LSi15

by Brian Crisp, January 11, 2008

Strengths:

Clean. Clean. Clean! The sound from these speakers will astonish you! The closest speakers I’ve heard to these were quadruple the price...and these sound better! Ghost notes on the snare come out. You can hear the vocalist breathing and fingers moving on the strings. Distorted guitar passages gain structure. You'll hear your favorite music like you've never heard it before. It's like someone took the cotton out of my ears. They are beautiful. The finish is a deep black piano lacquer. The cherry wood side panels are warm and well finished. The speakers look, feel, and sound very expensive. I cannot begin to express the value presented by these speakers.

Weaknesses:

Keep in mind these are nit-picks. For this price, you really can't complain. 1. The grilles are totally unnecessary. They extend the full height of the tower and the drivers only occupy the top 1/3rd. It would be nice to see some of that beautiful piano lacquer from the front view. 2. The manual mentions nothing about reversing the phase of your sub. 3. The very bottom end is a bit weak without a subwoofer. Easily cured with the right sub.

Review:

Initial impressions: AWESOME! I'd like to provide a detailed review once these speakers break in properly, but first I'd like to provide the following warning: ***IMPORTANT*** If you are using these speakers in a 5.1 or 7.1 system with a subwoofer, and notice weak bass, REVERSE THE PHASE OF YOUR SUBWOOFER. When I had them playing in stereo mode along with my subwoofer, the bass sounded very weak. There was no bottom and I couldn't understand it. I was so disappointed with the sound I almost boxed them up and sent them back. Luckily, while I was tweaking, I tried reversing the phase of my sub and WOW what a difference. I was so relieved. “Why?” you ask. My best guess is the woofers of the LSi15's are designed to fire inward and force the pressure wave into the enclosure and out the port at the bottom. This is reverse of most speakers that fire outward. The reversed waves of the speakers cancel out the positive waves of the sub and vice versa. It's the same concept used by noise-canceling headphones. Result: it's like someone turned off the bass. Anyway, try it and your bass will come back. You'll be glad you did.

by Patrick, May 16, 2008

Strengths:

The subwoofers and midranges give a rich, complete sound.

Weaknesses:

For the money, I don't see any. Listen to them, you'll be a believer.

Review:

I bought the LSi15's almost 2 years ago. The dynamic "ring radiator tweeter" used on this model is OUTSTANDING.

by marc sloan, February 20, 2010

Strengths:

Build Quality, clarity, bass clear & tight

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

The build quality is spectacular. Remarkable, rich full spectrum sound.Clear and distinct. These need power, 7.2 system being driven by Sony ES 5300 as a pre/pro and Emotiva XPA 5.Mow using my monitor 70,s as side surrounds and FXI 3,s as rear surrounds.

by John Baker, July 5, 2002

Strengths:

Very clean sound, solid bass.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

I heard them and was persuaded that I needed them. When they were delivered I was very pleased. Now that I have used them for a while I am even more pleased. I only listen to classical music. I go to concerts so I have impressions of live music ranging from violin & piano recitals to baroque orchestra to full symphony orchestra and fully staged opera. I like to listen to a recording of the pieces to be performed before I attend a concert. These speakers give me a realistic image of what I am going to hear. I am a big fan of lute music so I wanted speakers that would cover the full spectrum from soft lute, guitar or clavichord to full orchestra. Lsi-15s did not let me down. Vocal music is important to me and I want to hear the words. I have never heard them so clearly. In ensemble singing the individual voices come across so that I can distinguish them. The Lsi-15s have it all. I hear detail and nuance in the softer music. Instrumentation is clear and well placed. String quartets sound great. The full orchestra comes across with clear placement of the instruments. Voices are clear and seem to float in front of the orchestra. The top notes are clear and open, the bass is clean. My ear very quickly adapted to the new sound and now I am spoiled. I only want to hear my own system. The other day I was playing a lute disk for a friend and he said, “It’s like having your own private lutenist.” The detail and imaging are simply astounding. Another friend, not an audiophile and not familiar with audio lingo, remarked on the 3-dimensional sound of these speakers. So their excellence is readily apparent. I feel that getting these new speakers has re-valued my CD collection. Everything is upgraded. Old analog transfers made in the 1980s sound quite good. I did not realize there was such detail in these old transfers. The more modern transfers (24 bit 96K) sound even better. Digital recordings take on a level of detail I never heard before. SACD is out of this world. And I can also hear limitations in recordings I never noticed. Not every disk is well recorded and I can hear that now. I have thousands of CDs and now I want to listen to them all over again so I can hear what I have been missing. My speakers are bi-wired and I would encourage the use of this method. If you have any questions about it, just download the manual and follow instructions. It makes a great deal of difference. Overall, I am more pleased than I can say. I told a friend that these speakers did not meet my expectations – they exceeded them.

by Enrique, March 29, 2005

Strengths:

Coherence, imaging, soundstaging, presence, sweetness. Their ability to reproduce the last byte of information on my favorite CDs. Last but not least: PRICE.

Weaknesses:

They don't possess the dynamic slam of my 10B's, but boy, do they shine in every other category I can think of!

