LSi Series for voice clarity?????

[Murray1]

OK all you LSi owners, I need your input. The wife says no to Mythos series from DT(too much $) so I am back looking at the LSi series on Polk Direct. Probably end up with 15's or 9's. How have you found the LSiC for voice clarity(music & movies)? My old ears struggle understanding words so center speaker clarity is real important for me. Since the center will go directly above or below flat screen, can current receivers with audyssey, etc. bring center speaker more forward in the sound stage? Do current receivers let you overide their audyssey settings. The left and rights will be approximately 1.5' from the wall for best results. I have had a number of speaker demos but find it almost impossible to hear what the speakers have to offer because of poor demo conditions or CD's played. I know it would be best to take my own CD's but seem to forget every time I hit the stores. With all the LSi owners on this forum, I am sure I can get a feel for LSiC clarity from you all. Thanks for all your input.

[BlueFox]

Speaking only for myself, I have 4 LSi15s and an LSiC. While the audio is DVD dependant, I find that I do not have any problem at all with understanding voices. Sometimes I have turn it up a bit for better clarity, but, to me, that appears more due to a poorly recorded DVD than speaker issue.

One important point is my HT is in an used bedroom 11'x12' with only one door. So, that helps the acoustics. For what its worth, I am using a Sunfire TGA-5400 amp to drive the speakers.

[Bernal]

En una comparativa con cajas de tipo monitor del mismo fabricante y serie porque, no lo olvidemos, existen monitores de altísima calidad y precio que harían sonrojar a muchas columnas de postín, todo juega a su favor. El superior nivel de graves, la mayor potencia admisible que autoriza elevados niveles de presión sonora cuando la ocasión lo requiera sin que nada se descontrole y un escenario virtual más amplio, consistente y creíble son sus principales bazas. En contra de la opinión generalizada, una columna ocupa idéntico espacio vital que un monitor, incluso menos si me apuran, dado que las bases de sus soportes suelen tener mayores dimensiones que la base de la caja a la que sustentan. Por el contrario, en una sala inapropiada –y la sala perfecta a nivel acústico no existe–, el mayor nivel de graves de una columna puede excitar los modos propios de la sala –las nefastas ondas estacionarias–, haciendo su aparición las desagradables “bolas de graves”, que no hay forma de meter en vereda.

Hago estas consideraciones porque en el anterior número de CEC les presenté una pareja de cajas acústicas de tipo monitor LSi9 de la norteamericana Polk Audio, y fueron tales las buenas vibraciones que me produjeron que, con la aquiescencia de la dirección de CEC, contacté con su distribuidor con el objeto de presentarles y probar para ustedes a sus hermanas mayores. A los pocos días tenía en mi sala una pareja de columnas LSi15 que me trajo personalmente el señor Jorge Gómez, de Joytel, su distribuidor. En atención a aquellos lectores que no nos leen regularmente mes a mes, recordaré que Polk Audio es una firma norteamericana con sede en Baltimore (Maryland, EE. UU.), fundada en 1972 por Matthew Polk y George Klopfer con el objetivo puesto en los bolsillos menos potentados para que pudieran disfrutar de cajas acústicas de alta calidad a precios contenidos.

Las realizaciones de Polk Audio llegaron a nuestras latitudes en 1982 de la mano de su actual distribuidor, Joytel, aunque no terminaron de convencer a los melómanos por lo brillante y espectacular de su estética sonora, apreciaciones que personalmente compartí en cierta medida, puesto que la serie de más nivel SDA no dejaba indiferente. Pero tiempo atrás me llegaron noticias de las bondades de la actual serie LSi, la de más nivel de la firma norteamericana, probé para ustedes las LSi9 y, basándome en sus magníficas cualidades sonoras, hago mía la frase que Joytel S.L. nos transcribió en el recuadro “Nos contesta” que CEC pone a disposición de distribuidores y tiendas para que aleguen cuanto estimen oportuno: “antes de invertir una suma de dinero considerable en sus altavoces, libérese de prejuicios y escuche antes de decidirse unos LSi9”, frase que hago extensiva por mi cuenta y riesgo a la LSi15, un modelo que me ha vuelto a gustar por su construcción y prestaciones sonoras, ofrecida a un precio muy interesante.

