Polk RTi A7 full towers are they really as good as the reviews claim?

[stevenlevel 146]

I'm looking into buying a new pair of floor standing speakers as I have never owned any before. I have always used bookshelf speakers and been happy with that.

 

Now that I live in a apartment that allows me to play my music or subs very loud without complaints I'm looking for a good pair of floor standing speakers for $1,100 max a pair.

 

The Polk Rti A7's or A9's look like a good buy and I need front ported or sealed enclosures as I will not have the speakers right in front of a wall.

 

The Rti A7's can be had for $700 a pair when on sale and the A9's are $1,100 not on sale but only $100 more than the A7's when they are not on sale.

 

I'm looking for a speaker that is not too bright which is a issue with my current Definitive Studio Monitor 450's.

 

I bought the 450's at a great price as they were being discoed. So I grabbed 2 pair for $600 which is the normal price of a single pair.

 

I found out right away that although they sound good they are not great! The excessive brightness needed to be toned down with L-Pads added between the tweeters and cross-overs.

 

So I'm looking for good even sounding speakers that will not require a powered sub and don't have the excessively bright sound of the 1" aluminum dome tweeters my 450's have.

 

I have read a lot of reviews and I'm not a huge Polk fan, as far as that go's. However, great reviews are great reviews and they do look like very well built and well designed speakers.

 

Some say they lack mid-range and can sound dull. Others say they are great but need to be driven with lots of clean power. My hafler DH-500 will take care of any power issues and I'm buying this new pair of floor standing speakers with music playback as the main concern.

 

Unlike the 450's that were designed for home theater and lack the fine music playback I'm really looking for.

 

I'm 50 this Oct and want some quality floor standing speakers that will last the rest of my life and give me the wonderful musical experience  I have always wanted with my C-1 preamp and halfer amp.

 

Suggestions and comments are welcomed. I understand that when it comes to speakers everyone has different opinions but thats fine with me if anyone else has other brands or model speakers that might be better.

 

I don't have a Car and that makes buying used a difficult option as all floor standing speakers are so heavy.

 

I understand that you can find some used speakers at various online places but the lack of transportation is a big issue and I would rather have a new pair that come with a decent warranty as well.

 

Thanks everyone in advance and please let me hear your thoughts and suggestions...................

 

Steven Level 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[trav0810 586]

I am a huge Polk fan. But I generally lean toward their vintage models. All of the newer speakers I have heard, including the RTIa series sound more like hone theater speakers to me. But, that is just one man's opinion.

[compwaco 1,129]

The new Polks I have heard I didn't care for. If I was buying Polks I would look at the SDA series. If I needed to purchase a new model, I would audition Paradigm, Magnapan & Mirage. I'm not sure if the Mirage OMD-15's are still available but I thought that they sounded exceptional. I think it is most important that whatever you decide on come with a good audition/return policy. If you get then home and don't like them in your room and hooked up to your system, you should be allowed to exchange them for something else.

[trav0810 586]

I also liked a pair of newer Focal speakers I heard. Unfortunately, I don't know what model they were.

[loner_t 2,568]

I'm not sure if the Mirage OMD-15's are still available but I thought that they sounded exceptional.

 

There is a pair on ePrey here . 

[PMAT 2,038]

They have no soul. ?

This IS the million dollar question of old. What new speaker is delicate but kicks ass, plays loud and low but does strings well etc. etc. 4 a thousand dollars.

 

Time to go shopping and listening eh?

 

[B-Man 4,780]

You state you are not a Polk fan, yet you are thinking about spending $1,100 on a pair of them ?

 

You need to make a list of new speakers in your budget. Research what stores you can audition them at. Take a few CDs you like and are very familiar with and listen to them. Make notes about what you like and dislike about each pair you listen to. Also note what they are driving them with.

 

After you have whittled the list down to a few pairs you like, research what owners have to say about them. Listen to them again but bring different material along - some "test discs" if you will. Bela Fleck's Flight of the Cosmic Hippo will stress all but the most capable speakers when played at an elevated volume level.

 

If you aren't completely enamored with something at the end of this process, you need to increase your budget or start looking into used gear.

 

You likely will have these speakers for quite a few years. It is worth the time, money and inconvenience to check them out carefully before you put down your hard-earned cash.

 

I'm with Travis - my ears say older SDA Polks are pretty hard to top from a performance standpoint, especially in the bass region. However, I do know my ears also really enjoy ribbon drivers like those in my AL-IIIs.

 

Good luck with your quest. It can be painful, expensive, tiring and frustrating. But, when you find that right "something", it is well worth the effort. 

[peck555 366]

I would have to say Maggies, or AL3's myself, because I love that ribbon sound, so clean, and non fatiguing (to me)

 That being said, I have a pair of older Canton speakers that sound like my Maggies , but with bass, the model is the Canton Karat Quinto, they are old, but well made.

 Good luck with your journey, and have fun with some new (to you) speakers.

 

[stevenlevel 146]

 

 

You state you are not a Polk fan, yet you are thinking about spending $1,100 on a pair of them ?

 

You need to make a list of new speakers in your budget. Research what stores you can audition them at. Take a few CDs you like and are very familiar with and listen to them. Make notes about what you like and dislike about each pair you listen to. Also note what they are driving them with.

 

After you have whittled the list down to a few pairs you like, research what owners have to say about them. Listen to them again but bring different material along - some "test discs" if you will. Bela Fleck's Flight of the Cosmic Hippo will stress all but the most capable speakers when played at an elevated volume level.

 

If you aren't completely enamored with something at the end of this process, you need to increase your budget or start looking into used gear.

