[MichaelHiFi]

Wife wants the 9 but worry that all those drivers might be too much for our room. 

Room dimensions are around 15' wide by 18' deep but with no wall boundry behind the seating position. If you go to my gallery, you'll get an idea.

The pro's with the 9's is that I might be able to remove and sell my JL Audio Fathom F113, or, just use for ultra deep bass. The con's are there shear size, additional cost, weight and presence.

Do they really "sound" better? Are they equally as efficient as the LS6's?

I'm in the market for an amp. Probably going tube this time. Looking at PrimaLuna, Rogue, Cary and others. Even thought about building my own tube amp (like the speakers) and getting an Audio Note kit.

I have an Allnic preamp and it's a keeper.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[toddbagwell]

1) Get 9's

2) details later

So, yeah, I'd go for the LS9s and then figure out other bits and pieces. I'd especially get the 9s if your wife is on-board with the plan.

I ran my pair with outlaw audio m200 monoblock amps, so I'm worthless helping you with an amp choice.

I would keep the JL sub. You can run the 9s full range and use the sub to fill in any room modes or other dips in the sound once you have the 9s positioned where you feel they work best.

later
todd

[kingdeezie]

I might go with the LS6 in that setting.

My room is 13x19, so not much smaller then yours, and I have had a hell of a time getting the ls6s to sound good in my room because of room interactions and such.

I have it massively treated right now, and I did an external crossover upgrade that seemed to help, and was easier to change the bass settings.

The LS9s are better in the right setting.

You can use the difference between the LS9 and LS6 to upgrade the crossover, or buy better amplifiers.

YMMV, but like I said. I am still not ultimately always satisfied with the sound because sometimes I feel even the LS6s are too big for my room.

I guess it depends on what your looking for.

good luck!

[Cheeseboy]

I think you could do either. 

If it were me I would get the 6's, keep the sub and spend the difference in some artful room treatments for the right and left walls, ceiling and some heavier curtains across the whole wall behind the Speakers.  Perhaps spend for a room barrier/diffusor for behind the couch.  That may shore up open room sound.   Take the time and design it all to be functional and easy on the eyes.  If money were unlimited then sure buy the 9's.  In my opinion you can fill that room with the Ls6 and a sub very well.   I think working on the room will get you more of what you are looking for in sound quality. 

Don't forget to build the acoustically transparent baby barrier to keep Jr away from the stereo.

Opinions are like elbows.  Everybody has a pair.

[S Clark]

I'm fortunate enough to be able to A/B the 9's and the 6's.  Several years back, Danny and I spent an afternoon moving a pair of 6's and 9's back and forth into the room sweet spot for direct comparisons.  There is a difference, the 9's sound better.  Everything about them has just a bit more presence.  Probably the lower crossover as much as the extra drivers. 

Scott

[Cheeseboy]

I have never been able to A/B.  However the LS9 have sounded smoother when I have heard them. They were in a perfect enviornment.  I don't think most have the room treated as well as Danny.  Hence my advice in spending for treatments in a smaller room like Michaels..

[S Clark]

I have never been able to A/B.  However the LS9 have sounded smoother when I have heard them. They were in a perfect enviornment.  I don't think most have the room treated as well as Danny.  Hence my advice in spending for treatments in a smaller room like Michaels..

+1   Regardless which you choose, room treatments are probably needed to get the most out of them.

[Danny Richie]

Either can be made to work in that room but both will require heavy room treatment, especially the LS-9's.

[Cheeseboy]

Bigger is better.  More is better.  However with great speakers come great responsibility. 

Like having your friends over for a listen.

[SoCalWJS]

LS-6, LS-9, whatever (both excellent)


DO NOT SELL THE Fathom!!!!!!!!!!! It's a keeper!

(can you tell I love mine). I usually do not use mine with music, but it's nice on some things.



.....but on movies......

[MichaelHiFi]

Thanks for the inputs guys.

I'm big on room treatment, probably cause my wife doesn't mind. 

