Polk RTi8 VS. RTi12

[AngelusNexx]

I cant decide if the RTi12 is worth twice as much as the RTi8. I know I would need seperate amp to power the RTi12 but thats ok. Right now I have a HK AVR635.

I looked EVERYWHERE and I cant demo the speakers before I buy them. Just wondering If people that have gotten to demo them can give me some input. Im not looking at the RTi10 just because it only has one midrange.

Also for the people with the RTi12 what two channel amp are you guys using with it?

 

[firefighterchri]

I have to tell you you will not go wrong with the RTI12's. But, you will definately need some power for them. I originally had the 10's and returned them for the 12's, not because of sound quality but because of price. I was getting more speaker for a little bit more money. I have only had my 12's about 2 weeks now with about 40 hours on them and they sound awesome!! The bass is good enough thru them to run without a sub as they go to 30HZ. I use a Yamaha rxv2500 reciever with 130 watts per chanel and it drives them without a problem. Great bass, mids, and highs. Hope this helped.

Polk Audio
Rti 12’s 9 (front)
Rti 4’s (rear surround)
Csi 5 (center)
PSW 505 (subwoofer)
50” Sony Grand Wega LCD projection
Yamaha RXV2500 receiver
Sony DVP725P DVD player
Dish network 811 HDTV receiver
Sony Playstation 2

 

[dillweed]

I was in a similar situation and researched both speakers and found a place to demo them both at Fry's Electronics. I found the rti12 to be disappointing when compared to the rti8. An AVR7300 (120-130ish wpc) was running both speakers it just could not get the rti12 to perform. I have heard the suggestion that you need a powerful amp to run the rti12's but I have heard from numerous owners that 7" woofers just get it done. I would strongly suggest that you go with the rti8's and a separate sub.
If you are looking for an all in one tower try the polk lsi15. They are a little bit more in price (should be able to deal at least 20% off) but was much much better than the rti12 for both music and movies.

Not that it matters much but with discount I could have gotten a pair of rti12's for $680.00 and still passed. They just are not worth the extra cost.

 

[firefighterchri]

dillweed, I don't know what speakers you were comparing, but if you put the 8's and the 12's togather and compare them the 12's are much cleaner and have much better overall sound! The 12's have much better bass response as well as highs and mids than the 8's will ever have. I don't care how many watts per channels the receiver has. You can have a 130 wpc receiver and another receiver with say 90-100 wpc and it blow the 130 wpc receiver out of the water if it is a high end receiver that provides clear power. I'm not saying the HK (110 wpc not 130 wpc) you used with the speakers is junk its just that you can't really judge it by using one receiver. Try another receiver such as Denon or Yamaha and see if they come alive. YES these speakers love power but if you buy a reveiver to push them you will be amazed by the sound these babies provide. Clear mids and upper and very tight bass response.

Polk Audio
Rti 12’s (front)
Rti 4’s (rear surround)
Csi 5 (center)
PSW 505 (subwoofer)
50” Sony Grand Wega LCD projection
Yamaha RXV2500 receiver
Sony DVP725P DVD player
Dish network 811 HDTV receiver
Sony Playstation 2

 

[dillweed]

Firefighter: The HK 7300 is one hell of a receiver and has been highly praised in every review it has been featured in. You are mistaken, the Harman power specs are 125w per channel in stereo mode and when professionally tested they actually put out significantly more power. I agree with your following statement.

"I don't care how many watts per channels the receiver has. You can have a 130 wpc receiver and another receiver with say 90-100 wpc and it blow the 130 wpc receiver out of the water if it is a high end receiver that provides clear power."

I am trying to establish that the 7300 is a great receiver that puts out clean power at 125w per channel. Can we agree on that? Sure a different receiver/amp could change the characteristics of the sound of the speaker but at what cost? If I wanted to buy inefficient power hungry speakers at that cost I would buy maggies and have all the musical bliss in the world. I disagree with you the sound of the rti12's and the value they hold over the rti8's especially for home theater because the rti12's don't exhibit dynamic lows. I have not only heard this from numerous owners of the rti12, heard it myself, you yourself have added a psw 505 to aid your system's low end. Lets agree to disagree.

Zach: To answer your question my listening of these two speakers has lead me to believe that for 2x price the rti12's are not worthy. I would recommend that you go with the rti8's matched with a svs sub as they are great speakers for the price and you also would not have to buy a separate amp to power them.

 

[GaryZ06]

When I was powering my RTi12's with my Pio 1014 they sounded pretty good.Now I power them with Outlaw M200 monoblocks and they are a totally different animal.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

I'm just curious why people claim Polks need so much power to drive them. The RTi12 and 8 both have an efficiency of 90. That's fairly efficient in my mind and should be able to be driven by any receiver on the market, no?

 

[dillweed]

I'm just curious why people claim Polks need so much power to drive them. The RTi12 and 8 both have an efficiency of 90. That's fairly efficient in my mind and should be able to be driven by any receiver on the market, no?

