LSiM 703 - First Impressions

Pulled the trigger on the recent Adorama deal on refurbished 703s, and picked up a set of these in midnight. Finally unpacked them today and set them up.
Fit and finish are quite good. I've heard mixed reviews on the condition of the refurb units, but mine are flawless as far as I can tell. Packing material was a bit beat up, but they were shipped from Florida to California (and who knows where else prior) and protected the speakers well.
I set up in my treated listening room and did an A/B comparison vs. my current speakers. Level matched 4 songs I use as reference and while impressed with the 703s, felt they were a bit boomy in the low end in the environment (which is treated with broadband panels and bass traps) and came across as a bit "slow" or "muddy" in comparison. Was running ALAC files through my Schitt Bifrost and the Plinius 9100 so good source material and capable hardware.
I moved them into the living room and hooked up to the AVR and ran Audyssey. Then ran through a host of material including Blue Ray, TV, Netflix and a bunch of music.
Perhaps Audyssey "fixed" some of what bothered me in the music room, but in my HT setup, I really like these speakers.
I've spent the afternoon playing a bunch of jazz stuff and am currently enjoying "Lover Man" from the "Standards" album, with Patrice Rushen on Piano, Stanley Clarke on Bass and the recently departed Ndugu Chancler on the drums. This is one of my favorite jazz albums and the 703s are handling the material very well.
While I wouldn't call the speakers exceptional, they are very nice and will be the backbone of my HT setup for quite some time.

Comments

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    They do require a lengthy break-in, so give them 100+ hours on HT duty and then put them back into the 2 channel rig and you might be surprised at what you hear.
  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
    Clipdat wrote: »
    They do require a lengthy break-in, so give them 100+ hours on HT duty and then put them back into the 2 channel rig and you might be surprised at what you hear.

    Do you think break in is going to tighten up the bottom end?

    I’ve usually found the bottom end gets even livelier with break in, possibly making them sound even more boomy.

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    Mine seemed kinda boomey right out of the box, but now seem less so. But I agree that in general the break in would loosen up the woofers and allow for more excursion.

    It could be a synergy or placement issue as well, if he's experiencing excessive boominess from the low end.
    Upstatemax wrote: »
    Do you think break in is going to tighten up the bottom end?

    I’ve usually found the bottom end gets even livelier with break in, possibly making them sound even more boomy.

  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,969
    I didn't think all that much of them when I first got them but after a lengthy break-in period I began to really like them quite a lot. They are not "boomy," muddy," or "slow" in any way. They have quite remarkable low end in fact for a bookie. All-around good sound. Give them a real good break-in period.
  • Jaybeez
    Jaybeez Posts: 737
    Good to know. They will compete with Ascend Sierra 2s whenever they are ready.
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,969
    I also now find that they really respond well to top quality source material and gear
  • Jaybeez
    Jaybeez Posts: 737
    I think I had that covered. ALAC through a Schitt DAC and into a Plinius.
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    I really liked my LSiM703s, but I did find them overripe in the nether regions...er I mean a little boomy and plump down under...

    I was running them with a rotel prepro and when I stepped up to a rotel 200 wpc beast I finally felt like that bassiness was mostly tamed. In a larger room for a dual purpose system, though, I would have loved to have kept mine around...I think you will enjoy them!
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    I really liked the 703s. Sold for a quick $150 profit, but will own again. Definitely a great dual purpose speaker.
  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,021
    The 703's and that Plinius are a good match. I know I enjoyed my time both of them. Enjoy.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    How's the placement? I found that the best way to make 703s sound like carpfish is to stick them close to a back wall with no side room either. Give them 24" from rear, and at least a foot if not more on the sides with nothing to interfere with dispersion, properly placed on stands and not on top of other speakers, and kick back.

    Give them some room to breathe, and play 'em. In my experience they became noticeably smoother and sweeter sounding overall, getting progressively better as months passed.

    They are a fat sounding speaker, but I like that.

    Once broken/burned in, I also found that I liked them at lower listening levels as well.
    I disabled signatures.
  • Jaybeez
    Jaybeez Posts: 737
    msg wrote: »
    How's the placement? I found that the best way to make 703s sound like carpfish is to stick them close to a back wall with no side room either. Give them 24" from rear, and at least a foot if not more on the sides with nothing to interfere with dispersion, properly placed on stands and not on top of other speakers, and kick back.

    Give them some room to breathe, and play 'em. In my experience they became noticeably smoother and sweeter sounding overall, getting progressively better as months passed.

    They are a fat sounding speaker, but I like that.

    Once broken/burned in, I also found that I liked them at lower listening levels as well.

    This may be the root cause. Speakers were placed about per your measurement, but immediately in front of 4" bass traps, which are in both corners and on the wall. Room doubles as a recording studio for music demos as well as voice over, so needs to be pretty "dead". Doesn't seem to affect the current speakers, but to your point the 703's may not have room to breathe as they might need.
    Again, the 703's sound great in my living room, which is pretty large and has volume ceilings. We're about 75% TV/Movies and 25% music. TV and movies sound terrific, and I can even pick out the dialogue in the English shows my wife likes to watch. The music sounds plenty detailed and not boomy, so again probably an issue of the room dynamics.
    For now, I have speakers that work very well in both environments, so couldn't be happier. I've been a Polk owner since around 1980 and will likely go to my grave with one or more sets in ownership.
  • Congrats on the 703s. I have had mine for a couple of months and they just keep getting better. I moved my 60s into the closet and used the 703s in hybrid ht/2-channel system for awhile and really enjoyed them. Then I moved the 703s into my office 2-channel setup and they aren’t going anywhere. 60s are back in the living room pulling dual duty. Love my Polk’s.
    Living Room
    Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Yamaha BD-S681, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, Polk S60, Polk S30, Samsung 60" LED

    Office
    Cambridge Audio 851A, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s

    Douglas Connection ICs and Cables
  • Legender
    Legender Posts: 478
    My 703s serve office duty, using Jriver to drive my FLAC files to my Emotiva XDA-2 DAC and then to the Adcom 5500. Note the true high end, but so much better than what I had before. The more I hear them, the more I like them.
    Music: Oppo103 - Parasound JC2 - Parasound A21- SDA 3.1
    Theater: Denon 3808 - B&K 7500/Emotiva XPA-3- RTi12, CSi5, RTiA7x4, PSW505
    Sleeping: Marantz 70005 - Harman Kardon 2400 - SDA 2
    2 Channel: Cary 306 SACD - Canary Audio 906 - Pass Labs x250 - PS Audio Perfectwave DAC, Polk LSiM705, SVS SB13 Ultra
    Office: Dell Optiplex, Emotiva XDA-2, Adcom 5500, LSiM 703
    Spares: Yamaha CA-810; LSi 15; Kenwood Basic M2a, Yamaha M60/M80, Polk Monitor 7, SVS SB13 Ultra