Name: Polk Audio RTiA9 High Performance Floorstanding Tower Loudspeaker, 18Hz-27kHz, Single, Cherry
Brand: Polk Audio
SKU: PKAAM9972C4
Price: 749.95 USD
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.6 (81 reviews)

Polk Audio RTiA9 High Performance Floorstanding Tower Loudspeaker, 18Hz-27kHz, Single, Cherry

Polk Audio RTiA9

Polk Audio

Polk Audio RTiA9 High Performance Floorstanding Tower Loudspeaker, Single,Cherry

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Home Electronics

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Polk Audio Floor Standing Speakers

Polk Audio RTiA9 

Top Rated Gear: Polk Audio RTiA9 High Performance Floorstanding Tower Loudspeaker, 18Hz-27kHz, Single, Cherry Includes: Single Speaker

I have had a pair of RTiA9's for several years now and they always put a smile on my face. Music and movie sound is excellent. I recently upgraded from a Denon receiver at 130 watts to Marantz receiver and Crown pro amp at 440 watts per ch driving these and the sound went from amazing to totally astounding! As others have commented: more power really does wake these puppies up. Very pleased with these!

Great sound with movies and music

I've now had them for about 8 months, I run a Marantz SR-7007 with a Crown Xli-2500 @500 watts per channel and they handle it with grace and ease. I honestly can't imagine running them with less than 200 watts with a dedicated amp. If your AVR can get more than an HONEST 130 watts per channel with 5 or more channels driven I'll eat a bowling ball! Most great AVR's might reach 110 with 5 channels driven, they're often rated at 2 channels with high distortion and can't come close with all channels driven st 8 ohms. They really shine in movies and play music beautifully, set your speakers to small and crossover to 60 hz, they really rumble in that range, let your subs handle below that. In 2 channel music they imagine very well and are quite robust in mid range while sharp on staccato drum beats and Spanish guitar sounds. Somewhat bright on highs during break in, but calms a bit, your room can impact this one way or another, movies are truly amazing. For the money you can't do better without building it yourself, but, please make sure you are running a bare minimum of 200 watts per channel and realistically closer to 500 per channel if you want to get the most out of them.

Need ample power! Seriously! No AVR is enough!

I have been into hifi for over 35 years.
I thought I would give an oppinion from a pure hifi use.
Firstly I owned Kef 104mk2 speakers before these, but the aged out, needed repair and were no longer suported.
So new speakers were needed. I like to listen loud, ot all the time but quite offen. I had a specific list of desires:
1/ cost not more than 1500 euros ( I am in europe)  about 1300 dollars.
2/ have a large power handling capability wide bynamic range.
3/ Be able to reproduce very low frequncies wide frequncy range.
4/ 90 db sensitivity or better.
5/ bi amp-able
So I looked at Kef, B&W, Dali, and many many others, none had all on my specification list and ALL were more expensive, some double or more....

These speakers area a very special if not unique product.   However nothing is perfect
strengths:
Fantastic bass, for the price unbeatable dynamics, great sound stage/focus, go very very loud without distortion.  I would unreservedly recomend them for films.
weaknesses:
one very small niggle, they are a little harsh in the upper mid/lower trebble, but with carefull setup and use of right equipment and perhaps eq if you have it this can be mostly overcome....   My system is ver simple: Cambride Audio azure CD Player, Top of the rage award winning Nad preamp, Musical Fidelity A370 power Amp-(running top binding post rtia9s) 750wpc pro amp running the lowwer bass input rtia9s....   Somomne in the mods forum has upgraded the crossovers and reports a much smother and somewhat improved overall sound. I whish Polk would ofer this as an option. or simpley offer a Special Eddition Version. I think they are missing a trick here, I would be willing to pay perhaps another 200 euro for this version. It could be marketed as a 'optimised for hifi use' version.  I know thay have the Lsm is it range but this is out of my budget!

