RTia12 and LSi15

mole'

well i sold the 2.3TLs and im about to pull the trigger on the replacemnet speakers. NEEDED a smaller size speaker for the new front room. ne room for the SDAs.....

so please dont flame me on saying these speaker are replacing the SDAs........have RTi10s in the front room for now...

i wanted to see what you guys think of the 2 sets?

i will be mostly doing HT/games........

i have a center/fx speakers to match the RTia12. if i go with the LSi ill get a new LSic soon.....

found the RTia12 for 799 shipped and the LSi15 for 999 shipped.

will power them with my SC-35/5802.

thanks

mole'

looks like its gonna be the RTia12 because theu match better with my current speakers...

nooshinjohn

There is no replacing SDA's.

mole'

nooshinjohn wrote: »

There is no replacing SDA's.

i know......

i know........

i know..........

:frown:

i have no room/space for them now

mole'

DSkip wrote: »

There is no RTia12 either :rolleyes:

:eek:


meant the RTia9


good catch

quadzilla

For sound, I'd say go with the LSi15s. I've got the RTi12s, and they can't begin to touch my non-modded 2.3 TLs, so I can only imagine great sadness if you get the A9s, which while a bit better than the 12s, are still not close to the 2.3 TLs. The 15s would be in the general area for sound quality (and are better in some ways), just won't have that wonderful sound stage. But for HT, the processor can provide that.

leroyjr1

nooshinjohn wrote: »

There is no replacing SDA's.

There's always a better speaker out there

VR3

leroyjr1 wrote: »

There's always a better speaker out there

What he said!

BeefJerky

mole' wrote: »

well i sold the 2.3TLs and im about to pull the trigger on the replacemnet speakers. NEEDED a smaller size speaker for the new front room. ne room for the SDAs.....

so please dont flame me on saying these speaker are replacing the SDAs........have RTi10s in the front room for now...

i wanted to see what you guys think of the 2 sets?

i will be mostly doing HT/games........

i have a center/fx speakers to match the RTia12. if i go with the LSi ill get a new LSic soon.....

found the RTia12 for 799 shipped and the LSi15 for 999 shipped.

will power them with my SC-35/5802.

thanks

For $200 difference, it would seem that going with the LSi15's are a no-brainer. They will be much better sounding, and well worth that price difference. You also have more than enough power to push them to their full potential.

However, I understand that you already have the center to match the RTiA series. I would suggest selling that center and putting the money towards the LSiC. As for the surround speakers, matching them to the front is not as critical as having the front stage matching.

dorokusai

The whole can't replace the SDA mantra is such crap. Yes, they're a wonderful, sometimes truly jaw dropping and clearly a unique loudspeaker but that's it. There's a whole lot of speakers that will change your perspective so it's a contrived comment.

It's not about replacing them per se, it's about doing something different. The hardcore folks that I know, for example the Polkfest 2005 crew, have more than spread their wings. So the couple Entish SDA stalwarts are OK in my book since I know their lineage pretty well and they're quite audio schooled to say the least. The newer crowd of comments usually come from a not hearing enough loudspeakers background or they've simply been here too long. Every single individual in that crew has been thru the collecting, change everything, own every model, rebuild every model, change model stage and we STILL continue to mess with something that is virtually timeless. That's what is awesome about SDA, that's what is awesome about Polk Audio. It's not model specific for us anymore....but perhaps I'm just speaking for myself.

I'll always have a pair in some way shape or form but it certainly won't stop me from continuing to enjoy dozens of new and used speakers every year. Listening to new things is what this hobby truly is, not getting walled up and becoming an SDA shut-in.

tonyb

dorokusai wrote: »

Listening to new things is what this hobby truly is, not getting walled up and becoming an SDA shut-in.

Bingo....couldn't agree more. I might also add the flip side of that is changing gear so often, never lets you enjoy what you have, sound wise, for any period of time. Speaking from only my perspective, I know what I like, and once a synergy is found, I like to let it be for awhile.

Audio is kinda like evolution, you have periods of slow gradual improvements, then suddenly it takes a giant leap forward. I like to wait for those giant leaps before upgrading.

mole'

BeefJerky wrote: »

For $200 difference, it would seem that going with the LSi15's are a no-brainer. They will be much better sounding, and well worth that price difference. You also have more than enough power to push them to their full potential.

However, I understand that you already have the center to match the RTiA series. I would suggest selling that center and putting the money towards the LSiC. As for the surround speakers, matching them to the front is not as critical as having the front stage matching.

im liking the look of the LSi much more then the RTia9s....pretty mych the same as my RTi10s.

i guess i could sell my RT cs and find a LSi one.

