Anyone happy using LSi25 subs in HT?

Ruin

I have a space constraint that pretty much precludes the use of a seperate sub with LSi15s, so I figure to go with the 25s. Any of you actually use the 25s with no additional sub and feel like you get decent (not shake the house 2 blocks away, I don't need that) performance from the 25s powered subs?

Thanks!

Ruin

Just wanted to say that now that I am running my LSi25s, the subs are suprisingly competent. The key is to Y out from the sub-out into both subs LFE inputs and to run the top part of the speaker as small. Treat the subs just as you would seperate subs. The freqency responce matches the PSW1000 though the power output of the combined subs is closer to the PSW505.
Having 2 subs that fire in oposite directions seems to really disperse the bass so that there really is no localization of the low frequencies from the subs at all. Localization comes totally from the low/mids/high on the top of the LSi25s and from the LSi9 surrounds.

I am quite happy with using the subs in the LSi25s given that I just do not have the space for a seperate sub. Sure, I don't get extension below 20hz that some super duper subs might give me, but I am pleased as punch with the overall response. My only issue now is how to dampen my cabinets as they rattle like hell.

Ruin

knownalien

In reality, I am not sure how many movies or music (except for the occasional pipe organ work) goes much below 30 hz. Though I think the LSi25 is rated to go down to 20hz, I think its lower -3db limit of 30 hz is more realistic. In addition to the price difference of the LSi25 vs. the 15's, I reasoned that the 15's (since they can't be changed in terms of the xover etc) would sound exactly like the engineers figured they would. But secretly I have always wanted the 25's to play with. It's 20" of combined woofer mass. Since I had the RTi100's with the built in sub too, I got my fix early on of the whole "amp in a tower" get-up, but I became skeptical that the amps in the powered polks were a little on the anemic side. Probably little more than a fear, but then I buy the SVS sub and I think the woofer inside is a 12" and yet they saw fit to stick a Bosh 525 RMS watt amp. The LSi25 is rated at 150 watts Continuous Average Output and Dynamic Power Output 300 watts. What gets me is that the midrange driver and the tweeters are still the same as the LSi15, but the LSi25 say they can take 50 more watts max (LSi15 250 max watts and LSi25 300 max watt).

Crazy world. In any event, I bought the LSi15's for one reason: its tweeter.

As long as you like the 25's sound in HT mode that is all that matters, and I suspect it sounds mighty fine.

marker

The sub amps in the RT2000i are only rated at like 50 watts each, but let me tell you, they are still cannons! :eek:

knownalien

^^ I am sure they do . I always reasoned that amps made by the company for a given driver also by that company were not to be equaled to anything I could assemble. I just thought it worth mentioned.

Ruin

They actually sound pretty good with music too.

I suspect, only suspect, that perhaps I might like the 15s better for pure musicality, but without having them side by side in my own house connected to my own system it would be hard to tell. The 25s just really worked out for me as an ellegant solution. 2 10" subs each 150watts (300dynamic) is more than enough sub output for me. I am only running them at the factory suggested half volume point and still I think I will have to turn them down a bit if I can't sufficiently dampen my cabinets.

It is just interesing to me that there is no real push to sell these as an all in one solution. Everywhere I see them they are always played with another external sub, and the 25s are never hooked up and setup properly to show off their potential.

Cheers,

Ruin

knownalien

^^ It may be because the literature I recall of the 15's and 25's focuses on the "new" SACD multimusic formats . . . which I never got into. With the RTi100's I spoke of earlier I did exactly what it is you are doing with the 25's. The RTi100's sounded really good. The LSi15's I have with music are tricky. I have to bi-amp them with more wattage then they are designed to handle. Why? When you listen to music "direct" the 15's leave a lot to be desired on the low end. But I have them bi-amped by different amps and one is dirtier than the other and is bothering me. I need to bi-amp using the same multi-channel amp for the 15's to fix this. But this is what wierds me out on the 25's, they take a max wattage of 300! That's 300 for the two mids and one tweeter? Yet the 15's add a passive 8" woofer to that and still only max at 250? That's just odd.

Ruin

It does seem a little strange. However, if you look at the specs on the 15s vs the 25s you will notice that the corssovers are not the same. The frequency range that has been assigned to the various drivers may have something to do with the power handling capability. Of course I could also be smoking something.

Ruin

knownalien

^^ that's right. The xovers are a little different. The 25's had always (probably still are) my dream "budget" speakers, but in the end the most my wife would allow was the 15's assuming I got an LSiC at the same time. She's great though . . . the wife, that is.

kmartin971

Use them and loving my LSI 25s!

RuSsMaN

The 25's rock. Say 'flagship' three times fast.

Cheers,
Russ

knownalien

Ruin had a good point about setups in stores. At Tweeter, for example, the 25's are not set up in the room with all of the other speakers. It is outside on the floor. Because of that, I personally wouldn't feel cool with cranking them up to test them like I would have if they were in the sound proof room. They actually featured the RTi12's in the very back a little better. The sales person cranked them up for me with Rush. In my price range, it was between the LSi15's and the RTi12's. I opted no on the RTi12's because I never felt I could give them all the power they needed.

GATOR3000

knownalien wrote:

I opted no on the RTi12's because I never felt I could give them all the power they needed.

Talking about power needed for LSi15..............so what is the minimum watts they need? I know more the better, but what is the min. for the 15's?

Gator

knownalien

GATOR3000 wrote:

Talking about power needed for LSi15..............so what is the minimum watts they need? I know more the better, but what is the min. for the 15's?

Gator

something like 20-250 watts.

Ruin

20-250 is the operating range. As far as a minimum, I would think you would want at least 100watts/channel so that you can drive them with somewhat clean power through a moderate volume level. If you are going to run at any significant voume level you might look to 150 to 200 per channel. Remember, the closer to the max rating you are running an amp (or amp portion of an AVR) the more distortion you are getting.

I am personally using an AVR rated at 140watts/channel into 8 ohms at 0.05% THD, so I am most likely getting something like 200-220watts/channel into 4ohms. I will never find out the clipping point of this system because I don't listen that loudly. I have yet to go over -10db on my volume control. At that level it is like being in the theatre to me, and I hear no distortion or sound issues at all.

Don't underpower LSi speakers. Most people on this forum would tell you that I am barely doing them justice with my AVR and would tell you to go external poweramps with 200 to 300 watts/channel.

Ruin

knownalien

i am bi-amping them at this point:

outlaw 7500
300 watts for the mid and tweeter
300 watts for the 8" woofer

far exceeding the recommended specs.

Ruin

Dang
Well that should certainly be enough. Just don't crank it to the max.

R

knownalien

^^ well, it's not actually gonna happen until today when my Outlaw audio stuff arrives: 990/7500 combo. I wish I didn't have to go to work today!

Demiurge

Well you don't have to go! Good luck with your new gear!

knownalien

It came!!!!

Ruin

I thought I heard some LSis blowing to smithereens.

R

wingnut4772

WooHoo! Christmas! I eagerly await the reviews.:)