LSiM703 versus S55

Milito

I see the 703 are on sale so I need opinions please.

I have a pair of S55's and a S30 and I would like to know how much better the 703's would sound compared to the S55's. Use is about 60-70% TV and movies and 30-40% music.

I have no experience with the 703's so I need some opinions from the experts.

I am using a Yamaha 2070 and an Outlaw 5000. I do have a HSU sub.

Thanks

pyrocyborg

Never heard the Signature series, but my guess is that they're closer to the RTi and RTiA line in sound than anything else while being smoother, which honestly isn't bad at all for both music and HT duty.

Also, better is relative. Is the LSiM line better than the Signature line? Most definitely, but we really cannot quantify enjoyment, and that's something that you'll have to hear for yourself. I'm one of those who believe that one would be better served with better bookshelf speakers, proper stands and a subwoofer than equally priced floorstanding speakers.

With that being said, the 703s are large bookshelf speakers, but they won't go as low as your S55 can. I can't see the -3db figure for the S55, but for the sake of specs comparison, the LSiM 703 can go as "deep" as 36 Hz, while the S55 goes down to 32 Hz. Still, you'll probably end up setting the crossover at 60 Hz on both speakers so that they don't suffer too much, so it might not be that different when it comes to low end.

If anything, the 703s with your subwoofer would probably be more musical than your S55 with the same sub, with a more "faithful" reproduction both due to it's more neutral and revealing nature, but it might be a tad less vibrant which might be what you like in your HT setup. I mean, I love my HT, but it's on the mellow and polite side of things. I remember that my RTiA speakers used to deliver more "impact" in the upper frequencies than my LSiM currently do, but I kinda like it that way now, even for movies nights.

It also depends on the rest of your setup : Do you have a center channel? If so, using the 703s might sound different when the voice is panning from side to center.

Still, the 703s really deserve the praise. At current sales prices (or lower, if you're, like me, "lucky" enough to receive a slightly "damaged" speaker), they're a really good pick. At full price, not so much (especially since they're always on sale).

Plus, I find that bookies are easier to set up properly than tower speakers, but that probably only matters if your room is subpar like mine..

In the end, even if I lack the proper experience with the Signature line, my post should at least serve as a /bump.

msg

I run an LSiM front stage. A couple of summers ago, I had S20s in the main system for several weeks for testing, and found that they edged out 703s for HT.

For music, however, 703s offered noticeable refinements. Additional musical detail, such as being better with decay, for example. If you're not listening closely for the difference, or not going from 703 to Signature series, both are pleasing. Actually, with that last bit there, I was just reminded of something else I remember sharing at the time - I wasn't particularly missing the 703s when I switched in the S20s, which I thought was testament to the S20s, obviously, and completely unexpected. If I had to choose one, I'd take the hit on HT for the bump in music performance and go LSiM, but if I were starting over again in this hobby and started with Signature instead of RTi, I think I'd have been done before I got sucked in.

The S20s were not a glaring mismatch for use with a 706 center when back in 3.1 mode. I'd suspect it'd be close enough going the other way, too, though I remember @hermitism saying he found he missed his RTis for theater when he first got his 703s.

Depending on your room size you may be able to use 703s without the sub for music.

As pcb says, whether worth the benefits or whether they'll fit will fall to your experience with them.

I will say that I can remember noticing 703s sounding particularly good about 6-9 months into ownership, and that was even with daily use the whole time, so they'll take some real time to break in and will get better with time.

halo

I had the 705's and the S60's. In my listening environment, on my gear, and, to my ears, I preferred the S60's by a slim margin. A margin is a margin and I sold the LSiM 705's in favor of keeping the S60's (for a while). YMMV.

Milito

Thanks everyone for the opinions, I appreciate you all taking the time to respond.

My wife would like smaller speakers as I got the S55's when she was out of town and she was too happy with them being taller than the speakers I had before. I mentioned these to her, but she wants to see what the stands would like with the speakers.

halo

Milito wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the opinions, I appreciate you all taking the time to respond.

