How do the LSiM line fare for different music genres?

pyrocyborg

Hi again!

Another question about the LSiM. While I listened to them (703 and 705) for a little bit in the big box store (Futureshop, a.k.a. the only store that carries the LSiM line in Canada), the environment itself was far from ideal and I didn't plan on listening when I first came in, so I didn't bring my lossy music with me.

I would like to know if the LSiM line fall short trying to reproduce some music genres or styles. I mean, my LSi7, while good sounding, are better are reproducing jazz, blues, folk and vocal kinds of music than anything else. They do well with some classic rock bands or 70s progressive rock, but they have a harder time while I listen to hard rock or metal. Maybe my amp is the culprit, or maybe my lack of subwoofer is, but it sounds congested while speakers like the RTi did pretty good (for what it's worth, considering the compression).

I know some people around here qualified the LSi line as a line for jazz and folk lovers. In my opinion, and backed with my limited experience (LSi7), this seems to be the case.

What about the LSiM? Are they able to do a good job with almost anything you throw at them? I listen to folk, indie, classic rock, progressive rock and jazz most of the time, but I would like a pair that would perform well with most genres.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks a lot for your time

tonyb

Don't know about Maggies given his choice of music. Maggies don't do low bass very well, as inherit to rock and metal. The lsim's do well with any genre, but small bookies aren't going to belt out the low bass notes a subwoofer can or big floorstanders. So if your a bass head, you may need to supplement with a subwoofer for bookies or go bigger speakers.

cfrizz

You are asking a bookshelf speaker to handle a wide range of music, and while it might try to do its best, it is going to struggle and sound muddy trying to hit those low notes. My brother has the LSI 7s and one year when I was down there when he had moved into his new house, I told him that he needed a sub because the LSIs were struggling to go so low which made the midrange very muddy, even with being driven with a Parasound 1500A. So he got the DSW 500 which took care of the bass and let his LSI shine with the midbass & high notes.

You are expecting too much from the 7s while being under powered and only one midbass driver for low notes.

pyrocyborg

Thanks for your answers

Well, I'm fact, I'm looking at Floorstanding speakers right now, but maybe a pair of large bookshelf and a good sub might be better, I don't know. I'm always having a hard time setting a subwoofer right for music.

While I do occasionally listen to hard rock and metal, it's not part of my everyday list. Thus, I may not need something that dig that low. While I listen to movies, I do not need ground shaking bass... Well, in fact, I do not want that kind of bass (neighbors).

About the LSi7 alone and bass notes: I totally understand that they lack in that department and considering their design, they are not made to get low. I had a sub once, and while it did sound better, the speakers themselves strained to do their job as I couldn't set a crossover value on my amp: so both the sub and the bookshelves were reproducing the low frequencies. It wasn't relieving the amp of any strain.

But thing is, maybe the LSi7 are underpowered right now, but thing is my room is not optimal at all... I mean, not at all I can't turn the volume on because the room is way too large (25 ft) and that I sit 9 ft away from the speakers. My speakers are 1 feet and a half from the rear wall, and about 8 feet from the side walls. Add a patio door and an open floor to the kitchen/dinning room and there it is. It's that crappy... :P

More power or not, my LSi7 could not fill that room without a powerful subwoofer. However, with a power amp, they were better sounding during crescendos and orchestral music compared to my integrated amp, probably due to better headroom, but it didn't change the fact that this room is not speaker friendly.

Anyways, I hope my next place will be better... And at least, I know the LSiM could be good all-around speakers. That's probably the kind of speaker I'm looking for.

F1nut

What about the LSiM? Are they able to do a good job with almost anything you throw at them?

IMO, yes and they are a far better speaker than the LSi7.

stretchl

FWIW, I went from the LSi-15 to the LSi-M705 and the improvements were striking.

mantis

F1nut wrote: »

IMO, yes and they are a far better speaker than the LSi7.

Agreed.
I have very limited experience with them as I only rocked the LSIM703 but I had them at my house and at my shop at the time and really got to know them.
They absolutely crush the original LSI series and that speaks pretty loudly as I thought the LSI's where great speakers with the exception of the LSI9. I owned them and didn't care for them as I felt they where the weakest speaker in the entire line.
I played a lot of things through the LSIM703's and I felt they did everything well. They are a very versatile speaker. I didn't however get to rock a full Surround system with them and this is something I wish I did. I could be a proud owner of a full LSIM system IF I was able to demo a full Surround system. Judging by the LSIM703 , I could see them doing very well for theater use.

cnh

pyrocyborg wrote: »

Thanks for your answers

Well, I'm fact, I'm looking at Floorstanding speakers right now, but maybe a pair of large bookshelf and a good sub might be better, I don't know. I'm always having a hard time setting a subwoofer right for music.

While I do occasionally listen to hard rock and metal, it's not part of my everyday list. Thus, I may not need something that dig that low. While I listen to movies, I do not need ground shaking bass... Well, in fact, I do not want that kind of bass (neighbors).

About the LSi7 alone and bass notes: I totally understand that they lack in that department and considering their design, they are not made to get low. I had a sub once, and while it did sound better, the speakers themselves strained to do their job as I couldn't set a crossover value on my amp: so both the sub and the bookshelves were reproducing the low frequencies. It wasn't relieving the amp of any strain.

But thing is, maybe the LSi7 are underpowered right now, but thing is my room is not optimal at all... I mean, not at all I can't turn the volume on because the room is way too large (25 ft) and that I sit 9 ft away from the speakers. My speakers are 1 feet and a half from the rear wall, and about 8 feet from the side walls. Add a patio door and an open floor to the kitchen/dinning room and there it is. It's that crappy... :P

More power or not, my LSi7 could not fill that room without a powerful subwoofer. However, with a power amp, they were better sounding during crescendos and orchestral music compared to my integrated amp, probably due to better headroom, but it didn't change the fact that this room is not speaker friendly.

Anyways, I hope my next place will be better... And at least, I know the LSiM could be good all-around speakers. That's probably the kind of speaker I'm looking for.

You should have a sub that has High level inputs and outputs; wire the Lsi-7s to the outputs and the amp to the subs inputs, then the sub's internal crossover can be set and only deliver, let's say 60 Hz or higher to the 7s. Should help the problem.

I will say that I've also heard Lsi-7s on a 10K integrated and they were hardly muddy and the bass was full and suprising!

Nonetheless, the LsiM 703s ARE an important step up!

cnh

hochpt21

stretchl wrote: »

FWIW, I went from the LSi-15 to the LSi-M705 and the improvements were striking.

In what ways if you don't mind me asking?