RTi4

by Robert, August 27, 2004

Strengths:

Great build quality, Good sound stage, Great resolution, Looks Awesome.

Weaknesses:

Overly bright sound – even on very good quality recordings -. Horns and strings harsh at times sounds compressed on loud sections. I am a picky and honest but overall I am still proud to own RTi4s.

Review:

Overall a decent speaker a bit on the high end of the price scale though. The sound presentation is overly bright and a harsh on horns and strings and other sustained sources. for speaker in this price range. The expanse of the sound stage is decent and well separated. I suspect that the RTi4 would really shine in a bi-amped configuration. The highs could be corrected easily for people that are sensitive to bright highs by bi-amping or adding a low value resistor of perhaps 1 or 2 ohm of the proper wattage in series with the tweeter circuit to better match the sensitivity of the two drivers. I will run some frequency plots and give a better review when I get a chance to get more acquainted with them. I just picked them up today! In summation the Rti4 is a good buy. The bright sound I suspect can be tamed easily with a little effort and very minor technical skills. I will try to write a follow up with better info when I get the chance. Robert

by Jose Vejar, April 1, 2005

Strengths:

SMALL SPEAKERS,BIG SOUND,DETAILED,NATURAL,AND WELL CONTROLED.

Weaknesses:

TOO BIG TO TAKE ON THE TRAIN WHEN I GO TO WORK! I WANT TO BE WITH THEME MORE THAN WITH MY WIFE JUST JOCKING GUYS.I CAN NOT FIND NOTHING WRONG THESE SPEAKERS ARE EXCELLENT!ARRIBA POLK CARAJO.

Review:

Hello people! I just got these "SMALL TANKS" I am talking about the RTi4.these speakers are well build and the sound is wonderful.like we say in spanish "BUENO,BONITO,BARATO". if You are looking for realy good speakers.!You just found theme! and remember I am not getting paid to say this.this is my own opinion. !POLK AUDIO YOU ROCK!

Polk Response:

Thanks for the great review. You better hope your wife doesn't stumble on this page or you're going to be in big trouble! :-)

by Dave, November 10, 2003

Strengths:

Warmth and Detail and solid build quality. I love the Power port that doubles as a wall mount!

Weaknesses:

zero.

Review:

In a word, NICE! Crystal clear highs and well rounded mids. Nice to look at, too! For a guy on a pretty tight budget, these little guys are truly exceptional. Bought 4 of them, 2 for mains, 2 for surrounds. Truly pleased!!!!

by Don Rupert, November 14, 2003

Strengths:

Quality of sound for price and size. Included wall mount was a pleasant surprise.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

I compared these to three brands and five sizes of speakers listening to six types of music with and without voice. They had the best overall sound quality for the under $200 each category: clear and rich.

by gary, February 13, 2004

Strengths:

Rich,defined high's and vibrating low's...

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

I have these speakers at floor level and get great results. They sound much BIGGER than they look and carry a PUNCH.

by Landry Perrin, February 15, 2004

Strengths:

Voice matched to my other speakers, and can hold there own as a stereo pair if needed. Very clear and also packs a punch.

Weaknesses:

If you find any, tell me about them!

Review:

Great surrounds for my new Polk audio home theater. As a first time Polk owner, I am pleased to say that this is the best system I have ever owned out of my previous two systems. I got a set of RTi8s, RTi4s, CSi3, and a PSW505 sub. Awsome sound for all types of music!

by JF, March 17, 2004

Strengths:

these smallest rti speakers are great, one day we accidently had the sub off, when the dvd cam on I noticed a little lack of bass, then to realise the sub was off I thought WOW that's impressive. Biwire capable

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

very good series, the whole RTi, These speakers are my first Polks and I will continue upgrading with polk. The customer service is great, and they make a very good product for the price...the look, feel, and the sound !!

by Drew, March 30, 2004

Strengths:

Very well built with attractive finish. Exceptional musical detail.

Weaknesses:

Will emphasize the flaws in overly bright recordings.