My wife would like smaller speakers as I got the S55's when she was out of town and she was too happy with them being taller than the speakers I had before. I mentioned these to her, but she wants to see what the stands would like with the speakers.

Same floorspace overall, most likely, and the stands will be an additional co$t

rooftop59

Here’s a good budget option for 22 inch stands. There is a 26 inch option for about $25 more: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sanus-steel-foundations-series-bookshelf-speaker-stands-pair-black/2945495.p?skuId=2945495&ref=212&loc=1&ds_rl=1266837&ref=212&loc=1&ds_rl=1266837&gclid=CjwKCAiA8OjjBRB4EiwAMZe6y3DA-5RocS8IAhLl_N0BpN4PJcaonPF1LbLNiFysBcQNjzhRm1v6_RoCRvYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

mlistens03

halo wrote: »

Milito wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the opinions, I appreciate you all taking the time to respond.

My wife would like smaller speakers as I got the S55's when she was out of town and she was too happy with them being taller than the speakers I had before. I mentioned these to her, but she wants to see what the stands would like with the speakers.

Same floorspace overall, most likely, and the stands will be an additional co$t

When I switched from my LSis to my KEFs, I ended up losing more floor space due to the size of the base of the stand. But it looks like there is more space, because despite the fact that the KEFs on the stands are almost as tall and deep as the LSis were, the fact that there is just a pillar instead of the large cabinet makes the space seem to be bigger. FWIW, IMO, IME, etc.

rburgess714

I have the 60s and 30 as my front sound stage and they serve me well for ht and 2-channel, wonderful speakers. I also have the 703s in another system and think they are a bit more musical. I occasionally rotate the 703s into my ht-hybrid 2 channel rig and the 60s into the dedicated 2 channel and really like them both. I would have a hard time getting rid of either pair which I doubt that helps you. However, if you go with 703s you will need some good stands and the footprint will be close to that of the towers. Also, if there are kids or pets in the house that could be a case for towers.

rburgess714

Milito wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the opinions, I appreciate you all taking the time to respond.

My wife would like smaller speakers as I got the S55's when she was out of town and she was too happy with them being taller than the speakers I had before. I mentioned these to her, but she wants to see what the stands would like with the speakers.

To give you/her a idea of what the 703s look like on stands.

rburgess714

Milito

Oh well looks like I'm out. Thanks everyone and thanks for posting the pictures.

I showed my wife a bunch of stands and she hates the look of the speakers with stands. It's in our main living area so she has a say in what goes in there as I'm sure those that are married understand. She said if it was any other room they would be okay.

She said when I bought the S55's she wished they were shorter so I had mentioned these to her since they were smaller and were on sale at such a good price.

msg

Oh, man. Well, I have to say, I didn't like the look of stands at first. I thought it was weird, but they really grew on me pretty quickly, and now I thoroughly enjoy the look. Gotta bind the cables, but that's not hard.

Those Pangeas like Ray posted look great with 703s as shown.

rburgess714

Yes but this man has learned a Happy wife is a Happy life. Some of us are slow learners😆

rburgess714

Okay speaking for myself.

Milito

We are all slow learners.

mantis

rburgess714 wrote: »

That's a cool looking cabinet. I suggest you change your layout due to the center channel being to low to the ground. Your gonna have a reflection issue even though you have a throw rug just about where the reflection is going to happen. If you Swap your AVR and Center position your gonna notice a pretty big difference in center clarity. Even better would be to place it on top of the cabinet and put the amp where the center is now. That would make and even bigger difference.

rburgess714

mantis wrote: »

rburgess714 wrote: »

That's a cool looking cabinet. I suggest you change your layout due to the center channel being to low to the ground. Your gonna have a reflection issue even though you have a throw rug just about where the reflection is going to happen. If you Swap your AVR and Center position your gonna notice a pretty big difference in center clarity. Even better would be to place it on top of the cabinet and put the amp where the center is now. That would make and even bigger difference.

Thank you sir. Slightly modified by removing the back panel for ventilation except for the area behind doors.

I agree and have had it where the AVR is and should switch it back. It would sound best on top but it’s a little too tall and I think I would need longer ICs.

Thanks for the suggestion.