And the winner is.... Polk LSi

pjdami

I ordered a pair of LSi 15 from my "local" Polk Dealer 90 miles away. I should get them next week. He didn't have any 15's set-up in the listening room. Just the 9's.

The Paradigm Studio 40 V2 in my two channel setup are going to be outta here. I fell in love with these speakers before I heard the LSi line as an upgrade from the RT35i speakers I had as mains with an entry level Onkyo receiver. Wow how things change.

A few months ago I was going through a Paradigm Studio vs. Polk LSi thing to determine which route I was going to take in my Home theater. Honestly, if I had not discovered this forum through my brother Tony, I may be sitting with all Paradigm stuff right now. Man oh man am I glad I found this forum. I did a shootout and wrote about it, only to discover later that the LSi 9's were still not broken in fully (after a month!) and needed better wires and more break-in to really show their true sound.

I am spoiled with the LSi 9 / Rotel / transparent setup in my living room. This combo is truly magical for me. Thanks Mantis for all of the suggestions and for turning me onto Transparent wire at such fantastic flea market prices.

I got a new amp for the office a week ago and have it with the Studio 40s burning in the new B&K amp. I would say I have about 70 hours on the new amp now. Well, I purposely didn't listen to the living room setup for the entire week. Last night I played some music on both systems to compare in two channel. No contest, the LSi spanks the Pdimes every which way. Highs, midrange, and bass. The LSi treble is so much more refined and handles music with so much more finesse it is scary good. The Studio 40s are good speakers, but they sound average to me now compared to the LSi. They also tend to be a little too "hot" for me on the high end and it annoys me especially when one hears the same music on the LSi.

So I finally bit the bullet and decided to go with the LSi 15 in the two channel rig in the office. My budget was $1,500 and below. I was looking at some speakers such as B&W, Dynaudio 52, Spendor, another set of LSi, and came to the conclusion with Mantis' suggestions that the 15 would fit my current setup perfectly. Buying in the "blind" without listening is not an easy thing to do. But I know what the LSi 9 can do and have put my trust and confidence in the LSi line as well as the opinion of people in this forum. This gives me a lot of flexibility down the road too. LSi 9 in the office for example and 15s in the living room.

dorokusai

Glad to hear the news PJ You have a fantastic setup!

I also found the forum to be really helpful and I'm very glad to be a member.

mantis

pjdami
You are very welcome.Maybe some nice pic's of your system when your finished.I'd love to see it.
Dan

VR3

Mantis ---

S-Y-S-T-E-M S-H-O-W-C-A-S-E

polkatese

Paul,
congrats! I know you won't be dissapointed..

organ

Paul,
Your system is going to sound great. Please tell me how the 15's sound compared to the 9's when you get them. This is what I'd like to get if I upgrade. My only beef with the 15's is that the mid-bass and sub are crossed at 150hz but I really can't complain until I actually hear the 15's in action.

I can't believe you waited a week to hear the new amp. If that was me, I'd be losing a lot of sleep at night knowing I have a new amp sitting in the house and still haven't listened to it:) Glad to hear you finally got your B&K. Which model did you get?

Maurice

pjdami

Maurice,

I got the ST125.2. Sold the NAD C270 to a fellow SEC buddy here ScottDawg.

No I listened to the new amp right away. I was burning it in all week. I didn't listen to my main living rig for one week.

Polkatese, I have read your reviews on the LSi 9 and LSi 15 with the Rotel / B&K gear and also value your opinion as I am going to have a very similar setup that you currently have. Those reviews and comments also aided in my decision making process.

Dorokusai, thank you for the comments as well. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

In fact, there are many others here I would like to thank. The list is so long. I have learned from a bunch of you guys. When I get a better sub I will definitely be refreshing my memory by reading Dr. Specs posts. Russman helped me a few times with some pre-amp decisions I was making. Mantis, Polkatese, Organ, ATC Venom, Frank Z, gshishme, I'm probably going to offend people if I don't list them here but I want to thank all of you.

