Floorstanding
RTiA5
Our most compact high performance floorstanding speaker.
8 7/16" W x 40 1/4" H x 15 3/4" D
21.43cm W x 102.23cm H x 40.01cm D
$39995each
RTiA5
The RTiA5 is the ideal floorstanding speaker for those who have limited space to give to their audio or home theater system. Good news. This handsome compact tower will still deliver the audio performance you’ve dreamed of.
Big Tower Sound, Space-Saving Design
Want that big speaker experience but can’t quite fit the RTiA9? The RTiA5 is the most compact tower speaker in the RTiA Series. With two 6 1/2-inch Dynamic Balance® mid/woofer drivers, a 1-inch Dynamic Balance dome tweeter and PowerPort® Plus, it packs a punch and delivers the mind bending thrills of Inception as well as the intoxicating groove of Manu Chao.
RTiA5 Features:
The proprietary curved, 6-layer DAHLI enclosure design creates the optimal shear damping for a more rigid, acoustically inert enclosure and minimal cabinet resonances. RTiA5 cabinets are designed for clean, accurate sound.
The two 6-1/2-inch mid/woofer drivers are housed in their own tuned internal enclosures for increased clarity and lifelike detail.
Klippel motor optimization uses laser measurement technology to ensure a smooth excursion path at either end of the volume spectrum for uniform performance at both low and high volumes.
Polk’s proprietary, patented Dynamic Balance technology allows our engineers to design out distortion-causing driver and system resonances, so you only hear the good sounds.
Durable, computer-modeled, injection-molded butyl rubber surrounds suppress unwanted cone resonances for a lifetime of reliable sound.
The RTiA Cascade Tapered Crossover eliminates the comb filtering and beaming, common to multi-driver speakers, which degrades the quality of the audio and collapses the soundstage.
Beautiful curved furniture-grade hardwood veneer cabinet finishes, with sleek trim accents in black or cherry.
Computer-modeled anti-diffraction grilles enhance the good looks while minimizing sonic interference.
PowerPort Plus bass venting is our patented design for smoothly transitioning the air flow from the port into your listening area, eliminating turbulence and distortion, for bigger, more musical, deep bass impact.
Our patented Acoustic Resonance Control® (ARC) port technology tunes out the internal cabinet resonances resulting in natural uncolored midrange reproduction.
All Polk loudspeakers are timbre-matched within their series, designed with the same components throughout, to achieve seamless speaker-to-speaker blending effects in multi-channel systems.
Dual gold-plated, professional-style 5-way binding posts, for the most secure connection options.
Dual binding posts allow bi-amp or bi-wire connections, for the ultimate in customized high performance audio.
All Polk products are made using the best materials and the most advanced manufacturing techniques. They pass the industry’s most exhaustive quality tests, including drop testing, extreme signal response and UV & salt exposure testing. Polk loudspeakers are built to perform for a lifetime.
Driver Complement | |
|---|---|
| Tweeter | |
| Quantity | 1 |
| Diameter | 1" (2.54cm) |
| Type | Dynamic Balance silk polymer composite dome tweeter |
| Mid / Woofer | |
| Quantity | 2 |
| Diameter | 6 1/2" (16.51cm) |
| Type | Dynamic Balance drivers with polymer/mica composite cones and rubber surrounds |
Electrical | |
|---|---|
| Total Frequency Response | 30Hz-27kHz |
| Upper -3dB Limit | 26 kHz |
| Lower -3dB Limit | 40 Hz |
| Nominal Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Efficiency | 90 dB |
| Recommended Amplifier Power | 20-250 watts per channel |
| Inputs | Dual 5-way binding posts |
Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Dimensions | |
| Height | 40 1/4" (102.23cm) |
| Width | 8 7/16" (21.43cm) |
| Depth | 15 3/4" (40.01cm) |
| Enclosure Type | |
| Mid-High Array Enclosure Type | PowerPort bass venting and ARC port |
| Product Weight (each) | 40 pounds |
Shipping | |
|---|---|
| Unit of Measure | Each |
| Total Shipping Weight | 45 pounds |
Warranty | |
|---|---|
| Speaker Warranty | 5 years parts and labor (original purchaser) |
Specifications, dimensions and features subject to change without notice. For more information call us at 1-800-377-7655 (USA and Canada). Outside of North America call +1 (410) 358-3600.
