Better performance than Polk Audio LSi?

JoshParsons84
JoshParsons84 Posts: 565
edited July 2007 in Speakers
Is this a true statement? I really would like to know if there's anything that can TRULY outperform Polk Audio LSi and still look as beautiful as these marvels of beauty do. I'm not talking about anything for 2-channel or music at all I'm talking about if you had your closed in totally darkened theater room and you went all out on the construction and design of the room. You had your electronics magnificent, ample power along with amazing processor capabilities. Clearest 100" screen you could possibly find with the best looking rear projector available. After you did all that and it was time to purchase your home theater speakers I'm just wondering, is there REALLY a set of speakers that can TRULY outperform in every way Polk Audio LSi full 7.1 setup?
Post edited by JoshParsons84 on

Comments

  • Gaara
    Gaara Posts: 2,415
    edited July 2007
    Are you serious with this statment? Of course there are going to be speakers better then the LSis, they are nice speakers and all but not exactly the end all be all.

    I replaced my LSi7s in a 2ch rig with Stone Image Audio Rothschilde A2s...these are honestly better in every aspect of music reproduction then the 7s.

    For the HT side I replaced my full 7.1 setup with Gallo...again a big improvement in every aspect. There is no one thing that my LSis did better then the Gallos...nada. Not to mention I much prefer the looks of the Gallos over the LSis.
  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited July 2007
    For the (not retail) price?

    No.
  • AndyGwis
    AndyGwis Posts: 3,655
    edited July 2007
    I agree, you have to qualify the statement with "for the price" before you can claim anything in audio is "the best."

    For instance, about how much do those Rothschilde's sell for (retail or used)? Probably more than the $300 - $450 prices you can find the LSi7s for.

    I need to get my hands on some LSi7s for my bedroom setup. On my HK 3480, I'm sure they would sound awesome. Guy actually rang me up for a pair for $179.99 at Tweeter closeout, then the manager came in and said it was $179.99 per speaker. I'm convinced he made it up and has them sitting in his place right now. SO CLOSE! But, there were cherry, and I really need Ebony.
    Stereo Rig: Hales Revelation 3, Musical Fidelity CD-Pre 24, Forte Model 3 amp, Lexicon RT-10 SACD, MMF-5 w/speedbox, Forte Model 2 Phono Pre, Cardas Crosslink, APC H15, URC MX-950, Lovan Stand
    Bedroom: Samsung HPR-4252, Toshiba HD-A2, HK 3480, Signal Cable, AQ speaker cable, Totem Dreamcatchers, SVS PB10-NSD, URC MX-850
  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited July 2007
    I think you have to qualify it as being at the same price point as the LSi's, and you can even use MSRP and not street pricing. The value per dollar spent has always been a Polk Audio strength and differentiator in the market place. So at their price points they are highly competitive.

    Everyone's ears and listening preferences differ. So not everyone is going to agree that Polk LSi's are the best at their price point. I for one would not agree that for music they are the best. Many other speakers I prefer at or below the LSi's price points for music, including some other older Polk models. I recently moved to LSi's for HT. In that application I am finding that the LSi's have some extremely desirable qualities, and I love them in the HT application and would probably agree, based on what I like, that they are one of the best at their price point.

    YMMV :)
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited July 2007
    Nothing is overall better than Polk at any price for HT speakers.

    Who said that.

    I said that.

    I am RT1.
  • JoshParsons84
    JoshParsons84 Posts: 565
    edited July 2007
    Nothing is overall better than Polk at any price for HT speakers.

    Who said that.

    I said that.

    I am RT1.

    Now there's a man who knows exactly what he's talking about. :D
  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited July 2007
    It all comes down to the sound you want. I would love to hear the following speakers used in a 5.1 (or 7.1 depending on the room) setting.

    Dynaudio
    Mangnepan
    Gallo
    Polk Audio SDA

    I have heard Paradigm and B&W - I would say both are equal to the LSi's and it comes down to the type of sound you like. I personally like the LSi's better than either of them, but I would not argue with anyone who had preferences the other way around.

    I have had the LSi's in my home theater for quite awhile and plan to upgrade my SVS sub and NAD preamp long before I think about upgrading my LSi's. Anything CAN be a weak link, but you have to get pretty high end to truely claim the LSi's are holding back any other piece of audio equipment.

