What equipment does Polk use?

[jrausch]

When Polk designs and tests their speakers, is there particular audio equipment that they are using to get the most out them? When they demo their units to new customers they must have a preferred system. B&W uses Rotel to show off their units and Martin Logan tends to use Krell. Unless this is top secret, I would sure like to know what they use and why?

Peace,
Jer

[Micah Cohen]

We use lots of stuff. Assorted Onkyo, Marantz & Pioneer Elite electronics scattered throughout the building.

But the main serious listening is done with a Theta Casablanca II preamp/processor and Conrad Johnson solid state amp.

Matt prefers a Meridian preamp.

George has commented that a lot of this advanced electronics is besides the point: that some of it is too good or too complex for what we are setting out to do (that is, making quality speakers at a reasonable price). He may have a point -- that you don't have to have all this bells & whistles audiophile equipment to get good Polk sound -- but I'm sure everyone here would prefer to do their serious listening on this high end stuff.

Now you know.

Micah

PS -- the building is highly secure and I've submitted a list of your names to the building manager, so don't even think about it suckers.

[wangotango68]

for most of us who have not seen the polk building do you have any pics of the outside of the factory? just curious as to what it looks like.

scott:cool:

[jrausch]

Ask an honest question, get an honest answer. It just seems logical to have customers use similar equipment to what you design with to fully realize the quality of sound that you have intended for your listeners.

Kudos’ to you and your commitment to great sound and a quality web site.
I can now finish my report to Bose laboratories.



Just kidding,
Jer
:D

[rskarvan]

Excellent thread.

Micah, why a Conrad Johnson amp for serious listening?
CJ's are colored and warm (very pleasant sounding).
I would think you would want an analytically precise amp
(neutral) to do critical evaluation of speakers. While a CJ amp would make a very nice setup... it wouldn't be my amp of choice as a development tool.

[Aaron]

Now after you tell the guy with the SRT system with Krell amps what equipment to use you're going to tell Polk what to use?

Aaron

[rskarvan]

Aaron,

As you probably recall... I had no problem what-so-ever with the choice of amps powering the SRT system. Half of the equation of sound is the amps... the other half is the speakers. CJ's are infamous for their warm tube-like sound. Does it make sence to develop spkr's based upon a colored sound? I think not.
Maybe this is why Polk had to change RT tweeters to soften that "in your face" element - that was perhaps missed listening thru a CJ amp.

I do agree with the statement issued by Polk that it probably doesn't matter what sort of amps drive polk speakers. Thats not to say that different amps aren't important. Its just saying that they aren't so critically important with Polk speakers. Read into that what you may.

Ron

[Troy LaMont]

Great thread!

for most of us who have not seen the polk building do you have any pics of the outside of the factory? just curious as to what it looks like.

Scott,

I've seen pictures of the factory before and I trying to remember if it was in the Polk newsletter or on their website (prior to the redesign).

I'll try looking through my old issues to see if it was there. (Or maybe Micah or someone else can repost them?) :)

Troy

[TroyD]

I'm SURE that Polk develops thier speakers based on the sound of one CJ amp. That would make perfect sense.

Anyone else buy that? If so, I got a great deal on a bridge for you.

Troy

[rskarvan]

Quote from Micah...
"But the main serious listening is done with a Theta Casablanca II preamp/processor and Conrad Johnson solid state amp."

I would think that Polk would develop their speakers for their intended target mid-fi consumer using available receivers/equipment that are mass-marketed to the same consumer group. That would make a lot of sense.

If you want to develop the best speaker... you need the best electronics. Short of that, most anything will do nicely.

[TroyD]

....but do you think that the ONLY SOURCE components used in Polk R&D are CJ, Onkyo, Marantz etc.??? I think we could give them a little more credit than that.

Troy

[Micah Cohen]

Like I said, there are many different pieces of equipment in this building that Matt and the PLMs use for listening and demos. I believe that Matt probably voices his speakers using both his ear and his math knowledge -- using computers to track measurements and stuff, matching specs to cabinets and visa versa. I have no idea what I'm talking about, but maybe you get my drift.

I'm trying to get Dave D. -- one of the lab techs -- to post to this thread with more techie info on this stuff.

Check back issues of The Speaker Specialist newspaper, issue 5, for images of the factory.

MC

[wangotango68]

i allready saw that micah, one all your free time you have take some pics of the outside of the building. plleeaassee?????


scott:)

[joe logston]

wend i frist got my rt20p polks i run them on my aragon 4004 mark 2 amp and my aragon 24k sp pre amp and the sound had a deep sound stage and was not in my face so it haves to do with the amp. a cheap receiver would put it in your face. because its under powered . thats the biggest problem people have the power supply. i wonder if polk uses an aragon amp it would be a better chose or comparable to cj , my opining, i heard both cj & aragon amps. if polk audio will try to use a aragon amp they will find that it is a good amp for polk speakers.

sorry for the messup, i reworded it.


thanks david

[Dave D]

Sorry for the delay gentlemen, lots to be done here lately.

I will try to answer as many of the questions here that I see as unanswered, but if I mis something, let me know and I will tell you what I can.

rskarvan: To clarify a little, we use solid state CJ amps including the MF-2600 and the MF-5600. These amps use FETs which, according to the CJ website: <http://www.conradjohnson.com/It_just_sounds_right/current-products.html>

are selected for their high voltage gain and the veritable lack of noticable odd ordered harmonic distortion (the bad kind) leaving the musically natural even ordered distortions to do their bidding. This piece of engineering is what gives them something of a tube amp feel as tubes exhibit the some harmonic charecteristics. Also, they use bipolar transistors in the output stage giving a very satisfying and responsive bass response.

There are also some reviews from discerning folks like yourselves that you can link to from the CJ website...my favorite:

"If you like full-bodied vocals, harmonically correct midrange, precise and natural highs and dynamic bottom end, then you should seriously consider this amp. One of the best ss amps on the south side of 5K."

On the other hand, you have made a very good point on several issues with testing. When we are doing purely quantitative analysis on a system, we use crown microtech amps and stuart. The main reason is the flat response up through 30kHz. This allows us to see the true response of the samples tested and catch things like pesky bright tweeters.

Also, rskarvan and TroyD bring up a good point that we like to listen with representative amps for the market the product is being speced for. While we don't have something from every company that is out there, we do have a range of recievers, amps and preamps from Sony, Onkyo, Meridian, Theta, Pioneer, Pioneer elite, Marantz, and others. From really pricey to the cheaper end. For the lower end, we use lower end, for the higher end we use the pricier stuffs.

Joe logston, please rewrite the last bit, I am having trouble discerning what you are asking. Thank you.

I hope that this all helps give you a better picture of what we use and what for. Thank you for your interest and keep listening.

David Domzalski
Test and Measurement Engineer

[CrazyHead]

Originally posted by Dave D
For the lower end, we use lower end, for the higher end we use the pricier stuffs.

David Domzalski
Test and Measurement Engineer

Thanks for the info Dave! It's great to know what you guys are doing in terms of testing and what gear you use. I am glad you test these speakers using high-end gear. It goes back to the old saying that a good front end makes all the difference. I had a pair of old RT16's I got back in the day that just last weekend were finally swapped with some LSi9's.

My question is, what gear were the LSi's (specifically, the LSi9) developed on? I have them paired up with a customized JoLida all-tube amplifier using EL34 output tubes (at the moment).

Thanks again for taking the time to come and chat with us!


-crazyhead-

[joe logston]

i listen to conrad- johonson tube amp, driving the big martin logan speakers. and it sounded dam good, thats where the tube amp shines, with electrotatics speakers. , with dynamic speakers it sounds to dull to me, or it seems to have a film over the sound. but with a good transister amp and dynamic speakers the highs are more airy and clean, wlth the right software it is unbeatable

[juice21]

great info. dave! thanks for taking the time to post.

[rskarvan]

Thanks David D.

[Dave D]

Joe Logston: I have to agree. Although I have done embarrassingly little listening on tube amps (I am still just a young buck) What I have heard is a slight general muddiness in your traditional Driver/tweeter speaker. Of course each individual will feel differently about what they hear, but when it came down to it, I always enjoyed that warm if slightly obscured sound. I have never had the pleasure of listening to any electrostatics on a tube amp, but I think I will have to go make this a priority now that you have mentioned it.

Crazy: the LSi9's were extensively listened to on the CJ MF-2500 amp with several different preamp configurations. That particular CJ runs about $3500. I have been quite impressed with the sound from this setup and would not balk at buying a CJ for my home (after I pay off the student loans among other things). I know that Matthew and some of the other high guys also did some serious evaluation at home on their personal systems, but I do not know what they are packing there(actually, I am pretty sure that one of them is sporting some McIntosh hardware).
I have never listened to any of the JoLida amps, however, almost all the reviews I have ever read have been very good. Most people seem fairly impressed with the performance to price ratio. Again, I can not stress enough how personal the listening experience is, If you like how the JoLida sounds with the 9's, then keep em cranking. I personally can't wait to get my hands on a pair or two (I am thinking about doing a (4)LSi9, (2)LSiC surround system.)

I hope this helps.

Good Day Gentlemen,
Dave

[CrazyHead]

Thanks again for the thoughtful responses! My initial impressions of the LSi's were that they were scantly better than my old RT16's, however the more they are played and "broken in", the better they are sounding! Right now I am fighting with the odd shape of my listening environment making bass sound as if it's only coming from on particular corner of the room. I just need to make the correct adjustments to get everything back into shape (I went through this with my RT16's as well).

However, I really don't hear the dull sound that you and Joe notice with tube gear. To me, tube gear sounds, sometimes unforgivingly so, incredibly transparent and clean without the etched sound of solid state amplifiers. That, along with the odd and even ordered harmonics.

The CJ amps use EL34 tubes which, some say, have a much more robust midrange. Perhaps this is why they might sound like the highs are rolled off?

Regardless, thanks for the info!


-crazyhead-

[joe logston]

hi crazyhead, what center channel speaker you have, im thinking of geting 2 lsi-9 but i dont know how it would match my cs-400i center channel speaker, i would like to get 5 of them, but i cant afford to spend that much money right now. im useing 2 rt-7 on top of 2 psw-650 for mains i want to change the rt-7 to lsi-9.

thanks

[Dave D]

Damn room accoustics DAMN THEM TO HELL!!!!

You know, I can't even remember the names of the tube amps I was listening too (I am ashamed), but my experience probably has a lot to do with where they stood in the quality spectrum or just what the manufacturer choose to use. Made the sound veiled. Thank you for the info though, I really need to learn more about tube amps.

Yeah, I have yet to hear a bad review of the LSi series. If anything most are saying that they should cost more (ok, nuff of the plug.) I guess you know about that as you have a pair.

The word I am getting from the streets is that they need a good 100 hours to break in, I generally need to have the speakers broken a little quicker so I plop them on some fancy (CD player and an amp) equipment and send them through a special break-in procedure.

I am really glad to hear that you are happy with the LSi9's. Spread the word my friend.

[CrazyHead]

Originally posted by Dave D
Damn room accoustics DAMN THEM TO HELL!!!!

I wish I could be comfortable saying that myself! I think it's this new room that my gear is in, but I'll be damned if I can figure it out...

Mids and bass seem to be focused on the far left of the room even though both speakers are placed correctly.

Each speaker is, and I have measured this, 3 feet from the rear wall, three feet from the side walls at exactly equal angles. I've toed them in, toed them out, even had them firing perpendicular to the rear wall. No difference. Bass continues to pour forth from the left speaker. I've moved the speaker from the left to the right and the right speaker to the left yet the problem still occurs. It's like the right side of the room has a bass vacuum of somekind. It's absolutely ridiculous.

Some might say it's my tube amp, but it happens with a regular receiver as well.

No slanted or vaulted ceilings, the floor is the same all around. I am sitting right in the middle, equal distance from the speakers on both sides. Technically, this should be perfect... but damnit... the bass is sucked away on the right side.

This requires further study. :)


-crazyhead-

[nascarmann]

Mr Dave D,

How about at the next board meeting go in and suggest that Polk Audio do a "special aniversary addition" SDA Series? Bring back the 1.2 and 2.3 and 1C's for a year and let everybody stock-up for the next 25 years! Anyone else agree?

[Aaron]

Each speaker is, and I have measured this, 3 feet from the rear wall, three feet from the side walls at exactly equal angles.

You generally shouldn't place speakers equal distances from the rear and side walls. This could be your problem. Check out this link from Cardas on speaker placement.

Speaker Placement (http://www.cardas.com/cgi-bin/main_content.cgi?area=Insights&content_id=26&pagestring=Room+Setup)

Aaron

[Dave D]

Good man Aaron. Another huge factor is the room geometry. We have a room here that is almost a perfect cube...I guess it might be good for storage or something.

