Polk LSi15 or Dynaudio Audience 72?

OrangeToupee · June 2002

Has anyone heard these two speakers enough to make an evaluation? They can both be had for roughly the same price; they both have limitations: The Polk's have some apparent concerns with loose (or so I've read) bass that the Dynaudio's don't have, and the Dynaudio's suffering some (or so I've read) in that they don't have the upper frequency spaciousness that I'm guessing the Polk's do.

If you were down to these two speaker choices, which pair would you decide to pick up and why?

To take it one step further, would you have any notion as to which amplifier you'd mate with them?

P.S.,

The Epos M15 joins the other two speakers in the chase for supremecy.

mantis · June 2002

I can fill you in on the Dynaudio's,
They are an amazing sounding speaker.Low bass is right on,the high's are clear and effortless.They are the complete speaker in there price class.You have to hear them go.
As far as what to run them with???Rotel, this is the winning combo.They match each other so well it's scary.
Now the Polk LSI 15's I'm on a quest to go hear them to compare.I have limited time so getting there is the problem only right now.For me to demo the LSI,Its an hour and 15 min or so.Which of course sucks.If I can't get there this week, I'm planning on Saturday morning.Then I can compare the way they respond compared to Dynaudio.
The Dynaudio's wil be real hard to beat.I compared the CDM7nts to them and the B&W's were awefull in compare.

RuSsMaN · June 2002

CDM B&W awfull? or awefull? Are we talking downright nasty, or awe-inspiring (full of awe) ? If the prior, thats a downright sin Dan....repent, and ye shall be forgiven....

Cheers,
Russ

OrangeToupee · June 2002

Regretfully, as I like Polk (and have 11 of their speakers), I am leaning towards the Dynaudio Audience 72's; it's just a gut feeling. Still, if I get the chance to demo them side-by-side, there is room for me to change my mind.

Mantis, thanks for the additional information about the Dynaudio's (have you heard the Audience 72's?), and I'm really looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the LSi's. If at all possible, can you assess the LSi15's in particular, and contrast and compare them with the Dynaudio Audience 72's?

I want the speaker that presents the most *fun*, not necessarily the most detailed presentation. I'm not an audiophile, I want to become emotionally involved with this new system I'm putting together. I want slam, I want that *live* sound, but yes, I do want detail as well.

Of those two speakers, which one sacrifices the least in the *important* categories?

On a final note ... Christ, I'm smashed, I took down 11 or 12 Molson's tonight; but that doesn't detract, even one bit, from my determination to get the best speaker among my finalists! Goodnight you freaks!!!!!!

mantis · June 2002

Russman,
the Dynaudio Audience 72's made the B&W cdm7nt's sound like they where a lesser speaker.There was no comparsion between the 2,I was shocked the first time I did this test back in Janurary.I have conducted this test several times and left dissapointed in the B&W's performance against the Audience 72's.
Before I really seriously listened to the Dynaudios,I was planning my new speaker package around the cdm line.The 9's where going to be my front men.Then came along Dynaudio with there ability to shame just about everything you place in front of them or challange.Personally I think the B&W's have a better built quality,look much better but in performance they lack.
The B&W's can play Jazz and Classicial,soft rock very well,but hard rock they **** and whine about doing so.
The Dynaudios don't care what you play threw them, they can play the softest whisper to the loudest slam bass note.They just don't care.
I have found Polk's can do this on there own level.The rt line is completly out matched my the Audience line.But the LSI line is Yeat to be determined.I have hope for the LSI line but they are going to have to perform at at a very high level with the WoW factor.
ORANGETOUPE,
The Dynaudios are very fun to listen to, they are also a very technicial sounding speaker at times.Accurate,deadly accurate,clear,deep,clean,open,airy,full,is just some of the words I would describe them with.I personally like the Audience 82's.If I buy the Dynaudios, they will be my fronts.
I plan on hearing the LSI again with the same music I ran on the Dynaudios,at latest this Saturday.And yes to answer your question I have listened to the Dynaudios hundreds of times.The LSI's only once but I plan to change that soon.

