LSi15 vs LSi25

McLoki

I have had both in my home (15's and 25's) and ended up with a pair of 15's. Outlets were not an issue for my placement (but I could see where they should be taken into consideration depending on what your placement options are.)

Any amount of boomy bass that the 15's have can almost always be taken care of by better placement and/or a better amp. (I have not heard of any complaints about the LSi15 sound that could not be fixed with one or both of those two fixes. - Hence the separate amp mantra that seems so prevelent on club polk)

Perhaps it was a personal failing, but I could never get the bass dialed in correctly with the 25's. It was either two much or to little and it seemed to change based on what was playing. It drove me nuts to the point I was alway messing with the speakers and not enjoying what I was listening to.

The 15's are awesome and the 8" driver works wonders for the bass. It is well integrated and is a great size for the bass that I need out of the speaker. (crossovers set to 80hz going to my SVS.)

Michael

dorokusai

marker wrote: »

The 25s "not digging deep enough' for movies is irrelevant here when, as stated, he already has the 1000 sub for that anyway.

Not being able to "blend" them with the sub is also irrelevant since he doesn't even have to have the 25's subs on in the first place for movies due to their fixed high pass crossover points at 80 hz with 12 db slopes on the mid drivers, and yet they will still have better mid range dynamics than the 15s crossed over at 80 Hz. In this scenario, the 25s then in effect become a pair of LSi9s on stands high passed at 80 Hz.

But you did have a good point about most people not being able to properly set up a HT though.



I still strongly disagree. The 25s give you gain, phase, and low pass crossover point adjustment options to tweak the bass. The 15s give you ... well, you can always try to change their positioning. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have more of those options for bass control than not to. Plus, with the 25s, you could always still be able to change their positioning too.

My main complaint about the 15s when I heard them is that the bass is too boomy, and I blame that on the fixed high pass crossover point at 150 Hz from the dual mids to the 8' passive sub driver. If you like that, then great, but if you don't, then what can you do about it? Whereas the 25s give you the option to have that boomy bass if you want it, or not to if you don't.



Cause they are only $400 more, that's why, but yet they will more than offset that somewhat by needing a much less powerful amp (a sweet little integrated would be more than adequate for them). Also, they will top the 15s on 2 channel any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

This is my main point. If the 25s were like $1000 more, then yeah, I'd say the 15s here in this case, but for only $400 more than the 15s, I say the 25s are a no brainer here.



Cause those AVRs usually are usually much cheaper, but yet with even more features than most pre-pros. Usually for the price difference, you could add a dedicated 2 channel pre-amp in the mix that would trump a pre-pro.

That's why audio is so wonderful....we all have a unique perspective of the hobby. Excellent comments and response but it doesn't change anything for me, been there, done that. I am Audio's **** and she's never really loved me for my personality.

reeltrouble1

Well, I am trying to figure out how to make the 25's the better deal for you.

You could buy them just to be different, because they are great.

My Polk subs rock. I have three of them in the house and am getting ready for two more.

Whether you get the 15 or 25 floorstanders, you are getting a high quality product from a company that really backs its products.

Welcome to the club.

RT1

Yashu

Perhaps it was a personal failing, but I could never get the bass dialed in correctly with the 25's. It was either two much or to little and it seemed to change based on what was playing. It drove me nuts to the point I was alway messing with the speakers and not enjoying what I was listening to.

This is why I avoid subs like the plague... for music anyway, I have NEVER heard a sub that could blend in completely. It's different for movies because of the .1 track, but for 2 channel it is just not worth trying when you have the option to buy full range towers instead.

I am probably in the "buy the 15s and take the extra money and put towards good amplification" camp... however, I admit that I see some of Marker's points... but by his logic it would be better to just get the LSi9s to use with a seperate sub.

reeltrouble1

There is nothing really logical about audio, sure, there is a ton of science, but logic? Ok, here you go, some logic RT1 style.

If systems are subjective
and he has a system
then his system is subjective.

its time for more Random Thinking around this place.

BTW--I ran powered POLK towers with POLK subs for quite a while, worked great. caveat---For HT.

RT1