LSi9 vs LSi7

kwinkler

I know that this particular comparison has been discussed in great detail and in numerous other threads. I have already used the search function and read the other threads.

I have a particular situation. I currently have a Bose system, with a wireless rear set-up. I have never really liked the Bose set-up but it fit well in my one room apartment. I have since moved to a house and want to upgrade to the LSis, but I don't plan on staying in the house real long, so I don't plan on running rear wires. My current plan is to upgrade the fronts to the LSi line, with either 9s or 7s as the front and still use the wireless Bose for the rears. When I move and run rear wires, these will become the surrounds in a 5.1 set-up and I will get 15s for the fronts. I plan on getting a JL f113 for my sub. 80:20 HT:music. So, I guess my question is, would you choose 9s or 7s, if you were in my situation?

Thanks,
Kenny

Face

Do you immediately plan on getting the JL? If not, I would get 9's for the better low end.

mightymouse

If you have the funds for the 9's, I would say go for the 9's.

McLoki

What are you running the speakers with? Separate amp or reciever? If a separate amp, you can try the 9's - if an AVR, just get the 7's and be happy.

Personally I like them both and would not be dissatisfied with either.

mightymouse

Don't the 7's and 9's have almost the same 4 ohm rating and sensitivities?

dkg999

MightyM - on paper they may, but in the real world where we do our listening, it will take a better amp section (whether in an AVR or separate) to make the LSi9's sing. I have both, I have played around with amps and receivers on both (including a 50 wpc NAD C720BEE receiver), and the LSi7's are much more forgiving.

mightymouse

Oh, didn't know that. Thanks for clarifying it.

kwinkler

Thanks for the advice. Except for keeping the wireless rears for now, I am building the remainder of the system from scratch. I plan on running them with a separate amp, likely a Parasound but still somewhat undecided.

Refefer

how are the bose currently powered? was it an all in one htib? If so, there's a good chance the bose receiver will crap out when driving the lsi's. After all, it'll be the first time they've actually had to play quality speakers before, right?

kwinkler

My Bose set-up is an Acoustamass, with the wireless adapter kit. So, they're powered by an older Onkyo AVR but modified by the "bass module." I may just scratch the idea of having rears for now, but know that I do not plan on running wires. My entertainment set-up is on an outside wall and running wires would just be a bigger hassle than it needs to be.

engtaz

OK everybody be nice.

engtaz

McLoki

You could always try something like running the wires in crown moulding or under the baseboard.... Is the house on a basement or crawlspace? You could always go down with wires rather than up.

If nothing else, I would expect the bose to sound better than nothing. When you set them up though, they still need to run through the bass module. Set the speakers to small (even with the bass module in the loop) with a crossover of 80hz to a real subwoofer. Ideally you would put the bass module in the back of the room near the rear speakers, but that would introduce the wire issue again.

If you would like any further clarification, just let me know.

Michael

kwinkler

The house is on a concrete foundation, otherwise I would climb into a crawl space in a heartbeat. Remember that this set-up will be temporary,as I am going to move in about a year. This is also the reason that I plan on running the eventual bookshelf rears in the front, instead of the planned 15s. Easier to move the bookshelves than the towers. Thanks.

McLoki

If you plan on moving to to the back as rear speakers - I would get the 7's. Much easier to find brackets that will fit it and will stick out from the wall much less when mounted.

That is exactly what I did. (purchased 7's for the front, LSiC and ran my old Polk RM6600 speakers in the rear.) I ended up with 15's in the front and 7's in back and it sounds great. (but did sound pretty good before as well.)

lanion

The LSi9s dip to 2 ohms at 50hz. The LSi7s never get below 4ohms I think, so there is quite a difference in terms of ease to drive.

cfrizz

My brother has the 7's. I started him off with a 50 wpc amp, it sounded great, but you could fry an egg on top of it after extended listening. He now has my old Parasound 205wpc amp & it stays nice & cool.

Just want you to realize the stress that you will put on a lower watt amp even if you are running the 7's.

kwinkler

cfrizz, I have read many of you posts, so the 200wpc is ingrained in my mind, but thanks for the info. I was looking at the Parasound 5250. I would like to get the Halo line, but everything else that I have or am getting will be black.

I had a chance to audition the speakers, as well as see them up close in person, today. I have to travel about two hours to find the nearest dealer that carries the LSi line. Only CC nearby. The 7s seem like they will be very capable fronts for now and be much easier to position as surrounds later.

Thanks again everybody.
Kenny

GelatinousFury

I would go for the LSi9's for better integration between the mains and the JL f113 you will eventually get. Then again, they're going to be moved to surround-duty eventually, so that makes me rethink it a little...

One more thing...when you get that JL sub you better reinforce anything you don't want catastrophically demolished. That sub is an absolute beast!!

Roland P

I guess I could be perfectly happy with the LSi7's:
- less bass problems, easier placement
- less problems with choosing stands
- add a second pair of LSi7's for perfect front/surround integration (no differences)

cfrizz

That Parasound 5250 will get the job done in spades Kenny! Yeah the Halo looks pretty but sticks out like a sore thumb when everything else is black.

That's a long haul to get some LSI's but in the end when everything is put together it will sound awesome!

kwinkler wrote: »

cfrizz, I have read many of you posts, so the 200wpc is ingrained in my mind, but thanks for the info. I was looking at the Parasound 5250. I would like to get the Halo line, but everything else that I have or am getting will be black.

I had a chance to audition the speakers, as well as see them up close in person, today. I have to travel about two hours to find the nearest dealer that carries the LSi line. Only CC nearby. The 7s seem like they will be very capable fronts for now and be much easier to position as surrounds later.

Thanks again everybody.
Kenny

venomclan

The 9's

mightymouse

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0810988/