RTi38

by Rick Lipsey, April 24, 2004

Strengths:

Pristine clear sound, I was astounded. I had some cheap 16 inch 3-ways before I got these, there is no comparison.

Weaknesses:

Hehe, none really

Review:

I actually have the RTi55's, pretty much the same as the 38's but with 2 woofers. I bought them 2 years ago and they are wonderful still. I didn't realize what I was missing until I got these speakers. Highly recommended, excellent sound, especially mids and highs. A big factor in choosing these over some of the other speakers in the same price range was the real wood veneer, it definitely adds a touch of class and no doubt sounds better :)

by GREG SULLIVAN, October 20, 2002

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Review:

POLKaudio speakers are the best.I DID HAVE BOSE BUT POLKAUDIO IS THE BEST OF ALL SPEAKERS THEY SOUND GREAT.

by Will, November 4, 2002

Strengths:

Sound. Deep, full, warm, good for a variety of types of music, and placed right, you can't figure out where the sound is coming from, the sound is that full. Solid, heavy construction.

Weaknesses:

The size (depth and hight) and weight might make them a little big for conventional bookshelfs. I have to turn them on their sides in my dorm.

Review:

Good lord. When I find out that my college dormatory was going to be the size of a high school locker, I decided that it was finally time to replace my dad's forty year old barmitzvahpresent speakers. After A LOT of listening in Circuit City an NBTW to all diffierent kinds of companies, I narrowed it down to the Polk RTi28's or RTi38's. After a lot of debating, I decided to go with the 38's, because my Denon DRA-685 can pump out quite a bit of power and I was slightly dubious of the smaller 28's (though those sounded great also). As I waited for my speakers to arrive, I read numerous reviews on the RTi28's, hearing how great they were (from a few people) while my 38's are so new, they had no reviews, and I began to wonder if my choice was a hasty one. Then I got them and hooked them up. Sweet merciful crap, these are fantastic. And yes, I listen to my music loudly, but I don't simply hurl in some Rage, throw up the volume until my ears bleed, and say "alright, these don't break apart; they're good". I listen to all kinds of music, and the RTi38's fit all of them. It's a fantastic, full, clear sound, and, despite what people may think about the RTi35's, the 38's kick out A LOT of bass, especially for a pair of bookshelf speakers (which are nowhere near the ground). No, they won't litereally shake the walls, if that's what you're looking for for home entertainment; in that case, I do suggest a subwoofer. But for music itself, you don't need a subwoofer. You really don't, unless the room is 25'x25' or larger. These are a great, great, great buy. I could not be happier with the sound. I really have been waiting my entire life to get a really good stereo, and Polk didn't disappoint.

by Lloyd Howard, November 12, 2002

Strengths:

Smooth...Detailed...Full...Musical. The sound is great on stands away from the walls.

Weaknesses:

Uh....

Review:

I previously owned a pair of Studio Monitor 5 Series II I bought back in the late 1980's. I found myself in need of another rig when I came home after a short weekend vacation to find that a bandit helped himself to my gear. I auditioned other brands (paradigm, infinity, bose, jbl, et. al.)just to see if I could be swayed. None compared to the Polk Audio sound I'd come to know and love. That natural "instrument is being played in the room" musical quality. Never tiring, never harsh. And as a former musician I know how important that is. No matter what kind of music I played, the RTi38's never complained. They delivered all the music I asked them to and then some. From R&B to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, I was not disappointed. And the bass response blew me away! Very nice for a speaker this size. I've read reviews of the RT35i's and how good they are. But I'm glad fate brought me to the RTi38's.

by Lindsay Spandler, December 8, 2002

Strengths:

No dissapointments as of yet.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

I bought the Rti38s about a month ago and have finally paired them up with the PSW202 subwoofer. The overall sound is simply perfect and the detail is right where it should be. The other equipment I am using is a HK3370 receiver, Onkyo Grand Integra single disc (about 10 years old) and a small fourtune in cables & inter-connects. This is soley for listening to music. Thanx alot Polk Audio for the listening experience!

by Rob, January 28, 2003

Strengths:

The rti38 is a very clear and dynamic speaker. Has a good power handling and the wife will like them!!

