LSi's with Yamaha?

Fastmerc · July 2003

Hello all,

One of my first posts to the board was in reference to a speaker upgrade to my mains...or all around actually. Mantis gave me a reply and I wanted to follow up on that.

He mentioned he didnt think the LSis were a good match to a Yamaha reciever. I was wondering what brings you to that conclusion Mantis? Also what others with experience hearing the combo think and why.

Thanks again,
Brett

PS- I dont have the ability to demo the LSis in my area that is why I must call upon others for advice.

VR3 · July 2003

Depends on what Yamaha. Unless it is TOTL (top of the line), the receiver may not be able to handle 4 ohm loads. Even at that, if it can it will not be up to par with seperates (where LSi's really sing). So, It is mainly up to you. Yamaha makes fine gear, but I don't think (possibly the TOTL) any receiver except some very high end ones are suitable for the LSi. Seperates, or something out of this world in price receiver. Yamaha could do it possibly. But none of their cheap stuff.

RuSsMaN · July 2003

Most Yammies are stable down to, and below 4 ohm. You really need to listen yourself, find a way.

The issue some folks have with Yammie gear, is they say it's bright. I can't believe I've said this twice so far today, but one man's bright, is another man's detail.

Cheers,
Rooster

VR3 · July 2003

I find Yamaha and Klipsch go together personally. My Dad runs his Klipsch off Yamaha. Very detailed stuff there.
I am not sure if Yamaha's bright will mesh with that Vifa though. Could be a good thing, could be a bad. You have to really listen for yourself. The Yamaha and Polk may mesh, and possibly not. You don't want to really lay down the cash if you don't know how they will sound. Because that is a pretty odd pair. IMO.

Fastmerc · July 2003

Thanks Russ...I wish I could demo them but no dealer around here sells them.

MX...It is the TOTL Yamaha...seems to have plenty of power to push the rt20s Ive got. I personally cant handle Klipsch on my ears.

Any other opinions out there?

VR3 · July 2003

The Yamaha will man handle the RT20. LoL. The LSi is a different story, 4 ohm load. The Yamaha will be able to handle it probally. I would buy the LSi from an authorized dealer, or get one with a return policy so you can get a in-home trial. IMO all da way of course. Only way for you to tell.

mantis · July 2003

Any other opinions out there?

Yeah mine........

Persoanlly I don't care for the way Yamaha mates with Lsi.I don't like how it mates with Rt or any other polk made speaker for that matter.
Yamaha can handle the load,there amps are built well.One of the stronger companies that come out of Japan.But they are very bright.It's not DETAILED bright ,it's EAR BLEEDING bright.I also founf Yamaha to be going down hill.I feel there older amps sound much better then there new stuff.

Lsi demands better gear,why buy Lsi if you don't plan on using better gear.I have a mating theory,ask me about it if you want to learn.

Dan

RuSsMaN · July 2003

What I wouldn't give for a McGowan bro's $.02 right now.

Cheers,
Rooster

Fastmerc · July 2003

Enlighten me Dan...what is your mating theory...hope we arent sliding into discovery channel territory...:D

VR3 · July 2003

Russ Mates well with the LSi, there is a picture on the board of russ refilling the LSi15 with more polly fill for more acoustical balance.

mantis · July 2003

I'll take it easy on yeah.........

Mating gear together is a delicate art.Finding what works and what don't is a painfull one.Most of the time in the store you cannot tell if this is going to work or that one for that matter......

Like what we where talking about with your speakers......lets start there.All products have Classes.It's not really benefical to leave out of that class one way or the other.Kinda like a Porsche with bike tires on it if you wil.Your speakers demand a Flagship class receiver.Now you seem to have a thing for Yamaha for one reason or another.Yamaha sound pretty damn good driving speakers that MATE with them like Mirage.Mirage for the most part are very laid back sounding speakers.Yamaha is very forward and bright.Mix the 2 together and one benefits the other and visa versa.Theres alot more to it then that but I would be here all night going over all the points.

What you need to do is listen.This is the golden key even over my theory.What sounds great to you is where your answers lay.

I have found many different kinds of electronics only mate with certain types of speakers.You need to take the journey to find this out on your own.I can tell you my experiences with what goes with what in my opnion,which I persoanlly have many.

pjdami · July 2003

Fastmerc,

I think that it is good that you are interested into getting into the LSi line. I see that you already own the Yamaha RX-Z1 receiver right? This is a high - end Yamaha receiver.