Review:

Overall, I like these speakers very much. They produce exceptional musical detail. Especially in the high frequencies. I can hear things that are barely audible with other speakers. Vocals are truely natural and there is an open sound field. There is a downside, but it is not really the fault of the speakers. Since car noise masks high frequencies and most TV's lack good tweeters many of the popular recordings and TV shows compensate with a lot of high end emphasis. This can sound overly bright with these speakers. The plus is that good neutral recordings should sound very good.

by Dave Millington, April 13, 2004

Strengths:

Very detailed and spacious highs. Dispersed an exceptional soundstage in a medium sized room.

Weaknesses:

No real weaknesses-exceptional value for the money!

Review:

Very open and spacious with detailed highs-very suprised with how these speakers dispersed music over a mid size room soundstage. Very efficient-takes little power to drive the RTi4's-Overall exceptional value at the price...Bravo Polk!

by thai nguyen, June 15, 2004

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Review:

speakers

by Mark Wellman, June 19, 2004

Strengths:

Full-range, natural sound when playing music.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

I bought the RTi4's for a stereo music system in my bedroom. They do an excellent job of faithfully reproducing all of the instruments. Drums sound like drums, pianos like pianos, etc. These are the best small speakers I have ever heard. I thought the only way to get full-range, natural sound was to use bif speakers. The RTi4's proved me wrong.

by Jerry Stormer, August 18, 2004

Strengths:

crystal clear sound and beautiful design. They look so good I keep the faces off.

Weaknesses:

I will have to get back to you if I find any

Review:

When I was younger a friends older brother was a major audiophile and his speaker of choice was Polk Audio. It was always Polk this and Polk that. "Listen to these Polks, dont they sound amazing." Back then I was under the impression that I would never be able to afford my own set of Polks. Well here I am today enjoying the best sound I have ever heard coming from my entertainment center. They really are amazing. Do yourself a favor and hear what you have been missing. Pick up a pair today!

by Tom Ingersoll, October 21, 2004

Strengths:

great sound throughout the whole range, cheap

Weaknesses:

a little bit bright in some situations (loud horns, breaking glass in movies)

Review:

I bought these speakers open-box from circuit city for $90 a piece. When I demoed them at the store i did so without a sub and was pleasantly surprised that such a small cabinet could do such a good job in the low end department. Could not be happier with these speakers at the price for which i got them

by Vinny, November 7, 2004

Strengths:

Sound, Design, Quality and Price

Weaknesses:

You canīt fault this speaker

Review:

The unit is just pure class for such a price, I got the chance to buy the pair I didnīt think twice I just brought wired it up bi style as my rear speakers well when I flicked my amp on threw on some Bob Marley well the speakers was Jamming if I may say so:)

by andy copeland, January 17, 2005

Strengths:

Deep bass and auwsome midrange and highs.

Weaknesses:

Cant find one.

Review:

what can you say when the best sounding speakers made are polk audio.These speakers ROCK!!!!.The bass is truly amazing for their size.At low throttle you can even hear cymbols and other band sounds that are usually distorted with other brands.I have owned alot of speakers over the years and I must say these RTi4s are worth every penny I paid.

by jet2001, March 8, 2005

Strengths:

Warm, rich sound Clear dynamic range

Weaknesses:

None...buy these!

Review:

After wanting to move from big sound to quality sound, I'm pleased to say that I'm getting both from the RTi4's. My previous two way set up was Cirwin-Vega E715's and the HT-s15 sub...college days caused me to want huge sound with bigger bass...needed to be downsized and I was looking for quality speakers to start a 5.1 surround sound system. I came across a deal for a pair of R15's for $50 and couldn't pass them up. I was immediatly sold on the polk name and purchased the CSi3. I wasn't completely satisfied yet and wanted some frontal speakers with more range than the R15's. I found those speakers in the RTi4's. They sound so good for their size and provide a warm, rich sound that fills my entire living area. I know have a system that I can be proud of during my more responsible years. Thanks Polk!

by Tom, March 29, 2005

Strengths:

Big sound at a low cost.

