Lsi7's & Niles amp ?

boston1450

I listened to some Lsi7's today & it was hooked to a Yamaha rxv1500 with a Niles amp on it. I think it was a si245 maybe. I read the Lsi7's are 4ohm & what i dont understand is - the receiver specs show 2-4-6-8 ohm ratings now if the Niles is 70wpc - why wouldnt you use the receiver. Is it because the Niles is high current ? I do know the owner is using a fan inside the cabinet. So things must get heated up. I only listened to it for a short time & it sounded great on the small bookies & when i do get them home i cant wait to get some listening time on them. I will probably keep it the way it is & id like to know if anyone here has had one of these amps & why it might be set up like this

cnh

You can take those Yamaha AVR ratings above with a grain of salt. They're inflated. I honestly do NOT know if a 1500 can handle a 4 ohm load, but I know that on my heavier Onkyo 805 you have to engage the limiting circuitry for 4 ohm speakers (and it basically halves the wattage you get at 4 ohms from that you get at 8 ohms). The Niles, I believe, will handle that load-it is a high current design.

Also, although the Lsi-7s dip to 4 ohms, they mostly play above that impedance closer to 6 ohms in practice as long as you're not pushing them. The 1500 probably could handle them, but it wouldn't give you as "FULL" a sound. Example, I use an HK 3490 to drive them, but even it sounds better when you throw that 545 Adcom amp on them, gives them more gravitas.

I heard the 7s on a monster GamuT integrated in China, years ago, and boy did that pump them UP! So while they are easier to drive than the LSi-9s, MUCH easier. They still benefit from some current! Also, I found the 7s to like Yamaha integrated amps. I haven't tried my CR-800 on them, but I think one of your Yamaha receivers might sound good with them. They can be a little laid back and dark, but the newer Yamaha integrateds are just a tad forward (or maybe just very neutral) which brings out more detail from the ring radiator tweeter! From what I've heard of vintage Yamaha, I would expect a similar effect?

Have fun!

boston1450

I will Cnh. Thanks for info. Interesting. I could try the cr2040 on them. I dont go loud & bass im not too fussy with

mdaudioguy

Yep. I've paired the 7s with Yamaha amplification, with very pleasant results! Give it a shot. Those speakers are smooth - easy to listen to, IMO.

msg

hurry and be next week already - gyaaaaaah!
I'm excited to hear how this works out.

boston1450

I am looking forward to them. Im going to listen to it the way they have it set up for a bit & then i will toy around with the speakers. Reading that HK's pair well with them has me wondering !!!!!! Ive done some reading & kinda wondering what a small tube amp will do BUT there isnt much talk about that & 4 ohm speakers have me baffled.... so at this point im gonna try to chill out till i have them home next week on Thursday.

tonyb

Why should a 4 ohm speaker have you baffled ??

boston1450

Because most receivers & avr's are sensative to 4 ohm speakers & not knowing much info on these speakers has me baffled. Heard some receivers/amps get better bass than others. When i get the system i may like it just the way it is. But like most here ya want it to pair the best with what is best for it

rooftop59

As CNH said, the 7s per measurements by several different publications are really 6 ohm and above through most of the spectrum. I ran them and enjoyed them thoroughly on a beefier HK receiver, but yes, and adcom gfa 6000 sounded much fuller. So a 4 ohm amp is recommended, but NOT necessary. In a large living room I rocked some hard hitting bds (just the HK), no problems.

mantis

Here's the deal.

If you have small bookshelf speakers like the LSI7's , they can't run full range anyway.
So with your AVR , you run the front channels in small so the LSI7's only see from 80z and up. Then add a good quality subwoofer to do the rest and wallah, dynamic range is restored at low to medium levels. Once you start trying to push a AVR with 4 ohm load speakers , they just don't have the current ability to have dynamic range anymore which is what makes music music.
The Niles amp has more current per watt then most AVR's so adding a Niles amp is a very good idea in this case.
I've used Niles amps for over 17 years Professionally and they are solid amps.

boston1450

^^^^ Thanks. I was alittle surprised as there isnt much out there on these speakers. I googled & read a few reviews & what some have used them on. So any feedback is thankful. I have always loved the looks of the Lsi9's

boston1450

I am ashamed to say this. But the heat up here in Maine is messing with my brain. I put Lsi7 in the search & its endless amouts of post HERE on CP. what a Dumb A$$ i am. What was i thinking-i wasnt

boston1450

Next week in the 40's n 50's. Nice

boston1450

Yes. I bought the whole set up. He has it hooked to his tv & they sold house & im picking them up next week. Looking forward to it. Read your post on Rotel. Interesting info archives here..
Pictures below. Sounded nice in what little time i listened to it. 200 bucks for the set up

boston1450

boston1450

I think i will. Their going in a spare room where the wife has her desk & she doesnt know about them yet & she dislikes speakers & would be happy with a soundbar or Bose LOL

rooftop59

Seriously great price. The rxv-1500 is no slouch. It's a nice sounding avr with good power, and the higher end yammies r the only avrs with dsps I actually liked. Congrats!

boston1450

boston1450

Can someone tell me how those little caps come out on binders-so i can hook it to my amp with banana plugs TIA

boston1450

Another thing. Can i test it with a Denon POA-2200@220wpc8ohms just to listen to them. Will it be ok at low volumes. I gotta pull out the Adcom gear packed away this weekend

teekay0007

boston1450 wrote: »

Can someone tell me how those little caps come out on binders-so i can hook it to my amp with banana plugs TIA

First of all...is that part of the setup you got for 200 bucks?!? If so....THIEF!

