LSi15

Whadyasay

At what freq does the mid-bass drivers crossover to the 8" woofer in the 15's? I could see the 90-degree mounting of it being a possible issue.

Honestly....if they were to redesign the LSi15's....it might be better to incorporate some sort of elliptical driver that will fit on the lower front panel of the speaker, or widen it for two 6-1/2" drivers or the like. Is the 90-degree thing addressed via phasing within the actual internal crossover network?

steveinaz

The quick and dirty way to set phase on your sub is by listening to bass heavy material, and have someone slowly rotate the phase knob. The position that gives the most bass is usually a good setting.

HHStuart

ddkane wrote: »

Thank you all for your input regarding the 15's!:) Naturally I expected to get a lot of positive feedback on the "top of the line" Polk speaker on the Polk Forum!

But I'd like to pick your collective brains a little further with some specifics.
First, in my case I don't think power supply will be an issue - I've got a XPA-5 that'll put out around 400 watts/chnl into a 4 ohm load. I also have a decent sub (SVS PB12 w/NSD upgrade) to round out the bottom end, so I'm not too concerned about what the 15's lack in bass output (if anything).

I am curious what you all have experienced with placement issues. In my case I will not have the luxury of keeping them very far from boundaries. My listening space is quite large, around 5,000 ft/3, in an very open floor plan with high vaulted ceilings. In spite of all that space the room configuration (and marital harmony) limits me greatly. These speakers will have to reside where my current main L & R speakers are, which will put them about 1 ft out from the front wall, and for the right speaker, only about 1 ft from a side wall. It's a bummer, but there is no way around it. Any of you have your 15's fairly near a boundary? Any problems with that?

Also, any of you using them in large spaces like mine? Do they produce enough output (SPL) to keep you happy?

Lastly, for those of you who also use the LSiC in your set-up: how do you like that speaker? It seems like it might be a bit too small to do a really good job in a big room. I hope I'm wrong, but what have you experienced?

Thanks again.

My current position of my right LSi15 is about a foot from the wall. Bass still comes through very well. In a few months I will be moving it so that won't happen and I will see how much difference there is.
My setup is in a 5,000 cubic foot room with a passage leading to the kitchen of another 2200 cubic foot. I've had them loud enough to make my wife complain so I would say they work fine in a large space.
I am using an LSiC for home theater and it seems to work fine.
I have found that the LSi15's are particularly good at stringed instruments and they also have good bass. Voices seems a little towards the back of the stage until I turn them up, however. Otherwise than that, I love these speakers. I've been going through all my music and enjoying it. Only half way through the classical at this point.
Of course it depends on what volume you like. I haven't measured my spl yet and probably won't until I get a HD TV.

steveinaz

Whadyasay wrote: »

At what freq does the mid-bass drivers crossover to the 8" woofer in the 15's? I could see the 90-degree mounting of it being a possible issue.

Honestly....if they were to redesign the LSi15's....it might be better to incorporate some sort of elliptical driver that will fit on the lower front panel of the speaker, or widen it for two 6-1/2" drivers or the like. Is the 90-degree thing addressed via phasing within the actual internal crossover network?

150Hz @ 12dB slope (Lsi15) 8" woofer cross to mids. Phase doesn't need to be addressed in the Lsi15, but when you add an additonal (independant) sub--phase issues can happen.

Whadyasay

Hmm...I can kinda' see how in some applications or placements, there could be some sort of issue in the lower-mid-bass, especially with the side-mounting. At 150Hz, that means that the lower of the two 5-1/4" drivers isn't getting as much lower-mid material as either the Lsi9's or the 25's, right? If that's the case, no wonder people mod the crossovers. Especially for music...where that 90-150Hz region is so important for the depth/lower impact of vocals and so many other instruments. I know I'd want that from my main front-firing drivers.

steveinaz

Depends on what you consider "lower mids." Look at the specs on Polk page, the crossover freq's are there...

Whadyasay

Or 'upper-bass.'

Yeah...looks like the 9's have no HPF's on the mid-driver, the 25's have them at 80hz, and the 15's at 150Hz. Wow, I never realized they were so high for the 15s.

ddkane

HHStuart wrote: »

My current position of my right LSi15 is about a foot from the wall. Bass still comes through very well. In a few months I will be moving it so that won't happen and I will see how much difference there is.
My setup is in a 5,000 cubic foot room with a passage leading to the kitchen of another 2200 cubic foot. I've had them loud enough to make my wife complain so I would say they work fine in a large space.
I am using an LSiC for home theater and it seems to work fine.
I have found that the LSi15's are particularly good at stringed instruments and they also have good bass. Voices seems a little towards the back of the stage until I turn them up, however. Otherwise than that, I love these speakers. I've been going through all my music and enjoying it. Only half way through the classical at this point.
Of course it depends on what volume you like. I haven't measured my spl yet and probably won't until I get a HD TV.

Sounds like you and I might be in a similar boat... Just so I have a better idea of what you're dealing with - what's your current bass mgmt set-up? In my situation I have all my speakers set to "small", my crossover set to "80hz", and the bass-out signal sent to "subwoofer only". I should also point out, at the risk of ridicule and insult from some on this forum, that all my speakers (except sub) are Klipsch Ref IV versions. My main L & R are the RF82's, which are fairly big, bass capable speakers. They can certainly reach much lower than 80hz with ease and power, but with their proximty to boundaries I find it better to integrate them as stated.

ddkane

Hey - since you've got the 9's (and love 'em)- I'd like to pick your brains too... What size room are you using them in? Do you like to listen loud? Do they perform as you'd like? Anything you wish they did that they don't do? What did you compare them to before you got them? Would you get them again, and if not, what would you get instead?

I'm asking because sometimes I think I might want to go in an entirely different direction... Toward smaller, but very high performance monitors, and away from towers. Tough thing is, once you're used to towers it's hard to let go. I like the size of the sound and the way they energize a room, but with a sub sometimes integrating all that bass and keeping it controlled can be tough. So, a set of super good monitors (like maybe the 9's) and a very good sub (or two) could have real advantages. Just wondering what you thought.

Thanks

ddkane

ddkane wrote: »

Hey - since you've got the 9's (and love 'em)- I'd like to pick your brains too... What size room are you using them in? Do you like to listen loud? Do they perform as you'd like? Anything you wish they did that they don't do? What did you compare them to before you got them? Would you get them again, and if not, what would you get instead?

I'm asking because sometimes I think I might want to go in an entirely different direction... Toward smaller, but very high performance monitors, and away from towers. Tough thing is, once you're used to towers it's hard to let go. I like the size of the sound and the way they energize a room, but with a sub sometimes integrating all that bass and keeping it controlled can be tough. So, a set of super good monitors (like maybe the 9's) and a very good sub (or two) could have real advantages. Just wondering what you thought.

Thanks

Ooops! Mean't to direct this question to Whadyasay.

HHStuart

ddkane wrote: »

Sounds like you and I might be in a similar boat... Just so I have a better idea of what you're dealing with - what's your current bass mgmt set-up? In my situation I have all my speakers set to "small", my crossover set to "80hz", and the bass-out signal sent to "subwoofer only". I should also point out, at the risk of ridicule and insult from some on this forum, that all my speakers (except sub) are Klipsch Ref IV versions. My main L & R are the RF82's, which are fairly big, bass capable speakers. They can certainly reach much lower than 80hz with ease and power, but with their proximty to boundaries I find it better to integrate them as stated.

The receiver I have requires you to balance the speakers by following instructions on the TV. My TV is not HD yet (no HDMI) so I have not set it up so that the picture goes from the receiver (does have HDMI) to the TV. It comes via s-video cable from the DVD player which has inputs from the cable box. I would set the speakers to small if I could. I expect to get an HDTV sometime this year. I'm going to get it after I finish building some DVD cabinets and a stand for the HDTV; it is slow going. I just ran the LFE out to the subwoofer, which is OK, but not a great subwoofer. For music, it still sounds great to me. For HT, I think I need a little more punch so I also plan to upgrade my subwoofer. I even played some heavy duty organ music (BACH) with my current set up at a pretty loud setting and it sounded impressive to me. So the default settings seem to work fine.

Whadyasay

ddkane wrote: »

Hey - since you've got the 9's (and love 'em)- I'd like to pick your brains too... What size room are you using them in? Do you like to listen loud? Do they perform as you'd like? Anything you wish they did that they don't do? What did you compare them to before you got them? Would you get them again, and if not, what would you get instead?

I'm asking because sometimes I think I might want to go in an entirely different direction... Toward smaller, but very high performance monitors, and away from towers. Tough thing is, once you're used to towers it's hard to let go. I like the size of the sound and the way they energize a room, but with a sub sometimes integrating all that bass and keeping it controlled can be tough. So, a set of super good monitors (like maybe the 9's) and a very good sub (or two) could have real advantages. Just wondering what you thought.

Thanks

I have a studio apt. that's around 16 x 24. the loudest I ever get is around -13 to -11 with zero being calibrated 'reference' level...and those levels are still pretty darn loud. Comfortable level is around -14, but on some serious action films and stuff, even that's pushing it.

I love the way the 9's sound with music, especially classic jazz which is what I listen to the most. For movies they're excellent too...maybe not quite as aggressive as some may like, but still very detailed...and it really helps that things never get strident with jazz horns and such. I have various Polks and Klipschs and Athenas an NHT's, these LSi's I've stuck with the longest. Fom what I can gather, if I wanted to get something else, I'd have to spend considerably more than what I did on these and the LSiC. To be honest, since I do a lot of film and sound work...if I could, I'd save the LSi9's for 2-channel, and I'd entertain going with powered Mackie or Dynaudio monitors for a 5.1 system (I use the Dyn BM5A's for my work). But I just don't have the space for both in the same place.

I think that room size and listening volume are very important. I do put enough through my speakers to give them a good work out...but if I couldn't listen that loud in my modest space, I'd definitely consider smaller, faster, and more efficient speakers with a good sub. I probably wouldn't recommend LSi's for low to low-med listening levels as they don't really come alive until you have some juice running through them.

Monster Jam

ohskigod wrote: »

I'll keep it short, barring freak circumstances, the LSi15 will be the last main speaker in my theater. I like them enough to where I have no desire whatsoever to buy anything else. I've had them for at least 2 years if not more

agreed