TEST: Polk's audiophile loudspeakers (2 Viewers)

[Hanwook_K]

Al,

If you look at this picture, it has both an ARC and bass port. I'm afraid if you do plug up the bass ports that the ARC ports (intended for midrange clarification), might act as power ports changing the tonal characteristics. But I'm not positive.
If you don't plug up the ports be sure to brace and put alot of acoustical fiberglass between in wall because you will vibrate the drywall if you run each speakers large. I would recommend running the speakers small with a crossover point above 80-100hz, you should be fine.
These are pretty deep speakers will they just hang in another room it the bass ports exposed? I wonder if you can reroute the port using 3" piping and "U" it back to the wall? That would be cool!! Of course well braced. You can get a bass port from partsexpress - paint it the color of the wall and flush mount it
Editorial: I generally prefer running my speakers in front large because it tend to give more dynamic impact to the movies. I've never tried it with the LSi9 (rolling off at 50hz(-3db). Also I like the LSi9 better toed in about 10-15degrees.
I think its possible, but might have to do a little more work then simply just placing in the wall.

 

[Hanwook_K]

Hey if you look at these speakers the space between the woofer and tweeter is zero.

I am still confused with no answer from Polkaudio ...

 

[Alex F.]

Hanwook:

I'm curious, why the concern about the driver spacing?

 

[Hanwook_K]

Mostly because I like to buy what I see ... If Polk audio's website says the space should be 5mm then I want to be able to go out and buy an LSI9 with a 5mm space not 0mm. Not only that but the LSi15 do have a different spacing. I am concerned because of time alignment (the time in which the sound from the woofer and tweeter hit my listening area. I would suspect that placing them (tweeter and woofer) close is actually better if designed, but since I can't really get a response via email from Polkaudio (if they are trying to get into high-end then they need to respond back to me as if the care), I'm not sure. I am sure there is a reason ... why the LSi9 and LSi15 have different spacings ... possible different crossovers ... or simply a mistake?

I like the way they sound, but I just don't like inaccurate information. I guess I'm the only one that cares about what they are advertising vs what we get ... especially for the Lsi series ($$$) which again is supposed to be highend. If this was their regular line I wouldn't care so much... Just my pet peeve (SP?).

 

[Brian Kleinke]

Hanwook,

Have you tried posting over at Club polk?

Brian

 

[Keith Mickunas]

Hanwook, its unlikely that it would be a mistake. They probably decided at some point it worked better and changed the layout between the prototypes and final product. Its also possible that there was a change in the manufacturing of one of the faceplates, and that's it. But anyways, who buys a speaker based on the amount of space between the woofer and tweeter? If it affects the sound, I'm sure they considered that, but its not as if the ad says "And our speakers have a whole 5mm of space between the tweeter's faceplate and the woofer's!" I agree they should reply to you, but its such an obscure detail that they may be having to go to some trouble to get an answer from the engineers who made the change.

 

[Hanwook_K]

I agree its not a mistake. All I am saying is that their webite should acurately depict what people are buying. I know there isn't a 5mm gap in the LSi9. I know there IS a ~5mm gap in the LSi15. I didn't see a LSi25 in the local stereo store.

I think you're missing my point. I personally don't care if there is a 5mm gap or not. These sound great, but I do look for acuracy regardless. And I personally don't think its some obscure detail. In high end there is not such thing as obscure detail. I personally would like to understand why polk decided to use different gaps (or tweeter to woofer) placement on each one of speakers in the same product line?

I give up ...I'm not trying to fight anyone here. Ignore my posts ...

 

[Alex F.]

Hanwook:

It is very common for a manufacturer to shoot photos of a near-production model for advance marketing purposes, then fine-tune the product just prior to beginning production. When this happens, it is because they found a way to improve the design (technically or cosmetically) at the last minute, but did not yet obtain new photos when the product went to reviewers or into the distribution network.

The time alignment you mention would be affected by the relative positioning of the voice coils from front to back (i.e., the front surface of the tweeter would be placed farther back from the front plane of the enclosure than would the mid/bass drivers, such as in the time-aligned designs by Vandersteen).

The close spacing of the drivers in the VERTICAL plane for all the LSi models implies that Polk wished to create as much of a single point source as possible.

Working under the assumption that the vertical spacing is indeed slightly different in any of the near-production or final-production models, and then worrying about it, is much ado about nothing. The dispersion patterns of such tightly spaced drivers would integrate at a very short distance from the enclosure. In comparison, a system with widely spaced drivers (such as several of Dunlavy's floorstanding models) might require a minimum listening distance of about 10 feet or more. The LSi's vertical spacing design avoids this concern. This is especially helpful with stand-mounted speakers, which typically are used in small to medium-sized rooms.

I have found Polk's technical support very courteous and helpful, via both telephone inquiries and e-mails (the latter always receiving a response in 1-3 business days). Give them a call (800-377-7655), you will find the folks there friendly.

Finally, there is no doubt that your LSi-9s are very much a high-end loudspeaker.

 

[Troy LaMont]

Al,

There is a Port in the rear, I don't think it would cause problems with flush mounting them except for perhaps a small loss of bass... Someone with a more technical understanding will have to clarify that.

The end of the bass port actually serves as a mounting bracket, kills two birds with one stone so to speak. There wouldn't be a loss in bass information by a 'normal' mount of the LSi9s. As long as the bass port isn't covered, you're bass replication should be fine.
Hanwook,
Not eye to eye with you either on the technicalities of the driver placement...
Whatever the final driver setup is, it works and works great as you can also attest. Enjoy.
Oh, I've also had great customer service from Polk. Drop Micah Cohen a line, he posts on the HTF frequently and on the Polk Forum almost daily. He's great to work with.
Troy

 

[Brian Kleinke]

The LSi9's power port CAN NOT be used as a mounting point. I got them thinking I could mount them just like I had mounted my RTi25s... you can mount the 7s that way but not the 9s.

Brian

 

[Gil D]

Hey if you look at these speakers the space between the woofer and tweeter is zero.

Hanwook,

I just received my LSi-9's (cherry) and they have the tight driver spacing as shown in the pic above and also beveled edges on the top and bottom panels. Do yours have the beveled edges? I understand that Polk removed the beveled edges early in production since it was difficult to manufacture.

Also, how do you guys place your LSi speakers, tweeters in or out? I have always placed my Sonus fabers with tweeters facing out.

Gil

 

[Brian Kleinke]

I set them up how ever Polk recomended .... Which ever way that was.... I'll look when I get home (I'm at work, and alas no Polks...)

Brian

 

[Troy LaMont]

The LSi9's power port CAN NOT be used as a mounting point. I got them thinking I could mount them just like I had mounted my RTi25s... you can mount the 7s that way but not the 9s.

Well I'll be a blue nosed gopher! You're right. I don't own the LSi9s, so I ASSUMED that they could be.
Sorry guys.
Alex,
Interesting info in the bass differences on the 25s vs 15s. Interesting as it may be, I wish my pockets were deep enought to validate the price difference myself.
Troy

 

[Brian Kleinke]

Heck, getting the 15s now... at least you leave open the chance to later upgrade to the 25s... perhaps a 7.1 system with 2x 15s 2x 25s and 2x9s would be... ummmm... interesting
Brian

 

[Gil D]

Well, I am very disappointed in Polk. I am actually even pained by these LSi-9's :frowning:
These are supposed to be mini monitors, are they not? Well they fooled me. When they arrived the other day, I went to pick up the box and proceed to move them upstairs. I was not prepared for the sheer weight of this package and strained a few muscles. You need to use your legs on these babies. I could of thought they sent me an amp by mistake for christ sakes. D*mn those designers at Polk! Don't they even know how to design a minimonitor worth it's own salt

 

[Brian Kleinke]

Gil,
Well I suppose Polk could do away with the nice high build quality, not bother with real wood sides and reduce the thickness of the side-walls to .1" or less. Though I suspect we'd be a lot less happy with em. Now just go plug them in and soon you'll forget about how heavy they are, just be glad you didn't get a pair of 15s or 25s since they come seperate and each weight almost as much as to 9s, plus they're a b*tch to carry...
Brian

 

[Gil D]

Brian,
I hope you caught the irony in my previous post.
The LSi-9 is built more like a mega-monitor than a mini-monitor. I guess I forget to mention they sound good too

 

[Brian Kleinke]

O yes... I caught that Note the at the end of my post

 

[Brian Kleinke]

Lots of good info in this thread (lots of funnyness too ) but since these speakers are the topic of discussion again I'll send this up towards the top
Brian