Pero como sospecho que he comenzado por lo que debería ser el final del artículo, vayamos por partes. A título personal, considero a la LSi15 como una inteligente “extensión” de la magnífica LSi9 –o a ésta como una “reducción” de la LSi15, puesto que llegaron al mercado al mismo tiempo– a la que se le ha añadido una tercera vía para bajas frecuencias. Con ello pretendo decirles que la LSi15 no sólo comparte todas y cada una de las tecnologías puestas a punto por Polk Audio que les relaté en el citado artículo, sino que su parte superior es prácticamente idéntica a la de su hermana menor, aunque en el caso de la LSi15 alberga las secciones para medias y altas frecuencias, mientras que a las bajas se dedica el resto del gabinete. En su conjunto es una atractiva columna, alta y esbelta, lacada en su totalidad con negro brillante, excepto la zona inferior de los laterales, en la que unos apliques terminados con madera de cerezo barnizada –Polk Audio ofrece una alternativa con madera de ébano– confieren a la LSi15 un aspecto de distinción. El gabinete está construido con paneles de MDF de 3,8 cm de espesor, según el fabricante, con refuerzos internos para suprimir las resonancias.

Se trata de un diseño de 3,5 vías con dos sistemas bass reflex independientes, uno para la sección de graves cuyo puerto se encuentra en el panel inferior, asistido con un cono integrado en la base de la caja que ayuda a expandir el flujo del aire, con lo que se reducen las turbulencias que atenúan en 3 dB el nivel de presión sonora en esa crítica zona. Según Polk Audio, es el fruto de su tecnología patentada Power Port. El segundo sistema bass reflex está dedicado en exclusiva a la sección de frecuencias medias, cuyos transductores se hallan en un recinto aislado del anterior para evitar las lógicas interferencias acústicas, y responde al diseño ARC (Acoustic Resonance Control), con una subdivisión interna y dos puertos de salida instalados en el panel frontal.

La sección inferior de la caja, con un generoso volumen interno para las bajas frecuencias, dispone de un transductor con un cono de polímero compuesto de 203 mm montado en un lateral del gabinete, mientras que el recinto superior, destinado a las frecuencias medias y altas, cuenta con dos transductores de 133 mm con el cono de polipropileno, idénticos a los del modelo LSi9. Los chasis de los tres altavoces están fabricados en aleación de aluminio y se encuentran magnéticamente blindados. La reproducción de las altas frecuencias se encomienda una vez más a un excelente transductor de la serie Ring Radiador de la firma danesa Vifa, con la doble cúpula concéntrica de 25 mm típica de este aclamado diseño.

Como les comenté en el artículo de las LSi9, Dynamic Balance es la tecnología estrella de Polk Audio, hasta el punto de recordárnosla mediante serigrafía en la periferia del tweeter. Como si se tratara de una radiografía, permite analizar a los ingenieros de la firma el comportamiento de un transductor con el objeto de elegir la mejor combinación de materiales para evitar las discontinuidades en la curva de respuesta causantes de distorsiones, lo que garantiza una respuesta en frecuencia lo más plana posible, a elevados niveles de presión sonora. Es el fruto de un proyecto de investigación en colaboración con la Universidad Johns Hopkins de Baltimore, mediante interferometría láser.

Otro punto en el que la firma no ha dejado cabos sueltos es el crucial filtro divisor de frecuencias, en el que utiliza componentes de la mejor calidad, como el mylar (poliéster de la firma Du Pont) en los condensadores, y la tecnología Cascade Tapered Array en la vía de frecuencias medias para evitar el efecto denominado comb filtering o, lo que es lo mismo, errores de fase que son la causa de interferencias destructivas entre los dos transductores de esta vía. Para evitar este fenómeno, uno de los dos altavoces reproduce el rango de frecuencias entre 150 Hz, cortado por un filtro paso alto a 6 dB/octava de pendiente de atenuación (ver recuadro), y 2,4 kHz, donde es cortado por un filtro paso bajo a 12 dB de atenuación. El segundo altavoz comienza a radiar igualmente en 150 Hz, atenuado a 6 dB, y sube hasta 800 Hz, cortado por otro filtro paso bajo, a 12 dB de atenuación. Con este filtraje sólo uno de los dos transductores reproduce toda la gama de frecuencias medias, de tal modo que se evitan los efectos de interferencia entre ellos, lo que conjuga el dinamismo de dos transductores con la exactitud de uno sólo.

Si añadimos el filtraje del altavoz de agudos, cortado por un filtro de tercer orden, es decir a 18 dB de atenuación por octava, y la impedancia nominal de 4 ohmios, el resultado en una caja que presenta cierta dificultad de ataque, perfectamente solucionable con una electrónica no especialmente potente, aunque debe poseer cierta reserva de energía. Pero a fin de cuentas es el “sermón” que les predico siempre que la caja de turno posee cierta enjundia.

En la placa de conexiones encontramos cuatro excelentes bornes que admiten cualquier terminación de cable, incluso con bananas cuando se retiran los tapones de plástico que exige la normativa europea. La estabilidad de la caja queda garantizada con una sólida base de sustento provista de cuatro tacos de goma que, una vez retirados, dejan libres las correspondientes puntas de desacoplo regulables.

Antes de ubicarlas hay que tener en cuenta que cada LSi15 está identificada para su canal respectivo debido a su asimetría respecto del eje vertical, pero sólo hay que colocarlas en su posición teórica para que su excepcional apertura escénica haga el resto. No obstante, una vez conectadas las LSi15 a mi electrónica habitual, afiné su posición con los registros que ya imaginan: Lush Life de mi adorada chica de Singapur, Jacintha, y el excelente Audiophile Reference III del sello Fim, en el que el tema “Georgia on my mind”, con la preciosa voz de Mari Nakamoto, acompañada por contrabajo y guitarra crea una escena frontal cercana a la perfección. Es inconmensurable el diálogo de los dos instrumentos cuando hacia la mitad del tema, la japonesa retoma la canción con una entrada que le deja a uno pegado a su sillón favorito, debido al magnífico comportamiento de la solución técnica de la “parte de arriba” de las LSi15, sin duda por la puesta en escena de la solución Cascade Tapered Array, con la que colabora el magnífico tweeter de Vifa. El registro grave es poderoso, contundente y desciende en frecuencia más de lo que cabe esperar de un woofer de ocho pulgadas, aunque la curva de respuesta en frecuencia global, siempre hablando en términos subjetivos, aparenta cierta acentuación en la zona de frecuencias del medio grave, lo que contribuye a incrementar la “pegada” de la caja. Personalmente no lo considero coloración ni descontrol porque el grave es limpio y detallado, e incluso algo seco, por lo que con toda probabilidad se trata de un efecto buscado por los ingenieros de Polk Audio, que, por otro lado, sólo se aprecia con la escucha de registros conocidos.

[Face]

To translate dingbat's post:

In a comparative case-type monitor from the same manufacturer and serial because, lest we forget, there are displays of high quality and price they would blush many of columns Postino, all playing in their favor. The higher level of gross, the highest allowable power that allows higher sound pressure levels when the occasion requires it were nothing out of a virtual stage and larger, consistent and credible, are its main strengths. Contrary to general opinion, a column that occupies the same space a monitor, even less if I rush, as the bases of its media often larger than the base of the box behind. By contrast, in an inappropriate room and lounge-perfect sound level does not exist, the highest level of bass in a column can excite the modes of the room-own the negative waves, making his appearance the unpleasant "balls serious, "there's no way to get into line.

I make these considerations because in the last issue of CEC I presented a pair of cabinets of the type of monitor LSi9 American Polk Audio, and were such good vibrations occurred to me that, with the acquiescence of the direction of CEC, contact your distributor in order to try and introduce you to their older sisters. A few days had in my room a couple of columns that brought me personally LSi15 Mr Jorge Gomez of Joytel, its distributor. In response to those readers who do not read regularly every month, remember that Polk Audio is an American company based in Baltimore (Maryland, USA. UU.) Founded in 1972 by Matthew Polk and George Klopfer in order in the post less potent pockets so that they could enjoy high quality cabinets at reasonable price.

Polk Audio achievements reached these latitudes in 1982 at the hands of its current distributor, Joytel but not finished to convince the music lovers for its brilliant and spectacular beauty of sound, which I personally share findings to some extent, since the SDA series of no more level left indifferent. But I long ago came news of the benefits of the current series LSI over the level of the firm, tried to you the LSi9 and, based on their excellent sound qualities, I endorse the statement that SL Joytel We transcribed in the "We replied that CEC offers shops and distributors who claim to respect fit" before you invest a considerable sum of money into your speakers, Free of prejudices and listen before deciding about LSi9 " phrase that I extend my own risk to LSi15, a model that has to like me for their sound construction and performance offered at an interesting price.

But as I began to suspect that what should be the end of the article, go to parties. Personally, I think the smart LSi15 as a "broad" or the magnificent LSi9-it as a "reduction" of LSi15 since coming to market at the same time, to which was added a third way to low frequencies. This LSi15 want to say that not only shares all of the technology was developed by Polk Audio to them in the story cited above, but its upper part is nearly identical to that of her younger sister, though in the case the houses LSi15 sections for middle and high frequencies, while low is dedicated to the rest of the cabinet. Whole column is an attractive, tall and slender, lacquered in glossy black with a whole, except the bottom of the sides, which some appliqués finished with cherry wood-varnished Polk Audio offers an alternative to wood-ebony LSi15 give the appearance of a distinction. The cabinet is built with MDF panels of 3.8 cm thick, depending on the manufacturer, with reinforcements to suppress internal resonances.

This is a design of 3.5-way bass reflex with two independent systems, one for the bass port which is located in the bottom panel, assisted with an integrated knowledge base of the box that helps expand the flow of air, thus reducing turbulence attenuated by 3 dB the sound pressure level in this critical area. According to Polk Audio, is the result of its patented Power Port technology. The bass reflex system, is dedicated to the section of mid-frequency, whose transducers are in a compound isolated from the above logic to avoid noise interference, and requires the development ARC (Acoustic Resonance Control), with an internal branch and two output ports installed on the front panel.

The lower section of the box, with a generous internal volume for the low frequency transducer has a cone with a polymer composed of 203 mm mounted on the side of the cabinet, while the upper enclosure, designed for mid and high frequencies has two transducers 133 mm with a polypropylene cone, identical to the model LSi9. The chassis of the three speakers are manufactured in aluminum alloy and are magnetically shielded. Reproduction of high frequencies is entrusted once again to an excellent series transducer Ring radiator Vifa Danish firm, with the dual concentric dome of 25 mm typical of this acclaimed design.

As I commented in the article on LSi9, Dynamic Balance is the technology star of Polk Audio, to the point reminded by serigraphy on the periphery of the tweeter. As if it were an X-ray, allows engineers to analyze the signature behavior of a transducer in order to choose the best combination of materials to avoid discontinuities in the response curve causing distortions, which guarantees a response often as flat as possible, at high sound pressure levels. It is the result of a research project in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, using laser interferometry.

Another point on which the firm has loose is crucial crossover filter, which uses the best quality components, such as mylar (polyester signing Du Pont) in the capacitors, and technology Cascade Tapered Array in the mid-frequency route to avoid the effect known as comb filtering, or what that is, phase errors that cause destructive interference between the two transducers in this way. To avoid this phenomenon, one of the two speakers reproduce the frequency range between 150 Hz, cut by a high pass filter 6 dB / octave slope attenuation (see box), and 2.4 kHz, where it is cut by a low pass filter to 12 dB of attenuation. The second speaker begins to radiate equally in 150 Hz attenuated at 6 dB, and up to 800 Hz cut by another low pass filter, 12 dB attenuation. With this filter only one of the two transducers reproduce the full range of mid-frequency, thus avoiding the effects of interference between them, which combines the dynamism of two transducers with an accuracy of only.

Add filtering of Tweeter, cut by a third order filter, ie a 18 dB attenuation per octave, and the nominal impedance of 4 ohms, the result in a box that presents some difficulty of attack, with a perfect solution electronics are not especially powerful, but must have some reserve power. But ultimately it is the "sermon" that they always preach that the box has a substantial shift.

On the board are four excellent connections to terminals that support any termination of cable, even if bananas are removed the plastic plugs that require European regulation. The stability of the box is secured with a solid base of support with four rubber which, when removed, leave the corresponding free tips adjustable capacitor.

Before putting it must be remembered that each LSi15 is identified for its respective channel due to its asymmetry with respect to the vertical axis, but you just have to put them in position for his outstanding theoretical opening stage do the rest. However, once connected to my e LSi15 usual refined its position with the records and imagine: Lush Life my dear girl from Singapore, Jacintha, and excellent Audiophile Reference III Fim seal, where the theme " Georgia On My Mind "with the beautiful voice of Mari Nakamoto, accompanied by bass and guitar creates a front close to perfection. Is immeasurable dialogue when the two towards the middle of the issue, Japanese retakes the song with an entry that lets you to a chair next to her, due to the superb performance of the technical solution of the "top" of the LSi15, no doubt for the staging of the solution Cascade Tapered Array, which collaborates with the magnificent Vifa tweeter. The record is seriously powerful, forceful and often descends into more than you would expect from an eight-inch woofer, while the frequency response curve of overall speaking always subjective, it seems some accentuation in the frequency of half serious This contributes to increase the "punch" of the box. I personally do not think color or because they lack the serious is clean and detailed, and even a little dry, so most likely this is an effect by Polk Audio engineers, who, on the other hand, only shows the listening to records known.

[BlueFox]

En una comparativa con cajas de tipo monitor del mismo fabricante y serie porque, no lo olvidemos, existen monitores de altísima calidad y precio que harían sonrojar a muchas columnas de postín, todo juega a su favor.......

Spanish one minute, English the next.

[Bernal]

Con objeto de probarlas para ustedes, el señor Jorge Gómez, de Joytel, me trajo una pareja de LSi9, una compacta y atractiva caja tipo monitor, con las paredes laterales terminadas en madera natural de cerezo barnizada –existe la alternativa en madera de ébano– y el resto de paneles lacados en negro brillante, incluido el frontal. La tecnología Dynamic Balance es el resultado de un proyecto de investigación conjunto con la Universidad Johns Hopkins de Baltimore, que mediante interferometría láser permite “ver” las resonancias de un altavoz, causantes de las discontinuidades y distorsiones en la curva de respuesta, lo que permite a los ingenieros de Polk Audio encontrar las mejores combinaciones de materiales y geometrías para asegurar una respuesta en frecuencia lo más plana posible a unos niveles de presión sonora realistas. Y por lo que he podido observar en las pruebas de escucha el invento funciona realmente bien.

Cuando una caja monta dos transductores idénticos muy próximos entre sí, se producen interferencias y errores de fase denominados comb filtering que Polk Audio ha solucionado mediante una técnica de filtrado de 2,5 vías que denomina Cascade Tapered Array. El altavoz que hace las funciones de woofer (bajas frecuencias) opera hasta 200 Hz, a cuya frecuencia es cortado por un filtro paso bajo de segundo orden con una pendiente de atenuación de 12 dB/octava, mientras que el segundo altavoz sube hasta los 2,4 kHz, donde se corta por otro filtro paso bajo de segundo orden. Otro divisor, en este caso un paso alto de tercer orden (pendiente de atenuación de 18 dB/octava), se encarga de filtrar a 2,4 kHz al transductor de agudos, un ejemplar con el inconfundible diseño de cúpula Ring Radiador de la firma danesa Vifa, un excelente altavoz que hemos visto –y alabado sus virtudes– en cajas de precio muy superior al de las LSi9. Este filtro divisor de frecuencias presenta cierta dificultad a nivel eléctrico, con una impedancia nominal de 4 ohmios y una sensibilidad de 88 dB, lo que obligará a cuidar la amplificación de ataque, una medida recomendable en cualquier caso.

Los dos transductores para graves y graves-medios, con conos de polipropileno de 13,5 cm, chasis de aleación de aluminio y magnéticamente blindados, están cargados en un complejo diseño de reflexión de graves denominado ARC (Acoustic Resonance Control) que elimina las resonancias del gabinete, con una división interna y tres salidas bass reflex. La principal se encuentra en el panel trasero con la tecnología patentada Power Port que, mediante un cono y una placa de deflexión (ver foto), alisa la circulación del aire y reduce sus turbulencias que atenúan en 3 dB la presión sonora en el puerto, según Polk Audio. Por la disposición asimétrica del transductor de agudos y los dos puertos bass reflex delanteros, las cajas están identificadas para su canal respectivo, izquierdo y derecho, en la etiqueta con el número de serie.

SORPRENDENTES

Instalé las LSI9 sobre unos soportes adecuados a este tipo de cajas y las conecté a mi equipo habitual con electrónica de control y potencia RHA-10 y RHB-10 de la serie Michi de Rotel mediante bicableado con The Wind, y a un lector de SA-CD Marantz SA-11S1, conectado al preamplificador mediante cable Integration, ambos de la holandesa Van den Hul. Las ubiqué en el mismo lugar que ocupaban mis cajas y la escena sonora quedó perfecta a la primera, aunque comprobé que las LSi9 son muy agradecidas, y pequeñas variaciones en su orientación no afectan a su rendimiento espacial debido a su excelente apertura.

Me acompañó en la primera toma de contacto el señor Jorge Gómez, de Joytel y, tras unos minutos de audición con temas variados mientras se calentaba la amplificación, su gesto de sorpresa fue mayúsculo al comprobar el potencial de las LSi9 reproduciendo algunos pasajes clave de nuestro celebérrimo y contundente Carmina Burana en versión de Herbert Blomstedt, a un nivel de presión sonora más allá de lo sensato con el que las cajas pequeñas suelen comprimir la escena sonora y comienzan a perder la compostura.

Sin embargo, las LSi9 dan la sensación de pedir más “leña” y el límite lo tiene que marcar un servidor con el potenciómetro de volumen por temor a romper algún transductor. Resulta sorprendente su capacidad resolutiva y apertura escénica a elevados niveles de presión sonora, con una magnífica separación de los planos sonoros, dinamismo y su rapidez de respuesta a transitorios, facetas que debería destacar con letras mayúsculas porque realmente me han llamado la atención, en unas cajas de su tamaño y, sobre todo, precio. Ya les decía antes que las tecnologías puestas a punto por Polk Audio funcionan y son algo más que un simple argumento de ventas.

A las LSi9 hay que animarlas con corriente, pero a partir de cierto umbral de ganancia para una escucha a un nivel sonoro razonable, todo apunta a una curva de respuesta en frecuencia muy plana en términos subjetivos, transparente y neutra. El registro grave es muy preciso y limpio en extremo, con los contrabajos de Steve Gilmore en “My Foolish Heart” y el de Isao Suzuki en temas del Audiophile Reference III del sello Fim, aunque por razones obvias le falta la profundidad que exigen la cuarta cuerda del contrabajo y las notas más graves del piano, pero las LSi9 descienden a un nivel insospechado para sus pequeñas dimensiones físicas. La zona alta del espectro es nítida y analítica, muy detallada, pero con la suavidad y elegancia que caracterizan al excelente tweeter de Vifa que borda los registros agudos, desprovistos de cualquier traza de coloración. La imagen central es muy consistente con el resultado de unas voces muy reales, con cuerpo y bien estructuradas, sin siseos añadidos a los que contienen algunos registros. Para resumir, unas formidables cajas, posiblemente una referencia en su nivel de precio.

[Murray1]

I am one lost puppy. Never been that smart to follow alot of different types of humor. Oh well, if anyone has a more "bottom line" comment, I am all ears.

[devani]

LSiC has the clarity that you are looking for. I just found out how my LSiC sounded much better after adding XPA-5. I didn't have to turn it up a notch to compared to LSi15's that I have. I also have my LSiC located above the TV and is about 5ft from ground floor.

If you go with amp-less method, then you will find LSiC less clear and will have to turn it up a little like alot of people here(that's also what I did).....

[Murray1]

Thanks devani for the input. Nice to hear that a supplemental amp improves the LSiC clarity. I was at Fry's yesterday and was struggling with vocal clarity. The center had the 25's on either side but only a high end Oink was powering a complete 7.1 system. Thanks again....

[McLoki]

The LSi series excells at clarity in my opinion. With that being said - the LSiC is the weakest speaker in an LSi home theater. (just my opinion and not counting any sub you may have) I am not saying it is bad, but may benefit most from improvement.

your options are cables, amps, crossover upgrades, placement, etc. They also open up quite a bit over the first 100 hours or so, so don't sweat a boxed in sound when you first hook a new one up.

For voice clarity - I would play with placement first (as it is free) then look at a crossover upgrade. If you want more - upgrade the amp. I am not saying an amp upgrade will not benefit an LSi theater - just that the other speakers will benefit more from it than the center based on the type of sound it usually has to reproduce compared to your other speakers.

If you already have LSi's for your main speakers - an LSiC is a no brainer. With that in mind - some people do use a single LSi9 instead with good results. Personally I have an LSiC and think it is great. (I do have an amp and have upgraded the crossover though)

Michael

[Murray1]

The LSi series excells at clarity in my opinion. With that being said - the LSiC is the weakest speaker in an LSi home theater. (just my opinion and not counting any sub you may have) I am not saying it is bad, but may benefit most from improvement.

your options are cables, amps, crossover upgrades, placement, etc. They also open up quite a bit over the first 100 hours or so, so don't sweat a boxed in sound when you first hook a new one up.

For voice clarity - I would play with placement first (as it is free) then look at a crossover upgrade. If you want more - upgrade the amp. I am not saying an amp upgrade will not benefit an LSi theater - just that the other speakers will benefit more from it than the center based on the type of sound it usually has to reproduce compared to your other speakers.

If you already have LSi's for your main speakers - an LSiC is a no brainer. With that in mind - some people do use a single LSi9 instead with good results. Personally I have an LSiC and think it is great. (I do have an amp and have upgraded the crossover though)

Michael

Thanks Michael for your input. I am not up on the crossover upgrades. Did you do it yourself? Can you tell me how it improves vocal clarity? Did you do this upgrade to the entire sound stage or just the center?

Also a bit confused on L & R benefiting from an more than a center. Since vocals are mostly sent to center, I thought amplifying the center would improve vocals equally as it would the L & R.

Wonder how much better a 9 would be for a center. Probably stand out a bit since it needs to stay close to the flatscreen if I understand center speaker placement correctly.

Thanks,

Fred

[Bernal]

The LSi have excellent clarity. Initially I had problems in achieving the effect. Then consider the acoustics of my room. Changing the position of the speakers had amazing improvements.


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3) DENON DVD-1740: Progressive Scan DVD Video/CD Player
4) DENON DVD-2500BTCI: Blu-ray Disc™ DVD/CD Digital Player/Transport
5) POLKAUDIO LSiC (Center speaker)
6) POLKAUDIO LSi15 LEFT (Front speaker)
7) POLKAUDIO LSi15 RIGHT (Front speaker)
8) SONY SS-MSP16 LEFT (Surround speaker)
9) SONY SS-MSP16 RIGHT (Surround speaker)
10) SONY SS-CNP16 LEFT (Surround back speaker)
11) SONY SA-WP16 ( Sub Woofer 2X200W)

[McLoki]

Thanks Michael for your input. I am not up on the crossover upgrades. Did you do it yourself? Can you tell me how it improves vocal clarity? Did you do this upgrade to the entire sound stage or just the center? -

Also a bit confused on L & R benefiting from an more than a center. Since vocals are mostly sent to center, I thought amplifying the center would improve vocals equally as it would the L & R.

Wonder how much better a 9 would be for a center. Probably stand out a bit since it needs to stay close to the flatscreen if I understand center speaker placement correctly.

Thanks,

Fred

I did the upgrade myself - you can read about it here.... . The benefit was very noticable (once again - their was some amount of break-in that took place). A month or so after the upgrade, I was able to compare it to a stock LSiC and everyone (myself included) thought their was a noticable difference. I will upgrade the rest of my speakers in a similar way - but chose to do the LSiC first as it was the cheapest to do (since there was only one speaker). Based on my results - I will eventually do the rest, but have been spending money on other things for now.... as far as how it improves clarity - it is hard to descibe. It's not so much that voices are louder, as they seem to be coming from a quieter background. Thing of someone talking in a call center verses a quiet room. even though you may be able to hear both clearly - one is definatly easier to understand than the other.... Its not exactly like that - but thats as close I can compare it to....


Rgarding the amp - I think (and this is just my opinon) that your fronts and surrounds will benefit most from an external amp because those channels typically need the largest dynamic range. Your center typically has to play from a whisper to a shout - your other speakers play from wind blowing through the grass to a planet exploding. Not to mention that Bass requires the most energy to play and the center is just not asked to go as deep (typically) as the front speakers are. (not to mention - in my case - my fronts are larger than the LSiC and therefore have more drivers to power.) All this adds up to the center does benefit from more power - but your fronts will benefit more from it. (once again - in my opinion)

Even before I upgraded my center I was pretty happy with it. Due to that - I never really tried an LSi9 as a center. I know some people who were not happy with the LSiC - tried the LSi9 and were happier (there have also been a few people who swapped an LSi9 crossover for an LSiC one - but I have not tried that either). As I stated above - I upgraded mainly because I wanted to see if there really was an improvement in an LSi crossover upgrade and the center, since there was only one of them, was the cheapest to upgrade. There was enough of a difference, I will upgrade the rest of my speakers eventually (certainly before I consider upgrading them for something else).

Michael

[Face]

IMO, I find LSi9's more coherent than LSi15's.

[Murray1]

IMO, I find LSi9's more coherent than LSi15's.

Face,

Would like to hear more regarding LSi9's. Being more coherent are you saying better clarity? Do you think 15's would have a bigger sound stage? I have never heard the 15's- only 25' at Fry's. Heard the 9's and they sound awesome for music. Do you think the LSiC would perform better with the 9's than the 15's for vocal clarity. How about comparing 9's and 15's for HT?

Thanks,

Fred

[McLoki]

Fred,

Where are you at? Maybe you are close to another polkie and can check out some other LSi speakers....

[Face]

Hey Fred,
Yes, I mean overall clarity. I can't make a fair comparison on soundstage since I've never heard both in the same room. The LSiC should be a good match for either speaker. For HT, you can't go wrong with either one. The mains in my HT have 15" woofers, I find it more enjoyable to be surrounded by bass.

[xcapri79]

The LSi series excells at clarity in my opinion. With that being said - the LSiC is the weakest speaker in an LSi home theater. (just my opinion and not counting any sub you may have) I am not saying it is bad, but may benefit most from improvement.

If you already have LSi's for your main speakers - an LSiC is a no brainer. With that in mind - some people do use a single LSi9 instead with good results. Personally I have an LSiC and think it is great. (I do have an amp and have upgraded the crossover though)

Michael

I whole agree whole heartedly that the LSiC is the weak link. It's weaknesses to me are exposed when playing the Cars Greatest Hits in a reasonably large room using Dolby Pro Logic which puts a lot of the music on the center channel.

I've tried the CSiA6, and to be honest it doesn't play worse than the LSiC to my ears. I use it in my master bedroom system. Currently in my main room, I use a LSi9 on it's side and I like it much better. Superior clarity and mid-bass performance.

Now I'm using a pair of LSi'9 on their side for the center channel. Having a pair of XPA5's for amplification gives me that option. For the Cars Greatest Hits, it sounds very good to me as does Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. I still need to listen to more music with strong vocals and a couple of movies to finally confirm my opinion, but right now, that is how I'm running it in the big room.

So right now I have two LSiC's demoted to rear surround use. I am always hoping that Polk will come out with a cherry sided 4 driver LSi center speaker that will rock with the rest of the LSi's.

Others may disagree, but great sound is in the ear of the listener.

[candjhuntley]

xcapri - i'm curious - you are using 2 LSi9s for your center and have 2 centers as rears. Did you first try 2 LSics as your center and with what results?

[Babulas]

Murray1

I did have several issues with voice clarity using the LSiC. At the beginning it was hard to admit it as i like very much the LSi9s. But my wife really helped in highlighting the LSiC's shortcoming. I don't understand wat is the point of making such large speaker where only one driver is mainly used.

I ended up putting a LSi9 as a center and the LSiC when to the a shelve in my closet.

[Face]

The LSiC and LSi9 are both tapered arrays, meaning one woofer is only for low frequencies and one woofer plays low and mid frequencies. There are some slight difference in the crossovers, cabinets, and driver spacing which is why they sound slightly different.

To get the best performance out of your LSiC, it should be angled directly towards the listener area. Placing it above your TV and having it fire straight across the room will reveal it's shortcomings.

[Murray1]

McLoki,

I am in San Diego. Starting to get a bit concerned regarding the LSiC and vocal clarity. Using LSi 9's for centers probably puts me back close to the DT Mythos System for price.

Thanks again all.........

[Face]

A few members here have used a single LSi9 as a center, no need for two.

[McLoki]

Once again - not saying it is bad, just giving you as much info as possible to start with....

[Murray1]

The LSiC and LSi9 are both tapered arrays, meaning one woofer is only for low frequencies and one woofer plays low and mid frequencies. There are some slight difference in the crossovers, cabinets, and driver spacing which is why they sound slightly different.

To get the best performance out of your LSiC, it should be angled directly towards the listener area. Placing it above your TV and having it fire straight across the room will reveal it's shortcomings.

Babulas & Xcapri,

Any chance you did not have LSiC pointed correctly?

[polkatese]

In my experience, for HT/Movies, calibrating LSiC hotter (relative to the others) alleviate/mitigate most of the issue mentioned here.

[Babulas]

Murray1,

I tried multiples positioning of the LSiC. So I don't that not being pointed properly was the reason.

[BlueFox]

I whole agree whole heartedly that the LSiC is the weak link. It's weaknesses to me are exposed when playing the Cars Greatest Hits in a reasonably large room using Dolby Pro Logic which puts a lot of the music on the center channel.

Is this artifical? Is this a stereo CD and you are using the AVR to mangle the sound into multichannel? Or is this an SACD, or DTS surround, where the center channel audio has been engineered to be on the CC?

[xcapri79]

Babulas & Xcapri,

Any chance you did not have LSiC pointed correctly?

Yes that is a good point and yes I took that into account. The center speakers are on top of the entertainment unit above the TV. I aim all my speakers (within reason) and tilt the center to the main listening position on my couch. I have some stryofoam wedges and blocks that I use under the port horns to lift the rear of the center so it is tilted toward the main listening position.

I want to say that the LSiC wasn't terrible, I just didn't think it was handling the center channel requirements on par with the front LSi25's or side surround LSi15's. I am listening to Eric Clapton right now with two LSi9 centers.
At the couch it sounds like there is just one speaker and sounds clear and detailed. I plan on watching "The Day the Earth Stood Still" tonight.

[McLoki]

Is this artifical? Is this a stereo CD and you are using the AVR to mangle the sound into multichannel? Or is this an SACD, or DTS surround, where the center channel audio has been engineered to be on the CC?

If playing in pro-logic, it is manipulating a 2 channel signal into multi-channel. If he would have said in the beginning that he just did not the LSiC due to that reason, I would have said that is the main reason for it. Since he does like the LSi9 in that same position with the same configuration - I still say it is not the ideal configuration but it is a valid test of one against the other...