polk lsi9 and 1050

Posted by: coryg71

polk lsi9 and 1050 - 04/01/09 05:27 PM

I have the 1050 reciever with polk lsi9 fronts and lsic center. Do you know if the 1050 is capable of handling these speakers without an amp? How about the lsi15?
Thanks,
Cory
Posted by: gonk

Re: polk lsi9 and 1050 - 04/01/09 06:50 PM

The LSi15's are a difficult load for any receiver to drive, due to a combination of their 4 ohm rating and their low efficiency. I've never used them, but I've traded posts with numerous LSi15 owners over the years who have found this to be true. My sense is that the LSi15's need some form of outboard amplification, but that's just speaking as an "outside observer" with no first-hand experience with them. Having said that, I suspect that a fair number of LSi15's are driven by receivers. The LSi9's have nearly identical ratings, but I've not heard from as many LSi9 owners to know how the two compare in actual use.

The old 1050 has a pretty well-regarded amp section, both for sound quality and actual power output. I drove Paradigm Studio 60's with one with quite satisfactory results. You'll need to have it well ventilated, as the 4 ohm load would likely lead to somewhat higher heat output.
Posted by: coryg71

Re: polk lsi9 and 1050 - 04/02/09 02:27 AM

Would an amp like the 7125 match up well with the 1050? I'd think that should be enough to power the lsi9s and lsi15s. My dilema is that I'd like to upgrade the 1050 also but need to wait about 9 months for that.
Posted by: gonk

Re: polk lsi9 and 1050 - 04/02/09 02:57 AM

Sure, the 7125 should work nicely with the 1050. I paired mine with a 750 at one time with great results.