LSi9 vs LSi15

Nick_V
Nick_V Posts: 14
edited January 2018 in Speakers
I'm new here, this is my first post! I've just recently picked up a pair of LSi9s as an upgrade for my bedroom system.

I got them for a great price ($350 CDN), and the crossovers were even modified by the original owner with Solen film caps and Mills resistors.

They sound fantastic in my bedroom system. I'm powering them with an Anthem MRX-300 receiver that delivers 136.5 Watts into 4ohms with 2 channels driven. The source is a Denon DVD-3910 DVD-A, SACD, CD player and a chromecast audio steaming mostly Tidal. I'm also currently using an Earthquake SUB-80x (80Hz crossover) that really isn't keeping up with these speakers, so if I keep the LSi9s I'll be upgrading the sub at some point.

They even came with free 24" metal stands. Unfortunately the tweeters were way off axis (vertically) on the 24" stands.

My issue is that in order to get the tweeters up to ear level in my bedroom system, I had to put them on 30" stands. They really sound great now, but they're a little top heavy and I have a 16 month old daughter running around terrorizing our house. I'm a little concerned that they might tip over if she runs into them, and they could do some damage.

There is a pair of LSi15 available locally for a decent price (no crossover mods). I'm thinking about selling these LSi9 and buying the LSi15. Especially because the towers will be a lot more stable. If I keep the 9s I'll have to try filling the stands and securing the speakers to the stands with a bunch of blu tak.

-How big of a difference do the crossover mods make?

-Can I get away with running the LSi15 full range without a sub (Then I could sell my sub)?

-If I get the 15s, how much in parts if I wanted to do the crossover mods on the 15s?

-I've read a few places that the 15s have better midrange and high end than the 9s due to the crossover differences and those midrange drivers only playing down to 800Hz vs 200Hz and 150Hz instead of full range respectively. Is that the consensus?

IMAG1676.jpg

IMAG1683.jpg

Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
Bedroom:
Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
Office/Desktop:
Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
Living Room (Lifestyle):
Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
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Comments

  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    edited January 2018
    You've got the better of the two already even if the 9's were stock.

    BTW, consider upgrading your speaker cables.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    I would leave them on the 24 inch stands, the whole tweeter at ear level thing isn't always ideal.

    If you went for the LSI 15's, you'd probably have to buy an amplifier as that receiver won't cut it. Get a better subwoofer obviously, SVS, HSU are 2 good brands to look at. Better speaker cables too would help some as well.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    This is just a secondary "budget" bedroom system. I do have a pair of anti cables level 3 reference speaker cables that I'm not using in my main system anymore so I'll hook them up in here. Saying that, I don't think it'll make a big difference.

    The speakers sound much better on the 30" stands. On the 24" stands they're firing straight into the top of the mattress a few feet away, it makes a big difference. The LSi 15 are pretty much the same height as the speakers sitting on the 30" stands as well (just 1" shorter).

    Also, if I need to I can switch some amps around in other systems and use a pair of Outlaw 2200 mono blocks with the preouts of the Anthem receiver.
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    I've never heard the 9's, but I had a pair of stock 15's. The bass wasn't the strong point. I modded the sub woofers with the Polk recommended upgrade and that helped a bit, but I guess it depends how much bass matters to you. The low end blended well after the sub mod, but wasn't significant.

    Also depends how big your room is. Mine were in a large-ish living area, so if yours is in a bedroom, the bass on the 15's might work just fine.

    I liked the 15's a lot. I don't think you would be dissapointed. That said, every one who has posted here after x-over mods on that series was very happy.

    I think you do have a tough decision. If it were me, I would probably stick with the 9's based on the x-overs alone. Add some weight to those stands, and keep your eye open for a good deal on a powered sub down the road.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,021

    15's are definitely more finicky on placement because of the side firing subs, so that might make a difference.

    To answer you questions:

    The mods are a nice improvement. Not night and day IMO, but significant.

    Bass on the 15's isn't great, but I would think in a bedroom it would be sufficient.

    I think I had my 15's modded for about $500 and that was me paying someone to do it.

    In the end, keeping your kid safe is more important than your speakers, so I think that's the decision maker.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    Thanks.

    The bedroom is on the larger side. I'm guessing 15' x 18', and it's open to the ensuite bathroom.

    I guess I'll start with seeing if I can fill these stands with kitty litter and trying to secure the speakers to the stands with some blu tak. Maybe that'll be good enough.

    I'm trying to put this system together as cheap as I can. I just missed out on a Martin Logan Dynamo 1000 12" compact sealed sub on Friday, locally for $220 CDN. Just missed it by an hour. I'm still getting over it, that type of deal isn't likely to come around again.

