LSi Rears

Demiurge

When choosing rear speakers, would it be unwise to spend the extra money for LSi9s? Would it be better just to go with LSi7s?

The reason I ask is that a lot of folks have the LSi9s as their main speakers, and while rear speakers certainly get utilized, do they get used enough to warrant the extra money?

Next step after the rear speakers is to get my SVS. Then it's time to work on cable replacement.

Gettin' close!

unc2701

I'd say the 9's are overkill for rears... but you could definitely run them full range for that extra bump.

BTW- I'm getting ready to selling my LSiF/X's. Drop me a PM if you're interested.

Demiurge

unc2701 wrote:

I'd say the 9's are overkill for rears... but you could definitely run them full range for that extra bump.

BTW- I'm getting ready to selling my LSiF/X's. Drop me a PM if you're interested.

Thanks, it still may be a few months from me. I'm moving this summer, and won't be installing fixtures for my speakers until that time.

Trying to tempt me on the 7.1 setup?

McLoki

I really think the whole aspect of a speaker being wasted as a surround speaker is out of date. All the speakers get a full range signal now (as opposed to pro-logic days) so they would all be equally important.

Granted your front stage is most important so that is where the majority of your money should go, but once you have decided you like the sound of a speaker, there is nothing wrong with running that speaker in all channels if you can afford it. Sure the difference may be incremental, but most of us are well past the point of diminishing returns anyway.

The only thing that clearly recommends the 7's over the 9's is size. Since rear speakers are often mounted to the wall - the added depth of the 9's could kill the deal. I would be running LSiFx's as my rear channels if they were not so big. When I move to a HT and I control the space - I will get the fx's, as long as the speaker is in my living room though, the 7's are as large a speaker as I can go.

Michael

AndyGwis

I agree with McLocki, the 9's would surely sound great as rears, but they are SOOO big and extremely deep. I think it would almost look awkward (unless you have a big room and a great place to place/mount them).

They are beasts, that's for sure.

jkn

McLoki wrote:

When I move to a HT and I control the space - I will get the fx's, as long as the speaker is in my living room though, the 7's are as large a speaker as I can go.

Michael

Give me a shout when you decide to get rid of your 7's...

unc2701

McLoki wrote:

I really think the whole aspect of a speaker being wasted as a surround speaker is out of date. All the speakers get a full range signal now (as opposed to pro-logic days) so they would all be equally important.

More accurately, the speakers CAN get a full range signal. Unfortunately, I found most the software (DVD's in my case) seemed to roll the signal off around 80hz, which the 7's can more than handle. Yes, I set everything to large.

This may be different for SACD or DVD-A and I found a few movies that would hit the rears with some bass, but they were the exception.

McLoki

My amp has signal lights for each channel (5.1) and I know that the sub is often getting a signal when the rear speakers are playing. I do not know what frequencies it is trying to reproduce though since my crossover is set to 80hz and is a slope as opposed to a wall from that frequency.

To each their own.

Michael

cheddar

+1 on the placement options for the fx and the 7s. I think the only way besides some custom set-up to place the 9s is literally on a bookshelf or stands. The keyhole power ports on the 7s and lsi/fxs allow for wall placement and in my case, I was able to modify a ceiling mount to mate with the lsi/fx keyholes, so no drilling required.

So I think the placement options allow the speakers to be put in the ideal place for a surround speaker. And the 9 may sound better, but if you have to place it in a less than ideal position, you may be losing, rather than gaining surround effects quality.

And I don't know about the range for standard dvds, but I certainly wouldn't want to cheap out on the surround speakers with the new hd lossless audio codecs. Get a surround that is smooth all the way to the rumble cutoff to the sub. The 7s can certainly handle it, but the quality would certainly be better for the 9s and lsi/fxs.

mwaarna

LSi's as rears, is a dilemma I will be facing soon.

Due to budget and me wanting a subwoofer off the bat, i ordered LSi9's with an SVS Sub.

My next purchase will be a center and either new Rears, or new fronts and moving the LSi9's into the back.

But moving the LSi9's into the back might be over kill..

Not sure, its a problem for the future i have to deal with.

cheddar

Well, it's always a trade-off of budget to diminishing returns. From the meters on my amps, if I have 5-10 watts going to my mains (very loud here), I only have maybe 1-2 watts going to the surrounds, if they even register above zero. So they get maybe one tenth the workout of the front three or less. Is it worth it to pump 1/3 or more of your budget for speakers (to say nothing of amplification) in to the surrounds? Guess it just depends on how much you want those diminishing returns.

But like I said, the new hd audio codecs should put a lot more emphasis on the surround channels as far as range and number of discreet channels used. So I'd definitely get something I could live with in the near future...