Customer Reviews
19 reviews with an average of 4.5
Write your own reviewby GARY, October 19, 2009
33 out of 34 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Imaging, detail, beautiful cherry finish, great driver materials, non-fatiguing musical sounding. Great Value. Congrats Polk engineers!
Weaknesses:
None.
Review:
Let me preface by saying you could include myself the group of audiophile snobs, having experience with brands like Thiel, Definitive Tech, Kef Reference, etc. I recently started looking to replace my old speakers and decided to research some new Polks. My criteria was to find a speaker with a textile soft dome tweeter and to avoid some of the newer "metalized" mid woofers and tweeters cropping up in so many brands these days. I found the Polk's design materials more consistent with my philosophy. So my research led me to the RTiA5 due to the following attributes. - use of tall slender cabinet avoiding use of stands - attractive real wood and nicely finished - use of two 6 1/2 midwoofers for midrange coherence - bi-wire availability - functional curved cabinet avoiding resonances. After listening, I am astounded how good these speakers sound. These speakers are neutral if not slightly warm, and invoke no listening fatigue. Their midrange is the most coherent I've ever heard. The word imaging is thrown around by so many people. However, if you want to experience what a true speaker image sounds like, try these speakers. Many speakers can throw a wide soundstage, but collapse in the center image. These did not, and provided for exceptional two channel listening. Don't worry, any speaker that can pull off two channel sound can do multichannel. (I just ordered a center and bookshelves from this series to complete my set!) If you have a subwoofer, then stay with the A5's, because the multiple drivers in the A7's or A9's will reduce coherence. Without a sub: go for em'! No more bleeding ears for me, Matthew Polk to the rescue! I am done throwing money away on "high end speakers." My advice is to start here and stop here, and spend your extra cash on other things you enjoy. You won't be disappointed! Remember: metal is for pots and pans, not for speaker drivers. If metal didn't resonate endlessly, they wouldn't make cymbals out of it! By the way, every cent spent on these speakers comes back in the very best sound available, a true value.
by Tony, October 30, 2008
25 out of 26 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Really freaking Awesome. Great price/Value (these are not a budget speaker system), sound quality and balance. Cabinet design, high quality construction and finish.
Weaknesses:
none
Review:
When I was looking at polks, and reading the reviews, I took them like a grain of salt because they were all so positive. After receiving these RTIa5's and listening to them I am absolutely stunned of the quality and accuracy of the sound they reproduce. I use these for music and TV and they are seriously High fi. My receiver is a 8 year old Pioneer 5.1 with 100rms. I was going to get a new receiver, however after reading reviews of it and listening to it with the polks it sounds better than I could imagine. I almost got the RtiA7, however i was concerned about just having 1 mid range driver. Most reviews I read on the a7s said they were slightly out of balance too much highs. I also personally hate when mids get hidden (you can't hear voices that well). I was also concerned about my Receiver not being able to power the A7s (I was probably Wrong though) I thought i would get the A5s, then get a sub. After listening to the Bass these things pump out I don't even think I'll get a sub. The A5s do very well with low frequency even at low volume or just watching TV. High volume hiphop sounds great too. Don't get me wrong, a sub would make them more punchy especially at low volume, but as far as low frequency goes, just by listening to background music on a TV show you hear Lows very strong and clearly (but not over bearing). The cabinet design is what really makes these amazing at low frequency. I had no idea 2 x mid range drivers could move the air needed to make lows, without distorting the mids. They can and they do with these Polks! The mids and highs are Awesome. Everything is very well balanced and perfectly reproduced. Getting these speakers will reveal a hidden world of sounds. You will hear sounds more cleanly and individually that you didn't hear before. Very Very Highly Recommend music + home Theater. They sound even better after about a week of break in. I would love to hear the RTI10, RTI12 and RTIA9 just to compare. However they do cost more.
by Shawn, January 28, 2009
20 out of 20 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
They are a real compliment to almost any room..they looks are just great! The sound is phenomenal! They are priced just right as well if you keep your eye out on the ebay Polk Direct store.
Weaknesses:
You'll need a subwoofer to get the best sound possible but this speaker is probably designed to work best with a sub.