    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    Aren't the 9's wall mountable? That might be a good compromise while finding/building the right height stands....
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Great speakers, congrats!

    I have never heard the 15s (briefly owned highly modded 9s), but the word on the street is that the 9s are clearly better with a nice little musical sub. In the states, patience and $200 USD can get you a martin logan dynamo original, and that is a great little musical sub that would rock with the 9s me thinks.

    I have 4 kids, and when my oldest was in that stage (she just turned 10!), I had a pair of RT7s which are similar in size to the 9s on I think 22 inch stands filled with sand, and I used double sided mounting tape (for pictures, etc.) to secure the speakers to the stands. they were heavy and stable, and I never had any incidents or really had to worry. However, YMMV!

    One question, that seems really high for a bed? We switched to a platform bed years ago, and I will never go back to a high bed with a box spring. Just a suggestion, but that would solve your height problem lol...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    Thanks.

    This is the bed (in our old house, with my old speakers :'( )

    IMAG0002.jpg

    I've done a lot of downsizing since my wife got pregnant, but I've still made out ok. These LSi9's aren't quite as good as those GR Research Diluceo's with Aurum Cantus ribbon tweeters and Eton Hexacone woofers, but they get pretty close for a lot less money (I sold them, including the center channel for $1,200 and bought the LSi9 for $350).

    I sit up with the pillows up and my back up against the headboard whenever we're watching something on TV or when I'm listening to music in there, so those 30" stands actually put my ears pretty much on axis with the tweeters (actually my ears are still a couple inches higher) when I'm sitting up like that. My ears are also on axis if I'm sitting on the end of the bed (in an equilateral triangle with the speakers) so the 30" stands aren't an issue for listening at all. Just with being a little top heavy.

    I'm going to pick up some kitty litter on the way home tonight and see what I can do. Double sided tape is a good idea, might be a little more secure than blu tak.
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    Love the bedroom set up man
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    I like Lsi15 < Lsi9 < Modded Lsi15.

    Never heard a paid of modded Lsi9 but I'm sure someone out there has done it. If you really like the 9's, you could potentially get a wider and higher piece of furniture and put the 9's right on top of it.
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    edited January 2018
    I filled the stands with cat litter after work, I installed spikes on the bases of the stands that I found in one of my random bags of audio goodies (the guy I bought the stands from didn't have the spikes) and I secured the speakers to the stands with double sided tape.

    They're still not quite as sturdy as floorstanders would be, but I don't think they'll be a problem for now! They're way less of a risk than they were.

    Now on to the next task of finding a good little musical sub to pair with these speakers.

    Thinking maybe Martin Logan Dynamo 700 or Velodyne SPL-1000. Both are available on the used market locally, but their pricing is a little high @ $350 CDN.
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • dolbyd
    dolbyd Posts: 430
    Aren't the 9's wall mountable? That might be a good compromise while finding/building the right height stands....

    I believe only the 7’s have the wall mounts built in.
    Main room- RTiA9 x4, CSiA6, in ceiling Atmos RT-70 x4, SVS PC 4000 x2, Marantz 8805A, OPPO 203, Emotiva DR3 G3, Emotiva XPA-2 G3, Emotiva XPA-5 G3, Emotiva X300, Sony 75" 940E, Panasonic Plasma VT50, PS Audio Power Port X2, PS Audio AC-5 x8, AQ Rocket 33 Biwire speaker cables, AQ King Cobra XLR IC, Furman PFi20 W/Cullen cable, SoildSteel S4-4 rack, Gik room treatments

    Office- Legend L600, in ceiling Polk RC80i, Marantz 7704, OPPO 203, Pioneer Elite PDF-59 CD, PSA Stellar 300, Sony 55" 800B, Gik room treatment

    Master BR- Signature ES60, Signature S35 Center, Signature S15 Dolby Height, LSI700 in ceiling, SVS-SB4000, Marantz 5012, Emotiva XPA5 G2, OPPO 203, Pioneer DVL-919 Laser Disc, Sony 55" OLED

    Patio- SDI Atrium8 x3, Emotiva A-100 amps x3
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    $350 CDN for a Velodyne SPL-1000 is cheap.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    I ran the lsi9 with a velodyne spl1200 with fantastic results. One thing to watch for with the spl series is a hum. If you hear one when its starting up from being off, it needs a recap. I got mine done about 5 or 7 years ago. I still use that 1200 to this day.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    So something I thought of is that you can use mounts on the wall (not keyhole) with these fairly easily. Not sure if it would work in your application, but also another option...

