Sorry, this is a long post, just had to share my experience of getting them.
TLDR; Simply the best speakers I?ve heard in their price range, period. Go and demo them and hear for yourself.
I've been wanting upgrade my modded Mission MV-8Es for a little while now, https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,86302.msg985778.html#msg985778 they've been great, but they lack the punch I've been wanting for HT. They're decent speakers, but the small 6" drivers don't really have the drive to bring movies to life. I'm gonna use them for a stereo setup once we move the HT upstairs.
I've heard the Polk RTi-10/RTi-A7s a few times and really like the sound they produce for HT, especially when driven by a decent power amp. My centre is a Polk CSi-A6 and the surrounds are Polk Monitor 30s, so getting Polk fronts was a no brainer. I had my heart set on getting a pair of RTI-10s or A7s, knowing that I'll also have to fork out for a power amp to get the best from them. Once my mind is made up, I can be a stubborn bas#%*d, nobody's gonna change my mind easily.
I?ve read many posts on the forum that the Bentleys are really good and that anyone considering getting new speakers should at least give them a listen. None of my friends or family have Bentleys so I?ve never had the chance to listen to them or ever really bothered to give them a chance. I bought my Monitor 30s from [member=5931]Reef[/member] a couple of months ago, he had just been to [member=2808]BiZKiT[/member] ?s place to pick up a Bentley sub and on the way, dropped off the Monitor 30s for me. Reef mentioned just how good the Bentleys were and should seriously consider listening to them.
I then started thinking about the Bentleys and thought, meh, perhaps I should ask on the forum and get an idea of the FS-150s vs the RTi-A7s https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,92319.0.html Bizkit kindly invited me over for a demo, he?s not far from me, so I happily accepted the offer. I arrived at Bizkit?s place thinking ?Ag, well, nothing to lose, let?s see what all the fuss is about? As I walked into the first demo room, I was immediately impressed. Massive TV, FS-150s, FS-250s and some Klipschs all lined up for demos. I eyed the FS-150s straight away and realised just how big they are. I could see that they were gonna be a real threat to the RTi-A7s.
Bizkit played a few songs and demo?d a couple of movies. I was gobsmacked! The FS-150s weren?t even being driven by a power amp, just the Marantz AVR (albeit a really decent Marantz) More detailed, crisper, gobs of bass, just so much better than the RTi-A7s. The crossover is really well balanced, the frequency transitions are so effortless. They?re slightly on the warm side, just as I like it, no tweeter fatigue. Night and day difference compared to the Klipschs (sorry I can?t remember which model they were) The Klipschs had my ears hurting after 5 minutes, the horn tweeters are just way too bright.
I went home a changed man, I couldn?t believe just how good the Bentleys were, one of those WTF moments in your life. Look, I?m certainly no audiophile, I didn?t have a unicorn pee in my ears as a baby, so the more learned would probably think I?m over-reacting, but apart from speakers that cost 10x more than these, they?re the best I?ve heard by far. A few people on the forum give Bizkit and the other Bentley dealers a lot of flak for promoting the Bentleys. After my experience listening to them, I honestly cannot fathom why they do it. They are simply that good, all I can say is well done to [member=18736]Dreamerm6[/member] , [member=415]GECO[/member] , Bizkit and the rest of the team.
As it would happen, I mentioned the Bentleys to one of my clients and he said one of his mates had a pair he wanted to get rid of. My client didn?t know which ones he had but gave me his contact details to get hold of him. I spoke to the seller and said he had a pair of FS-150s and a FC-150 centre he wanted to get rid of as they were taking up too much space and that he had got a soundbar instead. He offered me a ridiculously low price for them and said I could go see them anytime. I was feeling really bad at this stage as I had told Bizkit that I was really keen on getting a pair from him. I went to check out the speakers and they were in reasonably good condition. After a close inspection, I noticed that the one grill was broken and that the one tweeter was pressed in and had a small nick in it, the seller?s kid had clearly had some fun one day. I told the seller that I wasn?t really interested due to the damage, so he knocked down the price even further to a point that I couldn?t refuse. I loaded up the speakers in my car and took them home.
Fortunately I have the CSi-A6 as my centre, so I removed the tweeter from the FC-150 centre and replaced the damaged tweeter in the tower. Hooked them up to my Onkyo AVR and couldn?t believe what a massive difference they made to my system. I no longer need the subs when listening to music, there?s just too much bass with them running as well. I contacted Bizkit and told him I?d picked up the Bentleys in a deal I couldn?t refuse and felt really bad about it. He was more than gracious about it, he offered to get a replacement tweeter and grill for me, to which I immediately accepted. Bizkit?s service and helpfulness has been exemplary, he definitely goes out of his way to please and to help. I can?t rate him high enough for what he has done.
The Gods must?ve been smiling on me for some reason, as I bought the Bentleys, [member=815]agies[/member] put up an ad for a Rotel RB-985 five channel power amp. https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,92454.0.html The money I saved in the speaker deal allowed me to buy the amp from Agies. I hooked it all up and ??.. Wow!!! I was speechless. A match made in heaven. When I cranked it up, the Bentleys simply got louder, zero distortion or clipping, even to the point where my ears started hurting, they were still crystal clear. The bass was literally causing the windows and trinkets to rattle. I?m not trying to blow my own horn, I say this without ego, but the setup now simply blows any cinema?s sound to smithereens (except perhaps the better IMAXs and Premier cinemas). I can?t wait in the evenings once the kids are in bed and can slap in a Blu-Ray.
