LSIM703 or R200's

mantis
mantis Posts: 17,199
in Speakers
Hello everyone,
what speaker do you prefer out of the 2. I have only heard the LSIM703 and yet to hear any Reserve series anything.

I just noticed near me 2 people are selling them used in good condition for what I think is fair pricing. $400 for the LSIM703's and $350 for the R200's.

Thoughts?
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,199
    Also found a pair of LSI 7's in great condition for $325. How them into the mix.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,729
    Buy all 3, sell what you don't like
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,110
    Dang, great deals.
    I agree with Trey. Those are three very different sounding speakers.

    If you can get them out from the back wall, maybe give the R200s a ****. I found the R200s to need room.

    You definitely get used to a speaker's presentation, that's for sure. When I swapped back in well loved 703s after listening to R200s and Wharfedales for a couple of weeks, I thought the 703s were horrendous. And this is a speaker I enjoyed. Probably would have gotten used to them again, but I was enjoying the other stuff at the time. I will say I like the tweeter in the R200s better than in the 703s. Maybe it's just the crossover.

    LSi7s are still a fave,though I only ever enjoyed them with Musical Fidelity or an old Realistic STA-84 receiver :D.

    I disabled signatures.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    The most balanced speaker is the r200. Is it the one you'll enjoy the most? Who knows?!?
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,110
    msg wrote: »
    If you can get them out from the back wall, maybe give the R200s a ****. I found the R200s to need room.

    I have no idea what I said here that was beeped out.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,948
    edited April 1
    Whirl? Spin? Ride?

    Edit: Nope. Hmm..

    Shot? Reacharound?
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,885
    Apparently reacharound is legal as sea salt as far as Nanny Vanilla is concerned. :#
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,110
    I think I said shot. Let's see if this gets bleeped.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,885
    P'haps there was a typo?
    One recalls that George Carlin observed that shoot is s#!t with two "O"s in it.

    aww, shoot!
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,196
    msg wrote: »
    I think I said shot. Let's see if this gets bleeped.

    Hmm… 🧐

    Look at your keyboard. What letters are next to “o”?! 😜
    Alea jacta est!
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,196
    Isn’t there a problem with replacement driver availability for the LSi M series?

    Wasn’t the ring radiator tweeter also improved for the Reserve series?
    Alea jacta est!
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,110
    Lol I think you guys are right @mhardy6647 and @kex! Haha

    Those are two letters I don't quite make an accurate reach for when writing on mobile sometimes.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,207
    edited April 1
    So Vanilla bleeps ****, but not G*d D*mn? Interesting…or sad…or dumb…or…


    Can’t comment on the R200, but I preferred the 703 over the LSi7.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,189
    IMO, I think the mids and up the LSi 7 and R200 will be similar. The LSi 7 can't do the bass as low or as clean as the R200 and the newer tweeter is sublime

    I haven't listened to a pair of 703's in forever so can't comment. They are much larger foot print, IIRC.

    The R200 is a phenomenal speaker for it's size and price. The balance is so good and highs so open and no detectable midrange coloring. Very pure and then the quality and quantity of bass is excellent.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,199
    heiney9 wrote: »
    IMO, I think the mids and up the LSi 7 and R200 will be similar. The LSi 7 can't do the bass as low or as clean as the R200 and the newer tweeter is sublime

    I haven't listened to a pair of 703's in forever so can't comment. They are much larger foot print, IIRC.

    The R200 is a phenomenal speaker for it's size and price. The balance is so good and highs so open and no detectable midrange coloring. Very pure and then the quality and quantity of bass is excellent.

    H9

    I really want to buy them so I can hear them. I missed out on the LSIM line all but the LSIM 703 . So the Reserve line I'd love to mess around with the entire line to really hear how they sound and perform. I'm probably gonna grab them so I can dig in.

    I will be running them for 2 channel by themselves and then with a Subwoofer or subwoofers depending on where I decide to mess around with them.

    The LSI7's I thought would be a cool Office wall mount solution again with a subwoofer. I use to own them many years ago and really thought they where one of the all starts of the LSI line. I kinda miss that line honestly.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,729
    Only need one sub, bass isn't directional


    😁
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,110
    Someone tell Trey his account's been hacked.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,592
    Keep in mind if memory serves parts for the 703 are non-existent and they were not made as long as the LSI-7s, so parts for the LSI 7s are likely more easier to come by.

