$1400 Burning a hole in my pocket . . . new speaker time!!

McLoki

The polk LSi line is a completely different sound than the RTi's (and part of the reason I was suggesting them). If you were to go to Paradigm or B&W (while staying in your $1,500 price range) you will get a better speaker with a similar sound signature to what the RTi's bring to the table (imo).

I get the feeling you want something completly different for your money than what you have now. Based on that - I would look at a different speaker technology and see if you like it. Martin-Logan and Mangepan both come to mind as something that will be very nice but a completly different sound and presentation than what you have now.

Just a thought.

Michael

zombie boy 2000

I agree with McLoki... esp in reference to the Beemers and Paradigm. I don't know if you have mentioned it already, but what size room are you intending to place these in?

Are you dead-set on floorstanders? Or are bookshelves an option?
What type of music do you primarily listen to? What sonic qualities do you value in a speaker? Its timbre? Transparency? Dynamic range? Imaging ability? Wide soundstage?

All of the above is probably not an option with your budget. But there are always speakers that do one or more of these phenomenally well within your price range.

For example, I sacrificed impact and dynamic range for imaging and timbre when making my decision with my budget. It's all in what you value...

SolidSqual

Ok, we're gonna settle this right now. I found someone through this forum that happen to lives 45 minutes away from me. I'm going to drive there after work. Expect a review later tonight. I'm bringing my Parasound Halo A23 to the review session as that is what I would use. Is this a common practice? Sometimes I plan on doing this with all my reviews. Bring my Halo along that is . . .

Lsi9

A lot of people never consider Focal, IMO they should always be considered when shopping for a new pair of loudspeakers, usually it wins out when it is...

SolidSqual

zombie boy 2000 wrote:

I agree with McLoki... esp in reference to the Beemers and Paradigm. I don't know if you have mentioned it already, but what size room are you intending to place these in?

Are you dead-set on floorstanders? Or are bookshelves an option?
What type of music do you primarily listen to? What sonic qualities do you value in a speaker? Its timbre? Transparency? Dynamic range? Imaging ability? Wide soundstage?

I plan on placing these in a 20 X 30 room.
I want floorstanders.
I truly value a wide soundstage that almost gives the effect of surround sound. I like clear neutral sound, but bright enought to where you can hear the texture of a string on an accoustic guitar.
I listen to a lot of blues, classic rock, Jazz and Piano Instrumentals.
Dynamic Range is important in all these.

SolidSqual

McLoki wrote:

The polk LSi line is a completely different sound than the RTi's (and part of the reason I was suggesting them). If you were to go to Paradigm or B&W (while staying in your $1,500 price range) you will get a better speaker with a similar sound signature to what the RTi's bring to the table (imo).

I get the feeling you want something completly different for your money than what you have now. Based on that - I would look at a different speaker technology and see if you like it. Martin-Logan and Mangepan both come to mind as something that will be very nice but a completly different sound and presentation than what you have now.

Just a thought.

Michael

McLoki, thanks for these insights. Truly . . . I do love the sound signature of the RTi8s, but I am looking for a wider consuming soundstage with more of a dynamic range. Crap, now I am thinking more about the LSi line. This forum is voodoo.

Demiurge

zombie boy 2000 wrote:

This shouldn't be a crime... I've read many favorable reviews of speakers that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt wouldn't appeal to me. You come across enough testimonies, you start to build a clear picture of the product.

Sure, you don't know, until you hear... but how many of us have the opportunity to hear every single speaker available? I didn't demo my current speakers, but I had a fairly accurate idea of what I was getting when I pulled the trigger. No surprises either when I had them up and running....

It's not a crime.

It's kind of like...I wouldn't come into your house and tell you and your wife your decorating sucks. Know what I mean?

I realize now he wasn't doing that, but it's what some of us were reading.

AndyGwis

If Polk's are like "fat girls," I guess I'm dirty legging big time with my setup.

Gaara

Fat chicks are like mopeds, they are fun to ride until your friends find out.

As for the LSis, they do sound really good with the Halo line. I had a similar setup for a while, a Yamaha HTR-5590 with a Halo A23 to power the fronts which were LSi9s. I thought the symmetry was great between the Halo and the LSis. Of course you don't need to buy polk, you could always go for something else, like AV123, they have the Reference 1.8s on sale right now for $1495.

Jared

avguytx

How about a big ol' pair of Altec Lansing speakers? lol

LuSh

Before wasting any money or researching more usless reviews which are more or less please buy me advertisements you could consider your systems overall performance and try and understand the strenghts and weaknesses of it. You could then use this as a platform to narrow down what it is you're looking for.

Secondly, the most important thing to consider when purchasing any speaker is the room acoustic's and setting. I know all about this from a few bad experiences. The size of speaker and placement is as critical or in some cases more critical then what parts are used within. If you have only 12" from the back wall perhaps you should consider something smaller or at least not as deep as say the LSi15's. The Polk Audio LSi's require large amounts of space from the back wall, if they don't have this space they'll sound boomy. A speaker like Totem or Neat (from Naim audio) thrives in this situation. The question isn't if Polk Audio is better then Totem, the question should be is Polk Audio or Totem or (insert speaker brand) right for your musical tastes AND room layout/acoustics. Dynaudio's are a great speaker but put them in the wrong room and it is game over.