Review:
I had searched the internet for literally weeks before deciding on these speakers...and I can honestly say that all my hard work researching paid off. These speakers sound phenomenal. The imaging on them is flawless. It literally sounds as if all sound is coming from the center speaker in 2.1 stereo. Movies sound better than ever and music...oh man music. I'm hearing instruments and details I've never heard before. They matched up perfectly with my Onkyo 606 receiver and deliver just the right amount of power. Later if I choose I can go with a higher rated amp since these speakers are rated very high in wattage. I had also considered the a7 and a9 but thought my receiver wouldn't put out enough power for them to sound there best. The finish on these speakers is top notch. Made from a real wood they do pack some weight. All in all I can't imagine anyone on a reasonable budget to not pick these speakers and never look back and enjoying them for many years to come!
by armycod13, December 19, 2008
14 out of 15 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Excellent vocals, clear highs and tight punchy bass. Don't let the midrange drivers fool you they put out a good amount of bass.
Weaknesses:
none
Review:
First of all I was trying to decide on which tower speaker in the Rti series to buy the 5, 7 or 9's. Money was not an objective when deciding on these. First of all the A9 require to much power and are rather large for the space I have. A little too overpowering. So basically it came down to the 7's and 5's. These speakers are very identical. Same midrange drivers, cabinet materials, etc... The only difference between the two is the extra midrange driver in the 5's. The 7's of course have 2 bass drivers. 95% of the people out there use a subwoofer. For me it was an easy decision go with the 5's. These speakers have very tight punchy bass. Excellent clear midrange. You have to have midrange in your speakers in order to have a good speaker. The 7's lack the midrange and you can always add a sub. If you don't like subs buy the 7's. If you want an overall quality speaker buy the 5's. There also a little cheaper, but don't let price fool you because most people think you have to spend more to get something better.
by Andy Schneider, March 15, 2008
9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Most importantly, the absolute and unmatched clarity, depth and range of the sounds they deliver. I spent months researching and listening to the competition, and Polk is just too far ahead. Asthetically, the design and cherry finish of these towers are sensational.
Weaknesses:
For this amazing speaker, even at a higher price, none.
Review:
As I searched out the best speakers for my home, I set price aside and had no baggage of previous brand loyalty. Having made my decision, I later invited numerous friends over to listen to their favorite CDs on my new Polk RTi A5 fronts and RTi A1 in the rear, along with a PSW125 subwoofer. Hearing their own music, I saw their ears turn green with envy. They keep bringing over their music and movies, and I know my homework and decision was right on the mark. With my Dennon 3808, I have an amzing soundscape. Thank you Polk, you now have my loyalty.
by Albert, July 25, 2010
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
- SPACIOUS sound (especially in home theater applications) - Fantastic finish - Nice-looking grill
Weaknesses:
- Not ideal for music (again, not what they're intended for) - Grill posts are made of very cheap plastic (could easily be broken)
Review:
SOOOO awesome! These speakers are extremely hard to beat for the price. I work at an electronics retailer and get to experience "good" audio all the time. The main problem people seem to have is that you never really know how speakers will truly sound in your home environment. I researched for a month straight before deciding to go with the RTi A5 and they were perfect. I placed them in my small basement room and played a lot of test audio from different sources. Music had more life than I had had with my previous bookshelf speakers, but the A5's are obviously not intended for music, so I can't say that these are the most musical speakers ever. Testing these speakers with movies was a whole new ball game! Watching movies in stereo was a delight with VERY spacious sound reflecting off the walls. I was floored at how wide the soundscape was in my room. My wife thought my surrounds were on. I seriously rewatched 10 movies just because I wanted to hear how these sounded with these speakers. I loved them so much that I gave away my trust Klipsch center channel and bought the CSi A6 (also a FANTASTIC speaker!). I love these speakers and encourage anyone looking for a very good home theater experience to consider the RTI A5's. Also of note: the cherry finish is gorgeous!
by leroy scarborough, May 11, 2008
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Very crisp and detailed. Mids and highs sound amazing. Great cabinet design.
Weaknesses:
You will need to add a sub to reach down deep for movies and music.
Review:
I sampled the RTI A7's and RTI A5's and end up going with the A5's. The mids/vocals are some much better than the 7's with the two mid woofers. There are alot of spekers to choose from out there and I wanted a speaker that sounded great, reasonable in price, and a speaker that I would have for years.
