Polk LSi speakers draw reader interest

August 12, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

Q. Please advise me on the purchase of the Polk LSi25 speakers you mentioned in a recent column. I still have my 150-watt Realistic stereo receiver from 1972, and it was pretty costly at the time, so I feel all I may need are speakers. I saw your article in the paper, and given the LSi25 speakers are about 50 percent off right now, the deal sounds great.

T.C., Oak Creek, Wis.

A. Since the column on the Polk LSi speakers ran, I have received many questions similar to yours. It is gratifying that so many readers found it to be of interest.

I do not know much about your particular receiver, but the Polk LSi speakers are a world-class product, and my gut tells me they deserve something newer.

We also do not know if your receiver can handle the 4-ohm rating of the Polk LSi speakers. The 4-ohm rating means the speakers need an amplifier capable of delivering high current, and there are plenty of receivers with 150 watts that do not have high current to match.

There are 30-watt receivers that can handle a 4-ohm load, and 100-watt receivers that cannot.

Start by checking the back of your receiver and see if it was rated for 4-ohms. If it doesn’t say, you can simply hook up the receiver to the speakers and see how it works.

Just start with low volume levels and look and listen for signs the receiver is being overworked, such as strained sound or if the receiver gets much hotter than normal.

If you do need a new receiver, you can get a tremendous amount of power for under $300. The Harman/Kardon HK 3490 stereo receiver delivers 120 watts per channel into 8-ohms and 150 watts per channel into 4 ohms.

Not only is the HK 3490 powerful, it sounds great and looks great, too. Audiophiles praise it as one of the best values in audio, and I have paired its immediate predecessors with very expensive speakers to my readers’ great satisfaction. You can read one of these stories at http://tinyurl.com/dyo7es3.

Another common question was, “Where can I get the Polk LSi speakers at the prices mentioned in the column?”

If you have a local dealer who carries Polk, I encourage you to seek them out and see if they can order you a pair at the closeout pricing. This may not be possible in many instances, so there is a good possibility if you want the deal, you will have to buy them online.

Amazon.com has all the LSi models available at the closeout prices, and the Polk Audio eBay store at http://stores.ebay.com/Polk-Audio-Direct has ample stock of the LSi models.

Giveaway winners

Congratulations to the winners of my 10th anniversary giveaway. Miles Kennedy of Coon Rapids, Minn., was the lucky winner of the Marantz/Definitive Technology home theater system, and Randy Mogle of Homer City, Pa., won the Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB turntable. Denon headphones went out to Bill Yavorn of San Jose, Calif., Michael Rock of Pittsburgh and Rick Lenz of Medina, Minn.

Many of you also sent personal thank-you and congratulations notes with your entries describing how my advice had helped in the past. I was not expecting this, and I was touched by the nice messages. Thank you to all.

Contact Don Lindich at www.sound-adviceblog.com and use the “submit question” link on that site.

2012 McClatchy-Tribune News Service