LSi9s vs Sonus Faber Concertino or Concerto

rnp614

I was just wondering if anyone has heard the Sonus speakers and how you would compare them to the Polks.

F1nut

The Concerto vs LSi 9? Hands down the SF is the better speaker, IMO.

rnp614

how about the more closely matched concertino?

shack

Concerto....Hands down superior? I don't know, but I can see how one could have that point of view.

Better? Absolutely.

But then again it is more than twice the price...so if price really means anything it should be better.

I have demoed both on several occasions and the Sonus Faber Concerto is a beautiful sounding speaker with the best midrange and highs of anything I've heard from a standmount speaker. Soundstage and imaging are excellent....but....there is no bass extension at all.

IMO the LSi9 is the best of the LSi series with wonderful smooth mid and highs and more bass than you would expect for a speaker of it's size. A very good all-round performer.

I guess it depends on what you are looking for but I would probably not spend $2,000 + for the Sonus Fabers knowing I still need a sub to equal the bass of the LSi9s. (there I go bringing $ into the equation and I know that is not what you asked).

IMO both are very nice speakers that can actually be compared head to head if you live anywhere near a Tweeter (or one of their subsidiaries). If so then get them to hook them up to the same gear and demo your **** off.

newsman

Hmm, in my experience Concertinos are limited in their range - they are also designed for small rooms only, in my opinion. However, I would say Concerto's are probably would be better pick over LSi9 - I mean SF are gorgeous speakers. Sound good too I was choosing between Concertos, LSi15 and Grand Piano - I picked LSi15. You really have to listen for yourself. SF and Polk sound very different - but they are my top choices. I wish Polk would match the craftsmanship of SF - but you have to realize that Polks are mass manufactured, whereas SF are hand made speakers.

rnp614

Well the decision has already been made in that I bought some LSi9s in cherry (they're beautiful). I just wondered how they compare so those Sonus'.

Since I listen to a lot of alternative music I'm thinking the Polks are a better fit since sometimes they need that punch the Sonus' may not have.

F1nut

Thought I'd drop this in from another thread.

Originally posted by organ
I also own a pair of LSi9 and I wouldn't recommend them for LOUD listening, especially with really heavy stuff.

lomic

Yes, heavy/busy loud music isn't the 9's strong point at all. Pretty much anything of any genre recorded before 1990 sounds good on them, in my experience

They do actually like being played loud normally. My reciever isn't perfectly calibratied for reference volume, but there's a point on most recordings between -10db and 0db where the LSi9's just completely come to life and immerse the entire room in rich full range sound down to almost not needing a sub. Well, maybe loud for me just isn't what some others consider loud.

rnp614

Yeah I dont listen to anything very hard or electric heavy...I'm into more emo/alternative/acoustic and for those uses the 9s seem to excel.

gregure

Spoke with a sales rep at Magnolia Audio Video here in Santa Rosa, and he owns a pair of Sonus Faber (concertos, maybe-paid $4k for the pair). He is biased towards them of course, but did say that they are not really the best speakers for rock, and are more oriented toward classical and jazz. Given that, for the price and performance, I would think the LSi 9 is the better all-around performer.

rnp614

Originally posted by Zero
The Lsi's can get loud and keep their composure well. In fact, in my humble opinion, the louder they are played, the better they sound.

No, they cannot rock out like many other speakers...but they do an admirable job, especially compared to a speaker from the likes of Sonus Faber.

Given your tastes, you made the right choice.

I'd agree...they dont really show their true nature until pushed at higher volumes. THats when these speaks really shine.

Whadyasay

I'll also agree that there seems to be a minimum amount of juice to get the 9's really singing, which may be more than other brands of speakers, even with a separate power amp. This isn't a bad thing at all, and it really isn't that high of a listening level...even for a NYC apartment like mine. Also, most of my music listening is comprised of classic/acoustic jazz, which for the most part has a lot of space in the mix, and the 9's excel here. Movies sound great too, though...even action flicks at loud levels. I don't listen to any current hard rock or whatever, but I've never noticed any sort of congestion at hiher levels with any material that has a dense and heavy mix.

George Grand

I haven't had experience with the Polks you mentioned, but my ex-neighbor Dean had a pair of those Concertino's, and they were outstanding small speakers. Fit and finish was second to none, imaging was fantastic, and the amount of low end coming out those 6" woofers was about the best I've ever heard for a 6" two-way.
DAMN nice speakers.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

heiney9

Originally posted by George Grand
I haven't had experience with the Polks you mentioned, but my ex-neighbor Dean had a pair of those Concertino's, and they were outstanding small speakers. Fit and finish was second to none, imaging was fantastic, and the amount of low end coming out those 6" woofers was about the best I've ever heard for a 6" two-way.
DAMN nice speakers.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

What was your neighbor using to power them? Was the source material analog or digital? Just curious. Never have heard them but I've never read a bad review of them.

Heiney9

George Grand

A piece of **** home theater receiver and they STILL sounded good. I told him to turn off the surrounds, and subwoofer so I could hear them in straight stereo. Very impressive.

He ended up selling those and bought 4 Maggie MMG's. Lost a little low end but those Maggies are just fine. Even more transparent than the SF's, but you need a sub and you can't have them around kids or pets. I still don't like you.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

heiney9

Originally posted by George Grand
A piece of **** home theater receiver and they STILL sounded good. I told him to turn off the surrounds, and subwoofer so I could hear them in straight stereo. Very impressive.

He ended up selling those and bought 4 Maggie MMG's. Lost a little low end but those Maggies are just fine. Even more transparent than the SF's, but you need a sub and you can't have them around kids or pets. I still don't like you.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

Imagine what they'd sound like hooked up to some "real" equipment. They sound like winners to me.

If I get rid of the Adcom would you like me then?:p

George Grand

He ended up buying a Rotel 5 channel power amp to drive the Maggies, but never went with a real preamp, just used the preouts on some kind of HT receiver.

Oops. Forgot it was a two-part question. No.

I used the Adcom 555 with RTA11ts and to my ears it was not a match made in heaven. Thought it would make a great subwoofer amp, but I don't need subwoofers. So I sold it, and a guy drove AR-5's with it for a year, and then it blew up.



I gotta go.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

rnp614

Anyone have any experience with Definitive Tech C/L/R speakers or their PowerMonitor or StudioMonitor speakers? Instead of getting a sub I'm thinking of trying out a pair since they supposedly have such good bass extension. Even the CLR 2000 or 2002 which dont have powered subs get down to 22 or 30 according to the DefTech site.