LC265i experience?

skykeys

Hi folks,

Does anyone have the LC265i LR in-wall speakers in the home? Just wondering if anyone ever has an issue with wall vibration sounds with these speakers?

I notice that the newer LCi-RTS105's have a different cabinet enclosure system and smaller cones. They are also $1000 more expensive and beyond my budget. So I've committed to the LC265i's for my LR in-walls. (I am almost finished a remodeling project. I purchased the additional enclosure cabinets for the LC265i's, and they are already installed in the walls. The speakers will be installed shortly.)

I did pony up for the LCI-RTS-C center speaker because the LCi-C does not have an enclosure cabinet available for it. I assume that these behind the wall enclosures will enhance the sound (for the bass and midrange), given that MDF is a better cabinet material than drywall. Since the center speaker is vital for both movie surround sound and multi-channel SACD music discs - for which I am a big fan, I thought it was worth the money to get the best center speaker I could.

So, it's kind of too late to change the LR choice, not that I could afford those other RTS models anyway. But, just wondering if these LC265i speakers can present a problem with wall vibrations or other annoying wall sounds?

Your comments will be appreciated.

Thank you.

dorokusai

The locking system is very nice and strong. The only vibrations you should experience would be ones that existed prior to the speakers being installed. That's an excellent in-wall and I recall hearing them as a prototype back in 2005.....even then they were wonderful.

I don't think it's suggested but I would fill the lower portion of the wall cavity with some acoustic batting or foam to help with bass re-enforcement.

skykeys

Hi dorokusai,

Thanks for the reply. I just want to verify - that you are referring to the LC265i 's with the accompanying optional enclosures, and not the RTS105s ? The reason I ask is because I (thought I) read somewhere that the 265s came out in 2004, so I'm confused when you say you heard a "prototype in 2005". Perhaps I'm mistaken.

Thanks again.

dorokusai wrote: »

The locking system is very nice and strong. The only vibrations you should experience would be ones that existed prior to the speakers being installed. That's an excellent in-wall and I recall hearing them as a prototype back in 2005.....even then they were wonderful.

I don't think it's suggested but I would fill the lower portion of the wall cavity with some acoustic batting or foam to help with bass re-enforcement.

Larry Chanin

skykeys wrote: »

Hi folks,

Does anyone have the LC265i LR in-wall speakers in the home? Just wondering if anyone ever has an issue with wall vibration sounds with these speakers?

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

It was just about exactly four years ago that I installed my LC265is with performance enclosures. I have been using them as the surround back speakers since then in a 7.1 dedicated home theater.

Here's where I describe the ordeal. I say "ordeal" because I wasn't smart like you to install them BEFORE the room was sheetrocked. Instead I installed them after the room was closed in, and with two layers of sheetrock. So not only did I have a lot of sheetrock to cut through, but I was operating blind, not knowing exactly what was in the wall I was cutting into.

If you read the thread I show some drawings to illustrate the trouble I brought on myself.

Anyway to get back to your question about vibrations, I just wanted to assure you, that even with the less than ideal installation, I have never experienced any rattling or vibration, and I play at fairly moderate listening levels.

Assuming you use the neoprene vibration isolators provided I sincerely doubt you'll have any problems with your much more straight-forward installation.

Enjoy!

Larry

dorokusai

skykeys wrote: »

Hi dorokusai,

Thanks for the reply. I just want to verify - that you are referring to the LC265i 's with the accompanying optional enclosures, and not the RTS105s ? The reason I ask is because I (thought I) read somewhere that the 265s came out in 2004, so I'm confused when you say you heard a "prototype in 2005". Perhaps I'm mistaken.

Thanks again.

Skykeys - I'm going to have to get back with you on that as my memory isn't that great. You're correct, 2004 was when they came out. I've heard them all over the past 5 years and may have it mixed up with the early LSi prototypes. Either way, it's a great choice in regards to in-wall selection.

Mark

skykeys

To both Larry and Mark, thank you for your replies and the information. I'm very excited to get the LC265i's installed, along with the rest of my system. I'm going to use LC80i's for the rears in my 5.1 system, for which I also got the enclosure cabinets.

To Larry, it's kind of funny, as well as stupid on my part. I was planning on completely remodeling my family room. But it did not occur to me to even think about changing my current stereo system. I had planned on just sticking with my existing Paradigm Monitors.

So, finally the remodeling project begins, and there I am looking at my family room, completely stripped down to the studs, and that's when it hit me: hey, now is a good time to get in-wall speakers. Doh!

That was on a Tuesday evening. The drywall was coming in a week and I was completely unprepared. My initial thought was to go with Paradigms again. I have to say, I really like the sound of Paradigm speakers. But when I checked out their stuff, I found out that Paradigm doesn't have an in-wall center speaker. (they have a great line up otherwise). The local Paradigm dealer (Hi-Fi House) suggested I just take one (or both) of the L+R in-wall speakers and flip it, which would require studding out the wall differently. It also meant taking a speaker that is designed to fit vertically into a horizontal position. I just didn't like the idea.