I had a Yamaha RX-V1300 receiver a few months ago. First on some RT35i's then on some Paradigm Studio 40s. Too bright for my tastes. Very forward sounding to my ears and fatiguing.

I bought some LSi 9s and it got better. You may actually like the way it sounds. The RX-V1300 never got hot either running the 4 ohm load. At lower decibels it was better sounding than the RT or Paradigm sound; at higher volumes the sound got kind of compressed and shouty above 90 - 95 db but that's kind of loud. Your RX-Z1 has better amps than my RX-V1300 did so it will fare better.

I look at it this way. Get the LSi and see how it sounds. I think it will sound better than the speakers you have now. Later you can always get another receiver or seperates if you don't care for the sound because you will have some nice speakers. I did and haven't looked back since...

Paul

dorokusai · July 2003

Fast - That is a sweet looking receiver, If I ever went Yamaha, that would be the one. Nice setup!

Good luck in whatever you choose.

Dr. Spec · July 2003

Originally posted by RuSsMaN
I can't believe I've said this twice so far today.

I know how you feel, Russ.

How are you liking Tori Amos? Lame?

Doc

Fastmerc · July 2003

All products have Classes.It's not really benefical to leave out of that class one way or the other.Kinda like a Porsche with bike tires on it if you wil.Your speakers demand a Flagship class receiver.Now you seem to have a thing for Yamaha for one reason or another.

I agree that products can be mated and sound good together. I used to do that in car audio all the time when I sold and installed. I also realize there are certain "Classes" of equipment. I dont have a "thing" for Yamaha, in fact this is my first Yamaha Audio purchase. Expressing that aside, Im not so sure the Class element has much to do with how the equipment reacts with each other. From what I have read alot of folks on the forum have a preference for Denon...although I cant demo the Denon unit in my area, I sure wouldnt say it is a "class" level above Yamaha, it still falls in the mid level above consumer line. It just happens to sound better to some folks. In fact until recently when Sunfire and B&K came out with recievers, a "reciever" just wasnt considered High end at all. In my area I had Pioneer Elite, Sony ES, Adcom, Sunfire, McKintosh, Yamaha, and one other that is escaping me at the moment. The Yamaha beat all of them IMO except the Sunfire which was out of my budget. So there was my decision.

Anyhow, I suppose my next long distance trip will also have to involve a trip to an LSi dealer. I will also have to take a listen to the mirages you mentioned. I have heard of them but never heard them.

Thanks for all the input, and to PJ and Durok for the compliments.

fireshoes · July 2003

I think the RXZ1 sounds great with LSi. It is my favorite match of the receivers I have at my disposal (Denon, HK, Onkyo, among others). Very good imaging and a nice live sound.

Loud & Clear · July 2003

If the Yamaha is both 1) capable of dipping low with impedence, and 2) highly 'detailed' or bright ... I would think that for a receiver it wouldn't be a bad match at all with LSi's; the vifa should relax the signal, and perhaps enjoy the process so much that it decides to reward you with nice extension and detail. Again though, we're talking a receiver.

Some have made mention of the tri-lam exhibiting an overly 'detailed' or bright presentation, presumably the sacrifice it makes (spray-on metal) for it's extension, but I've noticed that presenting it with tube signals and solid state output (hybrid equipment) takes advantage of the extension without suffering the nasties that it can potentially bring. I'm listening to my 55i's right now, via Jolida's old **** looking tuner -- they've got a new and better one coming out next month, I believe -- and killer integrated amp, which I'm both in love with and sexually attracted to, and those tri-lams are anything but bright or harsh, in fact they sound smooth and extended.

Getting back to the point of this, and probably life, is that if I owned LSi speakers, and I probably will at some point -- likely the 9's --, I really think I'd worry less about how bright the amp in question was, within reason, and more about it's headroom and load handling capacity; the NAD S-200 -- using a 2-channel setup to illustrate my thought process -- comes to mind as an example of something I'd feel appropriate in use with an LSi speaker. That's the type of direction I'd go in, with that type of speaker.

I'm far from an expert, as if that isn't obvious, but I'm not afraid to show it; now ain't that a man?

LSi's with Yamaha?

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