the tweeter at all, just crisp clear sound. Here is the review of my S60s I did back in 2017 when I got them. I hope you find it informative.
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/176622/review-of-polk-signature-series-s60-speakers/p1
No. Digital Trends magazine has a glowing review of the Signature series on youtube and concludes that any of the towers combined with a sub would do just as well as an S60.
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