Just hooked up my AVR, AMP, LSi9s for the first time.

Shicks18

My AVR is brand new, as well as my LSi9s, so I am taking it easy on them. I will write a review on all my new stuff once it all gets settled. However I do have a question pertaining to volume levels. My Marantz starts at -71 and it goes up to +18 db

Anyway, at what level does it start to get ear bleeding loud? For a brief 2 seconds I semi-tested the waters getting them to -10 and it got decently loud, but nothing overpowering. They have spent 99.9% at -40 and its pretty soft right now. I do not have any of the gains up on any channel either.

AndyGwis

I have to crank my B&K 507 S2 pretty good to get a high volume level. The Lsi9s are certainly not the most efficient speaker on the market. As long as your amp isn't crapping out and going into protection mode, burning hot, or distorting, you can turn it up a little louder. I have listened to my B&K 507S2 around -8 for some music. That's when it sounds great! You can measure with a SPL meter (long as it's under 95-100, it's not "ear bleeding"). But, as long as your amp isn't losing steam, the number on the Marantz is just that. . . a number.

Shicks18

yea. I have have everything running for about 3 hours. The Parasound is barely warm, the Marantz is very warm, but not hot. Also, should I set the gains on the LSi9s? I figure there will be a huge difference between -10 db and +18db on the receiver as well huh.

There is extreme clarity on the speakers, waiting for the delivery truck with my speaker stands, they are sitting on the ground for now, thats ok right?

AndyGwis

If the marantz is just doing the processing / preamp piece, wouldn't worry how warm it runs. Unless it's defective, it would never be damaged / overworked just by processing. If it was powering the Lsi's itself (w/o separate amplification), then yes, that probably would be an issue at some point.


"Set the gains on the Lsi9s" not really sure what this means. Unless they are in a real awkwardly shaped room, or the left is further from you then the right, you shouldn't need to do much calibration for a stereo setup. I wouldn't raise the gains on the Marantz just to raise them, though.

I think volume is non-linear in most pre-pros, so, yes, the step by step gain from -10 to +18 will be larger and more noticeable than at the lower end of the spectrum. Feel free to test it out sometime and post your thoughts. I'm sure you can go to about 0, then it will be pretty darn loud. Again, as long as the speakers are distorted / clipping and the amp isn't burning hot / going into overprotect, the speakers should be fine even at higher volume.

Nothing wrong with them being on the floor other than soundstage and imaging will be affecting negatively. Make sure they aren't scratching the bottoms, though. The stands will make them sound better so if you like the sound now, you'll really like it then.

Shicks18

Yea I deff. want them up on stands haha. How many hours should I break in the speakers before I crank them up?

Hawkeye

Does your amp have gain pots for each channel? If so, turn them all the way up and let the AVR control the volume.

The floor is cool for now, especially if you have no furniture and sit on the floor. Just kidding! Stands will be much better. Try putting them on your kitchen chairs to get them up till your stands arrive.

Your number is only a reference. My kit gets to ear bleed level at 50.

Face

Hawkeye wrote: »

Does your amp have gain pots for each channel? If so, turn them all the way up and let the AVR control the volume.

I'm not familiar with Marantz amps and preamps, but that's a big no no with McIntosh. I would see what the manual suggests and follow their guidelines.

Shicks18

yea I turned the gains all the way up on the amp.

nikolas812

Congrats!!!

Got any pics?



Nick

Hawkeye

Face wrote: »

I'm not familiar with Marantz amps and preamps, but that's a big no no with McIntosh. I would see what the manual suggests and follow their guidelines.

I agree, but, there always is a but isn't there?

When I bought my first amp, the B&K 7250, I was excited to get it installed. Got it all hooked up and was completely let down. After all else fails, read the instuctions. Kinda like putting a Barbie fun house together Christmas eve after several glasses of wine.

What I failed to notice on the amp was 5 little knobs on the back. They were all turned down. My audio guy was very kind and understanding as he guided me in turning those 5 knobs all the way up. Now the amp was outputting as it should.