Weaknesses:

None to be found.

Review:

These small speakers have a sound that is clean, clear, and crisp. I plan to purchase only Polk from now on.

by Todd Denison, May 6, 2005

Strengths:

Robust sound in a small package. Very crisp high & mid-range. Good for music and DVD's.

Weaknesses:

Just a little light on the bass, but easily complimented by adding a sub to the system.

Review:

What a great purchase! These bookshelf speakers sound full, rich and crisp. They sound much larger than their size let's on, and they blend into my rec room entertainment cabinet nicely. I have my RTi4's as my front left & right, paired with a CSi3 center, PSW303 sub and inwall RC65i's for surround. What a great set-up! It sounds incredible at all volumes, true audiophile quality. Beats Bose hands down. Thanks Polk!!

by Juan Arevalo, May 16, 2005

Strengths:

Superior sound quality and design.

Weaknesses:

For their size none.

Review:

Overall these speaker perform great and they are well priced . I also like their style, desing, and craftmanship. You would be hard pressed to find a better sounding or looking book shelf speaker.

by vinny, May 18, 2005

Strengths:

strong like west indian pepper sauce and a guinness

Weaknesses:

my pepper sauce is better

Review:

Well as you know I have written a review before well I have brought another pair of these beauties as my front b speakers as well working with my floorstanding speakers they are like my pepper sauce dem hot

by Tinslay, July 28, 2005

Strengths:

Very good for their size, great for a small room.

Weaknesses:

Bass could be punchy at times, but over all the sound is excellent

Review:

Great value! Can't complain-haven't found a better speaker yet!

by JC, August 21, 2005

Strengths:

Great looking Cherry finish. Full mid range. Crisp, yet soft highs.

Weaknesses:

They weren't free.

Review:

For a graduation present to myself I bought these Rti4's. They replaced my Cerwin Vega's (12" CS Series) that I bought at a local garage sale which had now become too big for my studio. One of the first things I noticed from the Rti's was their clarity, or rather description of sound. With the CW's, much of the sound was drounded by heavy bass. In concern to bass, the Rti's may be considered by some to be lacking. Yet, a simple sub can compensate and balance the frequencies transition between low, mid, and high. To say the least, a great buy in comparison to other bookshelf speakers on the market.

by Apodaca, October 15, 2005

Strengths:

Crisp clear sound. Great value and excellent fit and finish.

Weaknesses:

I detected slight sibilance on female vocals(Sade).

Review:

In comparing these with the Monitor 30s it is obvious that the sound is both more crisp and clear resulting in a more spacious soundstage. Very accurate across the entire audible spectrum. As usual with Polk, excellent fit and finish. If it were not for a slight sibilance detected on female vocals I would have rated it 5 stars.

by Rafy Martinez San Juan PR (audiophile), December 30, 2005

Strengths:

It sound like if you state in a paradise. It's one of the best speakers in the world. Super great performance and stylus.

Weaknesses:

Do not exist any weaknesses for those speakers. I am a critic audiophile, and believe me this speaker are great.

Review:

In my opinion, It sound very high end, clear, natural, dynamic, good bass not booming. I listened bookshelf around $800 and no one sound better than polk RTI4. In music it do a great image. And in movie is very precise. The voice sound pure and exact. Mid bass is impressive. This baby sound welcoming. The violin, and guitars very pure. And is an elegant speakers. WOW BABY. Arriba POLK.

by Kemal, January 20, 2006

Strengths:

Excellend sound. Astounding craftsmanship in desing and manuafcture. Don't hesistate.

Weaknesses:

I really couldn't find any. Why aren't these available at CC or BB? I had to mail order them from J&R.