That being said I now own a tiled house with very few foundation piers (don't get me started  )

The area rug seems to correct any reflections and not having a rear wall really helps. I have acoustic panels in many prime areas and thought of adding those round cylindrical things folks have raved about (but they're friggin expensive)

The difference in cost in a build is ~$800 between the 6 and 9.

What, do I need a poll?

[MichaelHiFi]

LS-6, LS-9, whatever (both excellent)


DO NOT SELL THE Fathom!!!!!!!!!!! It's a keeper!

(can you tell I love mine). I usually do not use mine with music, but it's nice on some things.


.....but on movies......

The 2 Def Tech 8060's blew away our single Fathom in our room. Sort of surprised and dissappointed me at the same time. What we learned and already knew to an extent is this. 2 subs play far better in a room than one really good one.

But on movies all bets are off 

[SoCalWJS]

The 2 Def Tech 8060's blew away our single Fathom in our room. Sort of surprised and dissappointed me at the same time. What we learned and already knew to an extent is this. 2 subs play far better in a room than one really good one.

But on movies all bets are off 

Yeah, I'm up to 3 subs now - took the third one to overcome a nasty dip in the 50 Hz range at the primary listening position.

I'm pretty surprised/shocked about the Fathom being outperformed though. Took me awhile to get sold on the Fathom originally as the first palce I listened to it had either a faulty one or flat out hooked up/set up WRONG.

Great Sub.

[MichaelHiFi]

Those Def Techs outperform their price point 

I owned the BP2000's for many years. Come to think of it, it took the LS6's to beat them and they killed them in the end.

Back to the bass performance. The thing we missed the most about the LS6's were the low to mid bass performance. Tight, tuneful and dug deep when asked and only when asked. No BOOM BOOM. How better is the LS9 in bass performance?

[playntheblues]

It,s thunderous, which is why your room treatments are going to be important.

[mlbrand]

I'm very happy with my LS-6's in an 18' x 19' room. I also run dual subs, and am a big fan of multiple subs like you. One can just locate two (or more) subs more optimally in a room than one, and locate better than main speakers (for the low stuff). This will probably be labeled as blasphemy, but I even set my processor crossover at 80 hz. and the LS-6's to small, and so did the auto EQ in my Anthem processor (ARC). I have tried the 6's set as full range, and also tried setting the crossover lower, but keep coming back to small and 80 hz as the best sound for ME. BTW, my room is heavily treated, with 3 large bass traps, a lot of wall panels, and carpet.

[Danny Richie]

FYI regarding subs. Our servo subs out perform all of those mentioned in the sound quality department.

[doug s.]

I might go with the LS6 in that setting.

My room is 13x19, so not much smaller then yours, and I have had a hell of a time getting the ls6s to sound good in my room because of room interactions and such.

I have it massively treated right now, and I did an external crossover upgrade that seemed to help, and was easier to change the bass settings.

The LS9s are better in the right setting.

You can use the difference between the LS9 and LS6 to upgrade the crossover, or buy better amplifiers.

YMMV, but like I said. I am still not ultimately always satisfied with the sound because sometimes I feel even the LS6s are too big for my room.

I guess it depends on what your looking for.

good luck!

get an active x-over and a pair of quality subs.  this will lessen the issues you have w/the ls6's overloading the room.  doing this may sound counter-intuitive, but being able to have subs, (at least two), optimally located to deal w/room nodes, and having the mains optimally located for soundstaging will work wonders.  then, i bet, replacing the ls6's w/ls9's will make it sound even better!   

which is why i would recommend to michaelhifi to go for the ls9's.   

doug s.

[Danny Richie]

Doug is kind of on to something there. Run a pair of our servo subs in the rear corners of the room (behind you) and run them out of phase for the main speakers. This will reduce room loading while still sounding REALLY good.

[doug s.]

Doug is kind of on to something there. Run a pair of our servo subs in the rear corners of the room (behind you) and run them out of phase for the main speakers. This will reduce room loading while still sounding REALLY good.

yes, if you decide not to hi-pass the main speakers, running a pair of subs in the rear of the room out of phase will effectively give you four bass locations, which will certainly help in smoothing room loading.

doug s.