Review:

Folks, it took me considerable effort to find an upgrade for my beloved Monitor 10Bs (purchased them in '86). I bought and quickly sold pairs of the following speakers: Monitor Audio S6, Magnepan MMG, and North Creek Okara II Upgraded Project. Nothing came close - in my price range - to matching the dynamic impact & sweetness of my 10Bs. As fate would have it, a pair of LSi15's were listed as a private sale in my hometown. A 20 minute audition was all it took - I had finally found speakers that bested my 10Bs. To boot, they did so by a significant margin! These speakers are giant killers. Their coherence is has to be heard to be believed; the drivers integrate seamlessly. Their ability to reproduce every sound, shade, nuance, etc. in a recording is spot-on. I am hearing things I'd never heard before, and this is after countless hours of critical listening to the albums I love most. The LSi15's also perform a disappearing act -- their imaging and soundstaging are world-class. I am not one prone to using superlatives, but in this case, my choice of words is 100% warranted. These speakers sing with a sweetness, presence, and truthfulness that has to be heard to be believed. Are there better speakers out there? Most assuredly yes, but at what price? My guess is you'd have to spend $10k or more in order to gain a significant improvement over these babies. The LSi15's receive my most enthusiastic recommendation. If you have the system to make these speakers shine, you won't be disappointed. My system consists of: Portal Audio Panache Integrated Amplifier; Cambridge Audio Azur 640C CD Player; PNF Audio Icon Interconnects; Luminous Audio Prestige Speaker Cables (External Bi-Wire); VH Audio Flavor 2 Power Cord (amp); XLO Reference 2 Type 10A Power Cord (cdp).

by Scott, January 23, 2008

Strengths:

highs, mids, lows.

Weaknesses:

none.

Review:

I highly recommend these speakers. I've had them for 3 years now. I mainly listen to rock music and they sound really good! I've turned the volume up SUPER high and there is no distortion.

by james marshall, December 16, 2003

Strengths:

Great mid range and mid bass representation. Great cabinet design, space efficient. Love the black laquered look on the cherry wood.

Weaknesses:

Poor high end frequency representation, missing crispness in the audio of music or home theater experience. Possibly an inefficient tweeter or not balanced well with the other drivers in the cabinet.

Review:

I think the LSi15's are a very innovative and attractive speaker. The mids and the mid-bass are fantastic and deliver a strong presence. However, I think the high-end frequencies and images are missing or lost in the strength of the mids and mid-bass. I don't hear the air of clarity in the strings in an acoustic guitar or the crispness of a hi-hat or crashing cymbols. I have been in and around all types of speakers and audio products, and I wish the LSi15's had more of a crisper presence...

by Max Sittenfeld Appel, December 28, 2004

Strengths:

1- The must perfect high frequency detail and warm mids I ever heard. 2- You will never hear an speaker system that sounds more realistic as a live audition as these pair of gems.

Weaknesses:

1- This is not really a weakness but a recomendation: Use additional subwoofers for each speaker applying a frequency cut(LPF)at 60Hz. That will improve the already tight bass.

Review:

I'm been an audiophile my whole life, reading books to design speakers as a hobby and sincerely, I will put to this speaker gems at least six stars. It's the first time I experienced what I'm been wondering to hear once in my live, clean and detail high freq., warm but not exagerated mid. freq. and tight impact bass. Believe me, there is a lot engineering on those beautifull towers, the crossovers are so well matched with each speaker handling freq. that what you really hear is a whole and unique sound coming out of them. If you want to obtain from them the maximum audiophile experience, used with any high definition system like SACD OR DVD-AUDIO or with your well recorded LPs. Tried with well known brands like Telarc, Channel Classic or many others and you will listen to that detail similar to a live orchestra audition. What about the price? Engineering and incredible quality components are only found in speakers costing five more times. I had owned KEF, INFINITY, DCM, AR speakers and not of the cheap ones, believe me, the only way to obtain so incredible sound at so reasonable price, is putting a lot of engineering. Well as myself an engineer I know very well that the main concern of us (engineers), is to built the best things at the lower possible cost. POLK WITH THESE LSi 15s, SURPASSED THAT DIFFICULT TASK. My must generous admiration to Mr. POLK and his group of dedicated engeneers.

by Rocky, September 12, 2007

Strengths:

Able to give you a full sound in all departments. Beautiful design and warranty

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

One of the best speakers I've ever purchased. The sound is incredible. These are able to hit the highs, mids, and lows. As you've already read, these things are power hungry. I had a Sony 110watt per channel, was a little disappointed. I upgraded to a Denon 4806, and these babies are real happy. If you have the power, you can't beat this product for the price.

by kiwikid, January 14, 2008

Strengths:

Brilliant and accurate reproduction of sound. Instrumental is just delightfull and very impressive, but has enough bass for pop/rock and movies.

Weaknesses:

Sub-woofer could be more accurate.

Review:

I had been waiting over 5 years to finally put together a system that I could listen to instrumental music on and movies with my plasma. I visited several stores and was originally looking at the Rti8 in the polk dealer. Then he got me to listen to the lsi 9s. Big mistake. (I bought the lsi15 for better bottom end, and also I wanted full speakers) Now, I am a musician and have played at a high international level, and have tuned instruments for years - I know sound, and sound accuracy. Let me be honest - these things are NOT as great as people say, but they are amazing and great value for money. Thats said, it is not a small difference between these and the rti range - it is in a different solar system. Don't listen to anyone who doesn't hear a difference from an lsi speaker to ANY other polk. Compared to anything in their price range, these are really the business. A friend come around for a listen and we just looked at each other, as we could hear even a single small error from one of the players in the band. Even live, I don't know if we would have heard it! There was clarity we never even knew was in the recording! Great for movies (can do in-room sound compression effect, but will not rattle the building), and just fantastic for instrumental. The violin is outstanding. Handles high volume well with little distortion. Needs a very good supply, but I think this is often over stated. My Denon 3806 does very well, and while a $4000 2 channel pre-amp/amp would improve the sound even more, its still excellent. For me, the final strenght is what you can do with the other lsi speakers. The sound matching is very close which locks you in. Thank you polk!!! I am ordering my LsiC next week. Just don't go bringing our a new model!!!

by parkwindows, August 14, 2008

Strengths:

heavy and I love it

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

super super good customer service, call them to replay broken cover. respond right away. very good

by Brian K, April 12, 2002

Strengths:

Well built and sound even better.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

I was impressed by the LSi9 and didn't think these would be that much better, but was I wrong. Not only do these look impressive, even standing next to a 57" RPTV they still stand out, they sound even more impressive. Sure you might beable to find a "better" speaker, but I don't believe in spending as much on speakers (or more) then it costs to buy a car. Polk has taken excellent components, a good solid cabinet, and real wood to create a truely awesome speaker at a price that isn't out of this world.

by Hank P., January 29, 2003

Strengths:

A great speaker for mid lows through high frequency music.

