LSi-15 Replacement is here

ematthews
ematthews Posts: 27
edited December 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
I wrote about a week ago about my first day with new LSi-15's and having a bad tweeter.
Well today I am back running with a new replacement speaker. All hooked up and so far so good.

I am a little gun shy since the first one was bad. Scared to turn them up until they get some time in them. How often have people had bad speakers here from the LSI line? I know I have a five year warranty but I want to really start getting into these with some nice loud sound. Any advice? It's like having a fast car and scared to drive hit hard...
Uggggh.
Post edited by ematthews on
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited December 2011
    What are you using for power? It is possible there was a bad tweeter. However, if the amp is cranked and distorting then that also can break a tweeter. I do not know how long to break in a speaker before trying to go for max volume, but it wouldn't hurt to get time on the gear before going really hard.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
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  • ematthews
    ematthews Posts: 27
    edited December 2011
    I am using a Harman Kardon HK3490...It has plenty of power there. I know these speakers can use a lot more but the HK is not week either. 150x2 in 4ohms
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  • ematthews
    ematthews Posts: 27
    edited December 2011
    The first one had a fuzzy sounding tweeter, I could just slightly touch the ribbed silk area of the tweeter and it would smooth itself out. It started about three hours into it's life. Trust me, I wasn't pushing them hard either. It would only do it on songs that hit some higher notes on guitars..
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,590
    edited December 2011
    ematthews wrote: »
    The first one had a fuzzy sounding tweeter, I could just slightly touch the ribbed silk area of the tweeter and it would smooth itself out. It started about three hours into it's life. Trust me, I wasn't pushing them hard either. It would only do it on songs that hit some higher notes on guitars..

    If I remember correctly you have a sub right? Does it have Line Level Inputs and Outputs?

    I know the HK has 2 LFE connections, but I have a different suggestion for you.

    Run a set of RCA cables from the Pre-Out's on the HK to the Line Level IN on the sub. Set the crossover knob on the sub for like 60 hz or even higher if you want. Run another set of RCA's from the Line Level OUT on the sub to the MAIN IN on the HK. Then connect your speaker wire for the LSi 15's.

    What you basically did is used the subs crossovers to send ONLY the frequencies above what the SUBS crossover to the LSi 15's. The lower the frequency the more power it takes to produce it. By elimination some of the low end from the LSi's you allow them to produce the mid's and high's better.

    Thats just a thought provided you have a sub that allows it (which I think you do if I remember correctly).
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,966
    edited December 2011
    ematthews wrote: »
    I am using a Harman Kardon HK3490...It has plenty of power there. I know these speakers can use a lot more but the HK is not week either. 150x2 in 4ohms

    Just my opinion, but the HK may be able to drive a 4 ohm load, at low to mid volume, it's when you crank up the volume I bet it starts to fall apart. Thats happened to me in a similiar circumstance, at higher volumes you can hear the music start collapsing, and that was on 4 0hm speakers much more efficient than the LSI's. Your not doing yourself or your speakers any favors by not using an amp for them. Whats the point in having speakers you can't crank up every so often ?
    HT SYSTEM-
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited December 2011
    I would get an amp to power them with, I don't think the HK is doing them justice and I will bet it happens again..
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  • hertz9753
    hertz9753 Posts: 310
    edited December 2011
    EndersShadow wrote: »
    If I remember correctly you have a sub right? Does it have Line Level Inputs and Outputs?

    I know the HK has 2 LFE connections, but I have a different suggestion for you.

    Run a set of RCA cables from the Pre-Out's on the HK to the Line Level IN on the sub. Set the crossover knob on the sub for like 60 hz or even higher if you want. Run another set of RCA's from the Line Level OUT on the sub to the MAIN IN on the HK. Then connect your speaker wire for the LSi 15's.

    What you basically did is used the subs crossovers to send ONLY the frequencies above what the SUBS crossover to the LSi 15's. The lower the frequency the more power it takes to produce it. By elimination some of the low end from the LSi's you allow them to produce the mid's and high's better.

    Thats just a thought provided you have a sub that allows it (which I think you do if I remember correctly).

    The HK 3490 has 2 sub-outs, not LFE.
    AVR-Onkyo TX-NR808
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,966
    edited December 2011
    hertz9753 wrote: »
    The HK 3490 has 2 sub-outs, not LFE.

    True, it is a stereo receiver and not a AVR, doesn't change the process suggested though.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • ematthews
    ematthews Posts: 27
    edited December 2011
    OK. Will pull them away from the system and wait till I get a bigger engine...
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited December 2011
    Just run the 15's at low to medium volume and you'll be fine. What the HK lacks is the current producing capabilities to drive the 15's at high volume. With speakers like LSi's it's more about the amperage and dynamic power reserves an amp has rather than wattage rating. Search the forums and get your read on, plenty on this has been discussed here.
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited December 2011
    ematthews wrote: »
    OK. Will pull them away from the system and wait till I get a bigger engine...

    Just do not play them crazy loud. I used to run 4 LSi15s and an LSiC off a Denon 3805, and loved it. They sounded great. Later I went with a better AVR, and later after that I added an external amp. They worked great in all the configurations.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • NewHTguy
    NewHTguy Posts: 584
    edited December 2011
    ematthews wrote: »
    I am using a Harman Kardon HK3490...It has plenty of power there. I know these speakers can use a lot more but the HK is not week either. 150x2 in 4ohms

    My HK 3490 pushes my Lsi7s just fine, but I really wouldn't run Lsi15s with it. If you insist you should go easy.
    MAIN: Polk Lsi9s; Polk PSW505; Lsic (in box); Onkyo SR-875; Parasound 2250; Cambridge Audio 740C; LG BD370
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    BENCHED: CS20; OWM3s
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited December 2011
    ematthews wrote: »
    How often have people had bad speakers here from the LSI line? I know I have a five year warranty but I want to really start getting into these with some nice loud sound. Any advice? It's like having a fast car and scared to drive hit hard...
    Uggggh.

    How often? Hmmm....maybe 2-3 out of the time I've been here(2003). Failures happen, it's just the way it goes when you think about the averages as far as sales volume. Polk is no exception, nor is any other manufacturer. It happens.

    I'd immediately put the spurs to it and not worry about a "soft" approach. It makes no difference. It will either fail now or later....or NEVER. For the most part, all transducers work as designed and described far longer than they are sold as such. If you ensure you have decent equipment and don't try to replicate the last rock concert you attended at age 16, you'll be fine as wine.

    I'd consider this having your audio cherry popped. If you haven't done something to create a warranty repair in your life, you haven't tried hard enough. Thanks for good CS eh?

    Regards,
    Mark
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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