As a last note power, good qualit power is Essential, to get a stunning performance from these great speakers, I have heard people complain they
were not satisfide with the performance from these speakers....  The problem is NEVER the speakers, it is ALWAYS poor amplification.  In my opinion 200wpc is the bare minimum you need, the more you pump in the better they like it!  I am running almost a 1k signal per channel for peaks and they rock!  500 max rms.

I give 4 stars for hifi sound in other words very good, there are somewhat better sounding speakers but with less of all the thigs I mentioed andjust a little smoother sound.... at 2 or 3 times the price....!
I would give the full 5 stars for film use.

used only for hifi

I have had my RTI a9's for only a week.  First the Cherry finish is beautiful!  Clarity and response is exceptional.  They do need serious power.  I first hooked then up to my Denon avr reciever rated at 110 wats per
 channel.  But there was no low end!  So I set it to multi channel stereo and bi annoyed the speakers.  With+7db on the low and -6db on the high b the speakers sounded great.  However I want happy about the set up.  So I got my 25 year old Harmon Kardon integrated high current amp and connected it single amped.  At only 50 Watts I wasn't expecting much a but they sound amazing with that amp.  After a few hrs of break-in, I'm so happy with them.  So I recommend an amp with a hefty power supply like a true high current amp has.  Only issue I have had is there grills insert pins keep popping out.  On one speaker it's the top 2 on the other it's the bottom 2.

Amazing speakers!

I purchased these speakers about 5 weeks ago., they are the best sounding loudspeakers I have ever owned. My other speakers were ar3as, 4x, advents , Bose 901 and now Allison 4s and 3s and klh6s. These are all great speakers. The polks Rti a9s are the "Icing on the cake". You need to spend a lot more money for better sound. I'm very happy with these.

Beautiful sonics and looks

I purchased one pair of the Polk Audio RTI A9 and these are the best speakers ever!

My cd player is a Yamaha and my av receiver is also a Yamaha with 130 wpc x7. 

The sound is nothing short of amazing either in Pure Direct (for critical listening) or with my pair of subwoofers.

It would be the last pair of speakers you ever need to buy!

An amazing speaker!

This speaker is incredible. The RTiA9 blows 'em away!! I've owned two pairs of A9's for over six years now and they still continue to impress me!

Granted, when rated at 500watts, depending on what and how you use them, they will require some extra power other than your receiver. Any jack-A, excuse me, any person that buys this speaker without knowing what he's got, just doesn't appreciate great sound.

Most (not all) home theater applications will use the RTiA9 crossed over so that the dedicated subwoofers would do the heavy lifting in the LFE department. It's the lower end of the cabinet that sucks up power like no other. Those three magnificent 7" bass woofers, can move air, producing LFE that will impress any naysayer. And if you're using the lower end of the cabinet to handle the LFE from todays movie audio tracks, then indeed, some external amplification is recommended.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard mention that the RTiA9 is a great "movie" speaker but not that great for 2ch, my reply to that is horse pucky!! I've taken the time to groom a pair of A9's specifically for 2ch, and they didn't disappoint. Placement is very important, contrary to some belief, cabling is also very important, not so much as from amp to speaker, but from source to amp. Protecting the signal from degradation is pretty important, especially if there is "any" amount of RF in the room. Shielded copper is a great way to protect your signal, the cleaner the signal, the better the sound. The RTiA9 can and will reproduce a sound that will delight over and over. My 2ch A9's were set up so well, that my wife preferred music, listening to them over my 2ch LSiM 703's, that's a statement. 

One other key factor I forgot to mention in set up is; room treatments, google it if you aren't familiar with the term. Once I had my foam up on the walls, the difference was so noticeable, that even my 9 year old said, "daddy, it sounds like wearing headsets".....yep, isolation is a good thing. 

If you're looking for baby sound, go get an HTIB, if you're looking for a great home theater sound, or even looking to set up a killer 2ch system, then look no further, in my opinion, the RTiA9 is the sweet spot out of every Polk series. Over six years later, if I could do over, I'd do it the same!