Weaknesses:

Slight roll off with the lows. Not quite as well defined as some very high dollar speakers (costing 5 times as much)

Review:

For the money this is the best buy out there. I listened to 40 pairs of speakers ranging in price from $500 a speaker to $10,000 a pair. Currently I have Meridian (the ultimate) sound in my Home Theater. My wife and I wanted an inexpensive 2 channel setup in our den. Did the top of the line ProAc's sound better? Well yes, but at a sale price of over $9000 for the pair they should. How much better? Well here is the thing, not much. The differences were very subtle. These speakers when coupled with a 40 wpc tube amp are unreal. It is unfortunate that hearing my setup is generally not a commercially available option but let me tell you the speakers are efficent enough to run w/ 40 watts of tube power, and combined with the tubes this is one of the most musical systems I have ever heard. The sound is warm and inviting, detailed, and fun. Every evening my wife and I listen to music when we get home. We love these speakers.

by Robert Lussier, October 24, 2005

Strengths:

1) very tight and clean hight frequency, Mid smooth but quick response and have texture... The bass look bass, not boooomyness. Good extension for 8 inch. Good looking speakers. The TX25 tweeter modified by Polk works flawlessly, no ringing effect. The vifa modified midrange work quickly without resonnance. Polk than'k for all. Continu for my ear and my brain....made great speaker for music and video lovers same as me. Best regards Robert

Weaknesses:

Better spiking system.

Review:

I am a reviewers for a french Audio-Vidéo mag and this speaker sound great for money(Steal) Better than Paradigm and Infinity, Psb, Totem, Triangle, JmLab, Axiom, Vérity Audio, and much more. At this price Polk slam the competition.

by RM Parker, December 14, 2006

Strengths:

Build Quality is Excellent! Sound is Excellent and Accurate. So perfect Mathew Polk should have signed them personally.

Weaknesses:

Not a thing!

Review:

These Lsi15 speakers are simply amazing! Both in looks and sound. I have the Lsi15's, LsiFX's, LsiC, and PSW1000. Matched the Lsi speakers with Monster 3250SS and 2250SS Amplifiers, Outlaw 990 Preamp and they are "STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS AMAZING. Give them proper power and they will show you a side of beautiful music that you've never heard before. Put in a DVD and hold onto your couch cause they will immerse you into the action. Great job Polk! Love them enough that I am buying the Lsi9's to complete the package.

by Reginald Boyd, November 20, 2007

Strengths:

strings,brass,woodwins and percustion all sound Real

Weaknesses:

none

Review:

The Lsi 15 is one of the best speaker systems on the market.. Thay are right at home with my Rotel amp. The Lsi's have the chops, smooth mids, deep low end and sweet top end . Need I say more

by Carl, March 8, 2012

Strengths:

Killer Sound Stage Smooth,warm Highs too die for!

Weaknesses:

Weaknesses?Really? Your kidding right? NONE!

Review:

When Matthew Polk puts his mine to building a fine audiofile speaker this is what you get.There is not one word you can use too put alone side the LSi-15's.Dare i say "Holographic 3D" okay thats two words.I really had too look at my AVR too see if i had it set in a surround mode?it was set in two channel!They much better in person as for the looks and build.The web sites can not post a photo too show just how nice looking they really are.Very detailed,a sound stage too die for!Mid's are as smooth as you can get!Low end bass is Real bass!In two channel you really don't need a sub.I have them set up in a 2.1 with Polks PSW505 and had too turn the sub way down.So i just turn it off for music.In HT yeah turn your sub on for the really big Booms!For music my friend the LSi 15 will put a big smile on your face!

by Chris Boelter, August 13, 2006

Strengths:

Incredible impact and detail from a relatively small-footprint tower speaker. Depth and imaging is first-rate.

Weaknesses:

Both proper placement and pairing with appropriate power is critical to make these perform at their peak. Moving to an amp with a high damping factor completely turned its performance around for me.

Review:

After having purchased and having been so impressed with the LSi9s, I decided to outfit my entire 7.1 rig with the LSi series. While the 9s are plenty for most systems, I decided I wanted a little more full-range for my front 2 mains. While my initial impressions weren't as favorable as they were with the 9s, this all changed with some experimentation in placement...and the swapping of a bigger amp. Putting my 200w Aragon 8008 in place of my older amp immediately tightened up and brought under control what some have called a loose bass response. All of the sudden, all the great attributes that I loved about the 9s were present with the 15s, including the fuller response I was hoping for. These are without doubt, some of the finest speakers I have heard in this price-class. In fact, the LSi series has brought me as close to consolidating my music/movie systems as I have ever been. Multichannel music and movies take on a new dimension and the LSi15s now allow me the convenience of great 2-channel music from my HT rig.

by Michael, June 21, 2002

Strengths:

The placement of the tweeter on the center of the two drivers produce 3D imaging and the seperate side driver produce rock solid bass. Everything is produce properly because each driver produce specific frequency rather than the entire range.

Weaknesses:

None

Review:

The sounds of these speakers are simply amazing. They bring music to new level of performance and their ability to bring detail to music is simply marvelous. All of my favorite CDs came live to these speakers. The ring radiator tweeter produce all the highs that there is to music and I hear details to the music that I have never heard before. Wow!

by Rickard Degnell, October 30, 2002

Strengths:

Highly engaging sound, with great bass, midrange and smooth treble.

Weaknesses:

Could be a bit more detailed (pair with a good processor, perhaps somewhat bright sound for perfect match).

Review:

I first listened to the LSi9 book-shelf model and was impressed by its bass, smoothness and sheer musical enjoyment. However, I was looking for a completely new Home Theater set-up (replacing NHT VT-2/VS-2), consisting of big frontspeakers and small surrounds. So I was opting for the LSi9 as the surrounds and the LSi15 as fronts. Ultimately I ended up with two pais of LSi15 - one pair for fronts and the other for surrounds. And this is why: the bigger LSi15 has more of everything - more bass, bigger soundstage and slightly more impact. Its not that the LSi15 are bass-heavy, absolutley not. They are very well balanced. As a centerspeaker I ofcourse use the dedicated LSiC, with extremly good results. The experience of using a pair of LSi15 also as surrounds is quite massive. The envelopment is complete, with great bass and soundstage behind the listening area, not just the front. I experience the LSi15 as a very good speaker, equally great for music and movies. Bombastic soundtracks from DVD come alive like never before with my previous set-up (NHT). But also simpler soundtracks, or concerts have a great liveness to them. Matching electronics is essential. With a high-end processor (EAD Ovation) and poweramp (Musical Fidelity) the speaker really comes alive, compared to an integrated receiver. Well done, Polk. I am 100% pleased.

by Ian, September 8, 2003

Strengths:

Stunning looks, Build quality, Audiophile performance at a much lower pricepoint than the opposition. Backup and service

Weaknesses:

None at all!

Review:

I have owned many mid to high-end speakers and bought these speakers due to the fact that my baby son's little hands can't possibly damage the ring-tweeter design of these speakers.In hindsight my son did me a massive favour here! They are fairly particular in setup, especialy in medium type surroundings and care should be taken in making sure you have them placed correctly and facing-in slightly to get the imaging and staging right.Once set up and given some time to run in I could not believe how these speakers projected themselves and how believable the soundstage became. I spend a fair amount of time at live performances and I cannot believe the realism and correctness of this speaker! Given good amplification there is a sense of realism that almost make the music float and I almost forgot about time as I was drawn into the performance only to be woken to the fact that I was listening to a CD when the song ended. The staging, imaging and delivery of these speakers are amazing and I look forward to what Polk develop in the near future.

by ED CORSE, February 17, 2004

Strengths:

Smooth, seamless reproduction across the entire range. Very transparent. Frequency response seems very flat with no reasonances.

Weaknesses:

Not really a weakness but I think a 100 watt amp is minimal to get the most out of these gems.

Review:

I've owned a pair of Polk 12B's for 20 years. They were good. These are great. The speakers seem to disapear and all you get is the music. Excellent bass for an unpowered woofer. Much more detailed in the midrange. Vocals just come out and grab you. Excellent transient response on percussions. Seems to need more power than the 12's did but who cares. Incredible for the price. Classy looking and well built. Nice job guys.

by Ronald Hockett, May 17, 2004

Strengths:

Exceptional resolution from top to bottom; loads of detail without ever being harsh unless the recording is an absolute abomination.

Weaknesses:

This past weekend I threw previously un-listenable pieces of music at these and suddenly they are listenable again. Do they make bad recordings better? Absolutely not. But they do unravel complex recordings and present them the way the artists intended for you to hear them.

Review:

This model is mated to high quality preamp, amplification, interconnects and bi-wired. My digital source is not so high end and yet I'm experiencing impeccable results. The speakers just refuse to call attention to any particular part of the frequency spectrum. Extremely transparent mid-range, highs, tight and tuneful bass - they disappear. I listened for a 12-hour period - six of which at a distance of about 8 feet at high SPL's. The speakers behaved in a very controlled manner and I experienced no level of listener's fatigue. I replaced a pair of Athena Technology AS-FS 2's and I couldn’t be happier. Finally, a pair of speakers that I can live with for years to come regardless of any other component changes in my audio chain. There are a lot of speaker manufacturers out there and it's nice to know that a company with the technological know-how of Polk Audio exists for a real one-stop-shopping experience.

by Patrick, July 29, 2004

Strengths:

Great midbass and very smooth highs.

Weaknesses:

Too mellow highs and extremely power-hungry.

Review:

At first I did not like these speakers, but I re-evaluated them after finding the tweeter was defective in one of the speakers. After careful listening, I've come to believe that the tweeter, while ultra-smooth, is almost overwhelmed by the midbass drivers and the front porting. Having said that, these speakers have some amazingly accurate bass response. Diana Krall's Paris concert sounded extremely life-like once we put some power (a B&K REF 200.2) to these. Bottom-line, these are a cleaner, meatier version of the lower Polk line. Very clean and easy to listen to. However, if you like to listen to drums and live music like I do, stick to the RTi-Series.

by Michael Richardson, August 6, 2004

Strengths:

Well balanced sound and great looks.Adequate bass response for many recordings and very good mid range drivers.

Weaknesses:

The highs could be more pronounced and crisp.

Review:

I shared my views on the pair of LSi15s that I bought two years ago. I am in a position now to be much more objective so here goes. I love the looks of my LSi15s. After two years I must say that I find them to be very good value for money. I went to a stereo show in New York city and came away with the impression that most of the speakers I had heard were not any better than my 15s.While I make no pretentions to being an audiophile, I do listen objectively and compare. I have concluded that a pair of 28,ooo$ speakers I heard were not much better than my speakers. Maybe twenty eight thousand dollar speakers would produce better bass, but certainly not 26000$ worth. Polk has done a good job.Hats off. My one grouse is that the tweeters could sound brighter. I have compensated by using a pair of moderately priced tweeters that I find compatible with the 15s.I listen to a wide variety of music but acoustic jazz mainly and I find these speakers to be especially great at producing this type of music. I also find them to be fairly adept at reproducing reggae bass. The kick drum bass in many recordings are not as well handled though. Generally speaking it's a very good pair of speakers for the money and I expect to have these for many years to come or at least until I hit the lotto.

by Andy, January 16, 2005

Strengths:

Sound quality of midrange and highs.

Weaknesses:

Need a sub for the deepest bass below 30 Hz. This is standard fare for most speakers even much more expensive than these.

Review:

I have been involved in the high end audio scene for about 30 years now and have owned some expensive speakers. I'm an EE, so I'm familiar with the technical aspects of audio. Speakers I've owned include a pair of Magneplanar MG-III that cost me $2000 in 1985. I recently replaced these with a pair of VMPS RM-30 speakers that retail for $3500 for the pair. The VMPS speakers have some faults that drove me crazy, namely a harshness on mediocre recordings that I couldn't adjust out without ruining the sound on good recordings. This caused me to look for alternatives. I heard about the LSi15 on one of the audiophile web boards and decided to try them out. I was skeptical that speakers from the type of company referred to in a derogatory way by high-enders as "mid-fi" could really cut the mustard. But the cost was reasonable, so I sprung for a pair. Boy am I glad I did that! These speakers have outstanding mids and highs, along with bass that's quite respectable for the price range. What these speakers have is a very endearing way of showing the detail and subtlety of well-recorded music, yet at the same time being forgiving of less well-recorded music. They don't cause any listener fatigue at all, even with long listening sessions with all types of music, both good and bad recordings. I am going to keep these and sell the RM-30's. I am very happy with them and would recommend them to anyone considering a speaker in this price range.

by chris kirkman, May 25, 2005

Strengths:

highs, mids and lows. All ranges are so clear.

Weaknesses:

bring an amp fan, 4 ohm load is awesome for power and clearity but will heat up your amp. WORTH THE FAN.....

Review:

I purchased the lsi15 series and I was so impressed, I bought the entire lsi line from the lsi9s to the lsifx sourrounds. All 4 ohms, dual drivers and the sound is so incredible I wish I could buy another home just to buy another set !!!! I have tried every speaker from 8 to 4 ohms. These speakers are without a doubt the best.

by Mick Anderson, August 23, 2005

Strengths:

Where do I begin???

Weaknesses:

No weaknesses

Review:

I purchased a pair of these in addition to the LSi/ center, side and surround speakers, powered by a Denon AVR-4802R amp - all as part of a home audio/video system. This is, without a doubt, the best sounding speaker system I have ever heard.

by Dave Wilson, February 16, 2006

Strengths:

Great soundstage for a good price.

Weaknesses:

None that I can think of!

Review:

I am not an audiophile, nor do I pretend to be, but I *love* my LSi15's. Before owning a set of these, I had no idea how well a set of speakers are able to reproduce live music. These speakers opened my eyes, and ears, to whole new genres of music that I had never before appreciated. Bad recordings have nowhere to hide - good recordings become great. The music is right there in my living room for all to enjoy. I now understand "soundstage". The three-dimensional effect that's possible with these great speakers. Thank You, Polk Audio! I can't wait for the day I can add a set of LSiFX's to round out my home theatre.

by Thomas Kelly, June 22, 2006

Strengths:

Attractive/Stylish Quality Build Superior Soundstage Excellent Value

Weaknesses:

Heavy

Review:

After narrowing the criteria for tower speakers to replace bookshelves for a home theatre system, I ended up with a short list that included the LSi15 speaker. One full day of auditions later, I went home with four of these speakers married to an LSiC. All four LSi15s came well packaged and protected, without one blemish on a spectacular gloss black finish. With or without the grill, the speakers match style with sustenance. This speaker is really heavy. Although I was able to move it around without breaking anything, I recommend two people to handle one of these speakers. This is due to the real wood paneling and solid construction speaker enclosure. The ring radiator tweeter does not have the presence that traditional tweeters or horns have. Because of this, I have increased the treble slightly, and decreased the bass slightly. The resulting sound has been truly remarkable throughout the frequency range. I considered the subdued radiator tweeter as a Con, but did not as tone is clearly preferential. The upside to the radiator tweeter is the widening of the soundstage – the “sweet-spot” is much wider. At the price point you will pay for an LSi15, you will be hard pressed to find a speaker that will not have a very good sound. But the LSi15 gives you much more than just good sound: a Polk speaker means value. At this price point, how many gloss black tower speakers can you find with great sound and a name brand for piece of mind? I had high expectations for the speaker and the LSi15 met them.

by Alex Bayard, January 21, 2007

Strengths:

3d image, mid and bass, clear and rich sound, great for an affordable price.

Weaknesses:

the highs at the end are not as good as the rest of the sound

Review:

This loudspeakers are a "best buy", strong and clean bass, great mids and one of the best 3d i have ever heard.

by Simphiwe, May 22, 2007

Strengths:

Clear, has lots of musle, i dont think i need a sub for these, dont like subs anyway. excelent for stereo use

Weaknesses:

non i can think of.

Review:

Excelent speakers, good all rounders, very clear, musical, not too bright just the right balance of everthing. The following are in my opinion the dont do's when wanting to own the speaker: dont be a newbee with unrealistic expectation on the speaker, you will be dissappionted. You must have enough room for the speakers to breath, for the speakers to flex their muscles. You need real mean power to make them perform at their very best. Dont play low bitrate mp3's on these, badly recorded or badly copied discs are a dont do with these speakers. Either than that you will love theses worth every cent.

by Charles Thacker, May 25, 2007

Strengths:

perfect sound stage for Jazz and Blues. they love to be cranked up, no distortion. 5 year waranty. makes marten logan fans cry because of price and sound quality.

Weaknesses:

Review:

I purchased these amazing speakers about a month ago and all i can say is WOW. I listen to mostly jazz and blues and these are the best sounding speakers i have ever heard. I sold my Mirage OM5s after hearing these in the store. Team thim up with the PSW505 OR PSW1000 SUB and they can not be beat for under $6000. Great work Polkaudio.

by staplhead, December 10, 2007

Strengths:

Clear and accurate mids. Wonderful highs that were truly delicate. And a solid low end. Just well-balanced package at very fair price. Worth the money.

Weaknesses:

Heavy. Requires a solid amp to reveal the full potential.

Review:

Wonderfully matched with its LSi siblings. Vocals sound wonderful as does multi-channel music and movies. When taking the time to properly set up your system, this speaker blends seamlessly with the LSi center and surrounds. it is quite a wonderful effect. Worth the money. I found that setting a 40Hz bottom limit with my Onkyo TX-SR805 worked great with my LSiC up front (set at 60Hz), and LSi9 as surrounds at 60Hz worked wonders with my HSU VTF-3 MK-3 sub. A Carver M1.0t drives the fronts. When adding the sub, it was amazing how much more efficient the system became. My wife and I auditioned a number of speakers and we were blown away by depth and solidity of vocals. Jazz sounds awesome. Bass guitar (even with a sub) was impactful and tight. We heard stuff in classical pieces we never heard before. It's a wonderful system, indeed. We're really enjoying reviewing our music catalog again!

by Norman Dack, January 29, 2008

Strengths:

- they're quite beautiful... and an MTM configuration at the $2k price point!?! - solid performance from the mids makes listening to Mozart's Requiem or Porcupine Tree quite the uplifting experience.

Weaknesses:

- seems to lack some control on the bottom end (sub)... perhaps a stiffer cone...? - harder to use in smaller rooms (had it in 11x15 for a while... but after knocking out a wall it opened up)

Review:

I've owned a pair of LSi-15's for just over a year now. I bought them used in 2006, and it was a great deal all things considered. Now, I do not consider myself a "technical audiophile", i.e. quantise the various strengths and weaknesses in a system. However, I must have good sound to go with great music. It's actually about the artistry of the music itself rather than how well I can reproduce it. Having said that, man, do my LSi-15's sound GREAT! Although I must admit that I source them with a Marantz receiver (as preamp, fairly musical), and a Carver TFM-45 (amp, 500Wpc into 4ohms, tube-sounding characteristics) that makes these babies sing for me. I would seriously considering purchasing these speakers, or the LSi-25's, again at retail prices. I now monitor this brand regularly.

by Steve Brown, May 28, 2008

Strengths:

Sound reproduction. The tweeters rock. Soundstage and imagery put you right in the movie or concert.

Weaknesses:

None that I can find.

Review:

These are without doubt the best speakers I've ever owned. The sound is so clean, great detail and the top end is perfect for me. I use them as both the mains for HT and two channel for music. Construction seems to be very good as well. Both of the wood finishes are very well done.

by Philip Depaepe, July 21, 2008

Strengths:

Superb detailed sound, the lsi15 makes you hear things on your cd's that you have never heard before

Weaknesses:

Can't find any

Review:

The best buy price/quality you can get for an overall use

by david rono, August 7, 2008

Strengths:

the tweeters,midrange and bass.

Weaknesses:

none.

Review:

the main reason i bought this speaker is the clarity of midrange and sweet sound of the tweeter.the high frequency of this speaker is a real treat to the ears,the cabinet is solid,piano gloss and real wood on the side

by william robinson, December 10, 2008

Strengths:

beautiful and modern design,with high Quality sound.

Weaknesses:

NONE!!

Review:

well i went to tweeter to look for a deal on a lcd tv,but when i seen these LSI 15s in cherry,I needed to have them just for the furnitureit adds to my house.I read all the reviews here and it helped.I had a yamaha rxv 590 (75 wps x 5)did not push theses to good.When i powered them up with my new yamaha RX-V1900(130wpc x 7) WOW!!! sound is so crisp and nice lows.I cant wait to get the rest of the series!

by Gerald Meredith, January 11, 2009

Strengths:

The speakers are so clean it makes you feel like you have reproduced pristine laboratory conditions. Absolute detail and analysis of your recording are heard with these speakers. Once positioned properly, these speakers absolutely disappear and all you hear is music. Also, with proper positioning, these speakers look like a couple pieces of modern art siting in your room because you hear no sound coming from them and they look very nice.

Weaknesses:

Depending on the recording, these speakers will at times sound thin if the recording does not contain deep bass content. Of course the sound is also effected by the acoustics of your listening room.

Review:

I use my speakers in a two channel music only system. The speakers are so clean it makes you feel like you have reproduced pristine laboratory conditions. Absolute detail and analysis of your recording are heard with these speakers. Once positioned properly, these speakers absolutely disappear and all you hear is music. Also, with proper positioning, these speakers look like a couple pieces of modern art siting in your room because you hear no sound coming from them and they look very nice. Depending on the recording, these speakers will at times sound thin if the recording does not contain deep bass content. Of course the sound is also effected by the acoustics of your listening room. The sound is always coherent throughout the entire range of music presented by these speakers. I have since added the matching subwoofer (PSW1000), which caused the sound to bloom, become more dark and natural sounding compared to the original laboratory, pristine sound, caused a depth in the soundstage along with more bass weight on the deepest notes. The subwoofer helped to present a more lifelike presentation of the instruments. Also, with the sub online you could at times hear certain instruments even more distinguished than before, without the sub. I am sure I will go back and forth between listening with and without the sub online. As I indicated, these speakers were already great by themselves.

by Jeff, March 5, 2009

Strengths:

Clarity, bass is very well mixed into treble, style, and most of all price!

Weaknesses:

4ohm load, power hungry, makes other speakers sound bad(can't decide if thats bad or good)

Review:

Amazingly comparable to high end speakers. Demoed many speakers 3 times the cost at minimum in 2 months and found these gems. Never owned Polk before but just hearing these speakers made my choice very easy. You need a nice receiver to run these speakers.

by William Bobrowski, May 5, 2009

Strengths:

Live concerts in surround sound! Wow! You're right there. Vocalists are in the room.

Weaknesses:

Heavy. Almost had a heart attack carrying them up to the third floor.

Review:

I waited many years to make this purchase. I should have made it long ago. Beautiful, clear, true sound. Movies, DTS 5.1, DVD Audio, and SACD. Perfect soundstage. Now I'm ready for the LSI Surrounds!

by Buz Schachtner, April 19, 2010

Strengths:

Clear, non-compressed sound, lots of tight bass, HEAVY, excellent build, look FNATASTIC, sound AMAZING.

Weaknesses:

uh... ummmm..... hold on, I'll think of something.... hummmmm.....

Review:

Waited 3 months to review. I mostly listened to the TV through the LSi15s because I was WAY too busy to sit and just listen. I got the chance this weekend when I forced myself to sit and watch TOP GUN and then HOT SHOTS (it's always great to watch the serious movie, then the parody!). WOW!! WOW!! WOW!! I'm only in 2 channel mode, as I'm building the new surround system. Right now I'm using an OPPO BDP83, a Rotel Stereo preamp and NAD C-272 amp. THE SOUND IF FANTASTIC! As a retired USAF flight-line guy and musician (drummer/percussionist), the aircraft engines were FLIPPIN' FANTASTIC! I can't wait to get the Rotel 1570/1575 combo, and the whole LSiXX line! I've got over 1200 CDs to re-listen to!! I've got SACD, DVD-Audio, Blu-Ray, PS3, Wii, Oppo, LaserDisc, Beta, the whole shootin' match. I'M GONNA BLOW THE DOORS OFF OF THIS HOUSE!! (luckily I'm renting...)

by John Olofson, September 6, 2010

Strengths:

SACDs and SHM-CDs exhibit incredible realism. Set up in an equilateral triangle and toed in about one inch, the music soundstage extends past placement width. Height and depth emerge above and beyond the entertainment center. Perfect fit and finish, along with great customer service and very solid, heavy build (these aren't lightweights); are attributes Polk fans have come to expect.

Weaknesses:

Unlike most SACDs and SHM-CDs, listening to certain, much older CDs can "tire" my ears. Ironically, this actually reveals another strength of the speakers--they sound so clean and pure, they can unveil mastering issues in older recordings. It could be said that if this loudspeaker has a "weakness," it may be that it's "too good!"

Review:

I bought my LSi-15s in 2003. I can honestly say that as long as I keep my Carver HR-752 setup, I will never buy another pair of loudspeakers. The LSi-15 is everything I want: The cherry wood and piano black lacquer finish are beautiful... The sound is great, especially with newer CDs... And, they're capable of being played loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage! They're stunning loudspeakers which have represented Polk Audio's technology admirably for nearly a decade.

by Vlad Temnov, October 12, 2012

Strengths:

SOUND, dynamic range, highs, mids, stage. Room filling sounds. Smooth, warm, lush sound! You wont get exhausted listening to these speakers.

Weaknesses:

I was expecting them to be large :))

Review:

What can I say! I didn't know what to expect, since I read both negative and positive reviews. Boomy-ness concerned me because I used to have Monitor 40s and 60s before and I had to completely gut my 60s and release crossovers and drivers with Hivi drivers and Dayton crossovers the difference was immense to say the least. I upgraded to Emotiva UPA-1 mono blocks and they sounded even better. Then i thought, "ok I wanted to try something else", so after extensive research, online. I didn't got to audio shops to listen to anything, I knew in my head what I wanted out of the speakers and how much I wanted to spend. I narrowed down to couple of choices and out of those Polk Lsi15s where the most comfortable logical and safe choice. They simply could not have been bad! Luckily, I made the right choice after 2 days of extensive listening, I can safely say they are amazing. The sound is SOooo smooth, silky smooth. Even at low volumes they sound amazing. the stage, as most mentioned is vast and natural. highs are silky and precise. Since I am not a bass freak, they produce an incredible amount of bass. Yes i recognize it can be much better, I have experienced 1000 dollars subs, but for me this is perfectly sufficient and I'm sure is for many others. I bet these will sound better and better when they are broken in. System used: Marantz SR6005 Emotiva UPA-1 Monoblocks, 300 WPC at 4ohm Dayton cables

onhometheater.com, February 2002

—Wes Phillips

"It's an impressive system."

"...especially in my large room, the added solidity and seamless musicality of the LSi15s made music listening something special. Out of all the impressive components that make up this system [LSi15, LSiC, LSi7, PSW650] these floorstanders are something special."

"If you're looking to provide superlative musical performance and an impressive home-theater system for your immediate gratification and long-term pleasure, this one fits the bill. At $4000, this system [LSi15, LSiC, LSi7, PSW650] isn't inexpensive, but it's less than the price of a lot of high-end stereo pairs. For performance like the LSi system's, $4000 isn't just a bargain, it's a catch."

[ Open Review ]

The Absolute Sound, April/May, 2002

—Anthony H. Cordesman

"[The Polk Audio LSi15 is] an amazing bargain...I am a little stunned..."

"The upper octaves are among the smoothest and most detailed at all levels of dynamics that I have heard; they certainly outperform most speakers costing more than twice as much...outstanding accuracy, detail and nuance..."

"...the new Polk LSi series provides exceptional value for money...[it is] a speaker any music-lover with a real-world budget should consider."

[ Open Review ]

The Inner Ear Report
Volume 14 #3 - 2002

"The LSi15s are a stunningly elegant and graceful adition to any listening room."

"In addition to musical strength, this system provided well resolved highs, transparent midrange and resolute bass."

"...rejoice! The LSi15s provide sonic delights akin to high-end systems that employ higher-end electronics... these new LSi15s are veritable gems with which to play back sound that offers loads of musicality at a moderate cost."

Wes Phillips
OnHiFi.com July 2002

"...the most attractive property this speaker possesses is its top-to-bottom coherence. But, as I listened to disc after disc through the LSi15, it began to dawn on me that I have seldom heard a flatter, less-colored top end."

"For acoustic music, the LSi15 is almost as perfect a speaker as I've heard under $3500."

"In its current LSi series of loudspeakers -- and most specifically in the LSi15 -- Polk is making the finest speakers it has ever manufactured. The LSi15 is an honest design that benefits from the solid engineering and construction that a huge company, such as Polk, can lavish on a project when it sets its mind to it.

The LSi15 sounds balanced and natural, and it's more accurate than many "exotic" speakers that cost a whole lot more. It is good looking and easy to drive. You can certainly spend a lot more on a speaker -- and I'd be the last to suggest that you couldn't buy a better-sounding loudspeaker -- but you'll have to search long and hard before you find one as good as the Polk LSi15 anywhere near its price."

[ Open Review ]

AF Digitale (Italy)
September, 2002

Excerpted from a review of a system comprised of LSi15, LSiC and LSi7

"The new Polk Audio LSi range is positioned as their 'top of their line.' Product goals were based on high quality throughout - sonic performance, aesthetics, build quality and reliability.

There's no question that Polk has met it's goals with these new products; the new tweeter which, almost magically, reproduces a wonderful blend of sweetness, richness and detail, the new, unique drivers reproduce the mids and lows with accurace and authority regardless if you are listening to music or a movie soundtrack. The cabinet, finished in high gloss black and wood is both handsome and robust and boasts intersting solutions for mounting the drivers and tweeter which are connected via high quality dual gold connectors.

It is rare to find such precision, even to the smallest detail in a loudspeaker at these price points and difficult to find any weak points.

The numbering system (Valutazione)
1. Aesthetics - 8 -- a classical line with high gloss and wood materials, the size is rather large (LSi15)
2. Connections - 8 -- Optimal quality dual input connectors allow bi-wiring / bi-amping
3. Construction - 9 -- Robust, attactive cabinetry with exclusive components - difficult to find any weak points
4. Positioning - 7 -- The side-firing LSi15 woofer makes it ideal for use in mid - larger size rooms
5. Audio Quality - 8 -- Superb new tweeter, almost a true subwoofer in the LSi15
6. Quality / Price - 8 -- The components, and overall quality are in line with the performance."

Audio Review (Italy)
September 2002

"...from the standpoint of timbre, the impression of the LSi15 is remarkably natural and not noticeably different from the new Quad electrostatic...low frequency extension is remarkable...a very convincing performance which is not easily found in this category of product!"

AudioEnz (New Zealand)
Demember 2002

"[T]hese speakers left me with only one impression: yummy...[T]he LSi15s sounded tremendous. The LSi9stook me by surprise; [they were] sharp as a pin, sonically brilliant."

Top Audio & Video Show, Milan Italy

Winner of "Top Audio Award" for best multi-channel loudspeaker for 2002, at Top Audio & Video Show, Milan Italy.

Reprinted by permission
The Absolute Sound
December 2002/January 2003

"...the Polk LSi15 gets this year's nod for a moderately priced speaker whose innovative ring tweeter and overall sound quality are a real breakthrough in affordable high-end products. Upper octaves and midrange are outstanding in comparison with many speakers costing more than twice as much, and the bass is very good...Remember the days when the high end was still affordable enough to be fun? Well, they are still here!"
Golden Ear Award winner 2002

Wes Phillips
OnHiFi.com January 2003

"With acoustic music, the LSi15s had an enveloping sense of presence I've never heard from any speaker even approaching their price point. Their seamless integration of the entire musical spectrum is startlingly even-handed and natural. Feed 'em some hard-driving rock'n'roll or soul or jazz and they'll roar like a lion; feed 'em a soothing folk air and they'll purr like a kitten. And no matter the musical material, the LSi15s delivered its letter and spirit intact.

That's not just pretty good for a speaker under $2000/pair -- that's pretty good for a speaker.

But factor in price and it's darn near miraculous.

So, for living up to the highest ideals of the audiophile sensibility, the Polk LSi15s deserve to be one of onhifi.com's 2002 Products of the Year. And for doing it at such an eminently affordable price, they deserve to be huge."

[ Open Review ]