5.1 to 7.1, two new loudspeakers?

[Apedemak21]

I have a set of Polks that I inherited: two rt12's, a csi40, and two rear surrounds without a label. I am looking to upgrade the system with a new reciever for the hdmi (thinking about the Onkyo sr705) and was thinking about getting two more speakers in the same quality range to bring the system up to 7.1 for my up and coming games/theatre room. So, the question is: what kind of new Polk's to get? I am not even really sure what kind of speakers the side ones should be, are they supposed to be like the rt12's, two floorstanding loudpseakers? Thanks.


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[mazersteven]

I am not even really sure what kind of speakers the side ones should be, are they supposed to be like the rt12's, two floorstanding loudpseakers? Thanks.


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Are these your mains, RT12's?

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/rt12/

Just making sure they are not the RTi 12's.

 

[Apedemak21]

Yup, that is them.

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[mazersteven]

These are bookshelf speakers in the RT series

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/rt3/

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/rt5/

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/rt7/

Maybe you can find them used to match your mains to keep in the same family as your mains.

 

[mazersteven]

Have you thought about selling your RT12's and taking the money and getting the RTi series speakers to match your center channel speaker. They are being some very inexpensive right now.

 

[Apedemak21]

Should they be bookshelf speakers? I do have lots of room to put floorstanding ones in if that is a better option as I would need to add stands to bring them to ear level. Seems to me a floorstanding cost about the same as a bookshelf and a nice looking stand.

Thanks for the advice.

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[Apedemak21]

If I would buy a new set of rti's, could then the old rt12 act as the side speakers?

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[mazersteven]

If I would buy a new set of rti's, could then the old rt12 act as the side speakers?

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That could be a plan.

Hopefully one of the members will know where the Rti's are being sold at the best deal.

http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=28504

 

[Apedemak21]

If the two surrounds that I have are bi-directional and I purchase two new front projecting speakers is it best to have the bi-dircetional ones in the rear or side position?

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[AVRat]

If the surrounds look like this, http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/fxi50/ then they are usually placed as side-surrounds.

Get the RTi8s while you still can at these prices:
Black - $180 ea.
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Output-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker/dp/B0000SYA8A/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196873451&sr=1-1
Cherry - $225 ea.
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Output-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker/dp/B0000VYJIS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196873451&sr=1-2

Looks like a good sub is next on the list.