Towers to go with my system

Gmoneywp15

Gmoneywp15

Audioholic Intern
I have Emotiva A300 , Polk rti A9s, 2 x Hsu VTF3, Marantz 1607 head unit
Looking to upgrade my floor speakers budget like to be around $3k total. Was hoping to find floor speakers to compliment my Hsu’s as they over the bass real well, so don’t feel like I need floor speakers with amazing bass.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Not sure how you imagine this "compliment" thing works particularly, but lots of things will work. Many floorstanders in that budget range won't have amazing bass otoh. You looking for more extension, or spl or ?
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I have Emotiva A300 , Polk rti A9s, 2 x Hsu VTF3, Marantz 1607 head unit
Looking to upgrade my floor speakers budget like to be around $3k total. Was hoping to find floor speakers to compliment my Hsu’s as they over the bass real well, so don’t feel like I need floor speakers with amazing bass.
Polk RTi A9s were pretty decent speakers, so I don't think it would be easy to top those under $3k. Some of my favs under $3k were the Polk Reserve R700s. I am not sure how big of an upgrade over the RTi A9s though. Another great speaker around that price range is the Arendal 1723 Tower S. You might also consider the Arendal 1723 Monitor. Also consider the RBH Sound 661-SF/R since you already have the bass covered.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
I would definitely go for the RBH 8300-SF.

1" silk dome tweeter, 2 x 6.5" aluminum midrange, 3 x 8" aluminum woofers.

 
Last edited:
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
His budget is $3k total, not $3k each! Although those would be seriously killer speakers.
I know what the retail price is. ;)

But if my brother says his budget is ABOUT $3K, I would get the 8300-SF for my brother. :D

And yes, I agree, the 8300-SF are seriously killer towers.
 
Last edited:
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I would think monitors might be a better option since you have dual subs already. As Shady mentioned, you're going to need to spend more to get a noticeable improvement.

Philharmonic BMRs look like they won't be available again until August. For a Monitor, that's what I'd be looking at for that kind of money.
 
BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
I would think monitors might be a better option since you have dual subs already. As Shady mentioned, you're going to need to spend more to get a noticeable improvement.

Philharmonic BMRs look like they won't be available again until August. For a Monitor, that's what I'd be looking at for that kind of money.
I agree, BMR Monitor (unfortunately also out of stock till August) would be a very serious upgrade over the RTI's, but ADTG could get you RBH 8300-SF in your budget, then I'd run and get and not look back. What happens on the back of a truck, stays on the back of the truck ;-)
 
Bobby Bass

Bobby Bass

Audioholic General
Polk RTi A9s were pretty decent speakers, so I don't think it would be easy to top those under $3k. Some of my favs under $3k were the Polk Reserve R700s. I am not sure how big of an upgrade over the RTi A9s though. Another great speaker around that price range is the Arendal 1723 Tower S. You might also consider the Arendal 1723 Monitor. Also consider the RBH Sound 661-SF/R since you already have the bass covered.
Good recommendations. I’ve had both the Polk R700 and the Arendal 1723S towers. I preferred the sound of the Arendals. Both have strong bass but the soft dome tweeter in the Arendal was better than the ring tweeter in the Polk in my opinion. Arendal let’s you buy, try at home for 60 days and return free of charge in the US if you’re not satisfied.
 
Tankini

Tankini

Audioholic Chief
I have Emotiva A300 , Polk rti A9s, 2 x Hsu VTF3, Marantz 1607 head unit
Looking to upgrade my floor speakers budget like to be around $3k total. Was hoping to find floor speakers to compliment my Hsu’s as they over the bass real well, so don’t feel like I need floor speakers with amazing bass.
Been MIA huh? Your last post was close to 4 years ago 2021. Those Polk RTi-A9 are pretty good, can get loud. Those are Definitely not for small rooms. You have 2 subs, plus gear seems to be good. What is it You feel that is lacking? Those are some pretty big tower speakers. Very nice well built speaker. Those RTi-A9's are still highly sought after in the used market.
Screenshot_20250604-074108_Moto App Launcher~2.png
 
Last edited:
Gmoneywp15

Gmoneywp15

Audioholic Intern
Been MIA huh? Your last post was close to 4 years ago 2021. Those Polk RTi-A9 are pretty good, can get loud. Those are Definitely not for small rooms. You have 2 subs, plus gear seems to be good. What is it You feel that is lacking? Those are some pretty big tower speakers. Very nice well built speaker. Those RTi-A9's are still highly sought after in the used market.
View attachment 73672
The mid range speakers on both towers are blown. At first I thought it was my tweeters and could not find any for sale, but after disconnecting tweeters narrowed down my mid range have static like sound coming through them. I found 4 OEM mids on eBay and purchased them. Hopefully works. Still not sure how they got blown. The RMS rating on those polks is like 450 @ 2 ohms or something crazy like that. And yes, I have been MIA- last time I posted you all pointed me towards the emotiva A300 and the Hsu VTF3’s. The room is 18 x 25. Hopefully replacing mids buys me many more years with the A9s. If not, will up my price range to $6k for new towers and post here again!
 
