LSi15 owners - help me complete my 2 Ch system

vins

Did some reading and then thought why not seek advice from the experts first...

Here's my current setup :

Source 1 : Sony DVP NC85H for CD and DVD
Source 2 : PS3 for BD
Receiver : Harman Kardon AVR435
Amp : Adcom GFA 555 II
Speakers : Polk LSi15
Cables - Monster

I listen mostly to 2 Ch Audio and so have only the 2 LSi15 speakers.

Assuming that the only piece in the above that I WILL NOT CHANGE is my LSi15 speakers, what should I change to improve my music?

Change to a dedicated/better CD player?
Change my Amp to a different/more powerful one?
Get a Sub? (Remember I need this only for music).
Change my cables?
Or make no change at all?

Budget - Whatever it is I need to spend to get the best out of my polks. That implies that I cannot spend 2K on a CD Player :-)

Monster Jam

Hard to answer your question. A lot depends on factors you haven't even considered such as:
* Listening Preferences
* The acoustics of the room you are listening in

First, are you dissatisfied with your listening experience?
If you are not, why would you make a change?

If you are, what exactly are you missing?
Frankly I'm not seeing a weakness in your set-up. That leads me to think acoustic treatments in your listening area. Bass traps, acoustic panels, perhaps relocating the gear, etc.

TouchOfEvil

Sure you can change alot to make thing a bit better here and there but you need to know what you don't like about the setup first.
Personally i would get a sub before anything else to help fill in the bottom end.

Let use know what you think needs to improve the most and we can help make some suggestions. Monster Jam said it pretty good so for.

tonyb

I would start with your source first, a better CD player to be more specific, and cables next. Then give some thought into a seperate pre amp, amp combo since this is strictly a music rig.

pearsall001

Pick up Jim's book &/or DVD set before you spend a dime on anything else. It truly is remarkable what you can accomplish when you seriously pay attention to how your room effects everything. Get that under control first before you venture down the gear/cable merry go round.
http://www.getbettersound.com/

Conradicles

pearsall001 wrote: »

Pick up Jim's book &/or DVD set before you spend a dime on anything else. It truly is remarkable what you can accomplish when you seriously pay attention to how your room effects everything. Get that under control first before you venture down the gear/cable merry go round.
http://www.getbettersound.com/

I sat in on one of Jim seminars a few weeks ago and he really hit the nail on the head with many things. Good stuff.

olilugo

What was it that you liked so much about the content of the website or the video that they had for free, don't want to sound negative about it, but all I got was the best rooms those people ever created was pure luck and they could not account for what made the room work.
Very car salesmen feel to the pitch, and more important considering how supposedly knowledgeable these people are about sound they did a crappy job to present sound on the video.
Last considering they were in an auditorium setting, the fact they didn't even have a projector or a whiteboard instead Jim or whatever his name is just making shapes with his hands against a back wall.
Again what it is about that you like.
Dam either I am getting too old or we need to start expecting a lot more for the money we spend.
Not trying to attack you in any way, so don't take it personal, I just could not take anything these people say in a positive context. Why even have a video like this is beyond me.

Lietuvis91

I am curious to hear what shortcomings the OPS is seeing with his setup. I'm considering replacing my m70s in my 2ch system with something in the LSi line, so this would be helpful.

I will say, BIG speakers in a small room (my m70s in a 12x11) do not sound the best. In other words, they sound ok, but I feel they sounded much better in the living room where there was more space. So in my case, I am considering smaller (LSI7, or 9s maybe). I'm just wondering if the OP has a similar dilema (small room with big speakers)

EndersShadow

Lietuvis91 wrote: »

I am curious to hear what shortcomings the OPS is seeing with his setup. I'm considering replacing my m70s in my 2ch system with something in the LSi line, so this would be helpful.

I will say, BIG speakers in a small room (my m70s in a 12x11) do not sound the best. In other words, they sound ok, but I feel they sounded much better in the living room where there was more space. So in my case, I am considering smaller (LSI7, or 9s maybe). I'm just wondering if the OP has a similar dilema (small room with big speakers)

LSi 7's + sub is the best bet. The 9's have more bass, but you can make up for the difference with a musical sub like the MicroPro's or Pro sub line from Polk.

Lietuvis91

EndersShadow wrote: »

LSi 7's + sub is the best bet. The 9's have more bass, but you can make up for the difference with a musical sub like the MicroPro's or Pro sub line from Polk.

Good stuff, I was thinking the same thing: lsi7s with a micro pro2000, should be a nice musical setup, hopefully. My m70s were really awesome in my HT system in the living room, so I cant wait to bring them back overthere.

EndersShadow

Lietuvis91 wrote: »

Good stuff, I was thinking the same thing: lsi7s with a micro pro2000, should be a nice musical setup, hopefully. My m70s were really awesome in my HT system in the living room, so I cant wait to bring them back overthere.

Hehehe...I just moved from Monitor 60's to LSi 15's ... and from the CS2 to a LSiC (thanks to Mark)...

My Monitor 60's are in my office right now and dont sound too bad with my HK 3490. Will be doing much more there sometime next year though.....

vins

Thanks for the feedback this far.
Nothing wrong with the setup.
Trying to figure out where I'd get the most bang for the buck if I had a few dollars more...

I have a coax cable from my Sony CD player to the HK Receiver and assume that means I am using the DAC in the HK now. Was wondering if getting a different CD player would make a perceptible difference?

PSOVLSK

I've done all of the following. I've listed them in order of most improvement in MY system. The XO upgrade is an easy #1 and changing amps is an easy #6. 2-4 are very hard to rank. I've put a ballpark cost for each upgrade. You could obviously spend more, but the cost I listed is MY OPINION on what it would take to make much of a difference. Also, prices are for used equipment...except for the drivers and crossovers.

1) crossover upgrade on the 15's ($400)
2) Dedicated CDP ($300-400)
3) db driver upgrade on the 15's ($100)
4) New IC's (from CDP to AVR) and speaker cables ($150)
5) Replace the H/K with a pre-amp ($250-350)
6) Replace amp (??) This is not your weak link.

I don't feel the 15's need a sub for 2-channel, especially if you replace the drivers and do the XO upgrade. That's obviously a personal preference though, so you have to decide if you want them to really hit hard.

tonyb

vins wrote: »

I have a coax cable from my Sony CD player to the HK Receiver and assume that means I am using the DAC in the HK now. Was wondering if getting a different CD player would make a perceptible difference?

If you mean an analog rca cable, then your using the dac in the sony. If your using a digital cable, then your using the dac in the HK.

Jetmaker737

You have a decent amp and that's half the battle. I would go for some tubes. Either a tube pre or tube CDP or both. Start with the pre... Belles 21A, CJ-PV14LS2, Modwright SWL 9.0, Rogue 99 Magnum, etc