Aaron · June 2002

Russ,
I've listened to the Audience 72 and 82 and B&W CDM7NT and 9NT. The 7NT is completely unimpressive, especially for $2k. I didn't spend much time with it, because it just didn't grab me. I pretty much felt the same way about the 9NT. While there was nothing "wrong" with it, it just didn't sound that good, especially for $2600. The N805 bookshelf seems to handily outperform the CDMNT line, except for bass performance. And speaking of bass, the 9NT doesn't have that much of it. The Audience 72 sounded pretty good and had very reasonable bass. I don't know that I can draw a completely fair assessment versus the CDMNT line, but I would say that probably outperformed the 7NT, and possibly equaled the 9NT. The Audience 82's, on the other hand, are a different story. They are easily as good as the 9NT in all categories except one: bass. Here the 82's simply destroy the 9NT. Their bass is simply phenomenal for the size. Dan has undoubtedly had significantly more demo time with these speaker lines, so I would take his input a bit more seriously than mine.

Dan,
You better bring those LSi15's home with you so you can do a real demo. I want to see an A/B test on the same equipment!

Aaron

OrangeToupee · June 2002

"I personally like the Audience 82's.If I buy the Dynaudios, they will be my fronts.
I plan on hearing the LSI again with the same music I ran on the Dynaudios,at latest this Saturday.And yes to answer your question I have listened to the Dynaudios hundreds of times.The LSI's only once but I plan to change that soon." ~~ Mantis

Hmmm, everything I've read indicates that the 72 gets the better of the 82, with bass being the exception. Mantis, I'll be looking for your LSi/Audience evaluation this weekend, I hope you get the chance to get a legit demo because I really want to get the scoop on this situation. I don't know if anyone around here has both lines of speaker to play for me. Thanks, Toupee.

Aaron · June 2002

That quote is from Dan, not me.

Aaron

OrangeToupee · June 2002

Whoopsies, not sure how you guys fooled me on that one. Well, I'll try and use the edit feature.

Aaron, regardless, you felt similarly to Mantis, in that you also preferred the 82's to the 72's. Is the impact just that striking? Or is the entirety of the speaker superior to the 72?

mantis · June 2002

Orangetoupe,
Both speakers are full of joy and grace.They both have detail not expected in there price classes.They both can but just about everything on the market that I have personally demo'd in there price classes and a bit higher to shame.
Now the Audience 72's are laid out like the Polk 800 series.They are about the same size.they can Image and fill a front soundstage impressively.You can hear everything in your music like never before.I have found sounds that I can't hear on my Polk's.The music sounds like it's deep in the soundstagew with a touch of air between Instruments.Voice comes across natural and clear.One thing you can count on with these speakers is mid and highs.About as good as It gets at this level.Simply put awesome.They also can rattle the foundation with ease,the lows come across powerfull,more then expected out of this type of design.
Would I own the Audience 72's?????Absolutely.
Now enter the world of the Audience 82's.They have alot of drivers.One tweeter,a mid bass driver about 41/2 to 5 1'/4 inches(they are measured in CM)and 2 bass drivers about 7 inches to 7 1/2.They have a cleaner mid to high rolloff.The air between Insturments becomes more.Clarity becomes deeper.Now you can hear seperate sounds in your music like it was there all by itself.I sit and listen to the speaker from time to time finding myself listening to he music more,If you can relate to what I just said.Now the bass in these babies is even more controled and deeper then the 72's.It comes out effortlessly and natural.Just writing my post here makes me long for owning them.They just look stupid cool in natural cherry.I can't even take it.I love them so much.This speaker will have to be beat by the LSI 15's, not the LSI25's,as I simply put DON'T WANT ANOTHER POWERED TOWER EVER AGAIN.I will get my listen on for the LSI25's but with no hope of owning them(unless they take my breath away).