Tankini

Tankini

Audioholic Chief
The mid range speakers on both towers are blown. At first I thought it was my tweeters and could not find any for sale, but after disconnecting tweeters narrowed down my mid range have static like sound coming through them. I found 4 OEM mids on eBay and purchased them. Hopefully works. Still not sure how they got blown. The RMS rating on those polks is like 450 @ 2 ohms or something crazy like that. And yes, I have been MIA- last time I posted you all pointed me towards the emotiva A300 and the Hsu VTF3’s. The room is 18 x 25. Hopefully replacing mids buys me many more years with the A9s. If not, will up my price range to $6k for new towers and post here again!
I was going to recommend an ATi amp to drive those tower's. Something alone the line of say 200 X 2 @ 8 Ohms load. Do you have the matching center channel?

They are somewhat power hungry and you do have a lot of drivers to drive. What? 6 total 7" drivers plus 4-5" 1/4 drivers total. I would say under powering more than likely took out your mid driver's.. * had the little brothers RTi- A5 loved them shouldn't have sold them off.

Beautiful speakers, those are definitely worth replacing the mid-range drivers. You would have to come out of pocket 3k+, plus, probably more to get an improvement over those. An ATi-Amp set your back about 1500-1800 bills. Just a suggestion and an opinion.

Edited: just read you could up your budget, well than an juicy ATi two channel Signature amp would fit in nicely.

You like to listen very loud huh? Reference level?
 
Last edited:
Gmoneywp15

Gmoneywp15

Audioholic Intern
I was going to recommend an ATi amp to drive those tower's. Something alone the line of say 200 X 2 @ 8 Ohms load. Do you have the matching center channel?

They are somewhat power hungry and you do have a lot of drivers to drive. What? 6 total 7" drivers plus 4-5" 1/4 drivers total. I would say under powering more than likely took out your mid driver's.. * had the little brothers RTi- A5 loved them shouldn't have sold them off.

Beautiful speakers, those are definitely worth replacing the mid-range drivers. You would have to come out of pocket 3k+, plus, probably more to get an improvement over those. An ATi-Amp set your back about 1500-1800 bills. Just a suggestion and an opinion.

Edited: just read you could up your budget, well than an juicy ATi two channel Signature amp would fit in nicely.

You like to listen very loud huh? Reference level?
Yes we listen loud sometimes. Pretty much as loud as the marantz will go. So the specs on the rti A9 says 50-500 watts at 8 ohms. My emotiva is rated at 300 watts per channel at 4 ohms, so 150 at 8 ohms. I know my understanding of all this stuff is elementary, but I figured the emotiva was decent. You think I need a better/bigger amp? And yes I have a matching center channel that runs direct off the marantz.
 
Gmoneywp15

Gmoneywp15

Audioholic Intern
Yes we listen loud sometimes. Pretty much as loud as the marantz will go. So the specs on the rti A9 says 50-500 watts at 8 ohms. My emotiva is rated at 300 watts per channel at 4 ohms, so 150 at 8 ohms. I know my understanding of all this stuff is elementary, but I figured the emotiva was decent. You think I need a better/bigger amp? And yes I have a matching center channel that runs direct off the marantz.
AT6002 is $4000? Dang. What about emotiva XPA-2 Gen 3? Guessing it’s a step or two down from the ATI. Both are 300W per channel at 8 ohms
 
Tankini

Tankini

Audioholic Chief
Yes we listen loud sometimes. Pretty much as loud as the marantz will go. So the specs on the rti A9 says 50-500 watts at 8 ohms. My emotiva is rated at 300 watts per channel at 4 ohms, so 150 at 8 ohms. I know my understanding of all this stuff is elementary, but I figured the emotiva was decent. You think I need a better/bigger amp? And yes I have a matching center channel that runs direct off the marantz.
Kind of hard to say really, I'm no audio EE either. Blowing out 5" 1/4 driver's though never have I ever heard or have I done such a thing. Tweeter's yeah, mostly on cheap speakers.


So you do have the matching center, since you like to Crank up the volume, your room is kind of big maybe a 3 channel ATi amp? EMO amp huh? Good value amp but it really isn't an ATi amp though is it. Could have been source material, like some ole rock music that has a lot of recorded distortion in it.

EMO amps have a high gain if I remember right. At least the first generation, second generation XPA amps did, something around 32? Could be wrong though slept since then.

Anyways, I do agree, speakers is where your funds would be better spent. Those RBH tower's would most Definitely be an upgrade over what you have now. But they are 3k each, unless you find a dealer who is willing to give you a good brother-in-law deal.;)
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
AT6002 is $4000? Dang. What about emotiva XPA-2 Gen 3? Guessing it’s a step or two down from the ATI. Both are 300W per channel at 8 ohms
The difference may be in build quality and long term support....not likely a lot of difference otherwise
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top