Help Bulid System Around Lsi9

simphiwes

Hi guyz,

Would like some pointers on buliding a system aoung the Lsi9.

Here are the specs: Bedroom room size 4.5 meters by 5.2 meters
Floor to ceiling distance 3.2 meters
ceramic tiles (not the gossy types)
play mostly jazz
dont want sub
components must be tubes

ask if you need more specs?

simphiwes

i meant:

Would like some pointers on buliding a system around the Lsi9.

AALEE

Nice idea but why would you build a system around your 9's? I love my 9's powered by a denon 3805 but am told to upgrade to power up to 200 watts a 4 ohms min by cathy. I trust her judgement and will follow her advice. I would think that you set your budget around your power and follow with speakers. Just a thought.

simphiwes

i like the Lsi9(not changing that for any reason) hence I am bulding around it. i agree with your power requirements, i want opinions on tube separates that people think may work with this speaker then i will make my choice adjust ments from there, i know nothing about tube thats why i need the help, brand names etc. i already have a decent budget stereo solid state set up.

AALEE

Sorry, can't help, not into tubes. Tubes seem oldschool so why did you get 9's that are more in tune to today?

simphiwes

didnt buy the Lsi 9 yet but i am going to, waiting for good second hand deal locally. old school or not i still want to build around it but more than anything i am doing it beacause its fun might like the end product might not it doesnt matter anyway. Lsi9 are my most favourite speaker so far, according to my ears they do everything right with jazz and soul, poeple maybe disagree but my ears say the Lsi9's are the it.

skipf

I have a pair of 9's and love 'em, so I can see why you would wnt to stick with them. The problem you will have is getting enough power to drive their 4 ohm load with a tube amp that won't cost you mega bucks (or euros as the case may be). Have you thought about using a SS amp with at least 200WPC and a tube preamp to get the mellow sound you want from the tubes? I'm powering my 9's with a Carver M-500t which is a very warm sounding amp in it's own right and the 9's sound excellent with that amp.

KG Audio

Sorry, I don't have any suggestions for you but I was wondering...

In your signature, your 1st system shows you are using the Rotel RC-1070/RB-1080 combo as your pre & amp.

1) How do you like that combo?

2) Have you hooked up the 9's to that system? How do they sound?

Thanks

KG

simphiwes

as i had mentioned previously, i dont have the Lsi9 yet, on the signiture you will notice i have (work in progress) in the first line. i am starting and doing research for this combo, weighing my options so to speack. i have auditioned the Lsi9's with some Onkyo recievers at dealers, they sounded decent but not impressive, i could hear lots of potential in them, the peformance they gave was enough for me to want to buy them in future but obviously power them properly. i have reviewed them on this site.

i can use a SS power amp, 2 X RB1070 and look for a tube pre amp, that definately sounds like a plan but who knows i might be luky and find someone kind enough to sell a decent tube power amp at a decent price. i have contact details of the guy who makes Valve Audio here in South Africa, he makes good products, Maybe i'll try that option first, maybe he'll be interested in making me two mono blocks.

By the way, i like the RC1070/RB1080 combo, still running it in. For now its getting better and better, i had my doubts in the begining, but i practiced a bit of patience. Sound stage is good, presence is good, sounds 3D blah blah...not good at descriptions. i hope it helps.

Yashu

If I were you, I would get a nice strong and neutral SS poweramp, and then find the best tubed pre that you can afford to mate with it. Look around at user reviews and find one that gives you enough of the tube sound you are looking for.

Try checking out the Bottlehead Foreplay pre.

mazersteven

I have heard nothing but great things about this Tube Amp. Don't know how it would pair with the LSi9's. You might want to research, and ask questions about it.