Thx

dorokusai wrote: »

The whole can't replace the SDA mantra is such crap. Yes, they're a wonderful, sometimes truly jaw dropping and clearly a unique loudspeaker but that's it. There's a whole lot of speakers that will change your perspective so it's a contrived comment.

It's not about replacing them per se, it's about doing something different. The hardcore folks that I know, for example the Polkfest 2005 crew, have more than spread their wings. So the couple Entish SDA stalwarts are OK in my book since I know their lineage pretty well and they're quite audio schooled to say the least. The newer crowd of comments usually come from a not hearing enough loudspeakers background or they've simply been here too long. Every single individual in that crew has been thru the collecting, change everything, own every model, rebuild every model, change model stage and we STILL continue to mess with something that is virtually timeless. That's what is awesome about SDA, that's what is awesome about Polk Audio. It's not model specific for us anymore....but perhaps I'm just speaking for myself.

I'll always have a pair in some way shape or form but it certainly won't stop me from continuing to enjoy dozens of new and used speakers every year. Listening to new things is what this hobby truly is, not getting walled up and becoming an SDA shut-in.

i like that.....

jbooker82

RTI A's = HT
LSI's = Music

VR3

For HT I would take the RT series any day...

The LSi has ZERO slam in comparison if you are a reference level watcher like me.

leroyjr1

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

For HT I would take the RT series any day...

The LSi has ZERO slam in comparison if you are a reference level watcher like me.

And the LSI C lacks big time for HT.

VR3

Agreed.

angelsfann02

I really like my lsi15's & lsi-c center. I do mostly movies, but I am impressed by 2-channel listening as well. Mole I would say get them both and send back the ones you dont like. ( If you can swing it) That way you wont have doubts. I will agree that the lsi-c isn't the best center that I have ever heard although it blends excellent with the 15's. I have also been tempted to audition other speaker brands such as paradigm & b&k just because I'm curious about their sound with my gear.

rooftop59

Lsis = zero slam? Really? Dude Trey u need to turn the volume down. Granted, I've only owned bookies, but i would take the lsi7 over the rti6 any day. More details, more bass, and definitely a much more dynamic speaker. But again, haven't heard the towers and Im a musician who values my hearing ;-)

VR3

I dont find reference level that loud honestly...

Folks that are listening at -20 are crazy.

0 is where its at.

I had a set of LSi9 in here and they were a cloud in comparison to other speakers I have had in the room. To me a true test of a great speaker is sounding great at low, medium and high volumes.

BeefJerky

I'm with Rooftop59 on this. My LSi's have more than enough slam for HT, as well as loads of detail. In addition, they are fantastic for music. As for cloudy? My LSi's are not cloudy by any definition of the word; unless maybe you are a person who likes ear-bleedingly bright highs. I don't think the LSi speakers are the problem...

VR3

Dont get me wrong folks - I am not bashing the LSi.

I like my music loud - this is no secret. The LSi series can not provide this for me. They are fine in everything else - they just cant handle my needs as a speaker...

When I say a cloud - they could not pressurize my room in the least bit. This is no reflection upon their sound quality.

I stand by my statements that the RTi series (apple to apple) RTiA9 to LSi15 will provide a better theater experience purely on a dynamics and volume stand point.

Toolfan66

I would never trade my RTiA9's for the LSi15's or 25's as well..

jbooker82

Reference Theater Improved (RTI) not good for home theater? #2 to LSI's in the home theater department? Rti's are made bright on purpose. That is a theater speaker. More $$$ spent on a speaker does not mean it has to be better. Yea LSI's are better suited for music. I am sure there are people on here who think the LSI / LSM line up is the top dog since the cost more. Since they are the best they must be the best at everything. RTI's were designed as Polk's home theater speaker, not as a cheaper brighter little brother to the LSI line up.


Get the LSI's if you want a musical system that is a very good surround sound system.

Get the RTI's if you want a true high impact home theater setup.

SRTer

jbooker82 wrote: »

Reference Theater Improved (RTI) not good for home theater? #2 to LSI's in the home theater department? Rti's are made bright on purpose. That is a theater speaker. More $$$ spent on a speaker does not mean it has to be better. Yea LSI's are better suited for music. I am sure there are people on here who think the LSI / LSM line up is the top dog since the cost more. Since they are the best they must be the best at everything. RTI's were designed as Polk's home theater speaker, not as a cheaper brighter little brother to the LSI line up.


Get the LSI's if you want a musical system that is a very good surround sound system.

Get the RTI's if you want a true high impact home theater setup.

