Calling all Polkies:Official Polk thread - Page 530

Your entertainment center is a little like mine except mine has a post for mounting my TV. I have my receiver on the top shelf. My center is on the bottom shelf. Nice thing about the Polk center is you can flip it over so it points up toward the listening position. Works fine for me.

spellitlikethis -

Your receiver is awfully close to the top shelf. I would sure put a fan on it if you can. Maybe a small clip on fan attached to the rear of the shelf to blow across the top of the receiver.
Edited by XStanleyX - 1/7/13 at 7:37pm

I've been keeping boxes for nearly everything I own for years (especially since I was in the military and moved every three years). The foam is the concern. The boxes are easy to break down and flatten for storage. I used to put the foam in the attic (if you have access to one).

I definitely recommend you have at least one box in the event you have a bad speaker in the next 5 years. The likelyhood of having two speakers go bad at the same time is pretty rare.

I know. It barely fit, but there's about 3.5 inches above it to vent air. I've been checking it often and appear to be one of the lucky ones to have gotten a receiver that generally runs cool. I was initially very worried at first because I thought the tempered glass wouldn't be able to hold the 40lb receiver.

I always figured that if I didn't get a new media stand, I would just mount my tv and move the receiver up top, then leave the center on the middle shelf. But I've never mounted a tv and am hesitant to do so while living in an apartment. That's why most of me want to add a sub first instead. But seeing as how I haven't researched them at all, I just don't have any idea what I should be shopping for.

No attic as I'm in an apartment for the next few months

Not sure where I will be in later this year, so I have been holding onto the boxes for my first Polk HT system I purchased last month. I purchased a set of monitors from Newegg and all of the boxes came beaten up. Many had holes in them. UPS and FedEX must have some stored up aggression for large, heavy boxes during their busy time. lol

I still need to contact Polk support for two broken grills.

For the sale price the PSW505 is going to be about as good as you're going to get. Being in an apartment I don't think you should get more than that unless your want you neighbors beating on your door. You may not even be able to run it full tilt but it's better to be able to turn it down than not having enough.

The psw505 is on sale for $190, and I've got a $50 amazon gift card, now I'm REALLY tempted to bite. Damn.

For that price I'd bite but I hope you have friendly neighbors. I use to have a 505. Nice sub for the money. I enjoyed it for music more than movies cause it doesn't get down real low for movies as I wanted. Don't think you'll want the real low in an apartment. The 505 goes on sale often at that price so I don't see a hurry in getting one if you want to wait. Either way you'll get to your goal eventually.
Edited by XStanleyX - 1/7/13 at 7:56pm

Per a previous post by XstanleyX I purchased the Polk PSW505 for my place.

So far I have been happy but have not had the chance to test it out fully (waiting for all the neighbors to be out of their apartments).

I need to check the sub forums to see the best way to test the sub. I tried the AudioCheck app on my phone to generate test tones.

Have you tried yelling FIRE! ?? That might clear your neighbors out. You have the Denon 1712, right? The Audyessy XT should eq that sub nicely. Hope you have fun with it.

There are a couple of good songs out there you can use (if they are 320 kbps).

* Long hard bass...
Pit Bull - Pause
Mario - Music for Love

Hard and fast bass....
Bluray of Underworld - Awakening (giant lycan underground scene).

*Bass accuracy...
Pink Floyd - The Wall (remastered)

There are a lot of synthesized bass test files out there as well. They can be used if you are careful. Not all are safe.

Quick question: i own Polks RtiA7 with CS2 as center channel. I know the cs2 is not the match for RTis but I would like to see a 2 - 5.25" woofer, 2 - 4" midrange, 1 - 1" tweeter center speaker from Polk but sadly there is none. Adding a second cs2 driven by one channel on receiver is not good.

So, is there any center channel similar to what im looking for that matches my RtiA7s?

Paradigm is the only one I know of that make some multi driver center speakers similar to that. Dunno if it match up worth a darn. Big, very heavy and pricey.

http://paradigm.com/products/products-by-category/center/signature/signature-series/signature-c5
Edited by Boogy - 1/8/13 at 12:38am

Yes, the CsiA6. It doesn't have all the extra drivers you think might help, but it does a very good job.
It was a Csi5 center that got me to move up to the Rti line in the first place. At the time I had M70's
and had gone past two CS2's and was using a CS20 at the time. Once I added a Csi5 I realized
how muddy the Monitors sounded. Eventually I moved to all RtiA's and the A6 seems to sound
even a bit better then the Csi5.

Thanks - Did Newegg ever have for $399 recently?