by Walter Howard, May 13, 2008
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Cosmetics, faithful reproduction, price
Weaknesses:
Lowest frequencies could be better
Review:
Polk’s RTi A5 is the latest Polk demo speaker making the rounds for Polk Audio’s Online Forum community. The A5’s are the smallest floorstanding speaker in the RTi 2008 Series speaker lineup. Small is a relative word in this day of diminutive bookshelves. The A5’s are a true floorstanding speaker topping out at 40 ¼” tall and 8 7/16” deep. The A5’s came wrapped in beautiful cherry wood laminate. This is a truly beautiful speaker. I installed the speakers in my carpeted media room so I left on the floorspikes that provided for some improved stability. I highly recommend using the floorspikes on carpet installations since these are tall narrow speakers. The shape isn’t the orthogonal rectangle I’m used to from Polk. The sides bow out somewhat similar to an airplane wing. The shape works for me. The A5’s arrived fresh out of the box so the first order of business was speaker break in. Once suitably broken in, I settled down to get acquainted with Polk’s latest speaker offering. If you like the Polk sound like I do, the A5’s faithfully reproduce the sound I have grown accustomed to over the years, clear distinct highs, faithful midrange, and decent bass from the most diminutive speaker of the new RTi speaker line. These speakers aren’t bottom dwellers by any means. But they dig deep enough to provide respectable 2 channel listening pleasure. If you are still subless in this day and age, I recommend looking to the A7 or A9 to better fill out the bottom octaves. Otherwise, matched with a capable subwoofer, the A5’s lack of strong bass won’t be missed. Moving on to movies, the A5’s belted out reference level volumes with no discernible distress. King Kong’s battle with multiple T-Rex’s cames through with all the lifelike realism I’ve come to expect from Polk Audio. Thanks for the demo, Polk Audio.
by John A Bremner, November 8, 2007
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Complete sound across the range, classical, rock and vocal all treated with ease
Weaknesses:
Maybe the weight, soooo heavy my wife says, I kinda like the weight!!
Review:
I told the guy in "Sound Advice" I needed an amp and some outdoor speakers. I had already made my mind up regarding speakers! He played me a track proving the amps performance through the A5 speakers. So I bought the speakers immediately. I was a little worried that it was just the sound booth that made them sound so good. WOW when I got these babies home, they worked even better in my high ceilinged house, clarity definition bass and top end squeaks like never before at such a price. Take a bow designer these are simply magic
by Ruben Valdez, December 20, 2008
4 out of 9 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Todo
Weaknesses:
Nada
Review:
Excelentes bocinas, tienen un sonido sin distorsion muy claro y en un amplio rango de frecuencias, su diseño es muy atractivo. Son el complemento perfecto de mi amplificador Marantz, Ya tengo un año con ellas y cada vez me sorprenden mas.
by MUSIC MIKE, January 7, 2010
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Good clear sound. One of the few floorstanders that satisfy home theater and music use all at once.Nice modern style to the cabinet that helps it stand out from the crowd.
Weaknesses:
High end is a bit harsh and midrange is "cupped" a little. Helps to EQ the treble in your receiver down a notch. Lacks deep bass, so you need a sub for ceratin music like dance or rap.
Review:
A little expensive for the sound, but suitable for home theater. Deep enough bass but not enough to annoy neighbors in a condo.
by Mark Delzer, May 10, 2008
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Imaging is fantastic and they have great mid range. On top of that they are beautiful to look at.
Weaknesses:
Don't extend as deep as I prefer so a sub is manditory.
Review:
I am a current RTi-10 owner and had these speakers in my system for over a month and got to know them very well. Compared to my RTI-10s I found them to have a better imaging and the tweeters are slightly laid back. This was very apparent the first time I hooked them up. I listened to a familiar song with my current setup, swapped the speakers and listened to the same song again. It was only a few minutes between the two and the parts where I found the tweeter bright on my RTi-10s was not on the RTi-A5. I was surprised as Polk has said there was no difference in the crossover for the two lines. I have not spent much time with the RTi-8 so I can’t say how this compares to the older speaker. However I found them to be less fatiguing than the last series. What I did miss from my RTi-10s is the bass. I use my system for every day TV watching and I like the fact the RTi-10 set as large digs deep enough to capture the bass without need for a sub. I also like to listen to music with speakers only because I have a hard time blending the sub in for music. Bottom line a sub is needed for these speakers all the time so make it a good one. If the RTi-A5 is any indication I think the new RTi line is a great evolution of the series. This makes me really want to get my ears on the RTi-A7 for a direct comparison to my RTi-10s.
by Ed, November 16, 2008
3 out of 7 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Absolutely outstanding built and performance. The sound is so reach, natural and warm that you will absolutely love them.
Weaknesses:
None!
