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Budget Bookshelf Battle Coming Eventually To A Thread Near You

musichal

musichal

poet emeritus
This one, in fact. I'll dredge it back up from the doldrums where it is sure to descend, when I begin to start to commence.

The candidates:

Polk RTiA3 (cherry, brand spanking, so will need breaking in)
ELAC B6 Debut (yeah, ver 1, broken in)
NHT Superzeroes (new-to-me used)
Polk Atrium 4 (brand new, need break-in)
ADS L400m (metal cab, used)
A build kit to assemble, featuring a Fostex FE-126EN 4.5" full-range driver in a small ported cab.

I think there are a pair of small, toy Wharfdale NIB in closet, and maybe some older Sony. If so, I'll toss them in the water, too, to sink or swim. Guess I'll throw in the Minimus 7, see if it can best the Atriums, or the kit.

This isn't a fair comparison in every regard, but promises the potential to be fun, interesting, and entertaining before it's all done. With battlefield dust slowly drifting to the ground, which of these budgie boxes will take pride of place on the stand, do you think?

Of course, my opinion will be final. Maybe. So will yours. Possibly.
 
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I don't know, but based on my experience with RTiA1s, I would not expect the RTiA3s to win. Too bad, because they look beautiful.
 
Yea, they are beautiful but the RTiA series is voiced more towards HT. Polk even markets them as such. If you want a budget new Polk speaker you should probably go for the Signature series s20 bookies. I've heard good things about them.
 
Used to own the RTiA3 (and RTi4; predecessor to the RTiA1)- so actual ears on experience.

With the right amplification, they are a vg value.

They get out of their element with poorly recorded media and driven to loud levels. They can sound strident and congested.

Medium levels, well recorded music - pretty good...even for music; not just HT.
 
Budget busters! I'm into 2-way book shelf speakers. The one's I like run the woofer full range which means midrange dynamics are excellent. Polk bookshelves are losers. They try too hard to make bass which spoils the rest of the soup. NHT Subzeroes are too small to be heroes. The woofer is tight so it shouts in a Minimus 7 manner which is not surprising considering how close in design they are. Too bad you do not have a pair of Yamaha NX-E100. Another bookshelf great is the Jamo E800. It is a fast sounding speaker with excellent dynamics. Honorable mention to Sony SS-MB150H for having well built cabinet and long throw woofer.
 
Yes, guilty, I bought the RTiA3 for its looks. If it winds up not being a keeper, I have a family member for whom they will definitely be a step up - an easy-to-please non-enthusiast. Did consider the S20 (I like its looks even more), but found a sub-two-hunnert deal on the A3s, so I bit. Being an easy-to-please enthusiast, I might like them myself.
 
Bodyblue said:
I have found the Elacs to sound nice but the vinyl cabs I have seen are just wretched.
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Wretched? Well, they ain't no beauties... maybe have a bit of wretch. Wretched-esque. I chose the special deluxe walnut wretch, looking at online pics. Black may have been a better choice since they don't try too hard to look like wood. If they'd been going in the main rig, I'd have bought a different finish, applied to a different speaker. Howard's Feed'n'Seed won't help vinyl, so I saved money there, and these are budget models. Of course, so are the RTiA3 and they show the promise of looking pretty good - haven't seen them yet; supposed to be here by Thursday.
 
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musichal said:
This one, in fact. I'll dredge it back up from the doldrums where it is sure to descend, when I begin to start to commence.

The candidates:

Polk RTiA3 (cherry, brand spanking, so will need breaking in)
ELAC B6 Debut (yeah, ver 1, broken in)
NHT Superzeroes (new-to-me used)
Polk Atrium 4 (brand new, need break-in)
ADS L400m (metal cab, used)
A build kit to assemble, featuring a Fostex FE-126EN 4.5" full-range driver in a small ported cab.

I think there are a pair of small, toy Wharfdale NIB in closet, and maybe some older Sony. If so, I'll toss them in the water, too, to sink or swim. Guess I'll throw in the Minimus 7, see if it can best the Atriums, or the kit.

This isn't a fair comparison in every regard, but promises the potential to be fun, interesting, and entertaining before it's all done. With battlefield dust slowly drifting to the ground, which of these budgie boxes will take pride of place on the stand, do you think?