Best bang for your buck versatile speaker

Those Speaker are not that good as people think,actually they are bad....
First of all if you think your big box shop receiver can drive those good you are wrong. these need a ridiculous amount of rms power to have a decent sound out of it. For budget speaker like this you will need to spend 3 times more for a power amp
or bi amping it... You can find thoses speaker at 50% Off almost every week at best buy and then you think you got a freaking deal.... Polk make theirs speakers ridiculously huge thinking you got a monster theater room... like the csia6 a huge box again for notthing... I respect Polks fans i was one myself, i own almost all polk serie over the years include  the rti Deals on it make you just buy it 50% off why not... well if you dig a little you have so much better option out there a real good sounding speaker dont need to be as big as your fridg! Did yourself a favor and go listen to real speaker and youll notice the diff.. nerver again polk for me trying to get rid of them all asap. I cant name brand but just go to a real audio store not a best buy and then youll find real speaker

Not Worth IT.

I've had mine about a year now and so far they have done very well. I run them bi-amped now although I was initially running them with a different receiver and used them bridged with no problems.  They have excellent overall sound but they can be a little lacking (in my opinion) on the lower end depending on the song, however I was able to readily correct that with the addition of a Polk subwoofer.  The sound is incredibly clear with an amazing depth that I've only heard in a select few top-of-the-line speakers. Plan on using some power to drive them, I using a Yamaha amp with 125w RMS with 3db headroom to drive them and I yearn for more power at times.

great speakers

I have had mine about a year;Also a CSi-A6 center,(2)F/X A6s for rears ,(2)OWM5 for high/wide,and (2) Monitor 70 Surrounds. With the addition of an amp for the front Sound stage-I have yet to have a better performing set of speakers.

Need some power to drive-But they are VERY good!

My original set up consists of 2 pairs of RTiA9s. The second pair is utilized in the wide channel. I debated for some time as to what speaker to run in the wide position. Many suggested I just run a decent set of book shelf speakers, others suggested anything more than the RTiA5 would be a waste. I am so glad I went with my gut instinct. After running a pair of Monitor 70's as wide's next to my first set of A9's, I knew a tower was the way to go for the wide channel. Having the A9's as wide's is an experience you won't easily forget. During movie scores, the mains and wides use the same track, essentially doubling your front stage (magnificent), music pounding out in high definition through 2 pairs of A9's is an indescribable treat for any listener. For involvement of the wide channel, the detail that the A9 offers is staggering. The sensation of being placed in the action is as close to reality as it gets!!

Lets talk about 2ch for a moment, the A9 can be groomed to offer musical satisfaction that is detailed, full of depth, superb imaging and hours of non fatiguing 2ch enjoyment. After experimenting with power applications, cable applications (they don't have to be super expensive, just quality components like multiple shielding and connectors that offer maximum signal transfer), speaker placement and room treatments, the response from my guests are always the same when they hear my demos, a brief silence followed by a gasping "Wow".

If you intend to run the RTiA9's to their full capacity, or also known as "Large" or "Full Band", I would recommend an external power source in addition to your AVR. The woofers on these bad boys can suck up some power like no other, and these woofers do NOT disappoint. The LFE's produced by the A9's are more than impressive. Those that come to visit your set up and don't know any better, will swear you have a subwoofer hidden somewhere. I got myself in trouble with my significant other by showing off one day, "look honey, that was just from the towers, I took the subs out". Her reply was "And why do we need subwoofers again?"

If you are considering the A9 for either theater or 2ch or both, go forward with confidence. I have no regrets after 5 years and I'm still impressed with the sound!

More than reference theater

I have owned these speakers for six months and have found  no speakers at twice the price that can compare! If you take the time to set them up correctly, these speakers will amaze you every day that you listen. My listen room is 19ft. X 24ft. with 8ft ceiling through out. The speakers are 5ft from the back wall and the low end is fantastic.Listening position is at 13ft from the RT9's and sound staging is super. These speakers are very focused and individual instruments can be picked out of the sound stage. If you know anything about speakers my previous speakers were B&W 901's that I payed 5 times what these cost and the RT9's  are surprising me every day!  Best buy at 2 or 3 times the price with out question!

Exceptional Sound!