Review:

Astounding quality! I have to be honest that I did not expect the quality of the RTi4's to be what hey are. I needed a pair of bookshelf speakers to go along with a new receiver - to replace an aging Sony mini system in my library. I needed a pair that could handle 110W/channel and be smaller than 13H x 8W dimensions (an awful criteria to select speakers but, sometimes you have to go with the flow..) After reserching multiple reviews and visiting local CC and BB, I was frustrated. I looked at a pair of Infinity Primus 150's (not rated for 110W but I was evaluating them to go to P160s). They sounded OK, but the quality of the Chineese made speakers were absolute bottom drawer. (The dusty showroom of CC didn't help either.) Failing to find what I wanted in CC/BB, I spent two days on Internet reserch and found a couple of favorable reviews for the RTi4 line. Then I saw some pictures which looked nice, but marketing stuff always looks good. I never got a burger that looks like the picture at McDonald's. But I will vouch for these Polk RTi4s. They are made of real wood (I got the cheery finis) and they look stunnigly good in all angles. Built solid. They are very capable where it really counts. Matched with a sub, these puppies deliver high end sound you'd think only expensive floorstanding units can deliver. I must congradulate the folks at Polk for producing these at this price point. I would have paid $500 a pair for these.

by Lou Hamilton, February 11, 2006

Strengths:

Very natural sounding. Handles 2 channel programming very well. Sound is crisp, clear and not overpowering like other speakers I tested.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

Perfect for my environment. I have a smaller room (15'x11') and needed wall-mountable speakers. Combined with the B-Tech wall mounts, these speakers are fantastic. I am glad the grills are reversible since I have them installed upside down, this allows the tweeters to be within 6" of the center channel tweeter. The front soundstage is phenomenal with this configuration. I was concerned at first when I had them installed "normally" with the tweeters on the top. The front sounded... off. Now, with this minor tweak, they sound great and no one knows the difference since the grills can be flipped. I cannot wait to get some FXi's to replace my old Sony satellites.

by Mike, May 11, 2006

Strengths:

Great sound playing anything from tv to movie to music to games.

Weaknesses:

No real information included in box. Info on web site but should be in box.

Review:

Excellent speakers. Pick up as set with CSi3 and PSW10. Out preformed all other system except polk's floorstanding. Probably not worth stepping up to RTi6.

by Bernie, June 4, 2006

Strengths:

Good looking solid construction and great sound. They fit in small places and have excellent shielding. Mine are placed touching the TV without any distortion.

Weaknesses:

none worth mentioning

Review:

I just completed the purchase of an RTi10 (surround) system and liked the rich clean Polk sound so much that I purchased a set of RTi4s (cherry) to jazz-up the bedroom. The RTI4s are attached to a 10 year old Technics SA-GX470 receiver and sound superior to the previous 15 year old Infinity, then 8 year old Bose. Wow! What a way to bring the life back to an old receiver. The RTi4s have an exceptionally full clean sound for a small bookshelf speaker. Well worth the cost. Don’t tell Matt but side by side I thought the RTi4s sounded better then the RTi6s and, they fit perfect in the cabinet next to a 27” TV.

by Jamey, July 12, 2006

Strengths:

1) The RTi4, when brought in from the wall at least 12", had very natural mid-bass in the second, third, and fourth octaves. Most loudpeaker manufactures tend to add a little more "oomph" to the midbass on their smaller speakers to compensate for a lack of first octave bass - Polk does not fall into this trap with the RTi4 - it is smooth and unboomy from below 100Hz to above 300Hz. 2) The RTi4, both in my den and in the demonstration room of my Polk dealer, had incredible extension and low bass (first ocatave) output considering it's size and driver compliment. Output was very solid and flat to almost 40Hz. Even today, I am still amazed! Home theater users will still most likely wish to add a subwoofer; die-hard two-channel fans will probably marvel over the extension like me. 3) For the price, tmy Cherry pair are simply beautifully finished cabinets. Yes, even being wrapped in vinyl, the craftsmanship was excellent.

Weaknesses:

I must say that for the only weakness that I could find with the RTi4 was that when driven to very high volume levels with program material that contained good amounts of first and second octave bass, the 5.25" woofer overloaded with a rather abrupt physical clunking - most likely the voicecoil striking the back plate. Some woofers do this with more grace and composure than others. As should be expected with any 5.25" driver that gets as deep as that of the RTi4, there must be some limitations somewhere. Again, this was as very high volume levels and was never, ever obtrusive when listening at normal and even elevated volume levels.