Review:
I bought these speakers about 1.5 months ago from Future Shop. This was the second time I bought speakers from Polk. My first experience with Polk speakers was RM10 speaker set which I bought for my home theatre. My choice was based on very good reviews I read. I was very impressed with the quality and performance! PolkAudio won me completely! This is absolutely outstanding company--not only in terms of the products it offers, but laso how it presents itself to and cares about its customers! I learnt a lot about audio from Polk website (Support/Education and FAQs). Therefore, it was not a question for me which brand to choose when I was looking for the speakers to upgrade my home cinema--certainly PolkAudio! My choice was RTiA5 speakers that allowed me not only to upgrade my home cinema, but also enjoy high fidelity stereo music on my CDs. And I must say that RTiA5 speakers were way beter that I could even imagine. I absolutely love them! I realized how much I was missing before I bought these speakers:my old CDs sounded like new ones--I could hear a great deal of tones and I never heard before on my old speakers! Driven by my Yamaha 6160 receiver, RTiA5 speakers produce the sound so faithful, rich and warm that you just cannot tear myself away from my home theatre/stereo system. These speakers offer astonishing built and performance--I highly recommend them anyone who is looking for the speakers with best quality/price ratio on the market! PolkAudio won my absolute loyalty--in the future I will consider only Polk speakers to change/upgrade my system. Thank you so much, Polk. Sincerely, Ed
by mike, May 3, 2010
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Crystal clear sound, beautiful wood cabinet, impressive looking in the living room.
Weaknesses:
I havent found any yet.
Review:
I just moved into a new house with wood floors and I had a pair of black Polk RT1000's that I had enjoyed for years. Originally I wanted them for the beautiful wood cabinet to match the house. I was originally looking at the A9's but after further research and consult with the very helpful salesman at Polk I decided they were too power hungry and overkill for me. I am running them off a Onkyo 100watt reciever and have a subwoofer. Well to get to the point when I first hooked them up and listened to some music my jaw dropped. I can't explain how much better these sound over my older speakers. I can hear every detail down to the softest whispers to the booming bass notes. I am very impressed and would highly recommend them to anyone in the market for a beautiful looking and sounding set of main speakers. I loved them so much I ordered the matching center speaker to replace my old Polk cs400i. Can't wait for that to arrive.
by MV, August 18, 2009
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Design, looks, imaging and clarity. Unbelievable.
Weaknesses:
None. A must buy. Absolutely a steal for the money.
Review:
I've owned Polk Audio speakes since the era of the SDA series. I purchased this pair for home theater and audio use. These were purchased on a whim and I did absolutely no research or surfing on the net. I listened to them in a sound room at American Furniture and Electronics. They stood their ground for what I needed them for. I took them home, hooked them up and OMG. Like I stated before, I've owned Polk speakers for years and they've never been known for their craftmanship. These speakers are absolutely stunning in looks, craftsmanship and immaging. A friend helped me hook up my AV system. He has a $15,000 AV home theater system and he was mad because his speakers didn't have the imaging that these speakers have. (His are made by a company in Arkansas). For the money, these speakers are a STEAL. Polk Audio engineered these speakers for the true audio fan. I would work for Polk Audio if I could sell these speakers for a living. I can't mark six stars so I'll just leave it at that.
by Scott B, December 26, 2010
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Every aspect
Weaknesses:
NONE
Review:
What can I say....Polk's sound and quality are hard to surpass in this price range. My system: A modest Harman/Kardon AVR 354 Polk RTi A5 fronts Polk RTi 70 rear Polk CS245i center And to fill the low end...A Velodyne DLS-5000R sub. 15" 1000 watts of pure thunder. Couldn't be happier, better than goin' to the movies.
by Stacy Hunt, May 25, 2009
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Best highs and midrange.
Weaknesses:
Need a sub for extended bass
Review:
Great sound classy look.
by James Anabo, October 22, 2009
1 out of 19 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Excellent lower mids and lows above 40-80 Hz, Solid construction
Weaknesses:
Inaccurate highs, higher mids, very heavy, price, limited information on manual, giving more emphasis on french version as if canadians or french people do not understand english.