Awesome speaker, tight bass and clear highs. Tweeter can be a a bit overbearing at high volume occasionally depending on recording. Plus Im only using a $400 Yamaha integrated amp. Im sure if you had a higher quality source of power than me these speakers would be phenomenal. But for the price the Yamaha AS-500 is also a great buy. Bottom line this speaker is the best you can buy in this price range.

Beautiful for eyes as well as ears.

Bought new, had just a week, listen to classical in about a 18 x 25 room. Using Yamaha 701 amp @ 100 w p/channel. Can't imagine needing more power, at least for my needs. No doubt these speakers have the ability to punch you hard if desired.

Beautiful clear sound.

I just purchased 4 RTIA9 speakers, 2 DSW660 subs, and the CSIA6 center speaker. All I can say is WOW!!!. This is the best system I have ever owned. I have been an audio guy all my life and have owned some very good high quality audio, but this system surpasses anything I have ever owned. These RTIA9 speakers will beet any speaker in its price and beyond. They are very detailed and very smooth to listen to. I am running this system with a Marantz SR7009 receiver and let me tell you.... I have plenty of power to spare. Some will say ... your crazy... you don't need to have back speakers so big. But what I can tell you is this... Having 4 RTIA9s is completely mind blowing. The sound is so full and fills the room with no localization of where the speaker is.... which I find that you will have with small speakers. So if you are looking for the ultimate system.... go out and purchase the same set up as me and you will be in your own music world filled with sound you have never heard. Also with the rest of my set up... The subs... you will not find a better sub period... you would have to spend twice the amount to even come close. The center speaker... is in a class of its own. Very detailed and smooth and again you would have to spend way more to equal the sound. Polk... you guys have a winner... and I have already brought family and friends to love your product. They also will be making a purchase soon. Polk Audio... The legendary makers of true HI FIDELITY.

The ULTIMATE speaker!!!!

I have owned this pair for 2 years now.I have always played them loud.I currently have them biamped with Emotiva amps.I have the highs amped at 200 watts and the lows amped at 300 watts.These speakers play clean and loud.

I love my Polks!

I've had Polk speakers ever since the early 1990's. Highly recommend them. I listen to classical, jazz & rock music.

Got these about two weeks ago and all i can say is WOW love it love it has crazy bass and i have no need to go to the movie house i have this at home. RTi A9 front , center CSi A6 , sub PSW505 and RTi A7 rears all black on a Yamaha RX-A2020 with a Sony Sony KDL-65W950B tv and all i can see I'M IN LOVE thanks Polk audio thanks very much for some wonderful products.

Love the look

I bought these a couple of years ago to use as my mains, but only recently have I bi-amped them, effectively doubling the power input. It made quite a difference. They have really come alive with the addition of current. Not sure how to describe it but the sound is effortless. Next step is a dedicated two channel amp to really drive these properly. Great sound but need real power.

Power

I BOUGHT 1 YEAR AGO FOR VACATION HOME AND LOOK FORWARD TO LISTENING TO THEM EVERY TIME I VISIT.CAN'T WAIT TILL THE WIFE GOES SHOPPING OR TO BEACH TO CRANK THEM UP JUST STARTING TO BREAK IN AFTER 6 VISITS.

POWERFUL/SOUND GREAT

I have had my A9's for about 2 years now, they are the best sounding speakers I have owned personally. I have auditioned higher priced speakers, well beyond my budget, and I couldn't justify spending more for something else. But that's me, maybe my vintage ears too :-) . I have been driving my A9's with a Pioneer vsx 52 Elite series amp. I have not bi-amped my speakers, and am curious if there is any gain for me to do this with this amplifier ? I have always wondered if I am underpowered with this amp, although I like the sound I get and like the Avcontrol app that runs my amp. So I guess the question is, is this amp a good match to these speakers for a mix of music / av use ? Or would I be served better by something else ?

Love my A9's

I recently purchased the Polk rtiA9 speakers and I love these floor standing
speakers. Simply Amazing!!!