Review:

I was seeking a small pair of stand-mounters to get me through my time away from my larger system while in an apartment as my house was being built. What I found was a pair of loudspeakers that reminded me of how much fun and how much I really loved to listen to music. Far more than my $2000 floorstanders. At $260 a pair (or $360 with a good pair of stands), are they perfect? No. But are they an absolute steal at that price? YES! Fun, accurate, and good sounding? YES! Associated equipment: Sanus NF30B stands Yamaha AX-497 integrated amlifier (stereo, not 5.1) Yamaha DVD-S657 CD/DVD-A/SACD/DVD player Samsung TX-S2783 SD digital/analog television Monster Cable power strip and cabling

by jose vejar, August 23, 2006

Strengths:

well build,clean sound,not too expensive,and do not forget,these speakers do not complain "like my wife"

Weaknesses:

SO far I have been looking for one, but not luck! NO WEAKNESSES HERE!!!

Review:

IT IS ME AGAIN! I bougth one pair of these "small tanks" before.and guess what? I just got one more pair again.I tell you guys,these speakers are well build and they sound good.I want to put it clear. I am straigth guy and I have a wife,but I am in love with Polk "the RTi4 speakers not Mathew POLK" I am as happy as a clam with the RTI4. thank you Mathew Polk.(YOU DID IT AGAIN)

by Bobet, December 20, 2006

Strengths:

Technicaly engineered, hi-quality and excellent sound.

Weaknesses:

not in polk's vocabulary.

Review:

Best bookshelf speakers available with its price range. I just tried polk audio for its name and i never regret having such risk. No other way to judge it but to listen. For me its worth having it. High-Mid-Low you can have it from its size. I used it as my main channel for my home theater, saves me a lot instead of buying floorstanding. Definitely I'm satisfied.

by Tyler E., April 10, 2007

Strengths:

Sound in general

Weaknesses:

Didn't like being turned up with the bass-boost on but not many speakers do

Review:

Absolutely breathtaking. I hooked a set of these guys up to a Sony receiver then tested them by playing music through my XB360 and then playing The Chronicles of Narnia(the sound is incredible in that movie) through my upconverting DVD player. In music I kept hearing blips...that's the edge of the WMA codec that I'm hearing. I had never found a speaker that was that accurate. Utterly incredible. In The Chronicles of Narnia they were even more impressive. Bass-response, surround, it was all simply perfect. Well, as close to perfect as modern speakers get.

by H. Freeman, April 13, 2007

Strengths:

Sound great. Look great. Priced great.

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

Awesome speakers. From Type O Negative to Peter Gabriel these speakers sound amazing. I've teamed mine up with a PSW505 sub and a Harman Kardon 3380 receiver.

by Rando, April 16, 2007

Strengths:

Quaility built product that will last a long time.

Weaknesses:

Nothing for a speaker of this size and at this price point.

Review:

These are nice speakers for the price. Shop around for a sweet deal. I use them in a small room and they sound clear and dynamic with a variety of music. Bass response is great for a small speaker but a subwoofer sets them off. I'm driving them with an inexpensive 100w per channel Yamaha. Sub is also an inexpensive Yamaha. Good combo that doesn't break the bank.

by Jerry, April 19, 2007

Strengths:

clear sounding because the treble is so hot.

Weaknesses:

No bass.

Review:

These speakers are much too bright.Almost no bass at all.They are fairly light and have a somewhat cheap look and feel to them.All I hear are highs.No mids and no bass.

by Bill Broyles, May 24, 2007

Strengths:

Sonically stunning, very efficient, polypropylene cones, butyl rubber rings, the quality that exceeds its price.

Weaknesses:

Lackluster in looks, the finish fades within a few years even in a dark room, and the grill covers tend to pull away from the frame due to the hot-glue application.