Weaknesses:

The grills are a little hard to take off when showing them off, but no big deal obviously!!

Review:

I bought the rti38 to go with my new polk theatre, qnd they are AMAZING!! They are paired up with the rt1000i powered towers and the csi center, and WOW, what a theatre experience!!

by Vivek, February 4, 2003

Strengths:

Everything, superb highs, mids and low. Music is very balance and a pleasure to hear on these speakers.

Weaknesses:

At this price point, are you kidding. Having said that, I think this could compete with much higher priced floorstanding models.

Review:

I bought these a month ago along with a Denon amp for my bedroom. I hooked them up and the sound is astounding. Give them a couple of days minimum to break in and you won't be dissappointed. Everything shines with this speaker and the speaker is accurate with the source and plays it like it should be heard. The bass is amazingly abundant and moreover extremely clean. The highs and mids are equally impressive.

by A.K., February 14, 2003

Strengths:

Clarity, wonderful highs, quality construction.

Weaknesses:

Not as much bass as I had hoped

Review:

These are great speakers! I am using an Onkyo stereo receiver (model TX-8511) with these, and the clarity is amazing. These are small enough to fit in my living room, but large enough to give a full sound. The bass is a little weak if you like bass, so I would recommend getting a small subwoofer to accompany them. I have the PSW250 and it works great with these.

by Jeff Knox, March 3, 2003

Strengths:

Wonderful Mids and very clean.

Weaknesses:

The high frequencies are lacking what some other speakers can put out. I was disappointed in having to turn the treble up all the way to balance high vs Mid/Low.

Review:

These are a good choice; however, they are nothing special. If the tweeter output more, I would recommend them. I don't like the tweeter on this speaker.

by frank, March 19, 2003

Strengths:

they sound like music should

Weaknesses:

NONE!!!

Review:

man, when will people realize that matt polk's speakers are never going to be artificially bright. instead you get balanced sound. if you took a boom and sizzle brand and compared with a polk, at first the polk's would sound flat. after 15 minutes of listening, you'd realize that polk speakers always sound better in the long run. i have owned over a dozen brands of high quality speakers. i have found that polk audio speakers are some of the best available at any price, and always will be. why? i know of many brands whose speaker lines change flavors year to year. not polk, same accurate sound. and to those of you that think polk went downhill. for a few lines that may have been true. but ever since polk has created the rt/rti series. they are on the top of the spaeker game. and the new tweeter makes these very special.

by John Altick, March 20, 2003

Strengths:

Excellant Design, built solid, Reasonably priced.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

Absolutely amazing. I love it! I listen to all kinds of music and these speakers are very clean and smooth sounding. Watched Santana live last night with DENON equipment and it put chills down my spine. I was going to spend $800 for a pair of Polk floor standing speakers, but I got these on sale for $302/pair, could not be happier with what I got for the money. I will add the 303 sub later. These speakers sound great without a sub, I had to turn the bass down for my tastes, and the treble I thought was perfect. Some people like to over do it with the treble and I use to be one of them. Also, I listened to other bookshelf speakers that were in the $850 range a pair like Klipsch, I figure for twice the money they should sound twice as good, not the case, they sounded no better. Bottom line, if you want to hear perfect music at a reasonble price the way it was intended to be heard, then these speakers are dead on!!

by ChrisDurano, April 10, 2003

Strengths:

Excellent build and quality. Love the real wood.

Weaknesses:

Can't think of any.

Review:

I had a pair of old Polk Audio S4's before this and was very happy with those. Once I got the RTi38's, I couldn't believe the difference in bass. These can go very low for bookshelfs. I have them matched up with the CSi30 Center channel speaker and its absolutely fabulous. I get seamless 'across the screen' action scenes. I'm very happy and satisfied with these bookshelfs. These are excellent for 2-channel audio as well!

by vincenzo. S, June 12, 2003

Strengths:

very warm sound .strong cabint

Weaknesses:

none.

