RtiA9 Replacement Tweeter Current best option
Hello Everyone,
I was listening to my RTiA9s yesterday and one of the tweeters sounds very low in output.
I am guessing its failing or has failed.
Can anyone share what is the current best option for a replacement?
Midwest Speaker site shows it as discontinued:
https://www.midwestspeakerrepair.com/product/polk-audio-rd0697-1-1-inch-dome-tweeter/?srsltid=AfmBOoqrGHUDMuWDM4A5FUGE6c6mzqZbcCEACwjg_j2jiFvr8NDc6DCN
They suggest an Eminence SD28 replacement which then requires some surgery to adapt it to the RTiA9 plate.
https://www.midwestspeakerrepair.com/product/eminence-sd28-1-dome-4-ohm-tweeter/
Would you guys say this is still the best option?
Thx
Jimmy P
I was listening to my RTiA9s yesterday and one of the tweeters sounds very low in output.
I am guessing its failing or has failed.
Can anyone share what is the current best option for a replacement?
Midwest Speaker site shows it as discontinued:
https://www.midwestspeakerrepair.com/product/polk-audio-rd0697-1-1-inch-dome-tweeter/?srsltid=AfmBOoqrGHUDMuWDM4A5FUGE6c6mzqZbcCEACwjg_j2jiFvr8NDc6DCN
They suggest an Eminence SD28 replacement which then requires some surgery to adapt it to the RTiA9 plate.
https://www.midwestspeakerrepair.com/product/eminence-sd28-1-dome-4-ohm-tweeter/
Would you guys say this is still the best option?
Thx
Jimmy P
Comments
-
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 -
Are you saying just buy that and canibalize the tweeter from it?
Outwardly it does not appear to be the same tweeter as it doesnt have the double cut outs of the A9 version or did I completely miss something? -
I can't recall but isn't the faceplate removable?- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Judging by the photos provided on Midwest Speaker's site it looks like the 1" tweeter is epoxied or glued to the faceplate.
I believe thats how they suggest to use the Eminence part, you have to cut out the old tweet and glue / epoxy in the new one. -
It's the same tweeter, just a different bezel.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 -
Yeah with generous heat you should be able to separate the dome/motor from the bezel- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Copy, I have heat guns and assorted tools for the job. Thats what I'll do. I just wanted to make sure there was no other "bolt in" option out there that I was missing.
Thanks guys.
Cheers
jimmy p -
Fwiw the rti12 used the same drivers and goes for a little less used.- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650188137-polk-rti12-speakers/
No affiliation, might convince him to ship you the drivers and burn the boxes
The 12s used an inferior enclosure- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Fwiw the rti12 used the same drivers and goes for a little less used.
Crossover was different according to Polk. I agree, if the seller can pack drivers correctly this would be something I'd look into if I had your speakers. -
*minor differences but differences yes
Drivers all the same- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
I think I'd feel bad asking a guy to sell me his tweeters on an otherwise good set of speakers LOL.
I'm going to proceed on buying the Eminence tweets and see how they go.
I'd also be semi wary of buying someone's used Polk tweets if mine failed (or is failing).
Never know what someone has thrown at them, from possibly from some underpowered AV receiver (vast assumption there).
I've owned my A9s from new, they have never seen a clipped signal, but a bunch of power and DBs at times (my A9s are my choice when I want to "git 'er loud") maybe the Eminence piece will hold up a bit better ?
Oh and referencing back to my recent JBL L7 thread, I did a pretty serious listing party back and forth between the L7s and the A9s and whoever said that the Polk low end would be more accurate but maybe not as loud hit the nail on the head.
The JBL L7 is a home run on rocking, but with the subtle EQ tweaks I have on the A9s, they really do have a substantial, tight, punchy low end.
I was thinking about selling the A9s and using the JBLs for my "rock" speakers but nope, keeping both.
Since adding the KT EQ to my system I have a new love for my RTiA9s.
They just needed a few tweeks.
Nope they are not as wonderful flat out of the box as the other older Polks I own, but they will rock and sound good with just a little EQ-ing.
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Honestly the RTi12 enclosures are questionable enough that its ok. I have literally separated the front baffle with my hands. Polk only made that iteration for a year or two before completely changing the cabinets.
Id spend the $300 and tell him to scrap them.- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Typically you should have NO trouble finding several RTi/RTi A series tweeters on eBay saving you some work.
OTOH have you ruled a failed XO component?Samsung 60" QN65Q7FAMFXZA QLED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro, Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer
Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside
BJC 10 ga - LCR mids “Foamed” & “Plugged**”, inside* & out
8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
*soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop)
LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels*. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - RB981*
Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981* -> Bi-amped CSi A6
Surrounds: Rotel 981* -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3
*all connected w/Premiere ICs
5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”
Power Conditioning & Distribution:
4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s -
Hi Team,
I just wanted to report back after the repair was complete.
I would like to report that the aftermarket Eminence SD28 tweeter was a very suitable replacement for the Polk unit, very reasonably priced and sounds about exactly the same, maybe just possibly even a little less edge than the stocker, but that is a pretty subjective thing since I didnt have them to direct A-B.
Replacement process was pretty easy.
The stockers are glued / epoxied into the silver plates.
Physical cutting with a brand new utility blade was not effective. It wouldnt cut the glue at all. It was pretty tough glue / epoxy.
Heat was the answer, stock tweeters lifted right out with a bit of heat to soften the glue, well actually a good bit of heat.
For anyone reading this who is going to do it, BE CAREFUL with the heat.
The stock Polk tweeter plates despite feeling beefy are in fact plastic and will soften with too much general area heat.
In retrospect a small very focused heat gun tip or maybe a 100w soldering iron with a cutting tip is probably the right tool.
My regular heat gun that I use for heat shrinking applied too wide of a general heating and one of my tweeter plates did deform a bit, barely noticeable from standing looking at the speaker but I know it's there.
Gluing in was easy the Eminence part dropped right in and glued easily.
I even thought I might be able to re-use the Polk tweeter's stock heat sinks as the Eminence part has a threaded hole on the back, but they are different threads and there is a protrusion / bump on the rear face of the Eminence tweet that would require a recess be drilled into the heat sink for it to sit flat on the back of the tweeter and do anything. I saved the heat sinks, maybe a project for a later date.
Hope this helps another Polk Audio forum member down the road. -
Thanks for the follow-up.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