Review:

Polk RTI-4's OWN there price range. The RTI-4 even beats out more expensive Polks! Until you hit the LSI-9's there isn't a better bookshelf speaker from Polk Audio. I get to put these guys up against Totems, KEF's, Bose(ewww), and B&W's. At this price for a pair, you just cannot beat 'em.

by C Valladares, July 31, 2007

Strengths:

Quality to price ratio. Bi-wire capability is a plus.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

I had the RTi4s sitting around brand new in their original box for about a year and a half. I finally got around to setting them up in my garage as part of a simple two channel system. All I can say is "Wow." I was immediately impressed and fully regret not having them set up any sooner to enjoy.

by Bob, CA, August 30, 2007

Strengths:

Great for Music and DVDs, Warm and Clear Sound, suprising bass

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

Great full range speakers, crisp, warm, and wonderful. Fairly Compact too. I bought them thinking that i might need to get a sub for them. But after openning them messing with the bass knob some, i really don't think I need one, though one might be nice for rap/hip-hop every once and a while.

by Frank P, October 4, 2007

Strengths:

Very rich sound. Actually sound much bigger than they are.

Weaknesses:

None. Excellent value for the money.

Review:

Wow, what a great speaker for the size and money. I thought my Bose were great, but these Polks blow them away in clarity and depth.

by Mike , January 15, 2008

Strengths:

Amazing sound from such a small enclosure. The real wood veneer is just beautiful giving these beauty's a pricier a appearance. You can't get a better speaker than the RTi's within this price range.

Weaknesses:

NONE! NOTTAHS!! ZERO!!!

Review:

I own the RTi6 and RTi4's. Best speakers I've ever owned. Everything you read 'positive' about these little wonders is true. Great product at an unbeatable price. PolkAudio is the best.

by Tim, January 18, 2008

Strengths:

EVERYTHING... FROM THE GREAT LOOK TO THE RICH SOUND WHEN CONNECTED TO A HIGH CURRENT RECEIVER... ITS IMAX AMAZING

Weaknesses:

NONE FOR ME. BUT IF YOU HOOK THESE SPEAKERS TO A OLDER/CRAPYER RECEIVER AND USE JUNK SPEAKER WIRE, YOUR GOING TO GET HORRIBLE SOUND NO MATTER WHAT SPEAKERS YOU HAVE. NO WEAKNESS

Review:

AMAZING SPEAKERS. WHEN WATCHING BLU-RAY MOVIES IN FULL DTS,HARMON KARDEN RECEIVER, POLK R50 FRONT AND RTI4 REAR, AMAZING SOUND... THEY HAVE EVEN MADE MY GIRLFRIEND JUMP WHEN WATCHING RESIDENT EVIL, BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. MY WHOLE SOUND SYSTEM HAS BEEN BUILD WITH ONLY POLK AUDIO SPEAKERS...

by Carlos, February 21, 2008

Strengths:

The highs and mids. Great speaker for jazz and female and baritone voices.

Weaknesses:

Low bass of course below 55hz, as expected with a 5 1/4" woofer.

Review:

Terrific build quality and finish for the money. The highs and mids are great. They really put other speakers to shame. I have heard similiar priced and spec B&W and Bose speakers and these hold their own or just sound better. Great way to show all the Bose faithful just how much more sound you get for a lot less money. Great buy if you have the right application, stereo or theatre with sub or just small room with a good amp, you will not be disapointed

by Gary Kubalik, March 12, 2008

Strengths:

Superb engineering and build quality.

Weaknesses:

None at this price point.

Review:

Audio has been my hobby for over 30 years, during which I have owned many different types of speakers ranging from small to large, budget to expensive. Each provided a unique listening experience, some better than others. The Polk RTi4's fall in that select category of speakers that provides a "window" into the sound, allowing the listener to become one step closer to the actual performance. They are very transparent with excellent dynamics and surprising low end. The highs are well presented and the midrange is simply astonishing. I am very pleased with the RTi4's and highly recommend them.

by Erik Tracy, May 16, 2008

Strengths:

Great value for the money. Surprisingly good performance for such a small bookshelf

Weaknesses:

Dynamics get squished when driven hard and loud.