[joe logston]

crazyhead , did you check your speaker cables & interconnects i had the same problem it was a loose wire inside of the speaker that went to the binding post from inside. then i got to checking and they were all lose, and some times the interconnects geted bump and they get loose, the speaker will play but it will be out of balance.

[CrazyHead]

Originally posted by joe logston
crazyhead , did you check your speaker cables & interconnects i had the same problem it was a loose wire inside of the speaker that went to the binding post from inside. then i got to checking and they were all lose, and some times the interconnects geted bump and they get loose, the speaker will play but it will be out of balance.

Thanks for these suggestions, joe. I'll give them a try this evening and see if it makes any difference. I'm really going crazy over this damn imbalance. Of course, my name is crazyhead so... :)


-crazyhead-

[gidrah]

Jer - Great question.
Dave D - Good info. Thanks.
Nascarman - Sign me up. I'd settle for a seperate SDA dividing network type thing. SDA a pair of side-by-side LSi9.
Aaron - Good catch.
CrazyHead - Have you tried swapping L&R?

[ctbarker32]

This is a fun discussion.

After reading good things about various Polk speakers I decided to try out a pair of RTi35's to mate with my Jolida Integrated tube amp in my living room system. After my purchase it occurred to me that half of this system is made by companies headquartered in Maryland. As a longtime Maryland resident I found this kind of fun! I know this is an odd way to purchase hi-fi equipment but it is interesting. I'm kind of thinking about trying to find another Maryland company to purchase a CD player from. Then I could be almost 100% Maryland! I know Jolida makes a tube CD player. I wonder if there is another company?

I could venture across the Potomac and have a hybrid Maryland/Virginia system using such brands as Conrad Johnson/McCormack?

Actually, I am a long time Polk customer. I owned a pair of Model 10's in my high school years (70's). Even though my main stereo (soon to be Home Theater) system uses Martin Logan Aerius and Rel strata III sub, I enjoy swapping things out in my living room system currently with the RTi35's. I am now becoming interested in the LSi9's. Just read Cordesman's review in Absolute Sound. Cordesman, btw, lives in Virginia. When he's not reviewing sound he's defence analyst that has appeared on ABC, etc. Looks a little like Tom Clancy as I remember.

Polk should partner with Jolida and promote Maryland audio!

-CB

[CrazyHead]

Howdy!

You probably read that I, too, am using a JoLida tube amplifier. Which model do you run?


-crazyhead-

[rskarvan]

I generally believe in buying American.
But, buying all audio from Maryland.... Hmmm.

I live in Indiana. If I want to buy a Hoosier product,
it has to either be:

a) Toyota Pickup from Princeton IN
b) Subaru/Isuzu from Lafayette (GO PURDUE).
c) Full Size CHEVY from Ft. Wayne.
(Ya gotta be careful here... they are also made in Oshawa Canada). Ya know, them canadians make quite a few amplifiers for us too.

Now, if I'm into car audio... I can get a genuine
made in Greenwood Indiana ALPINE receiver/CD - they are the original equipment supplier for Honda - an Ohio company.

I think I can even buy a MADE IN INDIANA Toyota forklift.
That is just wrong - seeing that Caterpillar is HQ'd next door
in Illinois (they purchased Towmotor a long time ago).

And, embarassingly enough, guess who placed their
headquarters right in our Hoosier state capital... KLIPSCH : (
They moved into the old RCI (Resort Condo's Inc.) building - a time share vacation company.

I have a Krell amp and pre-amp.... these are made in America.
I also have an old Harmon Kardon receiver - also made in the USA.

Now, to make things ALL THE MORE WORSE... most all Polks come from Tijuanna Mexico. That's right.... the same place that washes your car window unrequested, snaps polaroids, and offers their sisters up for the night for a buck.

NAFTA sucks. So, to end this spiel, I have to say that if you want speakers that are made in Maryland (or, the USA for that matter).... Polk is the wrong choice.

I'm going to eat some made in INDIANA Orville Redenbacher microwave popcorn now. Signing off.

[ctbarker32]

made in Maryland

Please note that I was careful to use the wording "headquartered in Maryland". Almost all products today are sourced from components originating from around the world.

I fully believe in capitalism and the freedom of choice it can bring. Less government, more personal freedom, and free enterprise unleashes the human potential.

Which model do you run?

Jolida SJ-502A integrated amp. Had to replace output tubes a few months ago. Very sweet and musical. I wonder what it would sound like with the LSi9's?

