LSi wood panels real cherry

tonygeno
tonygeno Posts: 34
edited March 2003 in Speakers
I just purchased a set of LSi9s. They sound quite excellent. I am, though, disappointed in the finish of the "cherry" panels. They're not cherry. They look like oak that's been stained a cherry finish. My understanding was that the Polks were real cherry. Did they change over at some point to the oak?

Thanks
Post edited by tonygeno on
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2003
    You know I'm glad your bringing that up,I felt that way a couple times when looking at mine.I own the Lsi15's in cherry or cherry starined Oak.
    I would like this question answered by polk themselves.....what is it?????
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    I am an amateur woodworker and work a lot in cherry (the real stuff from Pennsylvania). The side panels on the LSi series (at least the 9 I have in house) are definitely not that wood. The real stuff has a much tighter grain and a much smoother finish. Polk's "cherry" has the feel of oak.

    In looking at the information on line, the LSi9 info calls it "sculpted real wood side panels available in Ebony or Cherry finish."

    So they're not actually saying it's cherry. The LSi15 (which I have on order) info calls it "natural Cherry or Ebony real wood veneer side panels", which does sound like the real stuff. Maybe the 9's and the 15's are made of different material?


    Here is a link to the real stuff:

    http://www.dulley.com/hardwood/cherry1.shtml
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2003
    I think a call to Polk is in order here.I felt this way for awhile but didn't bring it up.I should have and I'm glad you did.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited March 2003
    I have a pair of LSi9's and a pair of LSi15's. I don't know if my speakers are veneered in "real" cherry or not, but the grain pattern on both sets of my speakers is somewhat exotic looking with long, closely spaced grains and rig patterns similar to the left picture in tonygeno's link. Mine are definitely not oak.

    The side panels of my LSi9's are fairly uniform in color. The side panels of my LSi15's have the familiar reddish finish, but there are lighter, creamy streaks throughout.

    I'll send an email to Lee Klopfer, Polk's woodworking plant manager, and ask if they use real cherry or another type of wood.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited March 2003
    how much would it add to the cost if the LSI9's and LSI15's were made of solid cherry? just curious.
    Al
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2003
    I wonder that as well.I'm not sure what Solid wood would do to the overall sound quality.......Guitars made of soild wood have Unique tones......I think they might get alittle off........just thinking here....wondering........
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited March 2003
    The purpose of the MDF (medium density fiberboard) panels on the sides of the LSi series speakers adds additional damping to the cabinets to reduce sound colorations caused by cabinet resonances.

    MDF offers a uniformity of acoustic characteristics that is not available with real solid wood panels due to the natural variations in density and moisture content between solid wood samples.

    Additionally, solid wood panels can warp, crack, shrink, or swell over time depending on environmental conditions. A thin veneer of real wood over an acoustically inert and environmentally stable material like MDF is a better alternative for loudspeaker and even some furniture finishes.:cool:
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2003
    Thats exactly my thinking.Guitars in real wood sound different.Even the same exact 2.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    raife:

    Cherry has a very tight grain pattern: running your fingers against the grain, you should not be conscious of any grain at all. It should be totally smooth. If the wood feels a little rough (like my LSi9s), it is not cherry. A common wood that has the same "hand" as cherry is maple. Maple though is not as interesting color wise (which is why you see it stained most of the time), but it retains a smoothness similar to cherry. These LSi9s I have have a much "rougher" grain pattern which is unlike any cherry I have ever seen.
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  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited March 2003
    I will post Polk's reply concerning the LSi veneer stock as soon as I hear back from them.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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  • begbie
    begbie Posts: 630
    edited March 2003
    Did anyone see the latest issue of Home Theater Mag. ? On the cover is a pic of the Lsi25 which most resembles oak that's stained a light cherry.

    It seems there could be two types of veneer finish out there. Some pics I've seen have a deeper cheery finish with a much tighter grain. I believe my dealer has their demo with the latter finish.

    Definitly like to hear what Polk has to say.
    Polk Rt800i -Fronts
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    Polk fx500i -side surrounds
    Polk rc60i -rear surrounds
    Onkyo TX-NR 1009 (9.2) receiver
    Velodyne cht12
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2003
    looks like raife1 is on the case.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by begbie
    Did anyone see the latest issue of Home Theater Mag. ? On the cover is a pic of the Lsi25 which most resembles oak that's stained a light cherry.


    That's exactly what my 9s look like.
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    I called Polk customer support and they said the wood is definitely not cherry. They didn't know what it was and said they would check with the woodshop and respond sometime today. I will post my findings.
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  • burdette
    burdette Posts: 1,194
    edited March 2003
    The descriptions of the individual LSi speakers on the Polk site make it clear that the 25 and the 15 are available with real cherry side panels, OR ebony 'wood' panels that would be real wood but not cherry.

    The 9 and the 7 have real wood sides, but it ain't cherry wood.

    The center and the FX is high gloss black.. i.e. smooth MDF with a shitload of stuff on it.

    Anyone who bought a 9 or 7 thinking it was real cherry wood simply didn't comprehend the words they read. If Polk comes back and says that the side panels on the 25 and 15 are *not* actual cherry wood with the cherry finish, then THAT obviously means inaccurate details on the site... i.e. misleading advertising.

    I don't believe that *any* wood veneer or side panel attached over MDF will add its own coloration to the sound, assuming the cabinet is constructed properly out of the MDF in the first place. They are cosmetic, pure and simple. Coloration would be a concern if you were going to construct the cabinet from the wood... but even then, I don't think you'd run into problems until you got up to maybe an 8" driver.
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    I pointed out the wording from the web page to the Polk CSR that I spoke with this morning. Her reaction was that the web site was wrong. We shall see. I'm still waiting for a callback.
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    I got a call back today from Ken at Polk. He confirmed that the veneer on the LSi series is not genuine cherry, but poplar stained to look like cherry.
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  • har_navalta
    har_navalta Posts: 957
    edited March 2003
    Huh...not a gunuine cherry?
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    No, not gunuine or even genuine cherry. It's poplar.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited March 2003
    We know it's poplar...everybody likes it...but what kind of wood is it?
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • tonygeno
    tonygeno Posts: 34
    edited March 2003
    http://www.hardwood.org/species_guide/display_species.asp?species=poplar#
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  • phoneisbusy
    phoneisbusy Posts: 867
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by shack
    We know it's poplar...everybody likes it...but what kind of wood is it?

    Maybe it's a wood for many oak-asions...

    Oppss... wrong group... sorry... :D
    Time is the best teacher. Unfortunately it kills all its students.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2003
    Tony - Good follow up man, thanks for getting that information out to us :)

    I always thought it wasn't cherry, I mean the speakers are priced a little to nice for real cherry. But whatever, still looks sharp to me, but I have all black speakers..... :(
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by shack
    We know it's poplar...everybody likes it...but what kind of wood is it?

    :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

    I don't know why I find that so funny.... maybe I need some sleep. :confused:

    nadams
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2003
    That was funny, lol, I was too tired to remember to say something about it...thanks nadams :D

    So is this:

    Maybe it's a wood for many oak-asions... - phoneisbusy :)
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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