Review:

I bought 2 pair of RTI4s based on a very favorable on-line review along with a CSI3 center and a PSW303 sub as a 5.1 HT system. After 4 months of use, I'm still very impressed with the sound quality for the modest cost. They give open detailed sound that is clear with a very good sound stage and imaging. When the sound source is clean and open, the RTI4s give a very relaxed and crisp sound. I can easily peel back the layers of sound to hear individual instruments with good clarity, or let the music wash over me. My AVR is the Yamaha RX-V1800 which I've got connected via front pre-outs to my old 2-channel Carver M-1.0t power amp to drive the RTI4 fronts. I've got my sub connected up the "Polk way" so that I can listen to the Pure Direct mode on the V1800 when doing 2-channel stereo listening. I actually prefer this when listening to vinyl LPs, CDs, or even digital cable music channels - which is where I think the RTI4s give amazing sound for the money. When used for Blu-ray HD HT viewing they do a very admirable job there as well. With a good PCM track, the RTI4s provide a very nice listening experience. I pushed them to their limit with the Lord of the Rings/Fellowship of the Ring, and cranked them up during the scene of Gandalf vs the Balrog - wow - when the Balrog roared it was like listening to a blast furnace from Hell! The only drawbacks to the RTI4 are when I've pushed them hard during audio listening with hard rock - the dynamics tend to get 'squished', but considering the size of the drivers and cabinets, that is forgivable. I can still get loud room filling sound which is detailed and clean before the RTI4s reach their limit. Fantastic sound and value!

by Scott McKone, January 11, 2011

Strengths:

Price. Detailed sound. Awesome for the size. MUSICALITY !

Weaknesses:

Realistically... none.

Review:

I've had a pair of small Polks on my MUST HAVE list for a long time and just found a good deal on a used pair of i4's. I'm using them as a B set of reference speakers in my home studio and have to score them VERY high for tonal detail, imaging and great bottom end at close range. And the use of a silk-polymer tweeter is old school brilliance. Those new "titanium" style are SO UNmusical. Now studio snobs may guffaw, but considering price, which we all do, and knowing Polks for decades, I think they are more than a credible reference in the studio. Love em !

by `Robert D., December 13, 2012

Strengths:

aesthetics, price, sound

Weaknesses:

none so far, brass jumpers could use replacing,

Review:

awesome speakers, look great, sound great, are great, have them hooked up to my lowewr end yamaha rx-v series reciever, they sound awesome, will bring the best in your audio if you use a quality source, but use a bad source and you will hear it, playing from my zune with its EQ set accordingly for my music as the receiver set for the music, always play lossless files, my pc playing lossless files through them, dont sound nearly as good, without having the EQ for the source, case in point, give these speakers something good to work with and they will pay you back tenfold,

by Jay, April 21, 2013

Strengths:

Clear highs and decent bass.

Weaknesses:

Possibly consider a sub woofer if looking for lower bass otherwise excellent speakers.

Review:

I picked these up the other day to match with my RTi10s, absolutely astonishing. Well built speakers and sounds phenomenal.

John Atkinson
Stereophile
October 2004

"Considering that the RTi4 costs just $320/pair, its measured performance is excellent."

Robert Reina
Stereophile
October 2004

"I was immediately taken by the RTi4's detialed, natural, and delicate midrange."
"The RTi4's high frequency-performance was detailed and extended with all recordings, but percussion fared particularly well."
"Polk Audio is to be commended for a positive evolutionary change in its most affordable speaker line."

A Stereophile Recommended Component

Eric LoBue
AudioReview.com
September 2005

"These speakers have a lot going for them. They're great for home theater, providing an involving and exciting home theater experience, but at the same time will not leave you wanting one bit when used for music. Their compatibility with many different types of amplifiers (including lower powered tubes) and in large or small rooms means that they can be used successfully in a wide variety of applications. Not only that, but improvements to your upstream equipment will not go unrewarded. To top it all off, in addition to sounding fantastic, they are both attractive and very affordable."

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