In this review, we will be comparing L800 and RTi A9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Polk Audio Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk L800 and Polk RTi A9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk L800 and Polk RTi A9 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk L800 and Polk RTi A9 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both L800 and RTi A9 are 3-way speakers.
Driver |
Polk L800 |
Polk RTi A9 |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
2 x 5.25-inch |
2 x 5.25-inch |
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
3 x 7-inch
|
L800 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 10" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the RTi A9 features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
L800 has a frequency range of 32-38k Hz whereas RTi A9 has a frequency range of 30-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the RTi A9 can go slightly deeper then the L800's min frequency of 32Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
L800 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RTi A9 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L800 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L800 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the RTi A9's is rated at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Polk RTi A9 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L800, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
L800 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS from the amp the whereas L800 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 200 watts less than the RTi A9.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both L800 and RTi A9 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L800 has a down firing port whereas RTi A9 has a front firing ports. Polk RTi A9's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk L800 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Polk L800's and Polk RTi A9's external dimensions. Polk L800 has external dimensions of 1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm ( 48-5/8 x 18 x 17-7/16inch) whereas Polk RTi A9 has external dimensions of 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm ( 48-1/16 x 10-11/16 x 21-1/2inch) .
Polk RTi A9 is 186mm narrower and 15mm shorter than Polk L800 but it is also 104mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk L800 and Polk RTi A9 in scale.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Polk L800 is approximately 2028.9cm2 / 314.5inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A9 is approximately 1487.8cm2 / 230.6inch2. The L800 requires 36% more surface area than the RTi A9 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Polk L800 weighs 68.50kg / 150.7lbs and the Polk RTi A9 weighs 34.09kg / 75lbs. This makes the L800 101% heavier than the RTi A9.
Here is a comparison of how L800 and RTi A9's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk L800?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L800:
2 Floorstanding loudspeakers2 Large Grilles2 Small grillesTwo 15-feet SDA interconnect cables8 Rubber feet8 Spike feet2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)2 Cleaning cloths2 Hex-keysOwners ManualOnline Registration
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A9?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A9:
Floor-standing speakerDetachable black cloth grille4 Screw-on spike feetOwners ManualOnline registration sheetPolk Audio product brochure
Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional L900 Height Module Speaker
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Height |
1221mm
vs
1236mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
1487cm2 (272x547mm)
vs
2028cm2 (458x443mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
General |
Polk Audio Legend L800 |
Polk Audio RTi A9 |
Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
25-300 watts |
50-500 watts |
Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
Impedance |
2.8 ohms |
n/a |
Frequency Response |
32-38k Hz |
30-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
Woofer Size |
10" |
7" |
Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polymer composite |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
n/a |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5.25" |
Crossover Frequency |
370Hz and 2800Hz |
n/a |
Firing Direction |
down |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1236.0mm (48.7") |
1221.0mm (48.1") |
Width |
458.0mm (18") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
Depth |
443.0mm (17.4") |
547.0mm (21.5") |
Weight |
68.50kg (150.7lbs) |
34.09kg (75lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
Real wood veneer |
Available Colors |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
Cherry |
Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |