Powering my Lsi HT set-up
I have 4 x lsi9 and a lsi C connected with blue jean cables to a NAD T-753. I used a SPL meter and the Avia II to calibrate. My room is about 3500 Ft3.
However, after all of this, the audio through the center channel is not convincing. Sometime we have hard time understanding what's being said in the movies.
Questions:
1) Is the NAD enough to properly drive my set up (this receiver can handle 4-ohms)? I don't listen to stuuf to loud, generally.
2) Do any of you have experience in using a lsi9 as a center?
3) Is there any way to check is the lsi C is defective?
Lastly, I am deciding on a sub. After reading A LOT in this forum I think I would like a SVS or Velodyne. Budget is about $1200. I really want "A DEEP CLEAN BASS" and not boom boom boom. I think I'll get more out of the sub when listening to music. With Tweeter selling at 50% disciunt I was wondering if getting the Polk DSW 4000R ($1600 retail) was a good idea to do the job.
I look forward to your comments/advice.
However, after all of this, the audio through the center channel is not convincing. Sometime we have hard time understanding what's being said in the movies.
Questions:
1) Is the NAD enough to properly drive my set up (this receiver can handle 4-ohms)? I don't listen to stuuf to loud, generally.
2) Do any of you have experience in using a lsi9 as a center?
3) Is there any way to check is the lsi C is defective?
Lastly, I am deciding on a sub. After reading A LOT in this forum I think I would like a SVS or Velodyne. Budget is about $1200. I really want "A DEEP CLEAN BASS" and not boom boom boom. I think I'll get more out of the sub when listening to music. With Tweeter selling at 50% disciunt I was wondering if getting the Polk DSW 4000R ($1600 retail) was a good idea to do the job.
I look forward to your comments/advice.
----
Fronts: 2xLSi9
Center: 1x LSi9
Rear: 1xLSi7 + 1xLSi9
A/V: NAD T753
Sub: Velodyne DEQ-12R
BlueJean Cables
Fronts: 2xLSi9
Center: 1x LSi9
Rear: 1xLSi7 + 1xLSi9
A/V: NAD T753
Sub: Velodyne DEQ-12R
BlueJean Cables
Post edited by Babulas on
Comments
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Welcome to Club Polk!I have 4 x lsi9 and a lsi C connected with blue jean cables to a NAD T-753. I used a SPL meter and the Avia II to calibrate. My room is about 3500 Ft3.
However, after all of this, the audio through the center channel is not convincing. Sometime we have hard time understanding what's being said in the movies.
Questions:
1) Is the NAD enough to properly drive my set up (this receiver can handle 4-ohms)? I don't listen to stuuf to loud, generally.
2) Do any of you have experience in using a lsi9 as a center?
3) Is there any way to check is the lsi C is defective?
Lastly, I am deciding on a sub. After reading A LOT in this forum I think I would like a SVS or Velodyne. Budget is about $1200. I really want "A DEEP CLEAN BASS" and not boom boom boom. I think I'll get more out of the sub when listening to music. With Tweeter selling at 50% disciunt I was wondering if getting the Polk DSW 4000R ($1600 retail) was a good idea to do the job.
I look forward to your comments/advice.
I have a NAD T754, which I consider has a lot of very clean power, but I am driving 8 ohm speakers, not the power hungry LSi9. The LSiC question does not seem related to power, however, and I think some may even suggest the crossover needs to be changed when they read your question (this is not the first time somebody has complained of soft performance from an LSiC, IIRC).
You may initially want to check that you can hear sound from both drivers on the LSiC, and that both drivers move freely when pushed in gently (do not push in the center domes). To check the tweeter is working, listen to it using a tube such as used kitchen roll or even a vacuum cleaner extension tube. If there is no sound from the tweeter, check the dual binding posts on the rear are tight and the jumpers are in place.
I think you could try setting up three of your LSi9 as front speakers (including one for the center), and maybe even use the other LSi9 and LSiC as surround speakers (leave the LSiC horizontal for this, because of the driver configuration). Calibrate everything again, even without Avia - just test tones and the SPL - and see what results you obtain. Or you could just use three LSi9 and not use the surrounds at all for the test, to see what happens. Does dialogue improve? I am not suggesting you leave your setup like this, of course, but the test might provide you with some information about what is happening to the center channel.
Five other questions:
- How do you find the NAD performs driving just two LSi9, in stereo mode?
- Have you tried just turning up the center output?
- How do the four LSi9 perform using only a phantom center (specify NONE for that channel during setup)?
- Have you adjusted the delays and distances correctly during setup?
- What results did you obtain when calibrating with Avia?
I am sure you will get some more suggestions and/or answers later.
P.S. Here is a link to two other threads on this topic, which may provide some answers:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21879
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74974Alea jacta est! -
yea, i think you could start by switching one of the LSi9s (make sure the tweeter on that on works) with the LSiC, making the LSi9 a center channel. Then test to see the difference.
I had problem w/ LSiC before when the sound was muffled and it was the tweeter resistor on the crossover board was loose. A little soldering fixed the problem. It was my 1st time playing w/ the inside of the speaker and also my first time soldering anything so it isn't too hard.
Look for some threads on here about "crossover upgrade" and you will have some idea what doesn't look right.Onkyo 805, RtiA5s, Csi5, Rti6s -
The LSIC is part of a Cascade Tapered Driver Array, which means that one mid-range driver gets a higher set of frequencies than the other mid-range. When you're testing the drivers to see if they're functional, the left mid-range may sound like it's off, but will still be vibrating producing the lower range frequencies. This is normal.
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Kex:
I appreciate your input/suggestions. Maybe on Friday I'll have time to check the LSIC as you suggest. I will also put one of the lsi9 as a center and, with no surrounds, check if the dialogue improves.
Regarding your questions, the system rocks in stereo mode. No complains there. The NAD allows you to even play the 4 speakers (no center) and it also sounds really good, specially when you want to have music as background.
By turning up the LSIC, do you mean to "stand" it or place it horizontally but upside down? In any case I haven't tried any of these. I could.
During set up I properly adjusted the distances as per the NAD set up menu. I don't know what you mean by delays.
Interesting that you ask about what results I got calibrating with Avia II. During the set up (with the SPL meter) I got that I didn't need to increase the volume of the center, nor the fronts, or surrounds. So with the test tones and the SPL, I needed the volumes in each channel at 0. However when I'm watching a movie I feel I need to bump the rears and the center volume by one or two levels. The need to increase the surround volume could be a matter of taste. But don't know why I have to do it for the center channel. I also would like to add that when Avia runs the test for checking the "timbre" matching of the speakers, the center showed a bit of difference from the other channels. Lastly, thanks for the links.
Cheddar, thanks for the tip.----
Fronts: 2xLSi9
Center: 1x LSi9
Rear: 1xLSi7 + 1xLSi9
A/V: NAD T753
Sub: Velodyne DEQ-12R
BlueJean Cables -
Consider Velodyne DLS 5000R for about $800.00 I have two of those and I think they are really good quality subwoofers.
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BE83663,
Yesterday I ended up buying a DEQ-15R ($950), which is essentially the newer version of the DLS5000R you are suggesting. I guess the main new addition is the feature to self adjust depending on sub location and room size. Deciding on a sub has been one of the hardest decisions. I guess with speakers you can do more testing in specialty stores but not with subs. My decision for this kind of sub was mainly influenced by how a boomy sound can ruin the whole experience. You can taste this when you try a Bose system, ie, it's all about booming sound. Therefore, all the comments about Velodyne regarding "deep and clean bass" were very important in my decision. SVS subs was another option becuase of what people coment in this forum. At the end I was going to pay the same for the SVS Plus series but their biggest size sub was 12" (The 13# Ultra was out of my budget), not self adjustment features, and bigger cabinet size (than the 15" version of Velodyne ???).
This weekend I'll do the suggestions for the problem with my center.
I guess the only question still outstanding is if it is necessary to add a pre-amp for the center and two fronts to add more power. Again I am not a loud listener. Just wondering if quality will improve.----
Fronts: 2xLSi9
Center: 1x LSi9
Rear: 1xLSi7 + 1xLSi9
A/V: NAD T753
Sub: Velodyne DEQ-12R
BlueJean Cables -
From what you describe, it sounds as though you are getting as much power as you need, so I would not attempt adding an external amplifier at this point to "cure" your problem, especially if you do not listen that loud (have you measured your usual listening level with an SPL? Just curious).... Regarding your questions, the system rocks in stereo mode. No complains there. The NAD allows you to even play the 4 speakers (no center) and it also sounds really good, specially when you want to have music as background.
By turning up the LSIC, do you mean to "stand" it or place it horizontally but upside down? In any case I haven't tried any of these. I could. ...
By turning up the LSiC, I meant just increasing the output on that channel. Your HTR-2 remote should have a dedicated button for this.
My objective at this point, in your situation, would be to rule out either a faulty speaker, or a faulty channel on the NAD. Those tests you are planning should help a lot.Alea jacta est! -
Kex:
I appreciate your input/suggestions. Maybe on Friday I'll have time to check the LSIC as you suggest. I will also put one of the lsi9 as a center and, with no surrounds, check if the dialogue improves.
Regarding your questions, the system rocks in stereo mode. No complains there. The NAD allows you to even play the 4 speakers (no center) and it also sounds really good, specially when you want to have music as background.
By turning up the LSIC, do you mean to "stand" it or place it horizontally but upside down? In any case I haven't tried any of these. I could.
During set up I properly adjusted the distances as per the NAD set up menu. I don't know what you mean by delays.
Interesting that you ask about what results I got calibrating with Avia II. During the set up (with the SPL meter) I got that I didn't need to increase the volume of the center, nor the fronts, or surrounds. So with the test tones and the SPL, I needed the volumes in each channel at 0. However when I'm watching a movie I feel I need to bump the rears and the center volume by one or two levels. The need to increase the surround volume could be a matter of taste. But don't know why I have to do it for the center channel. I also would like to add that when Avia runs the test for checking the "timbre" matching of the speakers, the center showed a bit of difference from the other channels. Lastly, thanks for the links.
Cheddar, thanks for the tip.
sorry, i laughed a little on this part
good luck w/ the LSiC Onkyo 805, RtiA5s, Csi5, Rti6s