Bob

I really can't remember if the price has been that low before. If they were it was probably around black Friday. Maybe one of the guys can remember.
I take it you don't want to consider the RTi12 at the lower cost. I guess I'd personally go for the A9's just because I like the looks better. Beautiful cabinet in my eyes. Course the RTi12 looks pretty darn nice too.
Edited by XStanleyX - 1/8/13 at 7:29am

Well the price on Amazon went back up, but I know it changes regularly. Upon looking around, I found that the BIC F12 is also a popular option under $300. You think that the PSW505 trumps that one as well? There doesn't seem to be any solid consensus anywhere.

I haven't heard the BIC F12 but I like the specs on the 505 better. 300 watts RMS vs. 150 watts RMS. You can't always go by specs, especially with subs, but personally I'd swing with the 505.

I'd pass on both those subs and save up for something in the 450 and up range that will actually satisfy you for a long time.

I had a PSW125, was not happy with it after a while, sold it at a RIDICULOUS loss and am now happily running just a 5 channel setup. When the money and time are right I plan to drop some serious cash on a couple subs that wont leave me wanting more.

IMHO do it once and do it right, even if it takes longer. Incremental steps cost you more in the long run.

I agree but his problem is he lives in an apartment. He wouldn't be able to push one of the better subs.

Here is my logic, you can always turn down a sub thats too powerful, you cant keep turning up a sub thats bottoming out. Plus those subs IMHO dont dig deep enough to give you the bass you really want which is the 20hz and below stuff which you can still feel even at low volumes.

If I had done what I was planning on and purchased a LFM-1 EX rather than the PSW125 originally, I think I would still have it.

Heck my wife commented she cant even tell the sub isnt in the mix still as my LSi's cover just as much down low as that sub does, and the same could be said for folks running RTi A9's.

Just because he cant crank it now, doesnt mean he shouldnt purchase something too powerful now that he will be able to crank on down the road.

If he gets either of those subs in the end we all know he's probably going to want to upgrade when he moves to a bigger place, or gets a house. When that happens he's looking at another 500ish on a better sub and he will be lucky to get 75 bucks for his 505. I got 150 for my PSW125 that cost me 350, and I got lucky because I sold it to someone who was willing to pay 150 because he knows I take care of my gear and had the original paperwork to boot.

Totally agree. If he has plans on moving in to a house some day that would be the way to go.
Edited by XStanleyX - 1/8/13 at 11:45am

I was lucky when I sold my 505 on craigslist. I got 175 for it but it was only about a month old and had the box and papers for it. 10 seconds into a song he said he'd take it. Easiest sale ever.

I bought a F12 a few years ago and tried for several months to get it to sound right. Never could. I earned a bad name in the F12 forum here on AVS when I asked for advice. Everyone there just says it's the best sub in the world and anyone who doesn't agree has some sort of hearing problem. I simply felt that all the glowing reviews were unrealistic.

Fortunately I was able to sell it for nearly what I had paid for it. If all you want is boom, then buy an F12. But if you expect it to sound something like what is recorded then buy something else.

Does anyone know if Polk Monitor 30's are better than the satellites from a Z5500? Loudness isn't an issue, as my bedroom is quite small. <500 cubic feet. I was thinking of upgrading to 4 Monitor 30's plus a CS1, would they pair nicely with a sub like an SVS PB1000 or maybe PB12-NSD?
Thanks.

The monitor 30's are head and shoulders above the Logitech Z5500 speakers (I own them and the Z-906). So long as you have a receiver that will provide the WPC for the speakers, they will outperform the Z5500's mini drivers all day.

In a small apartment bedroom (neighbor and space concerns noted) a 12 inch sub is probably too much. The 10 inch will probably fit the bill. I did, however, have a 12" sub in my office. It was great for me, but a little too much for neighbors.

The 10" sub won't hit as low, but will climb up into the low midrange that small bookshelf speakers may lack. I think the 10 inch sub will round out those speakers nicely.

PB1000's range does sound like it'll compliment the small satellites. I can only afford a Yamaha RX-V373, rated at 85 watts, that should be alright for the Mobile 30's I hope. ( I notice the 473 and 573 are lower, 80 watts?)

My budget depends on what I manage to sell my pushbike for. If I get a lot for it, that'll give me more headroom for better stuff.

80 - 85 WPC is fine for those speakers.

Thanks for the media suggestions. I will give them a try.

So far to my ears the sub has made more difference with music than movies. It may be because of my tame volume level.

That was my opinion too. I ran it +3.0 to +5.0 in the receiver which helps. Of course YMMV.