Review:

I'm a very big fan of polk audio. when I bought rti38 it took me about 1/2 hour to get tuned to my ears. I was happy with the trilaminate tweeter form other polk speaker I have. when you installed poly/mar dome on 38i. It was hard to ajust to my ears. after listing to them thay are perfict. smoooooth and clean. very happy. that"s matthew polk

by dorokusai, July 15, 2003

Strengths:

Midrange, bass is quite strong. Build quality(Heavy) and warranty.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

These were part of the HT purchase and also serve as my mains for 2CH listening. Excellent speaker, very happy. Strong midrange, suprisingly strong bass and not just for their size...strong bass period. Highs not as crisp as the LSi series but at least they are present and clear. A tweak for these that helps with wall mounting is to Dynamat the bracket and mount surfaces. This helped greatly with the lost bass response due to wall resonance in my home. High quality cables, specifically MIT Series 2, opened up the high end dramatically, and improved my front stage. These cables were used on my source, CD player. It really was a night and day difference in the treble after using them. Really opened these speakers up. Just FYI. CYA!

by steve, September 20, 2003

Strengths:

they are built to last and the sound should impress just about anyone. The price of these are well worth it.

Weaknesses:

can't say there is a weakness. Get some today.

Review:

When teamed with rti28's, csi40, and a psw303 these 38's used and front speakers are a perfect match. The highs and clear and crisps and the mids just open up my system in a way that not satellites could.

by Jim M., September 21, 2003

Strengths:

Great clarity and power handling. I've yet to play them loud enough to hear distortion, except when the small woofers are asked to work beyond their limits, i.e. bass dialed way up like I used to do in college!

Weaknesses:

Really none when used within their design parameters.

Review:

These sound very crisp and spacious and I can't imagine hearing significantly more detail if I spent thousands. I like Polk's stuff (I also own some R30s) because it debunks the idea that you must break the bank for good sound. I've been in some high-end shops and heard costly systems in people's homes, and I think there's a steep curve of lesser value after you pass a certain price point. People have varying perceptions of how much bass is "enough" but I think these do need subwoofer assistance for true full bodied sound. The drivers are just too small to produce "tactile" felt bass, but they make excellent bookshelf or satellite speakers as intended. If you think you're happy with these alone, try a good sub and you won't go back. It adds a definite physical presence to the music. Enough on that tangent. These are great speakers, period. I'm rarely motivated to write reviews, but Polk's value is too good not to crow about!

by Cheryl Koopman, September 22, 2003

Strengths:

Price, value, and more importantly--the sound.

Weaknesses:

The biggest weakness is the demonstration that the audio store I bought these in. They were not able to get both speakers working at the same time in the store. He just traded off each speaker on the right channel so I could see that they both worked. I never heard them together. But because I know and trust the Polk name, I asseumed they would be every bit as good at home with my set up.

Review:

I just bought these speakers on clearance from a major electronic retailer. I have been a fan of Polk ever since I bought some little Studio 4's that are probably about 20 years old and still work great. I wanted another set for a sun room in my home. I already own KEF and Linn speakers as well. These RTi38's sound every bit as good as the more expensive KEF's and Linns. Even if these weren't on sale, these speakers would be a first choice. I was blown away at the sound and how deep the bass is even without a subwoofer. I a extrememly pleased with my purchase and am glad I trusted my gut instinct that these would be an awesome addition to my system in spite of not being able to audition them in the store properly. They are a great buy and the fact that the cabinet is real wood is an added benefit. Great job Polk at staying true to the name and reputation for one of the finest bookshelf speakers made.

by Howard, October 3, 2003

Strengths:

Fabulous overall sound; good highs, strong midrange and good bass.

Weaknesses:

Really no weaknesses, however to hear them really scream, pair them with a decent subwoofer and you will be amazed at the sound.

Review:

I have owned a Polk home theatre system for the past six years and have not had one ounce of trouble out of it. Naturally, Polk was my first choice when I went into the store to look for a pair of bookshelf speakers so I did not have to keep using my home theatre speakers for all my music. I auditioned several brands to see how they compared to the Polks and I could here an audible difference throughout the dynamic range, even in speakers that cost much more than the RTi38s. I brought them home and paired them up with a moderately powered subwoofer to handle the low end and these speakers just rock. I'm into all kinds of music and whether it is jazz, blues, house, country or good old rock and roll, the speakers present the music in a balanced fashion, with plenty of low end punch and great midrange and high end. I'm amazed at how much music comes out of these little speakers!!!

by Rob McGraw, October 18, 2003

Strengths:

Clarity and accuracy. The sound is balanced and full. There are no dead sections to the dynamic range.