I can?t get enough of these speakers..
TLDR; Simply the best speakers I?ve heard in their price range, period. Go and demo them and hear for yourself.
I've been wanting upgrade my modded Mission MV-8Es for a little while now, https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,86302.msg985778.html#msg985778 they've been great, but they lack the punch I've been wanting for HT. They're decent speakers, but the small 6" drivers don't really have the drive to bring movies to life. I'm gonna use them for a stereo setup once we move the HT upstairs.
I've heard the Polk RTi-10/RTi-A7s a few times and really like the sound they produce for HT, especially when driven by a decent power amp. My centre is a Polk CSi-A6 and the surrounds are Polk Monitor 30s, so getting Polk fronts was a no brainer. I had my heart set on getting a pair of RTI-10s or A7s, knowing that I'll also have to fork out for a power amp to get the best from them. Once my mind is made up, I can be a stubborn bas#%*d, nobody's gonna change my mind easily.
I?ve read many posts on the forum that the Bentleys are really good and that anyone considering getting new speakers should at least give them a listen. None of my friends or family have Bentleys so I?ve never had the chance to listen to them or ever really bothered to give them a chance. I bought my Monitor 30s from [member=5931]Reef[/member] a couple of months ago, he had just been to [member=2808]BiZKiT[/member] ?s place to pick up a Bentley sub and on the way, dropped off the Monitor 30s for me. Reef mentioned just how good the Bentleys were and should seriously consider listening to them.
I then started thinking about the Bentleys and thought, meh, perhaps I should ask on the forum and get an idea of the FS-150s vs the RTi-A7s https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,92319.0.html Bizkit kindly invited me over for a demo, he?s not far from me, so I happily accepted the offer. I arrived at Bizkit?s place thinking ?Ag, well, nothing to lose, let?s see what all the fuss is about? As I walked into the first demo room, I was immediately impressed. Massive TV, FS-150s, FS-250s and some Klipschs all lined up for demos. I eyed the FS-150s straight away and realised just how big they are. I could see that they were gonna be a real threat to the RTi-A7s.
Bizkit played a few songs and demo?d a couple of movies. I was gobsmacked! The FS-150s weren?t even being driven by a power amp, just the Marantz AVR (albeit a really decent Marantz) More detailed, crisper, gobs of bass, just so much better than the RTi-A7s. The crossover is really well balanced, the frequency transitions are so effortless. They?re slightly on the warm side, just as I like it, no tweeter fatigue. Night and day difference compared to the Klipschs (sorry I can?t remember which model they were) The Klipschs had my ears hurting after 5 minutes, the horn tweeters are just way too bright.
I went home a changed man, I couldn?t believe just how good the Bentleys were, one of those WTF moments in your life. Look, I?m certainly no audiophile, I didn?t have a unicorn pee in my ears as a baby, so the more learned would probably think I?m over-reacting, but apart from speakers that cost 10x more than these, they?re the best I?ve heard by far. A few people on the forum give Bizkit and the other Bentley dealers a lot of flak for promoting the Bentleys. After my experience listening to them, I honestly cannot fathom why they do it. They are simply that good, all I can say is well done to [member=18736]Dreamerm6[/member] , [member=415]GECO[/member] , Bizkit and the rest of the team.
As it would happen, I mentioned the Bentleys to one of my clients and he said one of his mates had a pair he wanted to get rid of. My client didn?t know which ones he had but gave me his contact details to get hold of him. I spoke to the seller and said he had a pair of FS-150s and a FC-150 centre he wanted to get rid of as they were taking up too much space and that he had got a soundbar instead. He offered me a ridiculously low price for them and said I could go see them anytime. I was feeling really bad at this stage as I had told Bizkit that I was really keen on getting a pair from him. I went to check out the speakers and they were in reasonably good condition. After a close inspection, I noticed that the one grill was broken and that the one tweeter was pressed in and had a small nick in it, the seller?s kid had clearly had some fun one day. I told the seller that I wasn?t really interested due to the damage, so he knocked down the price even further to a point that I couldn?t refuse. I loaded up the speakers in my car and took them home.
Fortunately I have the CSi-A6 as my centre, so I removed the tweeter from the FC-150 centre and replaced the damaged tweeter in the tower. Hooked them up to my Onkyo AVR and couldn?t believe what a massive difference they made to my system. I no longer need the subs when listening to music, there?s just too much bass with them running as well. I contacted Bizkit and told him I?d picked up the Bentleys in a deal I couldn?t refuse and felt really bad about it. He was more than gracious about it, he offered to get a replacement tweeter and grill for me, to which I immediately accepted. Bizkit?s service and helpfulness has been exemplary, he definitely goes out of his way to please and to help. I can?t rate him high enough for what he has done.
The Gods must?ve been smiling on me for some reason, as I bought the Bentleys, [member=815]agies[/member] put up an ad for a Rotel RB-985 five channel power amp. https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,92454.0.html The money I saved in the speaker deal allowed me to buy the amp from Agies. I hooked it all up and ??.. Wow!!! I was speechless. A match made in heaven. When I cranked it up, the Bentleys simply got louder, zero distortion or clipping, even to the point where my ears started hurting, they were still crystal clear. The bass was literally causing the windows and trinkets to rattle. I?m not trying to blow my own horn, I say this without ego, but the setup now simply blows any cinema?s sound to smithereens (except perhaps the better IMAXs and Premier cinemas). I can?t wait in the evenings once the kids are in bed and can slap in a Blu-Ray.
I can?t get enough of these speakers..