Of course, my opinion will be final. Maybe. So will yours. Possibly.
Click to expand...
I picked up the Polk RTIA 3s a couple of years ago for $199 mainly because of the looks and price. Cherry cabinet is smooth as glass and a winner. My other speakers have metallic tweeters and I expected the silk domes would be tamer....... In fact, actually a little sibilant which was the main surprise. A little bass heavy in the vocal range, but dynamic and sound lively at lower volume which is good for me since, at age 70, I listen at lower levels these days...they are being used for surrounds. I just don't have a place to use them as fronts now. I'm not a believer in messing with other's designs, but actually might try a higher quality tweeter in these some day.
 
musichal said:
Wretched? Well, they ain't no beauties... maybe have a bit of wretch. Wretched-esque. I chose the special deluxe walnut wretch, looking at online pics. Black may have been a better choice since they don't try too hard to look like wood. If they'd been going in the main rig, I'd have bought a different finish, applied to a different speaker. Howard's Feed'n'Seed won't help vinyl, so I save money there, and these are budget models. Of course, so are the RTiA3 and they show the promise of looking pretty good - haven't seen them yet; supposed to be here by Thursday.
Click to expand...

Not only do the Elacs look bad, the covering is very fragile and easy to tear. I like how they sound just fine but good lord the outside is indeed wretched.
 
Bodyblue said:
Not only do the Elacs look bad, the covering is very fragile and easy to tear. I like how they sound just fine but good lord the outside is indeed wretched.
Click to expand...
The worst I ever owned was a pair of Boston CR8s I had briefly in cherry circa 2002. Honestly, the vinyl looked like sticky shelf paper from the 1960s. And they sounded horrible also.
 
Bodyblue said:
Not only do the Elacs look bad, the covering is very fragile and easy to tear. I like how they sound just fine but good lord the outside is indeed wretched.
Click to expand...

Well, mine aren't torn. I will try to keep them this way. Untorn, I mean.

tom67 said:
I picked up the Polk RTIA 3s a couple of years ago for $199 mainly because of the looks and price. Cherry cabinet is smooth as glass and a winner. My other speakers have metallic tweeters and I expected the silk domes would be tamer....... In fact, actually a little sibilant which was the main surprise. A little bass heavy in the vocal range, but dynamic and sound lively at lower volume which is good for me since, at age 70, I listen at lower levels these days...they are being used for surrounds. I just don't have a place to use them as fronts now. I'm not a believer in messing with other's designs, but actually might try a higher quality tweeter in these some day.
Click to expand...

I got you beat by almost ten bucks on a scratch'n'sniff. So we'll see how blemished mine are - last time I did this, the only damage was to the shipping box. May not be so lucky this time 'round. Will probably get dogs, woof-woof.
 
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Interesting bunch of speakers and it should be a fun shootout. I've only had 2 pair of the ones you've listed and neither of them made the grade here. I won't mention which 2 pair as I'll be interested in what your ears decide are the best of the bunch.
 
motorstereo said:
Interesting bunch of speakers and it should be a fun shootout. I've only had 2 pair of the ones you've listed and neither of them made the grade here. I won't mention which 2 pair as I'll be interested in what your ears decide are the best of the bunch.
Click to expand...

Well, I'll be grading them on a budget curve and on a size curve, and I'm a fairly forgiving listener, but there is really no here involved, as I have no spot for them. At least, not one that gets any real use. The Forte in the bedroom and the 6 on the main system will not be replaced with dinky little speakers, aa they fit their spots just fine.

That said, what I figure I will enjoy most myself about this OK corral scenario is that I plan to use the No. 585 and put the speakers way out into the room on stands in true audiophile position - unless some of the smallest need to be closer [to the rear wall]. Anyway, I think my available power and placement may make this a decent listen in some cases, with a high degree of imaging quality potential.

This is all about my play-time with some cheap toys - and some not so cheap - and listening with better placement. Any supposed results, or pronouncements, to be considered dubious, ethereal, and entirely subjective. And fun, fun, fun...
 
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I am interested in how the Fostex units will compare. Someday I will purchase a kit and try them but up to now have resisted. The only others among this group that I have heard are the Elac B6 Have a set and have enjoyed them up to this point.
 
mmickk said:
I am interested in how the Fostex units will compare. Someday I will purchase a kit and try them but up to now have resisted. The only others among this group that I have heard are the Elac B6 Have a set and have enjoyed them up to this point.
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I'm hoping the Fostex at least offer a good mid-frequency ear check. At best, they would beguile me with their middy, crossover-less charms.

I will be shutting down the subs, too. Each speaker model on its own.
 
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Gerres26 said:
Yea, they are beautiful but the RTiA series is voiced more towards HT. Polk even markets them as such. If you want a budget new Polk speaker you should probably go for the Signature series s20 bookies. I've heard good things about them.
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I hear good things about and from them on a daily basis!!
 
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