-CB

[rskarvan]

Capitalism assumes a level playing field.
Unfortunately, the USA standards make the field un-level.
Things like worker safety, EPA, OSHA, and child-labor laws are tipped against the USA. So, capitalism has some serious faults.

Given the choice between justice and mercy, I'd choose mercy.
We do have it awfully good.

BTW, this is my 250th post (real reason for posting).
I'm curious if I've been promoted to polk-a-teer?

WOOHOO - I MADE IT - POLKATEER.
I'll be quiet now.

[F1nut]

Dave D.
I would like to add my two cents in reference to nascarmann's suggestion of a reissue of the SDA line. ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!
This would be the best idea you guys at Polk have had since you
first invented the SDA line. The hell with small footprint speakers.
You should market them at the high-end audio stores and re-
establish the Polk name.
Jesse, F1nut

[CrazyHead]

Originally posted by ctbarker32


Jolida SJ-502A integrated amp. Had to replace output tubes a few months ago. Very sweet and musical. I wonder what it would sound like with the LSi9's?

-CB

Amazing. I, too, use the famous 502A!

I am withholding my final review while I let my LSi9's get broken in a bit. My initial impression was pretty ho-hum, but things have gotten a lot better with a few weeks of break in!

BTW: I started a JoLida forum on my site, similar to this forum. It's for JoLida fans as well as people who want to mod/tweak their JoLida amps. I've made quite a few changes to the amplifier since I got it and I will be documenting all of it on my forum.

Give it a look-see... and that goes for everybody else! I made some forums for all around audiofreakedness for everyone to use.

The Forum! Take a look and participate! (http://www.spudland.com/forum/)


-crazyhead-

[ctbarker32]

Originally posted by CrazyHead


Amazing. I, too, use the famous 502A!

I am withholding my final review while I let my LSi9's get broken in a bit. My initial impression was pretty ho-hum, but things have gotten a lot better with a few weeks of break in!

BTW: I started a JoLida forum on my site

-crazyhead-

Very cool. I will follow your mods with great interest. Currently, I am modifying a Musical Fidelity X-Dac. So far, I've replaced the opamps (they're socketed so this is easy). I've also purchased a quantity of Black Gate caps that I am considering using as replacements. I'm not an EE or anything just a hobbiest willing to take some risks! When I was a teenager I built a Hafler amp and PS Audio preamp. They both still run some 22+ years later.

I'm curious about your experience with the 502 & LSi9 combo. I'm currently running my 502 with the RTi35's. I'm quite pleased. Previously, I used (still have) Sound Dynamics and B&W 302's. I seem to have started a collection of modest priced speakers. It's a disease really but I get a kick out of how much performance I can get from modest components.

I would think that my RTi35's have some sound similarities to your LSi9's. Their physical dimensions are similar except that the LSi9 seems to be a 3 to 5 inches deeper than the 35's. Of course, the treble range will be dramatically better (different?) with the LSi9's? I would be curious about what speakers you used before with your 502?

I've added your Jolida forum to my bookmarks and will visit regularly.

-CB

[DarqueKnight]

Originally posted by F1nut
Dave D.
I would like to add my two cents in reference to nascarmann's suggestion of a reissue of the SDA line. ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!
This would be the best idea you guys at Polk have had since you
first invented the SDA line. The hell with small footprint speakers.
You should market them at the high-end audio stores and re-
establish the Polk name.
Jesse, F1nut

If they came back with anything like the larger SDA's of the past, the price would be prohibitive. I really don't think the market is there to support a profitable re-introduction of the SDA line. These speakers do not work very well with receivers, which is what most people own these days. Furthermore, SDA's, by their very nature, are speakers for the two channel audio enthusiast, whose ranks seem to be (rapidly) dwindling.:mad:

[F1nut]

raife 1

I agree that the pure stereo enthusiast market is smaller these days, which is why I suggested sales at high-end stores only. I have never heard "live" music that surrounded me and for the purpose of music reproduction I believe the "multi-channel" format to be short lived. Anyway I'm sure they would not be inexpensive, but what audiophile speaker is. Of course this is just MO (also all my friends too), just wishing and hoping!

F1nut

[DarqueKnight]

I wonder how many of those are still around compared to 20 years ago?

I emailed Polk customer service last year asking how many of each model of SDA's were ever sold. Since Polk is a private company, they declined to release any sales information.