Aaron,
the day is comming when I listen to the LSI's,I have 4 places to go within 2 hours of my home.I going to get my listen on for the Dynaudios before I go this Saturday,I'm so busy with Jobs I can't get away any sooner.The LSI will have to Impress me enough to want to take them Home and to the store for a closed door demo one on one with the Dynaudios.You will be the first to know about this test after Saturday.
Keep reading as I will post back in great detail of my finding's.
One last words on Dynaudio........you need to go hear them in order to respect them.

Aaron · June 2002

I will get my listen on for the LSI25's but with no hope of owning them(unless they take my breath away).

(hits play on the Top Gun soundtrack)
<Berlin>Take my breath away......</Berlin>

Aaron

mantis · June 2002

Funny guy you are my boy.LOL

joe6pak · June 2002

Orange.

Interesting post. Since I have not had the chance to listen to the Danes I have been reading a lot of reviews to hold me over. I know reviews are just someones opinion, but its a start. One thing that has struck me about this line is that nobody really puts them down. Especially about their sound performance. I think that the worst thing I have read about performance was some moron on audioreview.com whining that his contours would not play loud enough and rattled. Probably clipping from under powerd amp.

Then there are the reviews like Mantis writes. Damn his review on this post concerning the 72s & 82s was almost erotic.
joe

OrangeToupee · June 2002

I agree, Joe, I think it's a great fight; a couple of great speaker companies with some of the great products around. The strange this is, there are few takers in this debate, in terms of individuals who are prepared to make a call on this. Oh well, I'll figure it out on my own at some point in the near future! Thanks for the post, Joe.

joe6pak · June 2002

Orange.

It could be that very few people have had the chance to compare these speakers. The Danes are not sold everywhere. The Lsi line is also limited to certain dealers isn't it? Maybe nobody that has access to this forum has made the comparison. Have you posted your question on a open forum with access to a larger number of members. Could post this question on the Klipsch board, but I have a feeling I know what their replies would be. I have wanted to demo the Danes for several months, but haven't been able to make the trip. Last two trips I planned, something bad happened to cause postponment. Kinda makes me leary of makng plans again.

joe

mantis · June 2002

Well,
I'm ready for the big day tomarrow.Got my demo on and ready.
If you find passion in my posts concerning the Dynaudio's,I'm getting my point across.
I have been listening to different kinds of speakers for a very long time.This company has my absolute attention.Just today I visited them,(82's)and found myself lost in a thought.

OrangeToupee · June 2002

Mantis, I am very much looking forward to your LSi/Audience comparison. I simply must know if the LSi15 or 25 is capable of equaling or bettering the 82. However, I don't believe that you'll have the Dynaudio's at your LSi store to compare them to, right? That will make it tougher, so good luck. I must know how these two lines of speaker match up, because I'll be having one of them. As of now I'm thinking the 82's have to get into my house, but I can still be swayed to the LSi's.

fireshoes · June 2002

I don't have Dynaudio's where I work but do have the LSI line. The LSI15's are good but they just don't blow people away. It's more like 'Oh. Yeah, those are good I guess.'

I haven't got an accurate listen to the 25's because one of the speakers had a bad crossover and we don't have another in stock at this point.

I'm sure the LSI's could sound very good given the right setup. The store uses switchers and crappy speaker wire in the demo room. But still, even with that, if you put a Denon 5800 or Yamaha RXV1 with them, they should sing instead of being merely 'pretty nice.'

jrausch · June 2002

I had a 5800 hooked up for about a months time to my 2.3's. I was looking for that excellent separation and sonic wow that my friend had with his adcom setup. I had the same reaction as fireshoes customers. Yeah, well, hey that sounds good I guess. 2Ch pure mode just did not do it for me until I went separates. Surround is this receivers forte.

mantis · June 2002

I can't demo threw a switcher and with crappy wire.
I want clean transfer .Direct I might add.Today I'm prepairing for 4 stores.I already know one of them have **** demo rooms,Ive been there once before,I will be skipping them or saving them for last If I bomb out.
Wish me luck(i think I will need it)

fireshoes · June 2002

Mantis, after reading your review post, it seems that whether you use switchers and crappy wire or not, the results are similarly uninspiring.

Polk LSi15 or Dynaudio Audience 72?

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