Second...Congrat's, great grab, Randy! Those LSi7s are great speakers and yours appear to be in fantastic condition. I also have a Niles SI (System Integration) amp that I really like.

Third...just unscrew the binding post rings all the way out and off of the BP completely. Then, use a sharp-edged knife blade to pry the little plastic caps out of the hole.

Finally...also, you should get some real jumpers to replace the lame stock ones, even if it's just spare pieces of decent speaker wire. You'll be glad you did.



Nice speakers! I think you'll be very happy with them.

ken brydson

teekay0007 wrote: »

boston1450 wrote: »

Can someone tell me how those little caps come out on binders-so i can hook it to my amp with banana plugs TIA

First of all...is that part of the setup you got for 200 bucks?!? If so....THIEF!

Second...Congrat's, great grab, Randy! Those LSi7s are great speakers and yours appear to be in fantastic condition. I also have a Niles SI (System Integration) amp that I really like.

Third...just unscrew the binding post rings all the way out and off of the BP completely. Then, use a sharp-edged knife blade to pry the little plastic caps out of the hole.

Finally...also, you should get some real jumpers to replace the lame stock ones, even if it's just spare pieces of decent speaker wire. You'll be glad you did.



Nice speakers! I think you'll be very happy with them.

Agreed with all except the plugs. Those look like they need to pushed out the bottom from the top. Could be wrong...

teekay0007

boston1450 wrote: »

Another thing. Can i test it with a Denon POA-2200@220wpc8ohms just to listen to them. Will it be ok at low volumes. I gotta pull out the Adcom gear packed away this weekend

Randy, you shouldn't have any problems with using the Denon to drive the LSi7s. I'd be more concerned with driving them - or any speaker, for that matter - with too little power. It's the poor quality, lower powered amps' distortion that is damaging to speakers. With good, clean power, you can go quite high with them without doing any damage.

Your ears will tell you when you've taken them high enough. I think you'll be pleased at how sweet that Denon makes the 7s sound.

teekay0007

Also, Randy, glad that this transaction worked out for you. How was it that it played out, the cash exchange ahead of getting the speakers and all?

boston1450

Cool. Thank. I will mess with them later. I got the si245 Niles & Elan zfan2 fan & the rxv1500 AVR. But i will try the Adcom 545 & 555 pre & see how they sound. I like the 555&565 pre they both are solid. I havent had but 5-10mins of Niles amp listening. Isnt those more for multi room VS 2channel listen ?

cnh

D A M N, those Polks are purty! (They look just like mine, lol).

Should do well with the Adcoms!

Have fun!

teekay0007

boston1450 wrote: »

Cool. Thank. I will mess with them later. I got the si245 Niles & Elan zfan2 fan & the rxv1500 AVR.

For $200!?! Again....Thief!

boston1450 wrote: »

I havent had but 5-10mins of Niles amp listening. Isnt those more for multi room VS 2channel listen ?

Yeah, I think that was Niles' intent with these SI amps. In the past, they sold them mainly with their "Speaker Selection/Volume Control System" (ie. SVL-6) units that can connect one amp to as many as six pairs of speakers. The amps were said to be solid driving loads down to two ohms. I've only used my Niles amp with one pair of speakers being powered at a time though.

Oddly, Niles made two different amps with the EXACT same name. The amp I have (from the late '90s), is also called "SI-250". It is much bigger (5" high and weighs 25 lbs.) than the currently offered, low-profile SI-250 amps and has two channels and is rated at 125 WPC at 8 ohms/185 @ 4/25 @ 2. The new line SI-250s are also 2-channel, but are rated at only 50 WPC at 8 ohms.

Here's the amp I have: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_4_1/niles250.html

Very strange....they must have run out of names to use for their amps.

boston1450

Thats a nice amp there. I read up on alot of their models. Nice reviews. I was surprised at how many speakers they hooked up to them. If i recall there was over 20+ on one system. Insane. When i did hear it before i brought it home it sounded quite nice to my ears. I will play around with them this weekend. I may throw it on the Carver w/polk sub to hear it & compare them to some Paradigms. Eventually they will be in a spare room or bedroom. I think they will do fine in a small setting

boston1450

Well a quick update. I ended up keeping the Yamaha RXV1500 hooked to the Lsi7's & i listened to it last Saturday & Sunday for awhile in
bedroom & was very impressed with a tad bit more bass than expected. Watched a movie dvd & was very impressed. Sunday night i stole the little Polk rm6750 p/sub from living room & liked them even more. It added a little bottom to them even at 1/4 dial on the sub. The Lsi's are better than i expected (i was comparing them to Klipsch sb1 & rb15's ive previously owned & enjoyed) the Lsi's did well. Clean clear sound from the Yamaha. I have not even touched OR even looked at the settings on the receiver. I will say this-Yamaha matches well with these speakers for 2 channel & i will probably use this unit for HT down the road with 9's & matched center channel speaker

cfrizz

There should not be anything on top of that receiver, the speakers are making it heat up enough all by themselves without having anything else on top of it.

boston1450

Thanks for noting that. The speakers are going on stands i just got & i have a rack for the equipment im picking up Saturday