Home > Consumer Reviews > Polk Audio RTI A3 Bookshelf Speakers (Pair, Black)

Over the past few months I've been replacing my speakers, going from a piecemeal 5.1 setup with a Boston Acoustic center, Bose surrounds, and old Altec 3-way fronts to an all new setup using the RTi-A series from Polk: Polk Audio RTI A7s for my fronts, a Polk Audio CSI A6 Center Channel, and these RTi-A3s for rears. I also bought a Polk Audio PSW505 subwoofer to round the system out, which I previously reviewed. I've had these RTi A3s for 2-3 weeks now, so I've had a chance to break them in a bit - and I'm very impressed with the sound and performance. I tested these out as the main speakers on my receiver when I first got them and I was surprised at how full the sound was for such a small unit. These are rated at 50Hz -3dB limit, so there is very little bass lost except at the ultra low-end, all things considered. Needless to say these are pure Polk, and as such the mid- and high-range response is excellent. When pushed they can get a bit shrill, but that's only when I really peg it (I'm running these through a Yamaha RX-V1800). I should note that both music and entertainment sound great; these are not one-dimensional units at all.
The fit and finish are excellent, with a stylish curved cabinet design finished in black oak and a pewter-accented grille. The product is sturdy and well-built although not too heavy (16 lb. each).
Overall this is a great speaker at a great price. Fantastic serving as rears, but these little guys are more than adequate as fronts if you don't have space for the bigger models - the A5s, A7s and A9s are all over 40" tall, while these stand just 14.5" - just make sure you get a sub. I'm very pleased with the sound quality for the money, as these speakers sound better than anything else in this price range. Heartily recommended.

After having another pair of Polks for over ten years, we decided to purchase another pair for our living area. True to form, these are some of the best sounding speakers I've heard. They emit a beautiful, warm sound with rich highs and nice lows. Highly recommended for those wanting full sound. These speakers fill a room on low volume.

These sound amazing, fills the whole room with crisp sound. Plenty of bass and power in a small package, slick design, and Polk Audio quality.

Really pleased with these speakers. They look and sound great. Beware, they are much bigger than you might think. Measure very carefully and/or make an effort to see them in person before buying, but buy with confidence, you'll love them.

These are awesome speakers. The RTi A series is noticeably better than the old RTI's. I have 2 RTi12 towers and also the regular bookshelf speakers from Polk. These speakers are now being used as part of my center channel. I switched the pair of older polk 40 regular bookshelf speakers to be the rear surround back. Everything sounds much better. The sound is even much cleaner than the RTi12's. If I didn't already have RTi12s, I'd probably buy the A series equivalent or maybe even consider the LSi....but I bought the RTi12s for only $350 each (it was an amazing closeout price).

Lastly, even the cherry wood finish and the new Polk logo looks better.