CSi3 upgrade to LSiC

MillerLiteScott

I currently have the CSi3 due to space available and placement issues in my entertainment center. I am not happy with the CSi3 because it seems to thin to me with vocals both in movies and concerts.

The CSi5 is just to big for my entertainment center purchased by my wife.
I purchased the RTi10's and the CSi3 at Tweeter and probably paid to much. Tweeter has an upgrade policy and I wanted to look into what it would cost me to upgrade to the LSiC ( which fits) and possibly the LSi15's. @ $800

The guy at Tweeter told me that they match up the LSiC with RTi's for people and it seems fine. I am not sure I am one of those people. I currently have the LSiC on order and thought I would give it a try at a @ $300 upgrade. I think CSi3 sell for around $125 on ebay plus shipping and the LSiC are @ $300-325 plus shipping. I got to do some more research.

I have not even looked into what RTi10's would sell for and what LSi15's would cost. I am guessing I would save @ $200 doing the ebay deals but it is a pain in the **** with big speakers and the speakers I would end up buying probably would not have any warranty.

Once the new RTiA series is available the upgrade policy is no longer available and the value of my current RTi series will probably take a initial step nose dive.

I do like the LSi9 but the Tweeter guy did not think I would like them for HT. I also have two young kids and the thought of 40lbs speakers on stands is a disaster waiting to happen for both parties.

So I ultimately the question is,

Is it worth it to upgrade through Tweeter to the LSiC and LSi15 and will my amp with 150 watts at 4 ohms be enough to make them sound better than the RTi10's?


Interestingly the guy at Tweeter told me he tries to "steer people away from LSi series" because they need more power than an AVR can put out and they don't sound good because they don't have an amp to power them in their stores. Double edge Sword.

Willow

Now how would he know if you wouldn't like the lsi9's? tad odd if you ask me. I thijnk you'd be the better judge at that

MillerLiteScott

Willow

I agree with you and that is why I posted that. I guess I should also say that the guy that said the 9's would not be good for HT is not the guy I am dealing with. As I posted earlier my wife and I are afraid of heavy speakers on stands with 2 little kids. That being said. I personally really like the LSi9's, even more than the LSi15's, and would love a pair. I probably could rig something or build some stands to keep them from taking a dive an possibly hurting one of the kids.

I did purchase the LSiC and my first impression ( after about 2 hours ) is that the LSi series is a very good speaker.

I will spend the next few day deciding if I should pull the trigger and get a pair of LSi15's or even a pair of LSi9's.

schwarcw

Any good music speaker makes a good HT speaker, not all HT speakers are good music speakers. The LSi series are great music speakers. The guy at Tweeter sounds like he really doesn't know much.

Do you listen more to music, or use your system for HT? If your answer is HT, stay with the RTi. I would ask for a loaner LSiC before I paid for it. Make sure you can go back to the CSi3 and get your money. Have you tried adjusting your channel levels? Do you have the center channel set to "small" on your receiver? Sometimes using the test tones or a meter won't satisfy your personal taste preference. Since your limited by space in your entertainment center, try turning up the level in the center channel. Ultimately you may be limited by your size constraint. I think the LSiC is pretty big also, will this fit your entertainment center?

Good luck!

Airplay355

I'd say with your amp they'd be able to sound better. But if you really like to crank music or movies you might have a problem there. The Lsi require more power and are less efficient so you might not be able to turn it up as loud as you like.

What do you mean by thin? Not loud enough? or just overpowered by everything else? Maybe a different pre/pro is in order.

Willow

My csi3 is amped with an outlaw mono and it sounds great, very clear.

MillerLiteScott

The vocals on the CSi3 did not have enough low end in them. The voices just did not sound natural.

I have the LSiC installed now and the low end is there in the vocals but now the high end is lacking compared to my RTi mains and it is actually not sounding natural. So I have my self in quite a pickle.

This issue came to a head while watching The latest U2 dvd and Bono's voice just did not sound full enough and a lot of the musical content comes through the center channel and it was just to much for the CSi3, IMHO. The LSiC handles this much better and I was really surprised how punchy the bass sounded with this center channel. The drums sounded much better also. The vocals were also much fuller and did not seem thin as I described with the CSi3.

Another thing I noticed is that the left side driver ( looking from the front ) does not put out anywhere near the amount of sound as the right driver. And the tweeter also seems to be lower compared to the right driver. I am going to double check my wiring this morning and maybe switch it to on of the mains to double check. It may have something wrong with it.

Now the LSiC has also revealed another problem that I may have with my entertainment center. The space available is like sitting the speaker in a box. The rear of the space does have full height openings on either side and a 2" hole for cabling but with the rear power ports in the LSiC I think I am getting some boomyness. So I may be just best off getting a CSi5 and sticking it on top off my entertainment center and angle it down to the listening area.

I added some pictures of my entertainment center and my mostly finished listening area just because.

cfrizz

How about getting a stand & putting the LSIc on the floor angled up when in use. When not in use putting it in that bottom compartment? That might take care of the boomyness.

Now as far as the high end goes, you are simply hearing the difference between RTI & LSI tweeters. With the LSI being more laid back.

McLoki

I would trade places with the center and the amp right above it. (if the amp will fit in that space)

That way you could return the LSiC and get the CSi5 that matches your front speakers. Even if you stay with the LSiC - it will help with the boomyness.

Just a thought,

Michael

Willow

McLoki wrote:

I would trade places with the center and the amp right above it. (if the amp will fit in that space)Michael

Darn good suggestion ! I like it

schwarcw

MillerLiteScott wrote:

Another thing I noticed is that the left side driver ( looking from the front ) does not put out anywhere near the amount of sound as the right driver.

This shouldn't be! They sould play at the same level (mono).

MillerLiteScott

Willow and McLoki that is almost exactly what I did this morning. First off I took the LSiC back and got a CSi5 loaner untill they get more Tuesday.

I put the amp down at the bottom in the glass door cabinet. I used a hole saw and drilled nine 1 1/2" holes at the top part of the back panel in the cabinet to let the heat out and three 2 1/8" holes in the the bottom of the cabinet back panel for power, interconnects and speaker wire. Moved the center channel to the top of the entertainment center. I also moved the dvd and cable box to the former center channel location. I just hooked it up and it seems to be better. I was hesitant to put the center up so high but but it seems this is the best combination of equipment and location for my situation and wallet.

My wife said she will flank the center channel with some sort of fake plant or chachskis. ( Nothing real will survive in the basement with out any light)

The LSiC did not blend with my RTi10's at all and the CSi5 is much fuller sounding that the CSi3 and blends nicely.

I have had 3 different center channels and one pair of bookshelf speakers as my center channel in the last 18 hours.

Enjoy the Super Bowl.

McLoki

Glad it is working out for you. One other thing (if you are not doing it already) get some rubber doorstops from walmart or somewhere and use those in the back of your center to angle the center forward so it is pointing at your listening position.

Make sure your center is on something that will not slide prior to doing this. (even screw a small 1/8" trim piece as a ledge for the center to rest against will work) You will lose alot of highs if your center if flat that high off the ground.

My center is very high as well and it works fine in that location. (tilted forward as I said)

Michael

cfrizz

Cool. Glad you got it worked out.

Dennis Gardner

schwarcw wrote:

This shouldn't be! They sould play at the same level (mono).

The crossover on the LSiC is staggered so that both mids don't put out the same signal. They are almost in a 3 way configuration if I recall.........

My suggestion is if someone prefers the tone of the RTi line, they should stay with it, just go bigger if more sound is needed.

One person's harsh is another's clear, just as one's laid back is another's dull.

MillerLiteScott

Thank you all for your help. My wife even maid a comment at how much better the center channel sounded.

Willow

Now, when you have the approval from the significant other...you're good to go! Glad it worked out for you, but as mentioned make sure you angle it down towards you, it'll be that much better. I'd love the csi5 and would buy it in a heart beat but there is no way I can fit it in the space I have unless I wall mount the TV...and that is not going to happen in this house as we plan on being here for another year only...But the next house..a Csi5 will be my house warming gift to myself!

MillerLiteScott

Willow

My first impressions, The end of the Super Bowl and some post game stuff only, and it is better than I thought it would be. It blends very nicely with my mains. Why because it is supposed to and is the speaker I should have bought in the first place. My wife originally did not want to see any speakers and now I have bigger speakers than I could even imagined. Compromise

The CSi5 that I have now is a loaner so I have not spent any time trying to dial it in. I did use the kick stand thing in the back to angle it towards the listening area.

MLS