 

You likely will have these speakers for quite a few years. It is worth the time, money and inconvenience to check them out carefully before you put down your hard-earned cash.

 

I'm with Travis - my ears say older SDA Polks are pretty hard to top from a performance standpoint, especially in the bass region. However, I do know my ears also really enjoy ribbon drivers like those in my AL-IIIs.

 

Good luck with your quest. It can be painful, expensive, tiring and frustrating. But, when you find that right "something", it is well worth the effort. 

 

"Well what I meant is I'm not Polk brand loyal or treat them any differently than any other brand of speakers like many people do with Bose speakers and head phones"

[B-Man 4,780]

 

 

 

You state you are not a Polk fan, yet you are thinking about spending $1,100 on a pair of them ?

 

You need to make a list of new speakers in your budget. Research what stores you can audition them at. Take a few CDs you like and are very familiar with and listen to them. Make notes about what you like and dislike about each pair you listen to. Also note what they are driving them with.

 

After you have whittled the list down to a few pairs you like, research what owners have to say about them. Listen to them again but bring different material along - some "test discs" if you will. Bela Fleck's Flight of the Cosmic Hippo will stress all but the most capable speakers when played at an elevated volume level.

 

If you aren't completely enamored with something at the end of this process, you need to increase your budget or start looking into used gear.

 

You likely will have these speakers for quite a few years. It is worth the time, money and inconvenience to check them out carefully before you put down your hard-earned cash.

 

I'm with Travis - my ears say older SDA Polks are pretty hard to top from a performance standpoint, especially in the bass region. However, I do know my ears also really enjoy ribbon drivers like those in my AL-IIIs.

 

Good luck with your quest. It can be painful, expensive, tiring and frustrating. But, when you find that right "something", it is well worth the effort. 

 

"Well what I meant is I'm not Polk brand loyal or treat them any differently than any other brand of speakers like many people do with Bose speakers and head phones"

 

Understood. Don't be defensive - we're all happy that you are undertaking this journey. Speaker shopping is fun, aggravating, expensive, tiring, subjects you to BS from sales folks sometimes, etc. Kind of like shopping with a woman - not always fun but if you stick it out, you can save yourself some money and end up in a happy spot.  :-) 

[loner_t 2,568]

One factor in your decision making is the listening environment. After you are infatuated and have built a short list of the speakers (and women) you want. Take them home, and listen to them in your specific environment. To me, such a test is necessary, since you will be listening to them/sleeping with them for a long time! 

 

I suggest adding Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (1985) to what B-man has already suggested. 

[PDR 1,194]

.....Kind of like shopping with a woman - not always fun but if you stick it out, you can save yourself some money and end up in a happy spot.  :-) 

 

............Amen to that 

[weitrhino 1,443]

Yeah, I always aim for that happy spot, or two.

[dcl 3,276]

 

 

One factor in your decision making is the listening environment. After you are infatuated and have built a short list of the speakers (and women) you want. Take them home, and listen to them in your specific environment. To me, such a test is necessary, since you will be listening to them/sleeping with them for a long time! 

 

I suggest adding Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (1985) to what B-man has already suggested. 

Speaker shopping is a handwringing experience; keep in mind all of the above plus just walking away from contenders for a while, keep searching & later revisit your A-list.  And you might add romantic music a la L_t's metaphor; classical recordings fit the bill–Sisters In Arms, anyone?

 

 

[fill35U 1,846]

 

 

...Sisters In Arms, anyone?

 

 

 

Well, that just proved (to paraphrase the adage): "Any thread may be improved by the addition of a gratuitous lesbian sex scene." 

 

Like several other members have already mentioned, I think the most important thing is to audition the candidates in your own listening room. Play around with speaker placement and listening position as much as you can, especially if you're not using subwoofers and/or the speakers will be expected to reproduce the lower bass as well. Invite everybody you can find to listen, even though they aren't the ones you're buying the speakers for- sanity checks are important.

 

Have fun! 

[Daddyjt 9,614]

I recommend listening to a couple of different speakers 2x or even 3x your budget.  Note what you like (or dislike) about them, and look for speakers that do the best job at those things in your price range.  It's the "shoot for the stars and miss by a little bit" theory.  It gives you a good base line to know what good sounds like, to you.

[kve777 6,888]

Forget buying new.

 

Get good used, vintage type. You live near Chicago, tons of great deals to be had.

 

HERE is a very nice pair of speakers you could own and customize for years. I wish they were closer to me!

 

[kve777 6,888]

...or these: JBL 4312

 

[kve777 6,888]

In fact you gotta call this guy and check out his collection of vintage speakers!

 

[RodH 4,866]

I like image #11 of that ad....

[BarryG 2,853]

I am a fan of the Maggie's with ribbons, I loved my IIIas I could kick myself for trading them away! I like the vintage Polks too! Not a fan of newer polks!

 

Too bad you missed out on the speaker build from last Carverfest! They sound fantastic with the sunfire sub!

 

BarryG

[fill35U 1,846]

Good point about auditioning classic speakers, Kev!  But like anything vintage, their performance may be compromised by age. And if you don't take the time and effort to restore them, or have the experience to judge them, you won't know if you're hearing them in their full glory. 

 

But I guess if you come across something you really like as-is, you can still enjoy the music! 

[B-Man 4,780]

Any update on your speaker quest, Mr. Level ???

[Chad 9]

I Love my Polk LSI-9's and 15's ......The LSI 15's can take all my Sunfire  200  x 5 can give it. ( 4 channels are going to them)