I will say that in my time I regard the Polk Audio LSi series as one of the best sleeper speakers sold from this decade. It is of my opinion that if everything else were equal (room acoustics were a non factor and you had a dedicated sound room) nothing in its price class could touch it. Realize that I now own Totem speakers but was forced into this situation as my listening room changed and I required smaller speakers. I prefer the Polk Audio LSi sound to the Totem's but I simply can't make the Polk's work in my living space. I was one of a few small people probably in North America to drive LSi9's with an amplifier twice it's list price and a digital front end nearly 4 times the price of the LSi 9 speaker. That should give you an indication of highly I thought of the speakers. I still miss them to this day.

RuSsMaN

The 604's would be a great choice, but you'll save at least 1/3rd going used. Be patient, and get out there, get your ears on some different things.

Cheers,
Russ

zombie boy 2000

Demiurge wrote:

It's kind of like...I wouldn't come into your house and tell you and your wife your decorating sucks. Know what I mean?

What Demi? You don't like the corner bric-a-brac and green shag carpets circa 1974? The brown on orange kitchen schemes? Mirrors for days?

We got class for that ****:D

zombie boy 2000

Lush... you said it best. I'm fighting that battle right now as the wife wants the rig in a different room. A room that's nearly twice as big with hardwood floors instead of carpet. As far as I'm concerned, she's holding my stereo at gunpoint demanding all it's money. This could change everything in the blink of an eye.

Bill Ayotte

I haven't seen anyone mention Tannoy in any of this, so I though I would throw out the suggestion to go give them a listen if you can in your area. They are a very laid back speaker.

opus

Hey Solid you asked for opinions so here's mine. If you can, take your 8's with you and demo them side by side ( I know its a pita). My buddy (PRC) and I did this with a pair of B&W 603's and we were both happier with the 8's over the 603's. I'm not sure that the lower lines of B&W are the way to go.


kevin

hoosier21

I haven't seen anybody mention NHT, they make speakers

SolidSqual

Let me just say OH MY GOD!!!!!! . . . ok I'll come back in a little bit . . . I need a beer.

venomclan

One speaker in that price range I listened to was the Martin Logan Mosaic. I saw them on sale recently at Sound Advice/Tweeter for half price. I liked these better than some of the bigger ML's, even those many times its price.
Venom

cstpeter

Another suggestion: The Revel Concerta F12. Never heard 'em, but from everything I read they are considered the best speaker in the price range.

shack

SolidSqual wrote:

Let me just say OH MY GOD!!!!!! . . . ok I'll come back in a little bit . . . I need a beer.

I believe SolidSqual just discovered the difference between his speakers and the LSis....;)

SolidSqual

Hey guys,

Thanks for all your constructive help. For all you who have been following this thread as it develops, you know it got a little heated midway. At any rate, the tention culminated for me by finding a person with a pair of LSi9s. I'm sitting on his couch with his 9s hooked up to my Parasound Halo A23. He had originally hooked the 9s up to two outlaw monoblocks. When I got there, he had already disconnected his blocks. I hooked up my A23 and he put Beck: Sea Change into his Xbox 360 (granted this may not be the best player, but you take what you can get). As he turned the volume up to a moderate level, his pursed mouth went from a relaxed half frown to a smile, to a wide "O." The he said, "I have never hear this CD sound so good." We switched the Halo out and put the monoblocks back in. The monoblocks sounded less musical. Perhaps metallic or mechanical on the high notes. The Halo produced a much more neutral inviting sound, not to mention the soundstage was far wider. Anyway, this is an LSi9 review. My first impression on the Halo A23. The LSi9s definitely have a different sound than the RTi. At first I though the sound was less in your face and less menacing, then I realized that the LSi actually brought to life the sad emotions of Becks soundtrack. I forgot I was supost to be reviewing the speakers and was actually sucked into the music. Once waking up, I put in Santana: Moonflower - Europa. Let me just say. I'm going to stop reviewing right now. These speakers need to be heard to be reviewed. I just don't have the words. I will say thatI have never heard music sound so alive. I've seen Santana several times in concert. This experienced touch me in the same way. Simply amzing. Breahtaking. Time Stopping. I think I just fell for the fat girl.

SolidSqual

Your damn right I just discoverd the difference. Wow you guys weren't kidding. Honestly, I didn't know they would sound so different. In fact, I didn't really know sound could be reproduced so different with such sublety.

SolidSqual

I can't wait to compare this experienc to the B&W 604s

McLoki

SolidSqual wrote:

I think I just fell for the fat girl.

For a satisfying long term relationship - always go for the personality...

Michael

SolidSqual

McLoki wrote:

For a satisfying long term relationship - always go for the personality...

Michael

Well in terms of physical looks, I was actualy pleasantly surprised. The drivers in their ebony enclosure appear very sleek and modern.

As far as long term, I hope I don't hate her later for taking all my money. She better continue to put out. Pun intended.

SolidSqual

So what's the major difference between the 9s and the 15s? Do they sound sonically different above the low range?

SolidSqual

Another question, I read in one of the posts that the LSis perform best several feet away from a wall. Is this the general consensus? The ones I heard were actually about an inch of the wall.

McLoki

Like many relationships - the more money you pour into her for support, the more she will put out.

Source, pre, amp, wires: you will hear every change you make and it will eventually suck you dry.

hoosier21

SolidSqual wrote:

Another question, I read in one of the posts that the LSis perform best several feet away from a wall. Is this the general consensus? The ones I heard were actually about an inch of the wall.

ANY speakers sounds better when they are off the side wall