Polk LSi15s w/ sub, or Polk LSi25s without a sub? (1 Viewer)

[KyleT]

If you had to choose between the two of these options, and the budget for the sub that you could use with the LSi15s was roughly the same as the money saved by getting the 15s instead of the 25s, which would you prefer?

I've been hearing from a friend of mine that the LSi25's sub is somwhat 'boomy'. By using a seperate sub I think this could be more easily remedied.

I've also heard that having a sub built into the speaker is optimal for people like me who don't know much about home theater design simply because when Polk engineered the LSi25, they were able to tune and match the sub for the speaker, which will be my job if I buy a seperate sub with the 15s.

So what say ye?

 

[Brian Kleinke]

I've got the LSi15 with an SVS sub... if I did it again I'd pair the LSi9 with the SVS (which I will likely do some day... and put the 15s in a music only system)

The 15's have some great bass, but they don't go all the way down to 20hz. The LSi9s don't have a 9" woofer that thy cross over to, they use the 5.25" woofer all the way down to 50hz or so.

So I'd say LSi9+Sub or LSi25, but I'd go with a sub anyday

 

[KyleT]

So you're saying that the LSi9s with a sub would sound better than the LSi15s with a sub?? I don't understand how that could be unless you mean that it costs less?

 

[Chris Quinn]

Kyle, a good separate sub is going to give you cleaner bass and go deeper. This is because a sub is designed strictly for bass no driver crossovers(the crossover between sub and other speaks is handled by your receiver/amp) to worry about, no design choices for tweets, mid, and woofers in the same cabinet. It is very unlikely that the LSi9, LSi15, or LSi25 sound the same except for bass level. Each is going to have its own "voice" for the above reasons. I think Brian is saying that he'd pick the LSi9 and a sub because the LSi9 is designed just for sound above 50hz and doesn't have any design choices(aka compromises) made to reproduce bass below 50hz and a sub is designed for bass from around 20hz to 100-150hz. So think of it as each is specialized instead trying to do two things.

A different sub from your speakers is fine. At those tones you need not worry about timbre matching.

 

[Jeffrey_B]

I've got the LSi9's paired with my SVS 20-39PC+ sub (along with the LSiC, LSiFX) and with a god sub such as the SVS, you don't need floor standing speakers such as the LsI15. BTW, I have a 4 year old Sony ES30 reciever (80 watts x 5) and the receiver is plenty powerful despite the LSi's being 4 ohm (the Sony has a 4/8 ohm switch on the back).

I'm interested in buying the LSi15's though for 2 channel listening - in a different room in my house. How are these as stereo speakers? I'm very satisfied with the LSi's for HT. JEFF

 

[Steve_D]

I second the LSI9 with a separate sub or 2.... A single or better yet pair of SVS's would be great.

The reasons, as was also stated before, is a good separate sub is going to sound better than the built in sub's in the 15 or 25. Also, imho, monitor speakers sound better than floor standers.

 

[Brian Kleinke]

Kyle,

Chris hit the nail of what I meant

Jeffrey,

I love the LSi15s for Stereo listening, they still seem to put out plenty of bass they just don't go as low as the SVS can. In fact next year they will be running solo as Stereo speakers.

Lastly I originally had LSi9's with stands, I had a bad tweeter in one and returned them upgrading to the 15s because I thought they looked "small" next to my 57" TV; but I know now that it was the stands not the speakers I really didn't like.

Since I'm running an 80hz xover for my bass the speakers are not producing any sound below 80hz which IMO seems a waste to even bother putting a sub woofer on them. The 9's produce great sound down to 80hz.

Brian

 

[Chris Quinn]

As someone once asked, "why buy bass twice?"

 

[Jeffrey_B]

Thanks Brian. I got the LSi9's mainly because I don't have floor space for the 15's. I have the LSi9's on AV racks to the left and right of my Mits 65907. With the SVS 20-39PC+, there is no need for floor standing speakers. Thanks for the thumbs up on the LSi15's. I'll be getting them for another room for stereo listening. I got my LSi's on the web for about 40% off list; I plan to do the same for the LSi15's. For about a grand, I can't think of many speakers that offer better value. I also want to stick with the LSi's in the event that I upgrade from a 5.1 setup to a 7.1 setup. Thanks again for the feedback. JEFF

 

[Chris J Hall]

Kyle,


The posts so far have been so on the money that they have reduced what I was originally going to post to a "I'll second what they said" post



Really, better advice could not have been given

 

[Lewis Besze]

Looks like the LSI9 is the "best selling" one from that line,for a good reason me thinks.