Well when I first started looking at them I saw the specs and thought that the polk power port would provide low end comparable to towers with powered subs in them. I was wrong. The dynamics during movies were uneventful. I moved the speakers around - away from the wall, toward the wall trying to figure out why they sounded so flat on the low end. At first I asked around club polk and everyone's reply was you have to give them more power. Yep more power will make them do wonders. What???? I was also baffled as to why these speakers needed so much power when they were fairly efficient as well as skeptical as to how much they would improve with more power when the source that I had used was IMO good clean power. I later found out by some who had went out and bought separate amps that the low end did not improve that much and but the speaker overall did sound better. My whole point is why start with a $1600 set of towers add separate amp or two (outlaw 200 - great value by the way) and need to add a sub to round out the system. At that price point you can find many far superior speakers Lsi15's for one.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

I'm just curious why people claim Polks need so much power to drive them. The RTi12 and 8 both have an efficiency of 90. That's fairly efficient in my mind and should be able to be driven by any receiver on the market, no?

Because we own them, and because these speakers can play with 300 and 500 watt per channel amps. I've had my Denon 3805 (which has a very good power supply) at 0 (2 channel stereo) on the receiver with some serious bass cd's. The speakers handle everything and more what my Denon puts out. It sounds outstanding, even at volumes not tolerable. They just seem like they can use more amplification though. The bass end doesn't "come alive" until you really push the RTi's with 7" woofers. By that time, the mid and highs are too loud. Those 7" woofers sound as good or better than some 8" and 10" separate subs I've heard. But you have to push them. 90dB to me screams separate amp. 93dB and up is preferred.

 

[firefighterchri]

dillweed, I never said the AVR7300 wasn't good. AS a matter of fact it is an excellent receiver. I have a Yamaha 2500 and I don't have any problem driving them. As for me adding a sub, yes I did but not because the 12's didn't perform its just that I like to have a sub take all my low freq and save the power for the mids and highs when watching movies. In stereo mode the sub is off and all power goes to the towers. I don't listen to my music or movies at extreme levels. maybe -20 listening to music and -30 for movies. This is just a ballpark figure. I use my one receiver and that is it, I don't have a seperate amp. I may decide to later if I get a bigger room that I will need to fill but for now it is perfect. And yes as we agreed with before they love power and there is nothing we can do about it, but if they are provided with the power needed then I see nothing wrong with it. I paid $1200 for the towers and $799 for the receiver. I will probably never use all the power the receiver will put out with my system the way it is right now since I don't plan on wanting to go deaf anytime soon!!
I didn't want to stir up an argument it just that you may listen to your music and movies at a different level than me thats all.

 

[shokhead]

Because we own them, and because these speakers can play with 300 and 500 watt per channel amps. I've had my Denon 3805 (which has a very good power supply) at 0 (2 channel stereo) on the receiver with some serious bass cd's. The speakers handle everything and more what my Denon puts out. It sounds outstanding, even at volumes not tolerable. They just seem like they can use more amplification though. The bass end doesn't "come alive" until you really push the RTi's with 7" woofers. By that time, the mid and highs are too loud. Those 7" woofers sound as good or better than some 8" and 10" separate subs I've heard. But you have to push them. 90dB to me screams separate amp. 93dB and up is preferred.

Wont need a sep amp if you use a good sub.

 

[rich200]

Just auditioned the RTi8 10 & 12

You didn't say what size room you will place these in.

I listened to these at Tweeter in a room around 18 x 22 feet. We used a Denon. I don't remember the model but, I told the salesman to match my 120 Wrms/ch Denon. We listened as 2 channel stereo and HT surround mode because I will use them for both.

I listened to the 8's and thought the highs where good and the mids where excellent. Vocals and brass where distinct. Bass was OK but not chest pounding, not quit fully extended but decent.

IMHO the 10's produced a veil of bass that covered up the mids and highs. This destroyed imaging for me.

The 12's had the fullest sound and best balance overall for that room size.

I own RTi6's and a CSi5 now and am looking to move the 6's back and get bigger fronts. The RTi6 sounds better in the house than in the store. I think bass is enhanced by the smaller room size. Maybe the shorter wire run helped also.

Given that, my room is 13 x 14ft, I listen at moderate volume, and have a 12" sub already, I will be getting the RTi8's for up front. I expect the 8's bass to improve in the little room like the 6's did. I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[Sheep]

Guys, you need to learn just how much "power" you receviers have. When you run a full system, the fronts are no longer getting 130watts a channel. Its more like... 60.

Personally, I would get a couple mono, or 1-2 channel amp for any set of towers. With polks, I would want 300watts with the RTi12's.

SheepStar

 

[Kenny4791]

thanx guys for the info.

I'm thinking off buying a new pair of RTi8 for $800 Canadian with a free 10" sub...From what I've learnt here it's probably a good buy.

Thanx guys