The Polk RTI A7 is a floor-standing speaker shorter than the RTI A9 but still shares the imposing features of a powerful-looking speaker. The 2nd largest loudspeaker in the RTIA series is a talented all-rounder which possesses high sonic performance at their price range. The Polk Audio RTI A7 may be affordable but likely they will still need high-powered amplifiers to drive them so that they can sound their absolute best.
This is why we need to find out more about the RTI A7 loudspeaker, learn what are their strengths and how they sound. Blindly going for high-powered amplifiers, may not work well and could ruin the overall sound quality. Once we have a better understanding of them, this is when we will start sharing the list of the best amplifiers that you can get and match them with your Polk RTI A7 floorstanders.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Limitations of Polk Audio RTI A7
The Polk RTI A7 has that classic design to it, while it may look imposing. They may not be as tall as the RTI A9 but they are still big and wide. More importantly, they will need ample breathing space between them and the walls, since they have a massive front-firing bass port and a rear-firing bass port. The Polk RTI A7 uses a 1″ (2.54 cm) silk polymer composite dome tweeter, followed by a 6.5″ (16.51 cm) polymer composite cone and rubber surround midrange driver, and right below it, you will see another but smaller sized bass port made to support the mids (ARC Port). There are also two 7″ (17.78 cm) Dynamic Balance Subwoofer drivers and below them will be the large bass port we mentioned earlier.
The array of drivers that the Polk RTI A7 has does indicate that they are capable of producing deep bass and their very impressive total frequency response of 20Hz-27kHz shows just that. The frequency response with -3dB limits will be 35Hz-26kHz which is still amazing. The speaker sensitivity is at 89dB is still okay even though we expect it to be higher, and the nominal impedance is 8 Ohms. The recommended amplifier power has a really wide range of 20W-300W which shows it requires high power output amplifiers to really make them sing but we shouldn’t invest too much for an entry-level floor-standing speaker though.
More Details at Amazon – Polk Audio RTI A7 Floorstanding Speaker
The bass reproduction is not as powerful as we expect but it still has that weight and authority to it. Still, it does lack when it comes to producing the deepest of bass and overall low-frequency presentation may sound a little muddle when the music starts to get busy. We will suggest getting an additional subwoofer to help open up the Polk RTI A7 speakers and improve the overall bass quality. They scale really well with power, especially their subwoofer drivers which really crave it. The best thing about the Polk Audio RTI A7 low-frequency delivery is how well it blended with the rest of the higher frequencies.
Polk RTI A7 really knows how to entertain its listeners, with its forward-sounding music delivery that has plenty of attacks and impeccable timings. Never a dull moment with them, the exciting delivery of our favorite tunes just simply engages us. It is also very detailed, with crisp highs and expressive midrange, not to mention, the clarity is astounding. When playing at a volume higher than moderate level, the Polk RTI A7 may start sounding bright and gets harsher as the volume goes up. The mid-bass is impactful and punchy which will be amazing for movies.
All in all, at this price point, the Polk RTI A7 is an ideal floor-standing speaker for anyone who is interested in stepping into the world of high fidelity. It will be great in a home theater setup as well due to their clarity and punchy sound reproduction. We just need to be cautious when pairing them with amplifiers. As long the amps are not overly bright sounding in nature, then it should be fine. Getting an active subwoofer into the mix is optional, but a high-quality sealed subwoofer will improve the bass performance which will improve your music listening experience. Alright, let us start sharing with you the best amplifiers that you can match with your Polk RTI A7 speakers.
Polk Audio RTI A7 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 3-Way Vented (ARC Port, PowerPort Plus Bass Venting)
- Drive Units: 1″ (2.54 cm) silk polymer composite dome tweeter, 6.5″ (16.51 cm) polymer composite cone and rubber surround midrange driver, and two 7″ (17.78 cm) Dynamic Balance Subwoofer drivers
- Total Frequency Response: 20Hz-27kHz
- Frequency Response (-3dB): 35Hz-26kHz
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 20-300 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
- Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 89dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1073mm x 225mm x 454mm | 42.3″ x 8.9″ x 17.9″
- Weight: 25kg (55lbs)
Best Amplifiers to match with Polk Audio RTI A7
Going for Parasound HiFi separates will be ideal since their amplifiers are a suitable match with your Polk RTI A7 speakers and are sanely priced. In the preamplifier section, you can go for Parasound NewClassic 200 Pre which is an entry-level preamp with loads of features that you can use and provides amazing sonic performance in their price range. For the power amplifier section, the Parasound NewClassic 2125 v.2 is THX Ultra2 certified and has a power output of 150/225 Watts per channel (8 Ohms/4 Ohms). The overall sound quality of this preamp/power amp combo complements and makes your Polk RTI A7 slightly more musical sounding.
