LSI 15 right and left?

Shell

I was looking at buying a pair of LSI 15's and I noticed on the box the speakers were labeled right and left? Is this a gimmick or does it really matter what side you place the speakers on. If so why?

thanks

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by Shell
I was looking at buying a pair of LSI 15's and I noticed on the box the speakers were labeled right and left? Is this a gimmick or does it really matter what side you place the speakers on. If so why?

thanks

Don't those have a powered sub that faces out to one side or the other??? If so, that answers your question...If not, then I don't know...

Shell

The 25's have the powered sub, but the 15's have a passive sub. So maybe you are right.

steveinaz

Are they "mirror" imaged or something?

gmorris

I think Polkmaniac is right, because the woofer is side-firing, one speaker could be called right, one could be called left.

BUT, room acoustics will determine whether the woofers are pointing out at the side walls, or in towards the middle.

I think the markings on the box are just to keep you from getting 2 lefts, or 2 rights. Polk has no idea how the speaker will sound in your room. Your room will determine which is right & left, not the marking on the box.

pixiedave

The off center tweeters point to the inside, so that means the woofers point outside, There is a right and left on the LSi's You can read m ore about it on the site.

gmorris

Originally posted by pixiedave
The off center tweeters point to the inside, so that means the woofers point outside, There is a right and left on the LSi's You can read m ore about it on the site.

Good point. I didn't realize that. BUT, I'd call that a bad speaker design. If you are forced to point the woofers out because of the offset tweeter, you may be sacrificing bass performance. What if your room sounds better with the woofers facing in? Now your tweeters are on the outside. It's a pickle.

PolkWannabie

Bad design ?

Hmmm ... That would imply all speakers utilizing SDA technology are by definition of bad design.

Forget the flame retardant suit, where's the bomb shelter ... Tour ? Got any extra space to hide someone for awhile ?

gmorris

Flame me all you want, but I'm sticking to the idea that if you are forced to position the woofers facing out just to take advantage of the offset tweeter, you are potentially losing the benefit you may gain by having the woofers facing in.

I did not mean to say the SDA technology was a bad design. But what if you get terrible bass performance with the woofers facing out? If facing them in solved this problem, you have a new problem because the tweeters are on the wrong side.

I'm sure Polk did their homework when designing the LSi15 & 20's, but you are limited in your placement options because of the static Left & Rights speaker design.

Dennis Gardner

Woofers facing out= more diffuse bass.
Woofers facing in= more cancellation.

I guess it all depends on how you see the options, wouldn't 2 arrangement options be more freedom to experiment, than the self limiting design of identical speakers?

I think the design is solid, just probably built to get the more preferred slim tower look that is currently in style. A big woofer in front means larger front baffle size.

Many SDAs are on the market due to downsizing box sizes.

pixiedave

I have read reviews on the Lsi's where the reviewer switched the speakers for right and left. Although the "correct configuration" was better in most instances, the reviewer liked them reversed for a few types of music. Don't remember the review. In the end, It is up to the listeners choice how to set up your 15's. The coreect way is not a law or anything cheers

PolkWannabie

Just put 'em on wheels and you can roll them back and forth ...