    As to the 15's.... you will still need a sub. I owned a set and still ran subs and it was needed IMHO.

    The 15's are just nicer because the are the 9's with build in bases basically.

    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    I actually turn off my sub when listening to music with the 15s. I did the dB mod though. Could also me my room as it’s small with low ceilings. :)
  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,330
    edited February 2018
    With the LSi15's, amplification and placement are key. They need a lot of room to breath otherwise, they are boomy. The amp must be able to drive high current, otherwise the bass is mush.

    I'm driving with a Parasound HCA-1000A with mods and it sounds pretty nice. I'd like to try an HCA-1500 to see how they respond with even more power and current drive. I can't compare pre-sub mod to post-sum mod as mine came with the mod. I would like to upgrade the XO's though. I'd also like to try a pair of 9's.

    I do love the imaging and sound stage of the 15's.
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    I picked up an ML Dynamo 700 to replace the cheap Earthquake SUB-80x that I was using. It sounds WAY better so far, I'm still fiddling with placement a bit. Now low and behold another Dynamo 700 popped up locally on the used market.

    The SPL-1000 was an SPLII from like 2005, so I went with the much newer Dynamo 700W instead. Also the Velo wasn't really local, it was almost 500km away and would have been a bit of a pain to get it to me. I use an SPL-800R (I'm also hunting for a second one of those) in my 2 channel system with KEF LS50s and I like it a lot, but variety is the spice of life!

    I have a bit of disposable cash that I was going to use as a Birthday present for myself for either a used LSiC or an LSiM704C in my bedroom system, but I might pick up that second ML Dynamo 700 instead.

    The system is split between music listening (if I have the house to myself for a bit) or TV and/or Netflix with my wife before bed (usually at fairly low levels because the baby is sleeping in the room next to us, but I'm always pushing the boundaries).

    I probably don't really need the Center Channel or the 2nd sub, but it's just so much fun putting a new (to me) system together!

    Thoughts?

    Heres's where the system is at now:

    IMAG1703.jpg

    *I'll probably add a couple GIK Acoustics panels behind the speakers to catch the back pressure wave reflection and clean up some of the SBIR interference. That's all that I'll be able to get away with for room treatments in the master bedroom though.*
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    Speaker cables, good ones.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    Get the 2nd sub. It will help immensely. LSiC's can be bought on ebay and the like fairly often for decent prices. Another of the SAME sub as you have would be harder to find, and if not local, cost a lot to ship.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    F1nut wrote: »
    Speaker cables, good ones.

    Haha, I'm no longer a really big believer in how much of a difference cables make in a system. I think it's a subtle tweak (I've been swayed a little by the objectivists over the years, and by looking into the electrical principles at play myself). I think they might add more to the "look" and "feeling" of a system, but I have no interest in doing strict blind A/B comparisons, or replacing the thousands of dollars of cables and tweaks in my main system with Monoprice or lamp cord, haha.

    I have Anti Cables Level 3 Reference cables kicking around somewhere that I'm no longer using in my main system. I was going to put them in this bedroom system with the LSi9s, but for some reason I can only find one run of the pair (very frustrating).

    So I went ahead and ordered 14' of deep cryo treated Mogami 2921 and some heatshrink/techflex to make up some DIY Bi-Wire cables. I have a bunch of Sewell Deadbolt Banana plugs kicking around that I'll use. I like the look, it's a fun project and also I suppose I won't be wondering what I might be missing out on.
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Too bad Nick, you'll be missing out on the ability to adjust the sound more to your liking. Cables are part of the system, just like the components are.

    To each his own though, as long as you like what your hearing, rock on.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • scubalab
    scubalab Posts: 3,101
    Nick,

    I'd personally invest in a nice 2 or 3 channel amplifier. Yes, your Anthem may be capable of driving 4 ohm speakers, however it is technically not rated for 4 ohm loads and may struggle or cause clipping at higher volumes. The LSi-9's are not the easiest speakers to drive. I would think that you'd notice the most improvement with an amp. When I had my Anthem MRX-500, I was driving very efficient Boston Acoustic VR series 8 ohm speakers (7.1 channels). When I got a separate amplifier, it took those speakers to a whole new level. My wife and daughters even heard a noticeable improvement. It was the single most notable improvement I made in our HT.

    You should be able to find a nice 2 or 3 channel Parasound, B&K, Rotel, etc., that is capable of feeding those 9's well over 200 watts on the used market for under $500. Get a separate amp first, then another sub, and then better cables!
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    ding-ding....give the man a cookie. :) ^^^^^
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    Whaaaaaat...
    Nick_V wrote: »
    Haha, I'm no longer a really big believer in how much of a difference cables make in a system.

