Going to build an LSi System... again....

[Joey_V]

Ok.. so here's what we're looking at:

5.1
- LSiC for center duty, obviously.
- Velodyne DD18 or DD15 or SVS PB12+/2 in piano black with SMS-1 for woofin' duty.
- LSi9 for rear duty.
- For mains, should I go LSi15 or LSi9?

What do you guys think?

I'm going to put up a little poll....

I know the 15s have both drivers working the midrange and this should result in a cleaner sound - while the 9s are overall more versatile, in terms of tweeter height and positioning.

I will be using my computer as the base of operations for this monster rig. I thought about it and I am hardpressed to find a multichannel system with the capabilities of the LSi series - no can do, sir. I thought about going Klipsch Reference or Paradigm Signature or JM Labs Profile Beryllium.... and the cost gets quite high... and I have to admit, I still love the LSi sound.... powered correctly that is.

The Summits, will be in my living room - anchoring Reference duties, but if I cant get it to sound right in my new place, I may have to go with Cremonas or Wilson Sophia or JM Labs Electras to handle 2 channel. But that's another topic...

[Shizelbs]

Go big or go home. Small isn't your style. Get the 15s.

[Joey_V]

Go big or go home. Small isn't your style. Get the 15s.

Small isnt my style... that's a good one. :)

[polkatese]

Joey, need to restructure the poll above, you're not saying to put sub in front, are you? ;)

[Joey_V]

Joey, need to restructure the poll above, you're not saying to put sub in front, are you? ;)

Ah.. this whole poll is messed up now that I look at it.... I dont think you guys can vote on more than one choice.

Great....

Ah well... I guess we have to make do. I dont think I can edit the poll. :(

[audiobliss]

I can't imagine that a Klipsch Reference series HT would cost more than an LSi series HT...

[cfrizz]

15's & SVS!

[P.HUNT]

VELODYNE!! DD- ALL THE WAY!!
I have had the svs pb12/2ultra and built an IB.
the Velodyne dd-15 I got a week agao smokes them both easily! And sounds so much cleaner!!

[Toxis]

The Klipsch reference series should be pretty much the same price. Pretty darn close at least.

I say 15's + DD. But seeing it's a dedicated HT area, I'd go Klipsch Ref... RF-63's, RC-64 (MASSIVE!!!) and some RS-62's. I mean, you're not listening to music there...

[P.HUNT]

Toxis- hit the nail on the head!
I recently upgraded from a Lsi system to the new Klipsch refrence rc64 center and 4 rc-62's for mains and surrounds as much as I hate to say somthing like this on a polk fourm. Man do the new Klipsch speakers rock I think my system sounds much better than with the lsi's

Dont get me wrong SvS is a better sub than moast but it is not in the same leauge as the Velodyne dd-

[McLoki]

Joey - if you want some LSi7's for rear duties let me know. (I have a pair for sale (ebony) you can remove the sides on them and make them gloss black if you would like. (old style)

Just wondering if you would like to save some coin on the rear speakers and put the funds twords the 15's in the front. If you want to check out the sound sometime, (of a 15's / 7's / C's home theater) let me know - you are always welcome. (although I do deliver as I would love to hear the summits sometime...)

Michael

[jm1]

Joey's Gear:
Current Gear:
XFi -> Rotel RC1070 preamp -> Rotel RB1070 amp -> Martin Logan SUMMIT

Are there any plans to finish the two channel system? Having high end speakers for two and multi channel systems is great, but you also need something behind them to fully realize their qualities. I am not sure what your listening preference is, but if I was in your position, I would be dedicating my resources to update the weakest links in the two channel environment to fully utilize the ML speaker’s capabilities. A multi-channel system can follow at a future date.

When I upgraded from Rotel (RC-980BX and RB-980BX, predecessor of your components) to Simaudio components, it was a major improvement. Now that I have Dynaudio C1 monitors (with a dbx active crossover to two SVS PCU’s) as L+R speakers, I find it difficult to squander valuable listening time on HT media. Having a dedicated audio room fully acoustically treated has been icing on the cake.

When you are in your new residence and ready to progress with the two channel system, I would acoustically treat the room BEFORE any equipment purchases. Having an acoustically treated audio room will allow you to better understand the nature of any component you wish to place in your system.


PS. I have always been a fan of the 9's, but after once again listening to the 15's last fall, I would have to say the 15's. SVS or DD will be fine.