I was just curious as to how many SDA 1.2's, 1.2TL's, CRS+'s, etc. are floating around out there in audioland. There are a fair amount of SDA's that can be had for reasonable prices on the used market. That may be another reason why Polk won't come out with an updated SDA. I'd buy a new pair of large SDA's, provided the increased performance justified the price.

I agree with you on the multichannel audio thing. But, who knows what will catch on with the public? When Sony/JVC invented the CD, they never proposed it as a high fidelity format and they were surprised that CD's were so well received by both record companies and consumers.:mad:

[shack]

When Sony/JVC invented the CD, they never proposed it as a high fidelity format and they were surprised that CD's were so well received by both record companies and consumers
Neither Sony or JVC invented the CD. The originator of the idea was James T. Russell. Russell was a physicist and avid music listener who was frustrated by the wear and tear suffered by his vinyl phonograph records. He was also unsatisfied with their sound quality. Russell envisioned a system that would record and replay sounds without physical contact between its parts; and he saw that the best way to achieve such a system was to use light. Russell was familiar with digital data recording, in punch card or magnetic tape form. He saw that if he could represent the the binary 0 and 1 with dark and light, a device could read sounds or indeed any information at all without ever wearing out. If he could make the binary code compact enough, Russell saw that he could store symphonies on a small piece of film.

Russell succeeded in inventing the first digital-to-optical recording and playback system (patented in 1970). He had found a way to record onto a photosensitive platter in tiny "bits" of light and dark, each one micron in diameter; a laser read the binary patterns, and a computer converted the data into an electronic signal --- which it was then comparatively simple to convert into an audible or visible transmission.

This was the first compact disc. At first no one was interested in his idea but eventually, Sony and and other companies realized the implications and purchased licenses.

At the same time in 1969 Klass Compaan, a Dutch physicist comes up with the idea for the compact disc. At Philips, Compaan and Pete Kramer complete a glass disc prototype and determine that a laser will be needed to read the information. They work on the concept throughout the 70s.

Philips and Sony worked on the technology and even collaberated in the late 70s trying to develop a worldwide standard (similar to the HDTV). In 1982 Sony and Philips introduced a CD-DA (compact disk-digital audio). While Sony was instrumental in its development they did not invent the CD. Many people credit Philips as the inventor of the CD.

[CrazyHead]

Originally posted by ctbarker32

I'm curious about your experience with the 502 & LSi9 combo. I'm currently running my 502 with the RTi35's. I'm quite pleased.
...
I've added your Jolida forum to my bookmarks and will visit regularly.

-CB

Hi again!

I'll make a post on my forum about the mods I've done to my 502. The speakers I had before the LSi9's were a pair of old Polk RT16 towers (first generation of RT series). As for the LSi9's on the 502...

As you know, the 502 uses the 6550/KT88 type of power tubes. After hooking them up, I was somewhat disappointed. I expected more clarity than I was hearing. Of course, they needed some break-in time. After about a week, things started looking better but there was still something missing... I wasn't sure what it was. The clarity was there, but the midrange was still lacking a little bit.

At any rate, I decided to mod my 502A to accept EL34 tubes instead of the 6550's. I picked up a quad of Svetlana EL34's and called up JoLida to get a schematic and tips. I had read that the 502 can be configured for this kind of operation by swapping a resistor out. That's the only difference between the 302 and 502... four resistors and a $200 price hike. :) It has to do with resistance of the tube types. EL34 has more and with a stock 502 it will not bias to 40mv. It'll only bias to about 17mv. Swapping the four resistors, and if you get the right resistance, you can bias the 502 for either 6550 or EL34's, depending on your mood.

Anyway, I got my EL34's in and the LSi9's sound a LOT better! Bass is prodigious and smooth. It doesn't have the low end reach that the RT16's did (they could go much lower than documented), but the bass is far more even and controlled than the RT16's were. Don't get me wrong, though, the LSi9's are bass powerhouses for bookshelf speakers! Listened to Blue Man Group's "Audio" release, track 3, brought tears to my eyes. The bass is open, deep, and very controlled -- but most of all, it's powerful!

Amazing speakers the LSi's are...

[DarqueKnight]

Thanks for the historical info Shack!:cool:

[Dave D]

I will look into your suggestion. SDA is truely a cool technology. We are always interested in what the true fans think and want. It is you who pushes us to your friends and we love you all for it.

[F1nut]

COOL!!!