I been thinking the same thing, just never put it into words.

Also, since people are using auto calibration on most of the AVR's now which will make up a EQ, why not adjust the EQ for a bright speaker like the RTi A's and still get to enjoy music?

BeefJerky

jbooker82 wrote: »

Reference Theater Improved (RTI) not good for home theater?

Nobody here claimed that.

jbooker82 wrote:

More $$$ spent on a speaker does not mean it has to be better.

Agreed. I'm quite sure that no one here claimed otherwise.

jbooker82 wrote:

RTI's were designed as Polk's home theater speaker, not as a cheaper brighter little brother to the LSI line up.

No one claimed that was their design goal. However, I've heard both in a proper environment with good quality amplification; it was a Parasound amp, somewhere around 200w/ch at 8 ohms and 300w/ch at 4 ohms. I compared the LSi7's to either the RTiA1 or A3, I don't remember for sure. They also both used their appropriate center channels. Both sets were run with a crossover of 80hz with an SVS sub.

I did a good amount of listening to both music and movies. There is not a single thing that the RTiA's did better than the LSi's, and this included home theater. The LSi's were more simply more detailed and accurate to my ears. There was also no lack of "slam" when it came to home theater. In addition, the LSi's had no problem at reference levels and even higher in this scenario.

My friend and I came to the same conclusion: The LSi's were clearly better for music, and for HT the two were pretty much equivalent. They sounded "different," but one wasn't necessarily better than the other for that purpose. He uses the RTiA's in a dedicated HT room, so they are not used for music. As such, I believe he certainly made the right decision. However, if it will be used for music as well, I just can't recommend the RTiA's over the LSi's.

SRTer wrote:

Also, since people are using auto calibration on most of the AVR's now which will make up a EQ, why not adjust the EQ for a bright speaker like the RTi A's and still get to enjoy music?

No amount of EQ'ing will fix the lack of detail and accuracy compared to the LSi series.

jbooker82 wrote:

Get the LSI's if you want a musical system that is a very good surround sound system.

I agree.

jbooker82 wrote:

Get the RTI's if you want a true high impact home theater setup.

My ears still don't agree that the RTi's do any better at HT than the LSi's. I'm not trying to bash the RTi's in any way, I'm just trying to keep things in perspective. I also realize this is personal opinion, just like those who prefer the RTi series.

jbooker82

How can the LSI's be more detailed with voices and subtle sounds with movies but be warmer and layed back with music?

BeefJerky

Brightness does not equal detail, just as warmth does not equal lack of detail. Brightness and warmth typically refer to the level of the treble versus the mids/bass. At least that is I how I use the terms. Specifically, brighter speakers have a higher level of treble versus the mids/bass, and warmer speakers have a lower level of treble versus the mids/bass. You also have the term neutral, which refers to speakers that are somewhere between the two.

Drenis

I'm extremely happy with my A9's for music duty. I think they sound phenomenal. I can only imagine what a full 5 speaker RTI setup would sound like properly amped watching a movie. I wouldn't trade mine for LSI's either.

EndersShadow

Eh, its 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. I LOVE my LSi15's for a couple reasons. Some of these are my opinions and some are somewhat facts....

1. With the RTi A9's most agree you really need (but dont HAVE to have) a dedicated amp to get the most out of them (just like the LSi's), however you dont pull as much power out of that same amp given the ohm load difference between the RTi and LSi's (8 v. 4).

2. Cost of LSi's will drop significantly shortly as the LSiM's really hit the market making the cost difference between the two even less.

3. I like the lack of brightness in the LSi's

With all that said, if I was having to pay the normal cost for the LSi 15's and possibly even the RTi A9's I would probably look along the lines of Paradigm as I have been really impressed with their Studio 20's they sound just as good as the LSi's IMHO. Add a good sub to handle the low end and you have a very potent combo IMHO.

VR3

I would also be interested in comparing modded LSi and modded RTi.

The LSi was vastly improved after I modified it. It was no contest and swapping the woofers from bottom to top made an incredible difference.

I have never heard a RTi series after mods - granted I do have the RT35i laying around here but I only use them as surrounds so I dont think I want to put anymore money into them although the parts list is not exactly vast.

BeefJerky

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

The LSi was vastly improved after I modified it. It was no contest and swapping the woofers from bottom to top made an incredible difference.

Hmm, can you tell me more about swapping the woofers? I assume you are referring to the LSi9/15/25 and not the LSiC? Since they are the same drivers, I assume it is just a matter of swapping the cables between the two? What is the reason for it being better, and how is it better? Also, will it still make a difference without modded xovers? Thanks :biggrin: