Yes and you know as a 25 year owner you wouldn't want the so-called 'upgrade'. You know, Steve is all about today, forget about yesterday's equipment as it's obsolete.
Bravo Bruce Thigpen! After years with his LFT-8b I was forced to downsized when going to a different home. Paying over double the price for my new bookshelves to get close to the Cs. Still miss the ETs! For those of you with the space off the front wall, go for it. At 5K you won’t beat it till double the price. Sound Anchor stands add to the cost but are a necessity.
I live in an apartment and my system is in my living/dining room. There is only approx' 700mm behind my LH speaker, whilst there is just over 500mm space behind my RH speaker where the start of my staircase begins. However other than the steel beams supporting the stairs near the bottom part of the speaker, the rail is mostly open with ss cables running through it, then there is approx' 1 meter to the wall behind it - hence the uneven nature of my front wall. How do you think the 8c's would perform in my situation, perhaps with a Stillpoints Aperture II panel behind each speaker?
I really did enjoy the short bit of time I got to hear these, and I'm looking forward to hearing them again. The dipole sub absolutely adds to the experience, which makes sense. The factory direct model can let somebody achieve truly highend sound for just a few thousand dollars, kudos to Bruce for his design and continued support of it.
Well why not look at it this way? Instead of spending $148,995 on a BMW M5 Competition, why not buy one a few months old? Pay just $108,995 for a used example and spend $40,000 on a new in house Audio system.
@@keplermission...or why not buy an Alfa Romeo Guilia Quadrifoglio which is a better car for less $ ? Then you'd have even more doh to spend on your rig ;)
Steve - I enjoyed your review. We bought our LFT-8b speakers a few years ago and I recently upgraded them to 8c. My preference is to use the DSP only to control the woofers. However, our preamp is fed into an active crossover so we aren't feeding the entire frequency range into the mid/treble panel. You mentioned some distortion when using them without DSP. If you were running without DSP on all frequencies without splitting them through a crossover, you may have been overloading the mid/treble panels. Bruce is great to work with - patient, helpful, and smart! We also have his ET-2 tonearm on our Oracle, and while it is fussy, it is a wonderful tonearm.
Bruce calls them dipoles, but they are more complex actually. The two woofers are in separate chambers. The rear firing woofer is gradient, and bass levels can be adjusted on the terminal blocks. You can also switch from in phase as a monopole or out of phase firing of the rear woofer. As with the 8b, they can also be wired for more or less treble response. We like more bass with some of the music we enjoy, so also use subs, but for much acoustic music (jazz, etc.), subs add little to nothing.
For those that have never experienced fine electrostatic speakers they will never understand how they allow for such amazing vocals, saxophone, guitar and instrument placement will shock you. I recall listening to Billy Cobham on Mag’s and hearing the placement of each drum. Goosebumps are just part of the experience, and should be expected.
Had ESL and magnepans (probably 7 sets including the Tympani I) They All lacked dynamics in the midrange and definitely low end. It's a great speaker until you hear a good dynamic cone system. I still own currently a couple Maggie's (2.5qr and the lrs) and I most definitely will never use them in my main system again They have to many caveats , goes for ESL aswell
@@MichelLinschoten completely agree, they do have a weakness there. When I had them I powered a pair of Elac’s and disconnected the tweeter. Had them hidden on bookshelf’s and they paired amazingly well with the Maggie’s. Ran old Adcom GFA 565’s to power all 4.
You know ... a big part of what most don't understand is use of low sensitivity speakers with awkward loads and the British Linn Sara used a Krell amplifier to achieve the exact same results.
Ok, now I'm jacked. Been waiting for this one. On this whole side wall boundary issue, where the room acts as the speaker cabinet, my space is quite large: 30 ft x 22 ft x 15 ft high (=10,000 cu ft). With speakers placed 3 ft off the long wall, 9 ft apart, my ears 9 or 10 ft away, I've been warned that Maggie 1.7i's will get lost and sound like transistor radios in here. Go for Klipsch, I was told. But this new LFT-8C, you say, isn't so dependent on boundaries & isn't all that beamy. Here it is, Steve: will they work in a space this big -- if I'm sitting that close?
I've owned 1.7's since they were released. In a large (wide) room they wont sound like transistor radios but because of the tweeter lack of dispersion the sweet spot will feel limiting. Something like Spatial Audio Q or X series speakers will be a better choice.
@@davidelliott8125 Thanks, David. I looked into Spatial Audio Lab, found only one photo (Q6) on their site, no other pics, no dealers, no reviews, and their X series is priced (> my budget) but not yet available. I do love the Q6's looks but they seem a bit small -- for Small-Medium Rooms, says Spatial, and I do play on the loud side. (Is Spatial Audio a new company?) It was Steve's remarks re: the new LFT-8C being less beamy and boundary wall dependent that led me to post my question -- in hopes that the 8C might be a better choice for me than Maggie 1.7i (or even Klipsch Cornwall IV). Are you thinking that the 8C will likely suffer the same drawbacks? Thanks again.
@@davidelliott8125 It's odd that the company haven't used an acoustic lens if the dispersion is really that bad. You know ... we really need to hear the actual speaker and put such a guess to the test. Whizzer cones get a bad press but are far better when fitted with a metal centerpiece.
Steve I want to thank you for the excellent review of the Eminent Technology LFT C. I have a pair of Magnepan 1.7 upstairs and an Eminent Technology total theater system (2 LFT 8s, 2 LFT 16 and their midrange) in my basement so I can compare the 2 systems. I agree with all of your observations about the LFTs being more muscular than the Maggies - although the 2 DWM Magnepan panels help the bass a lot. as a result of your review I am planning on buying the dipole woofers that Bruce Thigpen now has as an update for my LFT 8s, as soon as I sell my old REL T9is! Your reviews are fun and inspiring and your passion is infectious!
I had a pair of their original LFT's, seems like 100 years ago... LOL.. they where BIG and heavy but oh my, did they sound sweeeeeeet 😃 To this day, I live in regret for having sold them 😢
I have moved over to a open baffle speaker because of the size of the sweet spot. I like to listen with the wife on many occasions and the sweet spot width is important so I wonder how large is the sweet spot on these speakers
i'm impressed by the 'B' to 'C' upgrade of this E.T. ribbon job. As a man who's owned at least 4 (or maybe 5 e/stat pairs up to now) of traditional full-range panel(s) since '79 or 1980,my love /dissatisfaction of e/stats kept me from full-time use with them. (Accustat model X's were my fave' ..but massive e/stats now stashed away) Great detail & generally gr8 transparency & accuracy above approx 500'Hz or more, imo, (size depending) but they can't play e.g. reggae or music driven by a strong bass or 'low-end' foundation well & I've noticed any subwoofer just can not help e/stat's shortfall below typically 350 to 500'hz 'ish, where richness, bass & dynamic limitations can make music sound anaemic ...the lack of a box's resonation was e/stats & ribbons (that i myself have heard) strongest point. I had come to assume O.B. dynamic drivers must be my best choice of direction ..but there's this new E.T. I tried & dissliked small M.Logan cheaper /smaller hybrid previously) If E.T. would accept returns if i'm willing to pay the 2-way postage from u.k. ...then it's only a matter of time before I will try these ...I'm willing to pay 2-way post as i fear missing out on what this Steve (I'm a far less experienced 'Steve') has made sound like the answer to "my final speaker" ...one thinks like that as age advances past 60, or is it just me? getting the speakers right has seen most changes in my life of hi-fi for the love of music
Great review. Steve, I'd love to hear your opinion of the Totem Acoustics Model One. It's been my favorite for so long, it would be nice to hear your take.
Well for anybody poor enough to be restoring old 1970s amplifiers, you know, it would be nice to hear the music without that volume crackle. But be careful just what product is used to clean the carbon track, a residue can be deposited and take years to you know, come off. The crackle will go but it can kill quality, if we bought the standard switch cleaner. Some recommend De-Oxit, I suggest just running it until that crackle goes away by itself.
A DSP is not at all for "dynamics or a home theater". It's needed to adapt a speaker low end response for a particular room acoustics and a room modes.
Great review Steve! I've been waiting for it. I've had reservations about upgrading to the 8c woofers because of the DSP and you prefer the sound without it - good to hear! Does that mean you didn't use the return RCA or balanced cables to the amplifier?
Back in the year 1990 I landed a bargain SUB-700 sub-woofer from Radio Shack (of Canadian design). The US had these but not in catalogs. Best sound didn't use the return cable as it just destroyed the treble down about -5dB and there was -3dB switch to cut the treble even further. But run as a 4 ohm load it gave best. Even so, the Minimus-7 you know even with every fix in the book is only for low volume listening. We are able to get 3D images but have to use ideal amplifiers. They're not tolerant of many amplifiers.
Viewer system of the day for the TVTooHigh subreddit. As for the speakers they do look interesting, but - it's essentially an active subwoofer bolted to some electrostats. Also, the way it's wired with controls up top... well, it's not a very attractive piece, is it? Not for me, but I'm sure some will be happy with them.
There seems to be.a fine line on the ETs whether their woofers are normal or subs. With the LFT8b they seem to be semi-normal woofers, but with these they are dipole subs. It would be interesting to build a set of the Linkwitz Lxsub2 or Lxsub4 dipoles and combine with the LFT8b and compare them to the 8c.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Sorry Steve, I see that now. This turns the woofers (and thus the entire speaker) into a dipole. I was getting overly caught up in my own sub dipole solution.
@@jvburnes Then I would combine LFT8C with Magnepan UBS subwoofers cause I'm now interested how would that compare with the set you've built ....just dreaming 😁
Steve…. This was a great review… I am interested in this speaker.. So affordable… What sub woofer single or 2 would you add.. I have a single now that mostly disappears….
I originally bought my Magnepan 1.7s after your review over a decade ago. I still have them and have added a center channel and rear surrounds. Tonally, do. you think it would blend very well with the Magnepan center channel (cc5) and surrounds (mmg w)? I'm looking to update the speakers and was originally planning on switching to a completely different system for home theater. Thanks!
Steve, are you attributing the dsp and high-pass facilitating increased capabilities in the mid/high panels? Nice I've always wanted some of Bruce's push/pull panels ... always liked them. The immediacy ... a stable, non inductive, un-reactive load. Speed is governed by how much current can be dumped into a load ... a non inductive load is best in that regard.
Hey Steve, with how many viewers you get I dunno if you have time for individual questions, but I've been trying to find an answer for this forever. I heard some demos of the JBL M2 master reference monitors and was blown away. But I don't live somewhere I can just go around sampling equipment to see what else is good. I'd really love to chase that incredible detail with a home system but I don't know how they compare to other expensive speakers and whether I can get as good or better for cheaper from someone else. On the chance you've heard the JBL M2s and remember them, can you direct me to anything comparable or better?
Thanks, Steve. I've got an 8b on order because of your previous review. Bruce is a great guy to talk with. BTW: Could you play Festival Te Deum from the Chesky Ultimate Demonstration CD and let me know about the holography?
These are definitely superior than those cheap but severely flawed Magnepans "ribbon" speakers you used to rave on about. Those baby Maggies have gross, (measurable and audible) peaks and dips in the frequency response along with copious amounts of ringing... while these little ETs are considerably smoother and more accurate.
It will never be speaker of the year by any mainstream organization. In Fact, it most likely won't even get reviewed by them. Pay to play isn't doable for these smaller companies! This is why many times I never go by their recommendations because there are so many good products they don't even review!
So, yes, some pedantry: the 8c woofer subsystem is _not_ a "dipole". It's hard to come up with a universal term for what Thigpen did with the 8c woofer subsystem, but the best I've heard is that it is a _multidirectional_ speaker. That is, it has more than one transducer, and they are pointed in different directions. Any *single* transducer, like an 8" woofer, is a dipole - it radiates forward and backwards. But most people put such transducers into boxes so their dipole nature is hidden. So called "open baffle" speakers expose the woofer so it is allowed to be in its full dipole glory.
The Genesis Primes have a true dipole-radiating planar magnetic midrange ribbon, but rear bass output from passive rear bass units on the bass towers, and an array of 6 rear-firing tweeters to match the 20 front-firing ribbon tweeters to (as they put it) "form a near perfect dipolar line source array". Hence If anything, I'd say the 8c is closer to a pure dipole design than the Primes.
I've always believed that the ear/brain notes the affect of a change in dispersion pattern just as Steve states. That being said if you want to add a sub woofer to this speaker I believe you should use a dipole sub. There's not a lot of them but they exist.
Most of us have a TV flat panel between the front speakers. U should include how they interact. U should get w andrew Jones and have him build a speaker w your name on it!
