Need advise on power for LSi 15

oh2bnok

Hi everyone, I just purchased a pair of LSi 15 speakers. I have been spying these for a while and decided to pull the trigger when Nebraska Furniture Mart had them on their web site for $557 ea. Pick them up in mid December. I had been trolling these forums for a few days and from reading many of the posts realize I need more power. I have a Yamaha RS 700 stereo reciever 100 watter. This unit has a Main in L/R and a Pre out L/R, I am not sure how to use these if at all. Do they allow me to hook up an amplifier and if so how would the amp interact with this unit. My primary source of music now is from a cd changer. I really don't think I need an am/fm tuner, so I suppose another option is to ditch the yamaha and go with an amp set up? Need some help I obviuosly need to do something. Just trying to explore what my options are for performance and cost. I would like to keep the additional expenses around $1500 or less of course, if possible thx Bill

EndersShadow

you can keep your current stereo reciever and just add a (very important part) good amp. Doesnt have to be new, used is prefered to save some cash.

You would connect a set of cables (normally RCA) from the Left and Right Pre-out into the inputs on the amp. Then you would run speaker wire from the amp to the speakers.

1500 is more than enough to get you a good amp with lots of clean power (important) and a very nice set of RCA wires and good speaker wire as well. Audiogon.com is a good site to buy used gear from as is the Flea Market section in this forum.

I would throw out suggestions of brands to look at (all used of course) as Parasound, Carver (I have one w/ my LSi 15's), Sunfire, etc. There are lots of choices within your price and you have enough that you could buy new, though be very particular about the brand and do your homework.

Drenis

Welcome to CP Bill.

Enjoy the LSi 15's. A few pages back in this section, a great thread talks about the LSi series and the need for external power. Have a read, get comfortable and browse the suggested areas to find something that might fit your needs. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?111022-Powering-LSi-7-9-15-25-you-better-have-preouts-baby!

Syndil

Just going to throw this idea out there, but if you are already going to buy an amp, it may be that you do not need your receiver any more at all, if your CD player has variable outputs. If it does, you can connect the CD player directly to the amp and run things that way.

Eliminates tone controls and eliminates alternate source selection, but if all you want to do is listen to CDs, then you can't get a purer signal path than that. I used to run my Denon CD player directly to an Adcom amp in this manner. Sounded great.

oh2bnok

Awesome, thanks for the help with the advise. Now I can focus some homework and make some smart choices. I am sure I'll have more questions. Thanks again.

oh2bnok

I picked up the speakers last night , hooked them up and listened to some Carlos Santana, Jimmie Vaughn and Stevie Ray Vaughn. I heard sounds that I never new were on those cds. Awesome, I could have listened to them all night. Really happy.

BlueFox

oh2bnok wrote: »

I picked up the speakers last night , hooked them up and listened to some Carlos Santana, Jimmie Vaughn and Stevie Ray Vaughn. I heard sounds that I never new were on those cds. Awesome, I could have listened to them all night. Really happy.

Exactly. That is what I also experienced with my first pair. I had a bottom of the line Sony AVR, and they sounded great. Of course, they sound even better with better gear, but even at the bottom they were an improvement over the little Polks they replaced.

cfrizz

Congrats, welcome to Club Polk!!