Weaknesses:

The grilles are a bit tough to remove.

Review:

After purchasing a cube surround system I was disappointed in the music reproduction. The cubes and sub left a dead spot in the midrange. These were my fist quality loudspeaker purchase. I got them for $59.99 each and feel it's the best money I've ever spent. The are replacement L and R front speakers and function in stereo as well as 5.1 listening modes. The midrange and high end are excellent now. The bass is accurate, tight, and not overwhelming. A sub is a must for rumbling the ground durring movies. The cabinet quality is amazing for the price too!

by Alejandro Marin, October 20, 2003

Strengths:

Clean overall sound and powerfull bass. Great for center and surround too.

Weaknesses:

A little deficult to install in angle position, they are true bookshelf speakers, so their show their weight.

Review:

I have three pairs of these units to power six of the eight channels of my Yamaha RXV 3300. I use a pair of RTi 28 as front channel effects an two Yamaha YST 320 subs... This way, not to worry for any tone or timbre mismatch on the center, surround and center surround channels. The RTi 28 does a great job for the front effects. These units offers detailed image and smooth power handling. These babies sound better that all floorspeaker in my price tag (US$ 1500). I listen mainly classical, jazz and new age, but my young brother loves them too for their pop and hard rock ears.

by Barrett P. Seal, October 24, 2003

Strengths:

Lots of range in these and they pack a punch when its time to turn it up.

Weaknesses:

Ummm, there is not such word as a weakness for these things.

Review:

These speakers are incredible. The smooth mids and the crisp highs make these speakers contendors for the top spot in home audio. To all who are in doubt of Polk Audio and their reliability, these babies will scream. Hook them up to a Yamaha reciever and you will be in business. Also, I purchased the CSi 30 center, the FXi surround and the PSW 450 sub and the system is unmatched in any of my collegues or friends homes. A truly uncomparable system.

by Gary S., November 6, 2003

Strengths:

Balance, appearance, bass, soundstage, imaging, detail, build quality and customer service.

Weaknesses:

Absolutely none.

Review:

I purchased a demo pair of these speakers on clearance at Circuit City. I auditioned a lot of speakers but eventually bought these because of the price and the fact that in the store they seemed to be similar in quality to speakers by B&W, PSB, Paradigm and KEF. I discovered how wrong I was when I got them home! These speakers are far better than the models I listened to by other manufacturers. They excel in soundstage, imaging, and detail but their best feature is their balance. From top to bottom of the sound spectrum they are just right. Their full accurate bass makes them sound larger than they are and they reproduce all kinds of music well. Special kudos go to Polk customer service and Ken for dealing with a small problem with the tweeter quickly and at no charge. Polk really stands behind their products. These are my first Polk product but I don't think they will be the last!

by James Glenn Jr, November 15, 2003

Strengths:

Beautiful sound, very solid construction

Weaknesses:

absolutely nothing.

Review:

I purchased these RTi38 speakers from Circuit City as a clearance item for $151.99 each. They normally sold for $239.99 each so I thought I was getting a good deal. I had Initally I went to buy the RTi28 speakers but the sound of the RTi38 was night and day different. They sounded so full and real. The real treat came when I got them home. Such clear midrange and unbelievable highs. I am so happy with these speakers. I have the connected to an Onkyo TX-SR700. Highly recommended. The speakers are real wood veneer and are heavy at 19 lbs each.

by Keith Vest, January 4, 2004

Strengths:

Built like a vault and the fact that I can find no weaknesses. Love that warranty.

Weaknesses:

None!

Review:

I've had my RTi38's for a year and a half now. I have never regretted my decision to buy them. Bass, midrange and high end are superb. Rock, country, bluegrass, movies... the RTi38's handle all of it and come out shining.

by Blain Reinkensmeyer, January 21, 2004

Strengths:

Who needs to go to the theatre when you can recreate the sound at home with Polk?¿

Weaknesses:

Not possible.

Review:

These speakers are nothing short of amazing. I run them through my PSW505 and its perfection to say the least. I am very happy with these speakers and advise Polk any day.