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited July 2007
    The older LS series is just as good. The setup I heard were LS90's in the front, LS70's in the back and an LS-350 center.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,204
    edited July 2007
    The Lsi's are a grear line of speakers. They perform to there level and one of the very best at the price.
    I don't think many speakers in there price class are better. B&W and Dynaudio are different sounding and personal choice. I perfer Dynaudio Audience line over Polk's Lsi line. I owned both and the Dyn's are a more refined speaker package. They pay more attention to detail and seem to be more effortless. they also seem to be more balanced. I think the bass response on the Lsi's can get alittle sloppy and boomy. Depending on what you drive them with. The Audience 72's are around the same price and the Lsi15's and I think the Audience 72's are a better sounding speaker.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
  • JoshParsons84
    JoshParsons84 Posts: 565
    edited July 2007
    I guess it all comes down to what you're able to come across and hear. Personally in my whole life I've only heard Paradigm Cinema dipole surrounds, Polk Audio Monitor 30,40,50,70 and Infinity Beta. So I haven't been around really high quality but wanna be. So I guess I have to go by (for now) what the majority of y'all experienced old farts say. No offense taken.
  • MikeC78
    MikeC78 Posts: 2,315
    edited July 2007
    I guess it all comes down to what you're able to come across and hear. Personally in my whole life I've only heard Paradigm Cinema dipole surrounds, Polk Audio Monitor 30,40,50,70 and Infinity Beta. So I haven't been around really high quality but wanna be. So I guess I have to go by (for now) what the majority of y'all experienced old farts say. No offense taken.

    Josh,

    When there is a PF or an audio meet of some sort, try to attend. I believe that is one of the best ways to hear different gear, and learn a few things from somone that is experienced.

    I hosted one at my place, and it opened up a whole new world for me. I thought my LSI's sounded great with my gear, until I heard some high-end electronics paired with various speakers like Von Schweikert's, Innersounds, SDA's, and many others that I can't think of right now.

    There are many kinds of speakers out there that I believe sound better than LSI's, for the price point(like others stated), that's a hard battle.

    Go out and listen for yourself, and don't just listen to "Old farts" about what they like, you might like something totally different.

    Have a good day... Polk_Audio_LSi:D
  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited July 2007
    It's a silly question for the Polk Forum. See if you get similar responses on other speaker threads.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
  • JoshParsons84
    JoshParsons84 Posts: 565
    edited July 2007
    MikeC78 wrote: »
    Have a good day... Polk_Audio_LSi:D

    LOL HA HA HA Mike you'll never let me live that down will you?
  • wingnut4772
    wingnut4772 Posts: 7,519
    edited July 2007
    LOL HA HA HA Mike you'll never let me live that down will you?

    I don't think any of us can.:rolleyes:
    Sharp Elite 70
    Anthem D2V 3D
    Parasound 5250
    Parasound HCA 1000 A
    Parasound HCA 1000
    Oppo BDP 95
    Von Schweikert VR4 Jr R/L Fronts
    Von Schweikert LCR 4 Center
    Totem Mask Surrounds X4
    Hsu ULS-15 Quad Drive Subwoofers
    Sony PS3
    Squeezebox Touch

    Polk Atrium 7s on the patio just to keep my foot in the door.
  • JoshParsons84
    JoshParsons84 Posts: 565
    edited July 2007
    Well I ask this question because out of all I've heard Polk has been the best to me and then so this makes me biased to Polk Audio speakers. I dont wanna be biased to one speaker company because I want to keep an open mind about all of Home Theater.
  • MikeC78
    MikeC78 Posts: 2,315
    edited July 2007
    LOL HA HA HA Mike you'll never let me live that down will you?

    :p Nope!
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,793
    edited July 2007
    Tyler Acoustics has 2 line ups that can compete with the LSi line up...

    My speakers sell for the same price as the LSi25 - and I consider my speakers to be in a slightly different league.

    Revelator tweeter, excel midbasses...

    Top notch crossover components, hand made in my choice of veneer...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • john22614
    john22614 Posts: 214
    edited July 2007
    Well, I am extreemly pleased with my LSi's and don't plan to replace them....the only similar priced competitors I've listened to are Paradigms, Monitors and B&W 7 and 8 series. I prefer the Polks over the Paradigm 40's and B&W 7's.....but really like the sound of the B&W 8's. But, for the money, I think the LSi's are tough to beat.....I just wish there were listening rooms where we could compare different brands like the LSi's, Paradigms, Monitors, B&W, Martin Login, etc.....all driven by the same equipment in the same place.
    B&W 804s mains
    B&W HTM4 center
    Polk PSW 1000 sub
    Outlaw 990 Pre Amp
    Anthem MCA 30 Amp
    Monitor Radius 180 surrounds
    Audiosource Stereo Amp for surrounds
    Denon 2910 Universal DVD/SACD Player
    Comcast DVR
    Pioneer Elite 42" Plasma 940 HD
    Harmony Universal Remote
    Blue Jeans interconnects and biwires
    Itunes Air Express
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,017
    edited July 2007
    There is such a place....your home.!!
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • jayman_1975
    jayman_1975 Posts: 672
    edited July 2007
    Have a good day... Polk_Audio_LSi:D[/QUOTE]


    I always wondered where he went. I haven't laughed so hard in a long while since reading some of his posts.
    Onkyo TX NR 5008 modified by The Upgrade Company
    Oppo BDP 93 modified by The Upgrade Company
    Arcam CD37
    Monitor Audio Gold GS 60
    Revolver Audio Music 5 towers.(surround)
    Vandersteen V2W