April/May The Absolute Sound gives Polk's LSi line a rave review (1 Viewer)

[Kelly Scott Rickards]

I went to my local bookstore to read up on the new audio mags and read up on what is new in the audio world. I have been hearing good stuff about Polk's new LSI line lately so you can imagine my surprise when I saw a review of the LSi's in the April/May issue of The Absolute Sound.

Now I am not a regular reader of TAS so I don't know if they usually gush over every speaker they hear (ala S&V) but they were going *ON AND ON* about how fantastic the LSi sounded and how they favorably compared to speakers many times the LSi's price. I didn't get a chance to pick up the mag but it is a good read for those intrested in the LSi's. I believe the reviewer was comparing the Polks to Revels, Legacys and B&W N803 speakers. Impressive to say the least.

These speakers are the real deal, it seems.

 

[Mark Austin]

It was a good review for the Polks. In the comparison bewteen other speakers he mentioned the Dynaudio Evidence Temptations, Thiel 7.2's, Revel Salons, and Infinity 4.1T's, and he said all of those bettered the Polk, but at a higher price. To me he seems to think it competes in the range up to about twice its price, which is definitely solid praise.

 

[Paul_Fisher]

sounded and how they favorably compared to speakers many times the LSi's price.

I haven't heard that from a magazine before...

 

[Dan Hine]

Paul,
Yes that line is used in a lot of magazines. But it has not been my experience (for whatever that's worth) to see the reviewer actually mention names. Just like the reviewer in TAS mentions Revel, Dynaudio, etc... Usually it's just "they sound as good as items costing twice the price" which could mean anything...without citing a direct comparison like the reviewer did he "could" have been comparing them to Bose which no doubt costs near twice the price! Thank goodness for Polk that is not the case.
Regards,
Dan Hine

 

[Mark Austin]

Dan,

I have heard it mentioned many times as well. The thing is those speakers in his reference systems are all 4,5,and 6 times the price. It's an odd review, in that he leaves out a lot of typical comparisions, and music listened to. One would think if it was that much a breakthrough, it would have made the front cover, but alas it didn't, the Thiel 1.6's did with the title of "Attractive, Affordable, and Awesome". I think the reviewer may have been expecting A LOT less from Polk, hence his glowing remarks, but none the less I will have to go demo a pair.

 

[Jan H]

Mark,

Cordesman's review is odd to you, I think, because he might have been too embarrassed to mention Polk in the same breath as B&W, Revel, Dynaudio, and other "high end" speakers. Price and geographic location do not a speaker make. Audition the LSi as soon as possible. JH

 

[Gil D]

...because he might have been too embarrassed to mention Polk in the same breath as B&W, Revel, Dynaudio, and other "high end" speakers.

So was I.

 

[rodneyH]

funny, I just read a review 10 minutes ago about an AMP (that I personally own) that talks about competing with products "over twice the price", I must admit, that line is getting sooooooo freaking old.

 

[Brian Kleinke]

LOL Reviews use the same tricks most of the time... but it's true when they say the LSi series is not your Father's Polks. Perhaps the best reviews the LSis are getting is from the people who own them
Brian

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

That line is what magazines use not to piss off any advertisers. If it came out and said the Polk sounded better than a pair of Pardigms that were about the same cost, I think the magazine might "hear" from Paradigm. This way, the lower priced component's manufacturer is happy to be compared to something much more expensive(and of course doesn't mind coming up short). Also the more expensive speaker makers are happy that their more expensive product was ultimately found to be superior.

 

[Kelly Scott Rickards]

p334r TeH kOnSp3r4CY TH30rI3S11!!!