Review:
Setup: Amplifier: Onkyo TX-SR 707 100 WPC, bi-amping capability Fronts: Polk RTi A5 left & right, Bi-amped, High Pass Filter = 80 Hz Subwoofer: Polk DSW Pro 500, LFE Low Pass filter = 80 Hz Crossover: 80 Hz Cable: Jamo 1.5 mm2 These speakers can decently handle low frequencies as low as 80 Hz or lower up to 40 Hz. Setting the crossover to 120 (as what could be deduced from RTi A series specifications of the other two higher models), would result in the overall sound being drowned in base by a decent sub such as DSW Pro 500. The high frequencies are disappointing. The mid frequencies are somewhat disappointing. I have tried several listening modes including the highly acclaimed THX to extract a good reproduction of high and mid frequencies but they seem not there. I have a pair of Bose 301 which I initially intended to sell and to be replaced by polk RTI A5's. I know that Bose 301 have excellent high frequency reproduction so I tried putting them as my right and left surrounds and, Oh my God!, the combination is amazing when the listening mode is set to All Channel Stereo. It's like the RTi A5's were reproducing the mid to lower ranges and the Bose 301 the higher frequencies. Positioning yourself at the center of the mixture point is like sitting at the heart of music. Listening is like euphoria, you just don't know what it is exactly; It's, like, taking your breath away. Watching movie is rather disappointing because the fronts cannot accurately reproduce enough highs and the upper mids are somewhat muffled and the 301's cannot accurately handle lower frequencies. This results to specific sounds driven in a particular channel being inaccurately rendered when this setup is used for home theater. Bryan Adams' voice in the song "please forgive me", sounded thin, but sounded remarkable and full with the aid of 301's. This is not to say 301's are necessarily better. Leaving Bryan adams' voice to the 301 sounded shrill and raspy. Kenny Rogers' voice on the RTi A5 sounded full, with an unnoticeable improvement upon 301's backup. Classical music "Greensleves" was acceptable on RTi A5, but was a mile better, sounded fuller, crispier and more enveloping with the aid of 301. Santana feat Chad Kroeger's "Into the night" was a little disappointing in the RTi A5 alone but sounded remarkable with RTi A5 and 301 together. Gunther's "You touch my tralala (Ding dong song)" is excellently reproduced by the RTi A5's, particularly the part where air is being pumped out. Drumbeats in Michael Jackson's "Liberian girl" were excellent on RTi A5, but leaving the instruments insipid and flat. Bi-amping RTi A5 is not necessarily better for receivers with 150 WPC, 8 ohms, or lower as the sound is almost inaudible and undefined at lower volumes. Sound acquire substance only within a short range, before primary signs of distortion sets in. undefined: lower than 40 full with good substance: 55-75 distortion becomes noticeable: 85 based on using onkyo tx-sr707 Overall, RTi A5 is a good speaker (I am still overwhelmed by its price considering its performance) when used for listening to music as long as it is backed up by speakers that can handle higher frequencies better, and mixing them to produce a stereo (All Channel Sterero). However, it is poor when used for movies. Home theater speakers should have the ability to reproduce sound accurately at any given frequency in its range at any given channel, which neither Polk RTi A5 nor Bose 301 delivered independently.
by Brendan, January 27, 2012
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.Strengths:
Good balanced sound. They do a good job on movies, music, and Internet Radio.
Weaknesses:
I miss the wide dispersion of the old dome tweeters of my vintage Polk's.
Review:
I recently purchased these to replace a pair of 26 year old vintage Polk 5 Jr bookshelf speakers. The RTi A5 has a tweeter design that's different enough from my old speakers that its taking a while to get used to it. The frequencies are all there, it just sounds different, and I find myself missing the dispersion and sound qualities from my old speakers. But as the days go by I'm adjusting to the new sound and I'm happy with it. The bass is more than adequate for my tastes. But then again, my basis of comparison are vintage bookshelf speakers, and I already own a Polk subwoofer, so there's that. Even without the subwoofer, the bass is an improvement over what I had before. I wasn't expecting it to knock the pictures off the walls and wouldn't want it to anyway.
Center
Surrounds
Subwoofer(s)
RTiA5 Media
RTiA5 Literature
Want to know more? Want to dig just a little deeper to learn about this product? Here's a list of source material that will give more detail, other perspectives, and answer questions you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why are there two sets of terminals on my speakers?
- Why are my speakers distorting and popping?
- What wire should I get? What gauge?
- How do I choose between all the different home audio speakers?
- What floorstanding speakers match in-wall speakers?
- How long is the warranty on Polk loudspeakers?
- How do I obtain service for my loudspeakers?
- Why did my speakers break?
- What type of speaker wire should I use?
- How do I get the little plastic inserts out of the binding posts so I can use banana plugs?
- What is the Klippel Distortion Analyzer?