In this review, we will be comparing RTi A1 and TSi100, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk RTi A1 and Polk TSi100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk RTi A1 | Polk TSi100 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Polymer composite | 5.25" Organic Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-26k Hz | 61-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-125 watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.44kg / 12lbs | 4.53kg / 10lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.0" x 7.3" x 11.5"
304.8 x 187.5 x 292.1mm | 11.0" x 7.0" x 10.1"
279.4 x 177.8 x 259.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk RTi A1 and Polk TSi100 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Polk RTi A1 |
Polk TSi100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both RTi A1 and TSi100 are 2-way speakers.
Polk RTi A1Polk TSi100
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk RTi A1 |
Polk TSi100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
RTi A1 features a 1" silk polymer composite Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polymer composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1900Hz. On the other hand, the TSi100 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Organic Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
RTi A1 has a frequency range of 60-26k Hz whereas TSi100 has a frequency range of 61-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the RTi A1 can go slightly deeper then the TSi100's min frequency of 61Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
RTi A1 and TSi100 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
RTi A1 can handle a max power of 125 watts RMS, whereas TSi100 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the RTi A1.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
RTi A1 features Pair of Dual 5-way Binding Posts - Gold-Plated posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. TSi100 has a Pair of 5-way Binding Posts - Gold-Plated which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
RTi A1 has a back and front firing port whereas TSi100 has a rear firing ports.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 RTi A1's and Polk TSi100's external dimensions. Polk RTi A1 has external dimensions of 304.8 x 187.5 x 292.1mm (12.0 x 7.3 x 11.5inch) whereas Polk TSi100 has external dimensions of 279.4 x 177.8 x 259.0mm (11.0 x 7.0 x 10.1inch).
Polk RTi A1 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 9.7mm wider, 25.4mm taller and 33.1mm deeper than Polk TSi100.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk RTi A1 and Polk TSi100 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk RTi A1 and Polk TSi100 Size and External Dimensions
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 RTi A1 is approximately 547.7cm2 / 84.9inch2 and base area of the Polk TSi100 is approximately 460.5cm2 / 71.4inch2. The RTi A1 requires 19% more surface area than the TSi100 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Polk RTi A1 and Polk TSi100 on a Media Console
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 RTi A1 weighs 5.44kg / 12lbs and the Polk TSi100 weighs 4.53kg / 10lbs. This makes the RTi A1 20% heavier than the TSi100.
Here is a comparison of how RTi A1 and TSi100's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RTi A1:
- 2 Cherry bookshelf speakers
- 2 Self-tapping screws
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Template
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
What's in the Box of Polk TSi100?
Here are the items that come with the TSi100:
- 2 Black bookshelf speakers
- Detachable cloth grille (installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Wall-Mount template
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 Max Input Power |
125 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
60 Hz
vs
61 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
279mm
vs
304mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
460cm2
vs
547cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
149USD
vs
382USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio RTi A1 |
Polk Audio TSi100 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-125 watts |
20-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-26k Hz |
61-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer composite |
Organic Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1900Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
back and front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
304.8mm (12") |
279.4mm (11") |
| Width |
187.5mm (7.4") |
177.8mm (7") |
| Depth |
292.1mm (11.5") |
259.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
5.44kg (12lbs) |
4.53kg (10lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Real wood veneer |
Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Cherry |
Black, Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
Keyhole |
Keyhole |
| Recommended Stand Height |
28-36" |
16-30" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Polk RTi A1 costs roughly 2.6x what Polk TSi100 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (60Hz vs 61Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Polk RTi A1 takes more power (125W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Polk TSi100 is easier to place; Polk RTi A1 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Polk RTi A1: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Polk TSi100 is cheaper - $149 against $382, about 61% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk RTi A1 B Polk TSi100
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Polk RTi A1 measures better, Polk TSi100 costs about about 2.6x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Polk RTi A1 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Polk TSi100 for near-field listening and a small room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $233 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.