Outstanding performance

You need another amp, the RTI A9 will blow you away, I have a Yamaha RX-Z11 11.2, 1180 watt amp running the top end of the RTI A9?s 140 x 2, Burr-Brown DACs, my center channel Klipsch RC-62 and my 2 rear surround speakers Vintage Infinity SM 80?s. A home theatre amp even bi amped will not give you enough power, I have added a Crown XLS-1500 DriveCore Series 600 watts into 8 Ohms for the bottom, with pro series wires running everywhere, you will not need any sub and you will not be able to listen to then even a half volume. The Bass from this RTI A9 will punch the bass port will blow your hair dry and the top end is a great mix, I can here every detail in them. I have 3 subs running 2 Velodyne Optimum 12 12?s rated at 1200 watts RMS and a Klipsch sub-12 300 watts continuous, but these are now overkill. After hours of use I can say these Polk Audio RTI A9 will rock your world but with one amp these are going to sound like glorified computer speakers. Be careful when selecting a Home Theatre amp as many of the new ones do not come with RCA pre outs so adding a second Amp is near impossible to do.

You need another amp,the RTI A9 will blow you away

These towers are an amazing pair!  I debated whether to go with them or not, being that I don't have a dedicated home theater/media room, and don't currently have a separate amp for them.  However, they are gorgeous in the room, and my high power Onkyo 876 pushes them really well.  I am wanting to go up when I can.  Looking at Emotiva.

I auditioned these alongside Klipsch RF-7s ($1,600 per speaker and the RTiA9s beat them hands-down.  The main difference was how clear and defined the highs and upper mids were compared to the horn-loaded design of the Klipschs -- even the RF-7s, at more than double the price point, muddled the highs and mids something fierce.  The RTiA9s, on the other hand, sound open and airy, with proper separation between the highs and upper mids, and between the lows and lower mids.  I have an entry level receiver (HK 3390) at only 80WPC but the power is more than sufficient to make these things sing -- I can only imagine what a properly-powered setup would sound like.  All in all, I have no reservations about recommending these speakers, and I will be enjoying them for years and years. If you can audition them somewhere, definitely do it -- but bring your credit card, as you will definitely want to bring them home with you!

There's not much I can add that hasn't been said already. These are awesome speakers. I've upgraded these from Monitor 70's and have gained a great deal in clarity and detail. And though nothing beats a great sub woofer for H.T, these A9's put out some great bass for 2ch music.

I first started listening to the RTiA9's driving them with 200wpc, for H.T. it was fine, for music, it sounded sharp with a bit of a shrill sounding tone in the high end. Once I added an amp pumping out 300wpc, these babies smoothed right out.

I had a few CD's, but since the addition of these A9's, I'm doing a lot more 2ch listening and my CD collection has grown immensely.

I really enjoy the sound of my RTiA speakers which consist of the A9's, CSiA6 center and FXiA6 surrounds, but what really adds to the reward, is when guests come over to watch a movie and the response is generally the same; "Wow, this sounds better than the theater".

Highly recommended.

I have a pair of RTi A9s connected to my computer. I use them for listening to music, watching TV, and playing video games. These things handle anything you throw at them with ease.

I've had these speakers for three weeks now and couldn't be any happier.  They're located in my room which isn't too big and I think the speakers might be to big for my room, but that's okay I like playing music loud.  They are connect to my turntable and my Yamaha receiver, and bi-amp the speaker to get a little better highs and lows from the speakers.  The bass is good enough, don't really need a subwoofer, unless I was in a bigger room.  The clarity is crystal clear, without sounding tinging.  Feels like I'm watching the band right in from of me.  Good Job!

Just listened to the RTi A9s in a local Fry's with the Onkyo TX-NR3009.  They set up the speakers for me in biamp configuration.  I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but biamping these with the Onkyo NR3009 is a night and day difference.  There is much more overhead (we lowered the volume by 10-15 dB and had more powerful sound.  The clarity and bass were exceptional, even in the super large room at Fry's.  I've made up my mind to buy them.  I will post an in depth review once I get them hooked up and broken in at home.