Need to upgrade from the Polk RTi series

[j_garcia]

Yes they are. Check them. My RTi10's strapped are 4 ohms.

So you measured them? Well, that doesn't give me any more reason to be interested in Polk speakers. That would have to be the first time I've heard of it, and if it is the case, it would be a serious fault on their part.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

So you measured them? Well, that doesn't give me any more reason to be interested in Polk speakers. That would have to be the first time I've heard of it, and if it is the case, it would be a serious fault on their part.

No kidding. I even called Polk and asked a tech about it. He was unaware, and swore up and down they were 8 ohms strapped. He checked, and sure enough, his jaw dropped and apologized via emaili. I'm still in awe that they haven't corrected this on the website.

Your GR Research AV2's aren't that much less of a pig as are these RTi series towers. They seem to like the power as well. At $900 a pair, they aren't cheap. I'll give them credit for at least stating the obvious: It is also important to keep in mind that the A/V-2's are a 4 ohm speaker. So make sure your amp or receiver can handle driving the 4 ohm load prior to ordering.
Specs: A/V-2
Frequency response +/-1.2 db (anechoic) 3 db down point is 55Hz
Sensitivity is 91.5 db (1watt/1m)
Nominal power range 5-100 watts RMS
Impedance 4 ohms nominal 3.6 ohms minimal

 

[j_garcia]

Yep, they like plenty of juice. The fact that they have higher sensitivity helps, but the low impedance still means they like to have enough power on hand. My receiver would saturate at elevated levels with demanding stuff with just three across the front (in my former setup using A/V-1s for surrounds, which are 8 Ohm), which is why I added the monoblocks. So the two mains with their own power supplies are very happy and sound great.

This pic from the GR site shows my actual main pair:

 

[Johnny Canuck]

Buckeye....if i take off the jumpers on my center channel, will i be eliminating any highs or lows. I know the drivers are small in a center channel but you need some bass in male vocals..

Thanks dude. You are so helpful around here.

So if I understand this correctly, I am running my RTI 12's at 8ohms because I have an amp on my lows?? But my center and rears are in 4ohm??

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Buckeye....if i take off the jumpers on my center channel, will i be eliminating any highs or lows. I know the drivers are small in a center channel but you need some bass in male vocals..

Thanks dude. You are so helpful around here.

So if I understand this correctly, I am running my RTI 12's at 8ohms because I have an amp on my lows?? But my center and rears are in 4ohm??

I had all the specs written down somewhere on the impedance. The CSi5 strapped is somewhere around 6 ohms. Keep it strapped. You want the dual woofers and one tweeter. When you take the strap off, you eliminate one woofer, and not the tweeter. My RTi4's are around 6 ohms strapped. The RTi10's are 4 ohms strapped, 8 ohms unstrapped. My FXi3's have no strap, and cannot be biamped. They read a nice even 8 ohms. The FXi5's may be strapped - I don't know.

If you have your separate amp running the entire RTi12's strapped, they are 4 ohms. If you have your receiver running the top end unstrapped (the midbass and tweeter), and the separate amp running the bottom (woofers), then you are running two (actually 4) speakers at 8 ohms. Your amp may be able to handle the RTi12's strapped by itself, but then you'd be wasting the two channels on your receiver that could be used for the top end.

Your center and rears are running around 6 ohms. The center channel would open up if you biamped it, but at 6 ohms, your receiver can handle it. You'll need to increase the dB level of the center to blend in with your more efficient towers if they are biamped. Not a lot, but slightly. Auto (mic)calibration should take care of that. The same goes for your surrounds. They'll need a little bump to make up for the loss in impedence, but not much. The surrounds make up a very small percentage of the soundstage, even in digital surround, so biamping the rears isn't necessary IMO unless you have an entry level receiver running 4 ohm speakers (or 6 ohm at <86dB). It can get confusing, but with some time, and trial and error, you can dial it in nicely with a separate 2 channel amp.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

You mention biamping my center to open it up. That would require me gettinga nother amp right? Any way I can do this now?

BTW, I can't do that biamp trick AH recommends, using an amp on my lows like i do now can I?

Buckeye..any info on my other threads i started tonight? about low budget DVD players? subwoofer isolation foam?

Thanks a bunch..

BTW..had a few tonight. sorry if i seem like an a hole...

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

You mention biamping my center to open it up. That would require me getting another amp right? Any way I can do this now?
BTW, I can't do that biamp trick AH recommends, using an amp on my lows like i do now can I?

If you're running a 5.1 setup now, you can probably use the rear 6th or 7th channel on the front center to biamp the center. So, yes, you can do the AH trick to biamp the center. I'm still trying to figure out the logic when playing the center in dts or dd, if the center is biamped, would it be confused by the different channel signals.

Buckeye..any info on my other threads i started tonight? about low budget DVD players? subwoofer isolation foam?
Thanks a bunch..
BTW..had a few tonight. sorry if i seem like an a hole...

I haven't gotten that far yet. I'll check them out. I was too busy killing time dismissing that SDAT dude from ecoustics on his "white van" speakers. Geezus, what a waste of brain cells.