Polk Audio vs Paradigm vs Definitive Technology

Hawkeye

I think McLoki hit the nail on the head. Get an amp first. I'm pretty sure you will hear a significant change in the sound and presentation with an amp.

Why an amp? I personally think it is the foundation of any good system. You don't start building a house with the roof.

Secondly, buying an amp will feed your instant gratification required by people today. There is nothing wrong with waiting for what you want.

tommyboy

josh_parsons626 wrote:

Hawkeye that's pretty good advice man. It just sucks to have to wait for what I want. But I guess if the LSi is what I really want then I should go for THAT right? But how should I buy? Fronts first? then center, then surrounds? Or where they are 4-ohm should I purchase electronics first? I wanna do it in stages no matter if I had the money or not. I wanna do it like that so that way I can witness the significant change in each upgrade or so at least I can notice the difference in the difference of the series.

:eek:

Josh, this is what we've been telling you along... Howcome when someone with 12 posts(no offense hawkeye:) ) gives you this advice you finally understand.... ok .

I am going to try one more time to help you...

Don't even thinking about buying the Lsis without first upgrading at least the reciever and buy a decent amp. Now, while you are saving up for the big Lsi purchase, the new amp will make your m40s sound MUCH better.

As you can see in my sig, I have a seperate amp hooked up to my entry level system. I got it so whenever I decide to buy better speakers (prolly the lsi's, not sure, give me another year to save up:) ), I won't have to buy new electronics on top of that. . In the mean time though, they have made my monitor 50s sound much,much better. So I'd say get a new reciever and look around for a nice amp, you be surprised how much better your m40s will sound until you have enough dough for the big speaker purchase.

Huck344

Tommy, how do you like youar acurus amp???

josh_parsons626

Josh, this is what we've been telling you along... Howcome when someone with 12 posts(no offense hawkeye ) gives you this advice you finally understand.... ok

LOL That's so funny. What's some cheap priced receivers with pre-outs I should go out there and look for? Here's probably another stupid question, should I get rid of my Paradigm surrounds and get Monitor 30's? No what I'm seriously looking at is some Definitive Technology. I just dont know what they sound like.

Huck344

josh_parsons626 wrote:

No what I'm seriously looking at is some Definitive Technology. I just dont know what they sound like.

Magnolia (the "high end" store within Best Buy) carries them. I listened to some Def-Tech Bipole towers there. Sounded good in the store, but wouldn't work with my set up.

Holydoc

I think you should buy the Athen. Blow as much money as you can immediately. Then in a couple years when you have made back that money, quickly purchase Monitor 30's to replace your paradigms. Then in a couple years when you once again have money, run out and buy those RTi's.
Then in a couple years when you have money, replace the RTi's with the Definitive Tech. Then in a couple years when you have the money, replace them with the LSI's that you wanted in the first place. Now that's a plan! You do not have to worry about spending your money and you only had to wait 8 years to finally get what you want.

Or keep your hands off your money until you save enough for the LSi's and get what you want in 1 year instead of 8. But... this is probably just crazy talk. Go for the 8 year plan. Keeps you broke and always wanting more.

cfrizz

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!:D

Ya know he is probably crazy enough to do it. Mind you by the end of that 8 years, he will be broke, divorced, & still trying to make his mind up about another pair of speakers!!!:D

Holydoc wrote:

I think you should buy the Athen. Blow as much money as you can immediately. Then in a couple years when you have made back that money, quickly purchase Monitor 30's to replace your paradigms. Then in a couple years when you once again have money, run out and buy those RTi's.
Then in a couple years when you have money, replace the RTi's with the Definitive Tech. Then in a couple years when you have the money, replace them with the LSI's that you wanted in the first place. Now that's a plan! You do not have to worry about spending your money and you only had to wait 8 years to finally get what you want.

Or keep your hands off your money until you save enough for the LSi's and get what you want in 1 year instead of 8. But... this is probably just crazy talk. Go for the 8 year plan. Keeps you broke and always wanting more.

Hawkeye

I don't have a large post count and no offense taken Tommy!

Josh, are you understanding anything you read? It is quite evident you have no clue as to what you want. You have two choices.

1. Save. While your saving, you can actually go listen to the all the equipment you ramble on about and make a somewhat educated decision.

2. Spend. Spend till your broke, spend some more money and not have what you want. Then spend some more to finally, maybe, have what you want.

GATOR3000

Well here it goes…………I was in the same predicament as Josh, or should I say thought my speakers don’t sound the way I would like them to.

First I got my Rti series all around for my HT. WOW……..very very nice till this day I must admit! After watching a few movies I was very happy and content with Rti’s speakers. Very well done Polk. Than I started to listen to music hooked up to my Denon AVR 3806 and I was disappointed. They were “bright” or (should I say “detailed”) and very fatigued to my ears.

So I presented my disappointment on this forum and the answer I got “You need to go separates” (add external amplification) for HT and music listening as well. So I did add Parasound 205wpc for fronts and B&K 105 wpc to the centre and rear speakers. The result, the SQ improved immensely. But……..But…….my music still sucked through Rti8’s even though Parasound and B&K amps have handpicked MOSFET transistors in high voltage driver stage and suppose to be tube like sound. Well I was disappointed again.

So I presented my disappointment on this forum again and the answer I got “It is your speakers. You have to go with Lsi series as they are more musical”. So I went out and got the Lsi15’s. The result, with the Parasound amp driving 315wpc @ 4ohms the sound of Lsi15’s was very nice, but now I lost my highs “the brightness” and the bass took over the whole room and my midrange was not as good as the Rti8’s had. Well I was disappointed again.

So I said to myself there is got to be something wrong and I started to investigate. Plainly, I was very happy with my HT hooked up to Rti’s or the Lsi’s but I was not to thrilled with audio music at all.

To rectify my disappointments I bought a variety of “TUBE” preamps and integrated tube amplifiers. I have tried Jolida, this is tube gear I’m talking about. Did I say Jolida?........oh yes, Anthem, Antique Sound Lab, Dodd, Audio Research………blah……blah………blah. This gave me the opportunity to roll tubes and experience different SQ with variety of speakers. Well, did I ever asked for fantastic sound QUALITY!……….WOW……………WOW!!!

Than I came across “Soundstage” tube preamp and Hybrid tube amplifier. WOW………what a musical sound. I spend thousands of dollars countless hours of research and finally these relatively inexpensive Soundstage units gave me what I was looking for…………….and I’m not using the Lsi15’s at all. You know which speaker won?………..The Rti’s series speakers and my 25 year old 8” JBL’s. Paradigm, Klipsch, Onix Rocket, PSB’s, Lsi’s and Rti’s and they all sound breathless with Soundstage units. No "brightness" or fatigue present at all.......and you know what I'm talking about, right?

There is not a heck of a lot write-up on these units, but let me tell you, the sound of this preamps and amps is phenomenal.

So do yourself a favor, and this is coming from a Polk guy………….your Rti’s or the speakers I have mentioned earlier are fantastic for music. Give them properly matched amp or preamp and way you go. Trust me you won’t be disappointed. This amps and preamps are only $350.00 USD and $300.00 USD respectively + flat rate shipping of $25.00 USD and you are on the way to detailed (not “BRIGHT”), crystal clear wonder of music audio reproduction.

Here is the info on the "Soundstage" preamp and amp I sell.

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?preatube&1176440568&item

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?ampstube&1176992085&item


Review:

Soundstage Hybrid Tube Amplifier:

http://202.186.86.35/audio/review.as...&sec=audiofile

Soundstage Tube Preamp:

http://202.186.86.35/audio/review.as...&sec=audiofile

Edit..........OH, I forgot to tell you guys. Your older version music CD’s from 70’s 80’s and 90’s that sound so compressed and not 3D like sonic soundstage…………Well No worries NOW………..because SQ of all your CD’s will be astonishing. You will hear them the way they were recorded and meant to be played.

Cheers

Gator

McLoki

GATOR3000 wrote:

I spend thousands of dollars countless hours of research and finally these relatively inexpensive Soundstage units gave me what I was looking for…………….and I’m not using the Lsi15’s at all. You know which speaker won?………..The Rti’s series speakers and my 25 year old 8” JBL’s. Paradigm, Klipsch, Onix Rocket, PSB’s, Lsi’s and Rti’s and they all sound breathless with Soundstage units. No "brightness" or fatigue present at all.......and you know what I'm talking about, right?

In your ad you only mention running them with the LSi15's, the RTi's are not even mentioned. Just wondered which you were currently running.

Do you run the RTi's in a 2 channel rig or HT with a 2 channel pass through? (i.e. do these support HT passthrough?)

Michael

Final thought - Doesn't bother me, but its not my board: You may want to be carefull selling things commercially on the Polk Forum (especially outside the flea market). Like I said - it doesn't bother me, but you may want to do the sales pitch in a private message.

GATOR3000

McLoki wrote:

In your ad you only mention running them with the LSi15's, the RTi's are not even mentioned. Just wondered which you were currently running.

Do you run the RTi's in a 2 channel rig or HT with a 2 channel pass through? (i.e. do these support HT passthrough?)

Michael

Final thought - Doesn't bother me, but its not my board: You may want to be carefull selling things commercially on the Polk Forum (especially outside the flea market). Like I said - it doesn't bother me, but you may want to do the sales pitch in a private message.

Michael,

These units do not support the HT bypass as the Anthem and others do. These are meant for 2-channel music reproduction only.

The reason I didn’t mention the use of the other speakers is that I didn’t want to make a big write-up and try to keep it in perspective.

Right now I have the Soundstage units paired with Rti8’s and yesterday I received Mullards 12AU7’s from England and have these in my Soundstage integrated hooked up with Lsi15’s. The Mullard’s made this combo heaven!

Michael, I do appreciate your suggestion of “sales pitch”. I’m not trying to sell commercially at all or on this forum as I have only a handful of these units of my own. I’m merely trying to” SHARE” my findings and at the same time give others on the forum to experience with audio gear.

No harm intended here. If I have offended anyone on this forum by sharing my findings and guiding forum members to SQ audio gear, please except my apology.


Cheers

Gator

McLoki

I do appreciate the insight and sharing of information. It was just the sales part I was unsure about - no harm, no foul.

The main reason for my interest is I was wondering about your thoughts of tubes with the LSi's. Since I usually consider most tubes as fairly warm sounding and the LSi's warm as well - the combo I would think would be a little to laid back. (I have not heard them, so I may be way off base here)

I am currently in the process of modding my NAD pre/pro to try and bring a little more detail into the mix. Now I know why most Paradigm and B&W dealers sell NAD gear - it would go great with a brighter speaker (imo). For my tastes - I love the LSi's and don't want to get another pre-amp prior to HDMI 1.3 becoming a standard that most preamps come with. That means I have to come up with a way of getting them to work together.

Anyway - I was just wondering, do different tubes impart different levels of detail into the music or are they all condered fairly warm (laid back) sounding (compared to solid state)?

GATOR3000

McLoki wrote:

I do appreciate the insight and sharing of information. It was just the sales part I was unsure about - no harm, no foul.

The main reason for my interest is I was wondering about your thoughts of tubes with the LSi's. Since I usually consider most tubes as fairly warm sounding and the LSi's warm as well - the combo I would think would be a little to laid back. (I have not heard them, so I may be way off base here)

I am currently in the process of modding my NAD pre/pro to try and bring a little more detail into the mix. Now I know why most Paradigm and B&W dealers sell NAD gear - it would go great with a brighter speaker (imo). For my tastes - I love the LSi's and don't want to get another pre-amp prior to HDMI 1.3 becoming a standard that most preamps come with. That means I have to come up with a way of getting them to work together.

Anyway - I was just wondering, do different tubes impart different levels of detail into the music or are they all condered fairly warm (laid back) sounding (compared to solid state)?

Hey no worries Michael. I’m always open to suggestions and others thoughts and ideas.

In regard to tube rolling I found all tubes sound different and one may alter the audio sound in any given tube gear. Also, there are many variances in particular tubes that make tube gear sound different. In my view the sky is the limit.

I roll tubes for fun and experience in audio sound in general. Hope you are having fun with modding your NAD pre/pro.

Cheers

Gator