You can find them on Audiogon for under $600

AV123 Onix SP3

simphiwes

Bottlehead Foreplay - will have to calculate shipping costs, its a pity i cant audition any of thier units. onix, i'll have to do some more research.

what do you mean by strong and neutral power amp YASHU?

markmarc

Mazer:
I have the SP3, and it made a terrific combination with the LSi7's. Unfortunately, due to some unforseen delays, I have yet to audition it with the 9's. I will tell you that quality power is far more critical than quantity power for the LSi's, the SP3 has plenty of quality power.

In conversations with Paul DiComo (sadly, now formerly of Polk), he agreed whole-heartily with this statement. He has heard the 9's sing with a 70wpc channel Arcam.

mazersteven

markmarc wrote: »

Mazer:
I have the SP3, and it made a terrific combination with the LSi7's. Unfortunately, due to some unforseen delays, I have yet to audition it with the 9's. I will tell you that quality power is far more critical than quantity power for the LSi's, the SP3 has plenty of quality power.

Thanks for the information Mark.

Yashu

What I mean is, you want the sweetness of the tubed pre to shine through... LSi series need a ton of power, now mind, Jazz is not going to kill (even though I got some jazz albums that are far more dynamic than even rock, I guess it depends on what kind of jazz), but you should probably have some good muscle just in case... but I think a good tubed pre is the way to go... on Audioasylum, they can't get enough of that bottlehead pre, I see it recommended in about every single thread asking about tubed pres that are not astronomically priced. Everybody seems to love them, and they like to tune and mod them too, so if you are into that, all the better.

If it had a remote, I would probably have one on my desk right now.

Anyway, LSi=power hungry, so amp quality is going to matter greatly.

tonyb

Try a hybrid,it may surprise you.Tube sound,sand slam...gotta love it.

reeltrouble1

My Manley Stingray has no trouble at all driving LSI, sounds great especially with jazz/bluegrass/rock and so on as long as their is actual music, could not say about heavy metal, head banging screaming stuff. The voltage changes possible with tubes throws watts out the window. The Stingray is rated at 20/40 in either Tetrode/Ultralinar mode as far wpc goes.

The Manley is just one way to go but do not think tube amps cannot drive the LSI.

RT1

Yashu

I would never say tube amps can't drive LSi 9s... Hell, radio stations use tubes to throw their 100s of thousands of watts into the air, they can do that they can do anything...

I was just saying that a hybrid tube pre plus SS amp would be more economical.

Tubes all around would be ideal, though, I'll bet with enough tubed power those LSi9s would sound sweet with ANY type of music.

simphiwes

thanks for the feedback, i am kind of narrowing amplification down, solid state will have to do, tube power amp will cost me the mortgage of my house, not willing to go that direction, i am thinking RB1070 X 2 for amplification or RB1090 if i can get a good second hand deal locally, definately going with the vincent CD player, still not sure about the pre, seems bottlehead might be the way to go but the fact that i cant audition it is really a bumer, but keep the suggestions coming.

Sami

Ceramic tile...my suggestion, if not already done, rugs...

Tile creates a nasty echo in the room if you don't put rugs in the right places to dampen reflections. You might already have dealt with this issue but I did want to mention it just in case.

I'm replacing the carpet (yes, they still use carpet in the US) in my house with wood and while carpet is nice for sound I can't stand it otherwise. I'm taking a small hit in sound quality but rugs will control it enough so I can enjoy my wood floors.

simphiwes

got rugs everywhere, i got that issue handled, drappes the works. i am thinking of krell i had a very short stint with it at a dealer yesterday, i like its performance, but its way off my price range, i told the dealer, (very good, approchable guy by the way) what my plans are and he suggested the krell mith some sonus faber, dont know yet if this will sway my decision in anyway, he's a getting a shippment of the sonus's later this month so i will go and audition and see if i like.

ddsski

Call Frank Gow at Audio Classics in Binghampton NY. Or better still check out their website at

www.audioclassics.com

. Welcome to the stereo equivalent of a candy store. Check out all the Mac tube products if you're looking for a divorce!