Question RE: Powering LSiM705's

stretchl

I'd like to try my Yaqin Mc-10t (52 wpc) with my incoming LSiM705's.

The Yaqin powers my LSi15's nicely. Never even go up beyond 12 o'clock on the amp.

Is there any danger of damaging the 705's if the Yaqin isn't up to the task?

Thanks!

pitdogg2

only if you keep pushing it past it's limits. If you hear distortion back it down a bit.

nguyendot

There's always a danger if you have any chance of clipping.

tonyb

The 705's are easier to drive than the older LSI15's. So I don't see a problem, but as others have said, listen for your limits.

leroyjr1

Currently driving my 705's with 35 watts and they perform just fine. More power is good but not necessary if you're smart about your listening habits.

stretchl

Thanks so much, guys.

Ocezam

tonyb wrote: »

The 705's are easier to drive than the older LSI15's. So I don't see a problem, but as others have said, listen for your limits.

This is the second time I've read this. Aren't the LSiM705 and LSi15 both rated at 88 db? What am I missing?


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pretzelfisch

Ocezam wrote: »

This is the second time I've read this. Aren't the LSiM705 and LSi15 both rated at 88 db? What am I missing?


...

the previous gen was 4ohm the lsim is 8 which is an easier load on most amps

cfrizz

I would still use an amp to get them to operate to their full potential.

WLDock

I never understood the risk of damaging a speaker with too llittle watts when someone that should know better has control of the volume??? From my experience the distortion becomes quite audible.

The only time a smoked a speaker....well these were raw Vifa/Peerless bases TC9 drivers that I was breaking in. I had a the Chesky Jazz and Test disck playing in the basement. I went upstairs and forgot that about the test signals on the the disc. By the time the square wave signal started I could not get back downstairs fast enough. The sound stopped and all I saw was smoke!


Other than that....rather it was little power or a ton of power....I've never blown a driver.

tonyb

WLDock wrote: »

I never understood the risk of damaging a speaker with too llittle watts when someone that should know better has control of the volume???.
.

Well now, that's kinda it in a nutshell. Not everyone "knows better". They don't know what to listen for, or even how to listen, better yet....why it even matters. That's why audio forums exist. To better educate and share experiences.

WLDock

tonyb....you know I'm not talking about those without a set of ears. I could generalize and say everyone that posed and replied I would think can hear limits....especially with revealing gear. stetchl has some nice equipment and is already driving LSi's. However....not all amps and speakers behave the same at the limits. Maybe a cleaner speaker will play cleaner at the limits?

I'm sure there are several past post about this here still, I think there is a lot of information going around the net about the need for a ton of power...that reserve power is ALWAYS better than little power. However, in my own personal survey...it seems many have blown speakers and smoked voice coils more so with reserve power than with too little power. I guess you have to define what loud is and how much reserve power makes sense for the given speakers in the given room, etc. I think the little power vs. reserve power debate about the best way to NOT blow speakers...the reserve power group will win every time....but that argument is based on using your ears to hear things.

stretchl, Where does your thinking come from? Have yeu ever blown a speaker....or ever driven a system to the point where you thought it was at the limit?

Just something I've wondered about in this modern age of powererful amps, Class D, etc. as many are worried they will blow a speaker if they don't feed it the max rated input power. I guess I remember trying to get loud during the days of old....little power and efficient speakers.

stretchl

I really appreciate all the input on this thread. I'm learning a lot.

WLDock wrote: »

stretchl, Where does your thinking come from? Have yeu ever blown a speaker....or ever driven a system to the point where you thought it was at the limit?

I've never blown a speaker in the sense that there was smoke coming from the cabinet. The closest I've come I think was in the mid-80's when I had new gear - Monitor 10B's powered by a Luxman R-115. I was playing them really loud (I think just to see how loud they would go), got some distortion and did something to the speakers that continued to cause distortion even at lower levels. The dealer got new drivers in under warranty, and I learned a lesson - if the volume's so loud you hear distortion, turn it down. Haven't had a problem since.

With all that said, I've now moved onward an upward to the gear listed below, with an Adcom 555ii in reserve. I'm not worried about turning the volume up too loud, I can tell if I'm getting into dangerous territory there. What I was wondering about is if there's a danger, even at minimal volumes, in powering the LSiM's with wattage as low as the Yaqin, 45 wpc @ 8 ohms.

I have learned at least two things from this thread -

1) There is not a danger to the speakers (or amp) by just hooking up a low wattage amp to certain demanding speakers and turning on the power;

2) The LSiM's are less demanding than the Lsi's.

3) If there is potentially an issue with too little power, don't turn the volume up so loud that you start to hear distortion.

Does that pretty much sum it up?

Thanks.

tonyb

WLDOCK,

I hear ya bro, but at both extremes, too much or too little power, it happens. It's just disguised as something else. For instance, a thread about LSI speakers not sounding right or a tweeter blown. Reading between the lines you notice a entry to mid level receiver driving them, but the OP just wants to know where to get a new tweeter.

Point is, we try to educate people on the merits of proper power in a given system. I know sometimes we go overboard, like 200 watts for M70's, 500 watts for A9's, blah blah, but I personally believe it's better to have the power on hand and not need it, than need it and not have it. Which scenario would toast a tweeter quicker ? Not having it in my opinion.

Actually, distortion is the more addressable issue, but again, people don't know what it is or how to listen for it. All some care about is loudness and how high they can turn that volume dial. All fine and good if you don't mind replacing gear every so often. So really our goal here is to educate and possibly keep others from making the same mistakes we may have made over time.

The volume dial as you say, remains under the control of the owner, agreed. But if that owner thinks that he should be able to bury that dial, or every inch of it is usable, then they need to go back to school. :biggrin: Not disagreeing with you btw, just expanding on what you said, that's all.

WLDock

Yeah...some have to learn the hard way. I can't lie...I've pushed systems pretty hard several times before. House music and the big orchestra hit on this track:

IGOR STRAVINSKY- DAVID ZINMAN/ BALITIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Track 6 - “Infernal Dance of King Kastchei from the Firebird”
from The Telarc Collection Volume 1 Sampler

...sent my AVR into protect mode many times and could have got me into trouble. The thing with the track above....is it starts out so soft and sweet.....but the hit can shake things if you have a very capable system. I love it but, maybe one day I will get a system to the point where it can really pull it off to reference levels cleanly!

Some of you guys in IL are not too far away...if you ever have any demo audio group sessions, let me know. I've yet to hear the 705's.

Walt