    So I went ahead and ordered 14' of deep cryo treated Mogami 2921 and some heatshrink/techflex to make up some DIY Bi-Wire cables.

  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    Yeah it's too bad, I sold off my Rotel RB-1070 for just about nothing about a year ago because I was using active studio monitors in my bedroom system before I bought these LSi9s and I had no use for it.

    Had I know I was going to pick these up, I would have kept that amp for sure. I'd love to find an RB-1080 or something similar locally, but unfortunately there isn't much available locally on the used market for decent 2 channel amps right now.
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    Interesting twist of fate today.

    I stopped by a local audio store close to work and they're having a going out of business sale.

    I was able to pick up a 6' pair of Audioquest Rocket 44 Bi-wire for $150 CDN.

    I wouldn't normally buy speaker cables in their MSRP price range, but I'm a sucker for a good deal!

    The DIY cable order that I made hadn't shipped yet so I was able to cancel it.

    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Whaaaaaat...
    Nick_V wrote: »
    Haha, I'm no longer a really big believer in how much of a difference cables make in a system.

    So I went ahead and ordered 14' of deep cryo treated Mogami 2921 and some heatshrink/techflex to make up some DIY Bi-Wire cables.

    I realize that makes no sense.

    I came into audio over 15 years ago at around 18 years old believing in all the cable tweaks. Over the course of my first 8 to 10 years in audio I added several thousands of dollars in various silver plated copper, pure silver, continuous cast copper, solid core, multi strand, cryo treated (interconnects, speaker cables, power cords, etc..) Bybee AC Filters and a $5K Sound Application CF-X power conditioner to my systems.

    I'm also using a cryo treated silver plated copper (Cryoclear) power cable (that I bought about 10 years ago) on the Anthem receiver in my bedroom system with the LSi9s.

    I've come to realize over the last few years through a lot of reading and research that people can basically never reliably tell cables apart in blind testing. Also, that based on the science there shouldn't be much difference electrically between any two cables as long as they are of competent design.

    I still do buy cables for my systems on occasion and I'm not going to go ahead and chuck out all the cables that I've bought over the years. Lately I refuse to buy them at full retail price. Usually I'll end up buying them used or significantly discounted, and that's how I justify it. Either that or lately I'll buy more conservatively priced cables from Bluejeanscable, Signal Cable, Monoprice etc...

    I do find the more important (and measurable) tweaks to be in speaker placement, acoustic treatments and room EQ.

    I did do some listening today before replacing the cables, with one speaker cable replaced (and the other one still hooked up with the cheap stuff) and with both cables replaced. I was listening to Diana Krall - The Look of Love (DVD-Audio) in High Resolution Stereo (96kHz/24bit). I can say that I'm pretty sure I heard a difference, but I can't be absolutely sure. I can also tell you that I wanted to hear a difference and that's how it always was with cables for me. I can definitely say that they look pretty bad ****.

    Having said all that, I can happily justify paying 1/3 of retail on the AQ Rocket 44 bi-wire speaker cables for this system. It was a little cheaper than the DIY cables were going to cost me.
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer
  • Nick_V
    Nick_V Posts: 14
    IMAG1708.jpg
    Main System: 2 channel/HT (Separate Signal Paths):
    Vizio P70 4K TV. KEF LS50 L/C/R Speakers. KEF Q100 Surround L/R, Mirage BPS 400 Subwoofer. Velodyne SPL-800R Subwoofer x2. Denon AVR-X3200. Wyred4Sound STP-SE Preamp. Anthem Statement A2. Esoteric SA-50 SACD Player/DAC. miniDSP DDRC-22D Dirac Live Processor. Oppo BDP-83. Sound Application CF-X Power Conditioner. Bybee AC Filters. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Bedroom:
    Samsung 47" Smart TV. Polk Audio LSi 9. Martin Logan Dynamo 700W Subwoofer. Anthem MRX-300. Anthem PVA-7 (Using 4 Channels to Bi-Amp LSi9). Denon DVD-3910
    Office/Desktop:
    Dynaudio BM6A mkII Active Monitors. Cambridge DACMagic + DAC w/ LH Labs LPS Linear Power Supply. Yulong P-18 Conditioner. GIK Acoustics Panels
    Living Room (Lifestyle):
    Vizio M55 4K HDR/DV TV. GoldenEar 3D Array X. Rythmik L-12 Subwoofer