Face, your right on the Mac. Don't have to worry about it on my kit until the 501s turn into tubes. I think!

Gordon

Shicks18, congrats on the new toys. Hope you enjoy them and they bring you hours of enjoyment.

Face

Hawkeye wrote: »

Face, your right on the Mac. Don't have to worry about it on my kit until the 501s turn into tubes. I think!

Dibs on the 501's.

AndyGwis

Hawkeye wrote: »

When I bought my first amp, the B&K 7250, I was excited to get it installed. Got it all hooked up and was completely let down. After all else fails, read the instuctions.

What I failed to notice on the amp was 5 little knobs on the back. They were all turned down. My audio guy was very kind and understanding as he guided me in turning those 5 knobs all the way up. Now the amp was outputting as it should.

I think we've all had a "doh" moment with audio. I got what looked like a mint B&K ST-1430II for a real good price, which immediately raised some concern. When I got home, it turned right on but there was NO output. I switched out ICs, rehooked everything, etc. Then, I notice a "control" button on the back for some kind of trigger. Apparently it was "on" which meant the amp was "off" except for the power light which still came on.

Very confusing but a great relief once I pressed it and got glorious sound.

With my first AVR, a Pioneer VSX-1015, I kept looking for a "loudness" button as I'd have to crank it to get listenable levels with movies. No loudness button existed so I took it back. Great move in hindsight cuz the HK 635 I got to replace it was a dream come true for only about $100 more.

Shicks18

Ok, well I just hooked up the sub... that helped a lot taking stress off the LSi9. Furthermore I just replaced 2 analog cables with an HDMI and that opened up the speakers a ton. Its very very loud now at -30. In my 10x12 room my HSU STF-2 shook and rattled the heck out of my windows, I have the crossover at 70 and the volume about 80%. Just waiting on my stands to show up so the 9s will improve even more. Hard to critically listen when the tweeter is ankle high!

AndyGwis

then lay on the floor for now!

Make sure to fine-tune your crossover and sub output as much as possible to integrate. I've always struggled with getting subs to seamlessly add base / depth to music without standing out too much.

In my HT room it sounds great, but I'm not too critical of music in that setup. I only put music on in there to bump, and the Mirage Omni S-12 certainly comes through on that when needed.

Shicks18

haha I have been laying on the floor! I got carpet burns now. I know what you mean about trying to find a good setting for sub crossover

nikolas812

What type of stands did you end up getting?



Nick

Shicks18

the sanus ones

nikolas812

How tall are they?

I ended up going with 24" stands in my setup. The nines seemed a little to bright on the 31" stands. They sound much more natural to me on the 24" stands.

Are they supposed to arrive today?


Nick

Shicks18

yea out for delivery now.. mine are 31"

Shannon W.

On my sunfire amp I don't have a gain but there are two outputs for the L/R front channels. One is a Voltage source and the other is a Current source. I have mine on the Current side. It says in the manual that the current source is for electrostatic,planar magnetic, or ribbon speakers.The voltage source (i.e, near zero impedance) output for all typical applications.
I don't know if that is the correct way to hook up the LSi9's on my amp but they sound pretty darn good. But then again I never tried the voltage-source output on them.
So have I done a Major NO,NO? LoL
Also my normal volume position on my system is -30 to -19<--- at very max!
Shannon.

Shannon W.

I have my 9's on the 31's Sanus NF cherry. the 24's was too short for my sound stage.
Shannon

Shicks18

How long do these take to break in? Also can you damage your speakers if you turn it up loud when they are brand new for like 5 seconds at a time? I wanted to see how loud they get and I had to stop at 0 because it was ear bleeding. There was no distortion, and my Parasound was barely warm, didn't break much of a sweat.

AndyGwis

I think you are fine if you do it for only a short while every once in a while. I wouldn't leave anything at ear bleeding level for much longer than a few seconds as you're sure to damage your gears, your ears, and piss off your neighbors.

No harm in revving the engine everyone once in a while, though, especially to impress friends

Shicks18

i started a new thread in the speakers forum about all my thoughts etc on all my new stuff.