Good Imaging

simphiwes

i am under the impression that good imaging from speackers is when the singer is in the center of the speakers and the instruments on either side of either the left or right speaker. As we go up the speaker chain and speakers get more expensive how does this get better. i refere here to the Rti series and the Lsi series to narrow the camparison down. How do the Lsi's image better than Rti's based on what i have mentioned above, unless my understanding imaging is misguided. aside from better components and other related issues that make Lsi's more expensive than the Rti's how much better can the imaging get than what it is.

aaharvel

Good imaging isn't defined by the vocals being assigned to just the center speaker. Actually I prefer a more even balance of vocals and instruments in all three speakers, with the stereo pair being slightly louder and the primary. With all three speakers doing their job right, it eliminates the precedent effect when you're sitting even slightly off center. For a nice example of this, look how most SACDS are mastered in multi-channel. The stereo pair still have the brunt of the information fed to them, but the center is there and used to lessen that "P.E."

As far as the RTI vs. LSI argument, I can only guess that it's all in the LSI tweeter- providing a more sharper and focused presentation for the listener, thus superior imaging. On the other end of the spectrum, you have Bose's direct reflecting whatever. Those speakers act more like a dipolar speaker, and though sound may seem to be "coming from everywhere" (yeah right), this in fact kills the imaging and any chance of high quality musical reproduction.

Which is why you don't use Polk FXi speakers as the stereo pair, but regular monopoles like the rti4 or lsi7.

(edit) at least that's my take on imaging. The more experienced Polk guys can probably help you out more- considering more than likely they have owned BOTH Rti's and Lsi's. I have not.

Early B.

I've had several versions of the RTi's and a pair of Lsi7's, Both of them do a good job of imaging, but speaking about imaging by itself doesn't reveal very much about a speaker's capabilities, IMO, because imaging should be evaluated along with the soundstage. Both concepts speak to vocal and instrument placement with a host of other sub-terms to more clearly define them such as width, depth, height, forward, recessed, balanced, etc. From this perspective, the Lsi's are a clear winner over the RTi's.

hoosier21

Early B. wrote:

I've had several versions of the RTi's and a pair of Lsi7's, Both of them do a good job of imaging, but speaking about imaging by itself doesn't reveal very much about a speaker's capabilities, IMO, because imaging should be evaluated along with the soundstage. Both concepts speak to vocal and instrument placement with a host of other sub-terms to more clearly define them such as width, depth, height, forward, recessed, balanced, etc. From this perspective, the Lsi's are a clear winner over the RTi's.

What he said.

It goes from...

the singer is in the middle, the drums behind, the lead guitar on the right, the bass on the left and they are all bunched up between the speakers and all seem to be in a straight line and on top of eachother

to..

the singer is in the center about 2 feet in front of me, the drums are behind the singer about 10 back behind the speakers, the guitar is on the right standing a little in front of the speakerright speaker, the bass is a little behind and about 4 feet outside the left speaker (or some variation of the above)

Russ