This audio thing is an expensive hobby. It's even more expensive when it is done by "trial and error" because it is usually hard to get a good demo without it being in one's home with one's actual gear. By reading and seeing what others have, have tried, liked and didn't like, it gives one a place to start which helps out trememdously. Over the past 15 years I must have purchased 8 different receivers / amps, 6 sets of speakers, and 4 cd players, and until recently have always been unhappy or something was always "wrong" because the gear just didn't mate well (this list doesn't include how many components I brought back and exchanged after 30 days because I didn't like them). Then about 3 years ago I discovered Polk Audio RT speakers and things started getting better from there........

I am so glad I found this forum..... it takes a lot of the "guesswork" out of things.
Paul

polkatese

Paul,
glad to help! it's the community here that really matters..your system will indeed sound similar to mine, along with several others here.

On your 125.2, do you notice that on the cover, the heat seem to be more intense on the sides (left and right compared to the middle)?

pjdami

On your 125.2, do you notice that on the cover, the heat seem to be more intense on the sides (left and right compared to the middle)?

If you mean the front face cover. No, dead cold. The top cover heat is to the left side because that is where the heat sink is.

Paul

polkatese

I meant top cover, and it is warmer on mine on both sides...

fireshoes

Originally posted by pjdami
I did a shootout and wrote about it, only to discover later that the LSi 9's were still not broken in fully (after a month!) and needed better wires and more break-in to really show their true sound.

I swear the LSi series breaks in for a year. At the store we always have a pair of LSi's playing, switching amongst the 4 different pairs. After a few weeks playing on one pair, we compare it to the others and they sound so different. I'm probably due for a front and back swap at home for the matter.

scottdawg

Wow thats an impressive read on the lsi's. I would like to put that soon to be spare B & K amp to use one day....Hmmmm
A second rig for the bedroom geeez Thanks Paul.

lites

Simply based on size, I'd guess the 9's would do better down low. What about overall and soundstage? Even buying 2nd-hand, I'll have to be patient til the right deal for a pair of one or the other presents itself. But wanted to chat it up in the meantime, on these similarly priced, upscale, midsize beauties. THANX. Enjoy.

Frank Z

Bring Out Your Dead! Bring Out Your Dead!!

[/Mony Python voice]

Good Lord this is an old thread....

lites

Yeah. I heard that! Just pokin around f/ LSi9 stuff and slowly getting involved here.

Frank Z

Slowly ?!? What's up with that? Jump right in with both feet will ya!!

Welcome to the Forum! It's your turn to buy the donuts.:p

Demiurge

Mmmm, donuts.

lites

Krispy Creme THIS!! Waddup?!

mantis

Wow I remember when all that was going on. Good times. The Lsi's are such fantastic speakers.

Dan

lites

So should I get Monitor 5's as a stop-gap, while I wait f/ the right deal (and time) on LSi 9's?

mantis

lites wrote:

So should I get Monitor 5's as a stop-gap, while I wait f/ the right deal (and time) on LSi 9's?

Have you listened to both of them on the same gear or your gear? Naturally people around here including myself will suggest you going with the Lsi9's. I believe there one of the very best speakers at there respected price point. You have to spend more to get more .

Dan

lites

No, have not. Don't have that luxury. I'm still in transition from relocating. Power supply (Sima) is still in Marina Del Rey. I know the 5's aren't nearly as fine, but worth visitting?

pjdami

Wow. This really is an old thread. Funny how you read stuff you wrote a few years ago and compare to where you are today. I still have the LSi 15s in the living room running off a B&K AVR 317 receiver and a Rotel cd player. Rotel cd players and B&K amps mate very nicely with the LSi for two channel. I use this setup 75 percent for home theater and 25 percent for 2 channel. I have several other 2 channel rigs with different non-polk speakers to keep me entertained in other rooms. The LSi 15s have been keepers for me in this particular use for them. I use LSi 7s for surrounds.

polkatese

It proves the point that the old timers are lurking on the sideline, including me, of course

sure time has moved on. Btw, if you ever be in the market for a 7 channels brute force, give gemstone blue diamond a chance, I've no doubt you'll like it.

Now, back to the old programming...