Just got my Lsi9's hooked up, listening levels too loud..

mwaarna

Just opened the boxes last and set them up just to listen to them for a little while.

I have the LSi9's hooked up to a Outlaw 750 amp 165wpc@8 and 250wpc@4.

Before i had my LSi9's the only thing with speakers in my living room was my tv. Occasionally i would turn up the volume, but almost immediately after i would have to turn it down.

Last night i was just messing around wathing kill bill 2, and i kept on putting the volume up, and i didnt notice how loud it was until i tried to speak to some one a few feet away.. I was keeping the receiver at about -13db to -7db.

Have any of you experience this same problem?:)

I do love my investment, just cant wait for my SVS plus/2 to come in.

:-)

ben62670

Yes, clean power+good speakers the sound level can get away from you. Ask your neighbors!

cstpeter

Awesome. Enjoy the LSi9. I liked mine more and more as they broke in and my ears got used to 'em.

McLoki

That is exactly the biggest difference I have noticed after adding my amp. As you turn up the volume - it is not really percieved as louder, just as more clear.

My wife is fairly sensitive to loud noises (at least she asks me to turn it down alot) but since we have been listening to the LSi's with a separate amp - we have watched many movies at what we consider a comfortable level and only when one of us asks the other a question do we realise how loud it actually is.

We find we are listening at a higher volume now (was -20 to -25 now is -15 to -20) and enjoying the movies more. Since my amp can handle the dynamic range much better than the AVR I used to have - the parts of the movie that are supposed to be loud (gunfire, bombs, etc.) are really startling when they happen.

About the only time I am asked to turn it down now is if she is trying to hold a conversation or if she is in another room and trying not to listen...

Michael

Ferres

I'm thinking the opposite... perhaps you're loosing some detail in the dialogue, forcing you to up the volume.

With a clean sounding system, you can up the volume without fatigue but you shouldn't need to since the detail is already there up front. Consider a true pre-amp at some point in your upgrade path.:p

mwaarna

Ferres wrote:

I'm thinking the opposite... perhaps you're loosing some detail in the dialogue, forcing you to up the volume.

It could be that i am loosing dialogue from it, but i will do some more testing/setting up tonight.

With a clean sounding system, you can up the volume without fatigue but you shouldn't need to since the detail is already there up front. Consider a true pre-amp at some point in your upgrade path.:p

My long term(by 2008) plan is to get a dedicated Pre-Amp.. the Outlaw 990 looks good, but i want to get one with HDMI switching capabilities.. hence the reason i have in my signature loaner AVR..

I will try different settings in my AVR tonight, i currently have the LSi9's as Large, i will set them to small and do some placement testing.

Also once i get the LSiC the dialouge will be better, but i spent the money and went for a 2.1 initial setup, and my next step is 5.1.

Ferres

It took me a while to remove a Marantz SR6300(power conditioned) from my system and replace it with the 1068. I'm quite happy with the results.

I never realized how congested the sound was until I got the preamp.
See if you can do a loaner for a 2 channel preamp, see if there is any difference.

Cheers, enjoy the experience!

venomclan

mwaarna wrote:

My long term(by 2008) plan is to get a dedicated Pre-Amp.. the Outlaw 990 looks good, but i want to get one with HDMI switching capabilities.. hence the reason i have in my signature loaner AVR..

I will try different settings in my AVR tonight, i currently have the LSi9's as Large, i will set them to small and do some placement testing.

Also once i get the LSiC the dialouge will be better, but i spent the money and went for a 2.1 initial setup, and my next step is 5.1.

Having the 9's set to Large may be the problem. They are not designed to go down that low, as most full range speakers can.

For movies Iset my Outlaw to Night level 4, it takes some of the bass out but makes the dialogue clearer and set the center to small.
Venom

mwaarna

I will set the speakers to small once i get home today. What do you guys suggest to set the cross over frequency for the LSi9's? I will have a SVS PB12 Plus/2 to handle the bass.

McLoki

Personally I would say 80hz. You could get by with 60, but many AVRs and Pre/Pros do not handle the crossover correctly and will start to limit the bass to the LFE channel at the crossover setting as well.

For my situation (I have bass issues that are helped with a BFD on my sub channel) 80hz crossover sounds best even though my 15's can play alot deeper. I have tested 40, 60, and 80hz and 80 is just what works best in my room. It is really not even close to the point that testing and seeing what you like best is not that hard or involved.

Michael

Lsi9

Don't blast the speakers too much, you WILL blow one of the drivers...I don't like to test the limits of speakers, they will go and you won't notice until you hear that rattle of doom!