More Information at Amazon – Parasound NewClassic 200
More Information at Amazon – Parasound 2125v2 Stereo Power Amplifier
For integrated amplifiers, the Peachtree Audio Nova300 will be a magnificent choice as they have a very powerful ICEPower amplifier (Class D) that can produce 300 Watts into 8 Ohms per channel, easily driving your Polk RTI A7 speakers. The ICEPower amplification is musical-sounding Class D amps and along with the Nova300 preamplifier, it provides warmness and digital accuracy to your music presentation. It smoothens the edges a little, enabling you to play at higher volumes for a longer period of time. The warmth of the Peachtree Audio Nova300 sound quality and MM phono input is amazing for vinyl as well. One of the best-integrated amplifiers to go for and really drive your RTI A7 speakers without breaking your wallet.
More Information at Amazon – Peachtree Audio Nova300
As the Polk RTI A7 is also amazing as home theater speakers, you might want to check out Marantz AV receivers to match them. Marantz house sound is warm and smooth sounding, which is suitable for music listens. If both music listens and watching movies are your main entertainments at home then the Marantz SR7013 will be a stellar AV receiver to go for. Typically an AVR will not have enough power output to truly drive your Polk RTI A7 speakers, especially when there are others like surround, height speakers, etc. We will recommend getting additional power amplifiers to drive them and an active subwoofer.
More Information at Amazon – Marantz AV Receiver SR7013
For the latest visuals in the home cinema experience, the Denon AVR-X3700H will be the AV receiver to go with your Polk RTI A7 floor-standing speakers. It has a crisp and clean visual and could process 8K/60Hz which the earlier Marantz SR7013 is unable to do, as it is only 4K UHD. The AVR-X3700H has pre-outs for you to connect to external power amplifiers, where it is necessary to have enough power output to really drive your Polk RTI A7 speakers to their fullest potentials. The subwoofer outputs of this AV allow you to connect up to two active subs which will provide better bass performance and a more exhilarating movie experience.
More Information at Amazon – Denon AVR-X3700H 8K Ultra HD 9.2 Channel
You can also go for higher quality preamplifier such as the Parasound Halo P 6 a 2.1 stereo preamp which can provide you with impeccable sonic performance for the money and has tons of features such as a high-grade built-in DAC, able to decode high-resolution audio files such as DSD format and more. If your budget is tight, the Emotiva BasX PT-100 stereo preamplifier will be a terrific choice and will fit most budgets. Emotiva also has a range of affordable power amplifiers, and even their highest-grade amps don’t even break the bank. Don’t let the affordability fool you though, Emotiva amplifiers are built and design to put in as much sonic performance as possible within a price range, just like how Polk Audio values performance. If you are willing to invest more, we will suggest checking out Parasound Halo series power amplifiers.
More Details at Amazon – Emotiva Audio BasX PT-100 stereo preamp
Subwoofers are optional but will work wonders when been added into the mix as you need to produce the subterranean levels of bass which is important for movies playback. They also ease the load off from your amplifiers/AV receivers, since they will be taking over the bass frequency production based on the crossover frequency you have set. You can stick with Polk Audio or go for SVS powered subwoofers which have better overall performance. Sealed subwoofers such as the SVS SB-3000 subwoofer are worth taking a look and if you want a higher max SPL then the SVS PB-3000 will be a better choice which is a ported cabinet sub.
More Information at Amazon – SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer (Sealed)
More Information at Amazon – SVS PB-3000 Subwoofer (Ported)
To Conclude
The listed amplifiers are some of the finest on the market and are a suitable match with your Polk RTI A7 speakers. We will suggest that you audition them first along with your speakers and see if you like the sound quality you are hearing from them. You can use them as references once you have heard them and compare them with the amplifiers that you are already eyeing. Do include the subwoofers that you will be interested in getting when auditioning these amplifiers.