Fortunately there is also a Polk dealer (Tweeter Center) not far away, and they had the LC265i's set up. (I had an older pair of Polk M5's - I think, from years ago, and I always liked them). I crash coursed on the speaker line, listened to them of course - an absolute requirement in my book, and decided to go with it. Then I found out about the optional enclosures. (The salesman didn't mention them). I also found out that the LCi-C didn't come with an enclosure, but the LCi-RTS-C did. It seemed like a good idea to go with the best center speaker I could get, but I could not justify the extra $1200 for the RTS105 speakers. . . . . . By this point, a week has gone by, and the drywall is coming "tomorrow". I have the speakers in hand, but Tweeter Center doesn't have any of the Enclosures in stock (except for the RTS-C, because it comes bundled). I end up going to Crutchfield and having the Enclosures shipped overnight. Crutchfield really came through for me. I did also pick up a Polk DSW-500 sub at Tweeter Center.

So, everything ended up getting to my house in the nick of time, and the contractor installed it for me, and the project didn't get delayed.

All of that was 6 weeks ago. Now I'm chomping at the bit to get the system installed. The room just got to the point where the speakers can now finally be installed, and that will happen probably later this week, or next for sure.

For now, I'm keeping the electronic components of my old system, which includes a 7 year old Yamaha RX-V620 receiver and the Denon DVD-1920. Now that Blu-Ray has won the battle, at some point within the next 2 years I'll probably upgrade to a Blu-Ray player and then upgrade my Yamaha to probably an RX-V663 - which just came out. I will want to listen to the new hi-def lossless audio formats, and I'd like to eliminate the 6 wire connections for SACD. HDMI 1.3 can handle that now I believe. I love multi-channel SACD recordings.

Thanks again.

dorokusai

That's going to be a helluva system!

Larry Chanin

One thing that's good about In-walls, even these large ones, is that you can make them invisible without compromising the audio quality.

Concept drawing of the rear of my room showing the placement of the enclosures.



Closeup of LC265i before installation of acoustically transparent fabric



Rear of room after installation of acoustically transparent fabric



Have fun!

Larry

skykeys

Wow Larry, that is mighty impressive. Thanks for sharing. I'm not doing anything nearly so bold. My room is primarily a family room. As a result, I not only did not factor in acoustic properties of the room, but made some decisions that will compromise the sound. So, if you have any suggestions for me, I'll be much obliged.

The biggest factor is that I put in Porcelain tile on the floor. My family room sits on a slab, no basement underneath. So it has always been a cold room. To remedy this, besides putting in new insulation, I had radiant heating installed, which entailed laying special pipe (called Pex) on the floor - which is tied into my hot water heating system, a cement base built up around it, and then Porcelain tile on top. It looks GREAT! The texture of the tile really transforms the look of the room - which was part of the plan of course. I love the feel of the radiant heat also. A by product of the heat is that I removed the baseboard pipe, which gives the room a clean line.

But in doing this, I know I'm compromising the acoustics of the room. So be it; it's primarily a family room. There is also a large stone fire place at one end of the room. Drywall up and all around. One side of the room is open to the adjoining kitchen.

That being said, I am a music fanatic and my next consideration is how to make the room sound as good as possible in this environment. I'll put a throw rug by the leather sofa - which wraps a corner of the room in an L configuration, curtains and valences by the two windows which are mostly opposite the speakers. Two wing chairs on the side with the fireplace, and maybe a small rug by the fireplace to kneel on when I'm putting wood into the hearth.

The room is long and narrow: 20' x 11'6". The fireplace is along the one 11" end. The other end opens up to the kitchen. The F LRC and TV are on the long inside wall, and the rear speakers are in the ceiling against the other (outside) wall - where the couch and windows are located. It took many years to realize that this is the best way to configure the room.

Any suggestions for how else to improve the acoustics? I'm not putting acoustic tiles on the ceiling. The wife voted that one down. " . . . no, it's a family room, I want drywall on the ceiling . . . "

Thanks.

Larry Chanin

skykeys wrote: »

Any suggestions for how else to improve the acoustics? I'm not putting acoustic tiles on the ceiling. The wife voted that one down. " . . . no, it's a family room, I want drywall on the ceiling . . . "

Thanks.

Thanks.

In such an acoustically live room the easiest thing to do would be to engage the Tweeter Level Switches (-3dB Tweeter Attenuation) to attenuate the speaker's frequency response.

Beyond that the strategic placement of heavy area rugs would be helpful. Try to avoid placing that ubiquitous big glass coffee table between the speakers and your primary listening location.

Larry