Amp recommendation for LSi7s?
Erik Tracy
Posts: 4,673
So, I've been listening more to the LSi7s I picked up, and they are currently mated to my Carver M1.0-t (which is supposed to sonically match the CJ Premier 5).
From what stuff I could find on the web, I get conflicting descriptions of what the Carver (aka "CJ") sounds like - either 'warm' or 'open' or 'busy'. [not interested in the other words used to describe the Carver - hard to separate the chaff of Bob's marketing hype and the hot buttons this push for people vs. actual sonic descriptions].
If the LSi7s are 'laid' back and the Carver has been decribed as 'warm' - would a different amp be a better match so as not make the LSi7s 'sedate'?
Thanks,
Erik
From what stuff I could find on the web, I get conflicting descriptions of what the Carver (aka "CJ") sounds like - either 'warm' or 'open' or 'busy'. [not interested in the other words used to describe the Carver - hard to separate the chaff of Bob's marketing hype and the hot buttons this push for people vs. actual sonic descriptions].
If the LSi7s are 'laid' back and the Carver has been decribed as 'warm' - would a different amp be a better match so as not make the LSi7s 'sedate'?
Thanks,
Erik
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
Post edited by Erik Tracy on
Comments
-
You thinking things are a bit veiled with the Carver? There's a ton of other options, but I found the Adcom GFA555 a polar opposite of the TFM35 mated with SDAs. The Carver has a broad and deep soundstage with detail interwoven throughout. The Adcom was much more forward with detail in your face. Don't know if that helps, but it's what I heard.
Also, changing up ICs brought out more detail in the Carver and made the Adcom too much. This was when I went from Monster to AQ. Since I've gone with Ben's and brought another level of detail out, while maintaining my warm amp signature. It might be a much cheaper tweak than finding a new amp. I do listen to 2channel and MCH over analog. If you're using a digital connection, you still might benefit on the pre to amp stage.
Combo rig:
Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
PB13Ultra RO
BW Silvers
Oppo BDP-83SE -
What's your thoughts so far on the LSI 7's
-
Ron Temple wrote: »You thinking things are a bit veiled with the Carver? There's a ton of other options, but I found the Adcom GFA555 a polar opposite of the TFM35 mated with SDAs. The Carver has a broad and deep soundstage with detail interwoven throughout. The Adcom was much more forward with detail in your face. Don't know if that helps, but it's what I heard.
Also, changing up ICs brought out more detail in the Carver and made the Adcom too much. This was when I went from Monster to AQ. Since I've gone with Ben's and brought another level of detail out, while maintaining my warm amp signature. It might be a much cheaper tweak than finding a new amp. I do listen to 2channel and MCH over analog. If you're using a digital connection, you still might benefit on the pre to amp stage.
Thanks for the feedback.
I have to confess, I am using a set of old Monster ICs from my AVR to the Carver, so the first thing to try is to swap those out.
And, I should give the LSi7s more time to break in - I've logged about 20 hours of time on them, so hopefully, they'll open up a bit more for sound stage and top end.
I'm just fishing for comments here from folks with successful pairings of amps to LSI7s.
Not complaining about the sound so far - and probably a bit premature until I swap out the ICs and log more time.
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
What's your thoughts so far on the LSI 7's
Well, like I said in my other thread - they are different sonically than the RTI line - less 'in your face', more....hmmm....delicate and subtle - but don't read that as necessarily 'dull'.
And, from what others have suggested, like a wine, I need to give them more time to 'breathe' before making final critical comparisons.
So far, they do image very nicely and they have a pleasing 'musicality' to them. I do find that, so far, that they sound better when prodded awake with some volume.
I'm going to log more time with them - get used to them, then put the A3s back up for another comparison.
As I do more music listening than tv or movies, this will be my primary criteria for deciding what pair to keep.
I will be swapping out the ICs anyway - so I'm starting there to see what difference that makes as well.
Having fun while learning....
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
Quality power!!!
I personally like how tubes sound with the LSi's. When I reviewed them I had them mated with an Onix SP3. It may only have 38wpc, but its quality stuff. Paul DiComo, who's a legend at Polk until he left last year really likes how the Arcam sounded with them.Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
Former Staff Member TONEAudio
2 Ch. System
Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3 -
Quality power!!!
I personally like how tubes sound with the LSi's. When I reviewed them I had them mated with an Onix SP3. It may only have 38wpc, but its quality stuff. Paul DiComo, who's a legend at Polk until he left last year really likes how the Arcam sounded with them.
Interesting - cuz I've read elsewhere (I think it was an old review of the LSi7s) that Polk recommends mating the LSi7s with solid state amps.
Thanks - more for consideration - off I go to get more info on the Onix!
Erik
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
I am running adcom gear with my LSI's and RTI's and with the rti being bright the adcom IMO takes that brightness down. I know Ron recommended to try adcom but I think adcom will not brighten those LSI any. I am also using signal IC's and those are considered warm cables. You are running a bright receiver which should be helping some.
-
I am running adcom gear with my LSI's and RTI's and with the rti being bright the adcom IMO takes that brightness down. I know Ron recommended to try adcom but I think adcom will not brighten those LSI any. I am also using signal IC's and those are considered warm cables. You are running a bright receiver which should be helping some.
Really? Silver ICs are 'warm'?
And recommendations on what would be a 'lively' IC then?
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
Erik Tracy wrote: »Really? Silver ICs are 'warm'?
And recommendations on what would be a 'lively' IC then?
I would recommend Ben's Silver IC's. I used them with my Lsi9's and they worked great. Really livened things up...
Nick -
Hello Erik,
I can recommend a couple of classic solid state amplifiers that I bet would sound excellent with the LSi7. One would be the McCormack DNA-1 and the second would be the Amber Series 70. If you can find either one of these in good working order on the used market they would be worth considering.
Regards, Ken -
Where are you reading silver?Erik Tracy wrote: »Really? Silver ICs are 'warm'?
And recommendations on what would be a 'lively' IC then?
Signal Cable analog I and II's are copper and are definitely on the warm side.
Signal does offer a silver/copper hybrid though.
If you want something more lively, you should try Ben's silver cables.(Nick beat me to it)"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
Where are you reading silver?
Signal Cable analog I and II's are copper and are definitely on the warm side.
Signal does offer a silver/copper hybrid though.
If you want something more lively, you should try Ben's silver cables.(Nick beat me to it)
Oops, my bad.
If Ben's are 'lively' - I'm all over that!
H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music. -
You should be...perk em right up.Erik Tracy wrote: »Oops, my bad.
If Ben's are 'lively' - I'm all over that!
Combo rig:
Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
PB13Ultra RO
BW Silvers
Oppo BDP-83SE -
I have bens cables and like them with my LSi's. (I have only used his interconnects, not speaker cable)
For amps I would recommend something on the neutral to brite side. My Cinepro seems to work well for me. An inexpensive option (and one that I was looking at when I found the Cinepro is Acurus. You can get a 200wpc x 3 channel amp for about $450 on the used market and it should sound really good with the LSi's. (only complaint I have ever read about it was it can make some speakers sound a little brite - but I don't think that will be an issue with the LSi's...)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)
![[Deleted User]](https://w8.vanillicon.com/83b82048d67877ca27bbc25d5d38f9d3_100.png)