    I’ve heard 703s, LSI 7s, R200s.

    The 703s were good and opened up when given good clean power.

    The LSI 7s were very balanced and were the best of the LSI series IMHO.

    The R200 were super easy to listen to and sounded quite good.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,189
    edited April 3
    Check Audio Advisor if you don't mind open box sales. They have had some great discounts on R200's. I've bought several open box/demo items from them and they are like new.....couldn't tell they were not brand new.

    For example

    https://www.audioadvisor.com/por200-blk?sku=DEMO-POR200-BLK-PR

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,199
    VR3 wrote: »
    Only need one sub, bass isn't directional


    😁

    My Man, Bass is room dependent. If you only sit in one spot, you can get away with 1 sub and get good results. But if you like to switch it up from time to time, 2 subs will give you when properly placed and calibrated of course more even bass across more seating locations. Everyone NEEDS more subs LOL.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,199
    msg wrote: »
    Someone tell Trey his account's been hacked.

    I was thinking the same thing
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,199
    EndersShadow wrote: »
    Keep in mind if memory serves parts for the 703 are non-existent and they were not made as long as the LSI-7s, so parts for the LSI 7s are likely more easier to come by.

    I’ve heard 703s, LSI 7s, R200s.

    The 703s were good and opened up when given good clean power.

    The LSI 7s were very balanced and were the best of the LSI series IMHO.

    The R200 were super easy to listen to and sounded quite good.

    Short and sweet. The LSIM's never completely impressed me but again I only got to listen to the 703's and never got to hear any other model in that line. The LSI line I owned all of them except the LSI powered towers but I did install them many times as Tweeter carried them when I worked there.

    The R200's I'm gonna grab as I want to dig into the Reserve line as I'm not a fan of finish options, everything I have heard about them , they are remarkable. Some like them more than the Legend series which is a huge statement.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,497
    R200 got looked at by Danny Richie:

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/200085/danny-richie-does-the-polk-r200#latest
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,199
    Gardenstater wrote: »
    R200 got looked at by Danny Richie:

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/200085/danny-richie-does-the-polk-r200#latest

    I watched the upgrade video he did on the R200's. He basically kicked them and then upgraded them with better crossover parts and replaced the binding posts.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,497
    edited April 3
    I'll watch it again. I think he had some bad ringing in the CSD plot and moved the crossover point to minimize iirc (or maybe a notch filter), but don't hold me to that. He didn't like the ferromagnetic steel in the sandcast resistors and the binding posts, and the use of mylar caps.
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,729
    Anyone chasing the Dannie Ritchie sound can skip all of the hub hub and just buy studio monitors
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,729
    edited April 3
    Also, the smaller the subwoofer the better, High powered long excursion... No need for large drivers or excessive displacement. Dsp can fill the void

    The r200 is a good speaker but I really preferred my definitive pm500 in my application. Something about the midrange in the 200 just did not work for me.

    The 703 is very bloated sounding with a glass tweeter

    The lsi line is one of Polks better products. The proof is in the longevity of the line and somewhat loyal fan base.

    I have heard the lsi series many times modded and stock and they have always been good enough to sustain a solid listening session
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,497
    edited April 3
    VR3 wrote: »
    Anyone chasing the Dannie Ritchie sound can skip all of the hub hub and just buy studio monitors

    I don't know anyone who has done one of his upgrade kits on their speakers and reported subjective before and after listening tests. Clearly, Danny doesn't do them and wouldn't be able to since the people only send him one of their speakers, and not the pair.

    No doubt in my mind that the process he goes through of showing before and after CSD plots, Frequency Response both on axis and off axes in the vertical and horizontal directions, and phase and impedance plots is a reasonably valid one but not the whole picture.

    I think his process of improving the quality of the components in the crossover and quality of connections and wiring is pretty hard to find fault with.
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,729
    The fact is he takes one speaker, takes measurements and aims for a flat response.

    He recommends using high quality parts and adding no rez.

    It is what it is, the man knows his stuff but having owned a product he designed, using his drivers, etc - I can tell you the sound and end result is not for me... but this hobby is subjective either way.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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