[ohskigod]

in a theater application, go with the LSi15's

never heard a Velodyne dd18, so I cant help there. dont think you can go wrong either way though

[polkatese]

Let me understand the poll result here: 6 people votes for SVS, clearly not to be used as a FRONT. So, the only logical explanation would be these voters have voted for SVS over Velodyne, more as a general use of sub in a HT environment, is that right?

Secondly, not to question or doubt the SVS voters, but Velo DD18 is a very nice, powerful, and clean sub for HT. I am not convinced if anyone has done a sideby-side audition of a SVS PB12+/2 with a DD-18. Well, I could be wrong, since there are several bassheads over at AVS who might have done that very comparo. There is a gent by the name of Craig who seems to spend lots of time comparing different subs. I wonder..

[faster100]

I'm guessing people are voting SVS because they have tried it and like it..

[Joey_V]

Thanks for the offer Mike.... I'll think about it. Of course, you are always welcome to come by and visit for a little RR infront of the Summits. Hehehe...

As for the poll... I find it interesting that the 15s beat out the 9s by about double the votes. Also, I find it interesting that the SVS beat out the DD. The DD, some say, are among the best in the business - I'll take a look at other forums as I know there is one who does way way way more reviewing of subwoofers than even Craig and Ed combined.... I stumbled onto him before.

I went to Tweeter yesterday to get my bearings straight and to hear the LSi again. I'm surprised that they carry a little bit of JBL now. They're not priced too bad either and they sound pretty good. I also listened to the JM Labs Profile and those sound crystal clear, even compared to the 9s... though I felt they were overly analytical, and I dont need that especially since I have the Summits anchoring reference.

After comparing the LSi with other speakers, the LSi definitely sound polite and musical... though I hear a bit of a midrange lack from the 9s that I wasnt able to reliably detect on the 15s. I'm going to go back and do some better listening between the 2.

[polkatese]

Joey, had you gone with Velo DD, why do you need 18? That thing is massive. I started off with needing a 12, since it should be plentiful of bass for most setup. Well, I ended up with a 15 mainly because my dealer said: I can get you a really great deal for a 15 (since he has 'em in stock, as opposed to the 12). But, I still think that I can get by with a 12. Now, if my dealer said: hey, I can get you an amazingly sweet deal for a 1812, I don't know whether I am going to walk away or said something like: sure...;)

For HT, DD is the right choice, for music, there were times in which I wished I had gone with another REL. Yes, is THAT good for music!

[bertram]

I originally had a pair of LSi9s doing front-speaker duty but switched to LSi15s. But that was only because my music system is set-up around my computer work area and I needed to reclaim the desktop space that the 9s were taking. The 15s, of course, are floorstanding. I didn't want to get stands for the 9s because of stability issues (the stands would have to be tall and the 9s are very heavy).

Anyway, apart from these practical considerations, I hear no advantage having the 15s over the 9s, especially with a SVS PCU sub in the system. And in my room, if the 15s are run fullrange, there are serious bass anomalies due to interactions. I also loved how the 9s sounded hooked up to my Cary 300B amps in place of my usual Verity Audio Parsifals.

[Hvrnaut]

Just wanted to chime in here with my recent experience. I just upgraded from Lsi 7 for my surrounds to Lsi FX's. I can't tell you how great they sound in HT mode. I would keep your 9's for your mains (I did), and seriously look at true surround designed speakers for the intended purpose. The front 9's sound great in 2 channel listening. All augmented by an SVS PB1-ISD, and yep, I've got my NSD upgrade on order!

[unc2701]

Ok, you're gonna need a sub either way... so just going with the 9's isn't all that bad, but it has a lot to do with personal preference. Audition, Audition, Audition.

Now, here's an idea: SMS-1 + badass amp of your choice + aura 18" in sealed enclosure.

See:
http://www.magico.net/product_sub.html (Same guys who make the $200,000 ultimates, so you can figure that they know what they're talking about)

http://www.madisound.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?cart_id=3995303.9095&pid=99

For about $1400, plus MDF all you've got left is an amp- the Magico uses the B&O icepower 1000 watt amp, but you can probably get away with any class D. You sould be able to get a pro amp that'll put out 2000 watts bridged into 4 ohm for about $600.

The SMS can account for the sealed rolloff down to 20 hz no problem and you won't have any of the phase inversions and port farts associated with ported systems, plus come in way under the cost of the DD18.

Yeah- this is in my project queue, if you can't tell.