LSiM707 too fatiguing?

[Serendipity]

Hey everyone,

I am looking into these speakers as they would be great for a 3rd setup; however, every time I heard them they were too fatiguing and hard to listen to for long periods of time. The first pair I heard (at PolkFest 2011) was just extremely bright and too painful to listen to on tracks such as Sarah Brightman - Naturaleza Muerta and La Wally from her Timeless album which are my reference tracks.

For those of you that have these speakers, does the following track sound bright / fatiguing at moderate levels?



I'd like to pair these with either an Anthem D2v 3D pre and A5 amplifier, Theta Casablanca III with Dreadnaught III amplifier, or a Crestron Procise PSPHD and 7x400 amplifier; so they will be powered by serious gear.

Any opinions would be great, TIA!

[leroyjr1]

I've listened to mine for hours without any listening fatigue, but I also don't crank it either. I think personal preference, gear, and room plays a big factor. You might need to try a warmer speaker.

[Dawgfish]

I don't find my 703s to bright in the least bit. Like Leroy, I can listen to them for hours with no listener fatigue. I played the track through my computer speakers which actually sound pretty good to me and that track definitely sounded brighter than normal. The track probably has a lot to do with the brightness you are hearing with them, along with gear, etc.

[JimAckley]

I absolutely LOVED the 703s, as my review showed. The 707s didn't impress me that much though. Have you heard the 705s yet? I've heard that, quite like the LSi series, the smaller towers are where it was done right.

Also, if you consider this line too bright, look into the LSi line. Their sound is darker, which might cater to your ears better.

[Serendipity]

I've listened to mine for hours without any listening fatigue, but I also don't crank it either. I think personal preference, gear, and room plays a big factor. You might need to try a warmer speaker.

Thanks. The gear that I am looking into pairing it with is already on the bright side - so this may contribute to the listening fatigue. The Theta Casablanca III was pretty forward sounding every time I demoed it, along with the Theta amp that was usually paired with it. I only listened to the Anthem combo once. Procise PSPHD was great for movies, but also a little bright for music.

I don't find my 703s to bright in the least bit. Like Leroy, I can listen to them for hours with no listener fatigue. I played the track through my computer speakers which actually sound pretty good to me and that track definitely sounded brighter than normal. The track probably has a lot to do with the brightness you are hearing with them, along with gear, etc.

I just listened to that track on my current setup - which consists of Definitive Technology BP10B towers, Polk Audio DSWPro550WI, Denon AVR-5800, and HP Digital Entertainment Center z560 as the source. It was unlistenable at higher volumes. I think it's bright sounding even at moderate levels. So you're saying it's bright too on your computer rig?

I absolutely LOVED the 703s, as my review showed. The 707s didn't impress me that much though. Have you heard the 705s yet? I've heard that, quite like the LSi series, the smaller towers are where it was done right.

Also, if you consider this line too bright, look into the LSi line. Their sound is darker, which might cater to your ears better.

No, I haven't heard the 705's, but the 703's were also pretty bright when I heard them at PolkFest. I think they were paired with some tube gear if I recall correctly. I don't think I could listen to them for a long period of time such as at PF. Heard the original LSi line a long time ago (LSi 15 and 25), but at that time it was paired up with a mid-level Onkyo receiver and PSB sub.

[cnh]

I've heard the new speakers and also LSi-9s and I've owned LSi-7s for a few years. The highs on the newer series are NOT fatiguing, there are just more of them, they are less dark as described above, resolve a bit more detail and are slightly cleaner, etc. Those are usually good things.

But if you think that Vifa is too bright for your ears, I guarantee you that the older Vifa will not be as bright, but that's actually a shortcoming IMO.

cnh

[Serendipity]

But if you think that Vifa is too bright for your ears, I guarantee you that the older Vifa will not be as bright, but that's actually a shortcoming IMO.

I'm currently listening to Polk RM6750's with an Onkyo TX-SR702 receiver as my PC rig and that is the level of warmth I am looking for. Even the TX-SR806 with these speakers is a little on the "edgy" side, and even then it's still a lot warmer than the LSi's I've heard. Anything TX-NRx09 and higher is unlistenable for me.

[cnh]

I'd agree that "older" Onkyos are probably "warmer". I really don't know why or what Onkyo did on the newer models?

Those satellites are 1/2" silk domes so they're probably challenged when it comes to reproducing enough detail and resolution up high. So it sounds like you may like your highs "rolled" off?

Have you heard any Polk Peerless Monitors. I suspect you'd like those, I know I do. They're even smoother than the LSis up top, not quite as revealing though?

Let me tell you a little secret. I've been to a couple of Polk get togethers and at least half of the Polkies at those praised speakers than sounded unbearably bright and edgy to me! So much so that I had to wonder if my ears were wired differently from "most" people. For some of these guys hearing everything is more important than how one hears that everything!!

cnh

[Serendipity]

Totally agree. I don't know why Onkyo decided to make their newer receivers brighter and more "in-your-face" sounding, it just doesn't sound right to me. The TX-SR806 has been moved to the living room for TV duty, even though I occasionally use it for music and movies. In this clip you can hear what I'm describing, I recorded this with a camcorder so the mic hides some of the harshness.



As for the RM6750, those satellites are great sounding for music and have that nice, warm sound that I can listen to all day. When paried with the TX-SR702 it's a great warm sound. I'll literally have something playing while cleaning the house or programming and I can listen to it for hours and hours on end.

As for the Polk peerless monitors, no I haven't heard them, but I have heard the RTi38 and they were still bright for my tastes.

[cnh]

Peerless are less bright than what's in the Rti 38, most definitely!

cnh

[DSkip]

The LSiM's are revealing speakers. Put a mediocre chain behind them and you're going to hear it. The RM6750, not so much. I've owned the 6750's and spent some good time with the LSiM's. The LSiM's have never been bright to me. In fact, they are a little too subdued for me. There is no comparison between the two (obviously), but I'd garner that every system I've heard the LSiM's on, they have been much warmer than the 6750's were. I've never heard the LSiM's on a receiver though.

[Serendipity]

DSkip,

I'm planning on using them with high-end separates such as those mentioned in the first post.

[naturallight]

WoW...that Youtube recording..even on my PC speakers was enough to have turn it down right away...and thats usually not the case. This was way bright. I'm not sure what to tell you, but i'm not sure, if i had a good CD recording of this, even to put it on the Jolida tube CD player, thru my Onkyo M504 amp to SDA 1C's...I'm not sure i would want to play this very loud.....

[Serendipity]

I'm not sure what to tell you, but i'm not sure, if i had a good CD recording of this, even to put it on the Jolida tube CD player, thru my Onkyo M504 amp to SDA 1C's...I'm not sure i would want to play this very loud.....

I have the CD and it's brighter than the YouTube recording, even when played back in a tube CDP (have tried several).

[naturallight]

Yet, you want to use this, as a "reference" track to judge speakers???? This makes no sense.

[Serendipity]

Her voice is absolutely beautiful and sounds amazing. Give this one a try, you'll see why I use Sarah to demo speakers:

[ss1]

sounds great.

[F1nut]

I've heard all 3 LSiM models on high end tube gear, high end SS gear and a combo of both in a variety of settings. I also heard the 707's driven by an AVR and feed from a universal player. The only times I heard a bright top end was once with some unknown song played off a computer. It wasn't the computer as other songs were ok. It wasn't the speakers or the other gear, it was the recording. The other time was with the AVR/universal player, everything was thin/bright. Swapped out the AVR for a man amp and swapped out the source to something I forget. Anyway, the result was no more thin/bright sound. My conclusion is the speakers are not inherently bright, it's what's feeding them that makes the difference.

[naturallight]

Ok..this track was NOT WAY over the top...and is listenable on my PC speakers..it can be turned up some.



If this is the stuff you want to listen to all the time and your reference CD..you don't need high dollar speakers nore high dollar amps. Her voice may be nice, but what this is..is compressed to crap, treble boosted and bass boosted pop music. I'm not saying it's bad, or her voice is bad, but the music and the way it's produced ..it is what it is. You put this on LSiM or any Polk speaker for that matter..it's just going to sound bright and fatiguing.

I'm not sure what to tell you. You can't make over processed, boosted treble recordings sound great, no matter how much you want to spend, and if you go for really good, "accurate" speakers..it's just going to make it sound worse.

Maybe a set of the big new CV's would work for this type stuff..but thats a guess.
You first youtube thing is so far over the top....you can't fix it with speakers.or much else.so i'm not sure what your trying to do here.

[Serendipity]

So not a good idea to feed them with a Theta Casablanca III and a Dreadnaught? I like the Anthem D2v because it's a little warmer, but I'll have to listen to it again to make a definitive conclusion. Crestron's Procise had the most slam and low-end impact, but the highs were a little bright for my tastes.

[Face]

Bright gear + revealing speaker + reflective room = recipe for disaster.

[naturallight]

Yeah..ok..you have 10K amps...you want to buy speakers based on some chicks over compressed, over boosted treble, and bass POP CD....because you like her voice??

Thats how you pick out speakers.??


All i can say...rock on dude.....if that makes you happy..whatever..you sure seem to have the money to do it.

[Serendipity]

I haven't bought any amps or speakers yet...

I am basically trying to pick out a system that will have excellent SQ but is also not too harsh or fatiguing. Of course you are going to listen to what you like most, otherwise why have a stereo system?

[tonyb]

Pairing the speakers with the right gear is the trick. Also, no mention of cables ? Cables too can play a huge roll in bringing down some brightness in gear. Lets not forget the room either and placement. Everything plays a role in what your ears are going to hear.

[Serendipity]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to decide on something soon, expect a post and review when it's all done.

[F1nut]

Alex, you're missing a few points. One, you can't judge the sound of anything with a crap recording. Two, you can't fix a crap recording with gear/speakers.

[naturallight]

Yeah..I pretty much have to go with F1 on this all the way....you just can't buy speakers and or equipment basied on a badly recorded CD..make no sense....

[falconcry72]

Man, what I LOVED about the LSiM's was how NON-fatiguing they were; when compared to other good speakers (Maggies, Ushers, etc) the LSiM's were just so smooth and easy to listen to. I can see how they'd be unforgiving of a bad recording, given their detailed nature, but I would never call them bright or fatiguing. Never ever.

[Face]

And for the record Alex, the LSiM's we heard at Polkfest only had a preliminary crossover...that was disturbed during shipping and re-assembled by some crackpot crew.

Also, the recording above does sound thin.

[Serendipity]

Stay tuned, I'll be doing some serious upgrades this winter.