No you know, Steve likes w andrew Jones but plastic baffles you know ... the Leak 3020, they were amazing speakers that have probably never been bettered but the British just can't get over plastic baffles and Andrew you know, needs to look at the Sinclair C5 Car and why Clive Sinclair had to sell to Amstrad. British stuff was always poorly conceived, their Rover Gas Turbine big ideas and American loans.
Although not a stand mount speaker per say, I'd rate the Qualio IQ speakers higher than the NS-5000's. And they're also a lot cheaper thanks in part to being sold factory direct into the US. Then you can use the savings to buy a set of Iso Acoustics Gaia feet to replace the factory spikes
Maybe the Duet's 15-inch woofer is too much for my 13x14 ft room, so maybe I should go with the LFT8C instead? If not, which one reproduces large-scale orchestral music best? Greetings from Sweden!
Closer to a point source than what? There's quite a difference between a "point source speaker" & "pin point imaging". And why would anyone want pin point imaging? Unless there was none at all, I suppose. Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Ha ha. Steve clearly loves them, but yeah, this kind of clarity isn’t Steve’s thing. Steve likes things with more character and color, as you’re alluding to.
As a 25 year owner of Bruce Thigpen's speakers, it is nice to see him get his due.
Yes and you know as a 25 year owner you wouldn't want the so-called 'upgrade'. You know, Steve is all about today, forget about yesterday's equipment as it's obsolete.
You know not of what you speak.
Bruce is a very nice guy and excellent person-- will be ordering a pair of these soon
It's all about pushing new, regardless of "better". I would bet the 8b with stereo Rel subs would be better than the 8c.
Bravo Bruce Thigpen! After years with his LFT-8b I was forced to downsized when going to a different home. Paying over double the price for my new bookshelves to get close to the Cs. Still miss the ETs! For those of you with the space off the front wall, go for it. At 5K you won’t beat it till double the price. Sound Anchor stands add to the cost but are a necessity.
I live in an apartment and my system is in my living/dining room. There is only approx' 700mm behind my LH speaker, whilst there is just over 500mm space behind my RH speaker where the start of my staircase begins. However other than the steel beams supporting the stairs near the bottom part of the speaker, the rail is mostly open with ss cables running through it, then there is approx' 1 meter to the wall behind it - hence the uneven nature of my front wall. How do you think the 8c's would perform in my situation, perhaps with a Stillpoints Aperture II panel behind each speaker?
I really did enjoy the short bit of time I got to hear these, and I'm looking forward to hearing them again. The dipole sub absolutely adds to the experience, which makes sense. The factory direct model can let somebody achieve truly highend sound for just a few thousand dollars, kudos to Bruce for his design and continued support of it.
Well why not look at it this way? Instead of spending $148,995 on a BMW M5 Competition, why not buy one a few months old? Pay just $108,995 for a used example and spend $40,000 on a new in house Audio system.
@@keplermission use audio files can justify just about anything😂😂😂😂
@@keplermission...or why not buy an Alfa Romeo Guilia Quadrifoglio which is a better car for less $ ? Then you'd have even more doh to spend on your rig ;)
Steve - I enjoyed your review. We bought our LFT-8b speakers a few years ago and I recently upgraded them to 8c. My preference is to use the DSP only to control the woofers. However, our preamp is fed into an active crossover so we aren't feeding the entire frequency range into the mid/treble panel. You mentioned some distortion when using them without DSP. If you were running without DSP on all frequencies without splitting them through a crossover, you may have been overloading the mid/treble panels.
Bruce is great to work with - patient, helpful, and smart! We also have his ET-2 tonearm on our Oracle, and while it is fussy, it is a wonderful tonearm.
Bruce calls them dipoles, but they are more complex actually. The two woofers are in separate chambers. The rear firing woofer is gradient, and bass levels can be adjusted on the terminal blocks. You can also switch from in phase as a monopole or out of phase firing of the rear woofer. As with the 8b, they can also be wired for more or less treble response. We like more bass with some of the music we enjoy, so also use subs, but for much acoustic music (jazz, etc.), subs add little to nothing.
For those that have never experienced fine electrostatic speakers they will never understand how they allow for such amazing vocals, saxophone, guitar and instrument placement will shock you. I recall listening to Billy Cobham on Mag’s and hearing the placement of each drum. Goosebumps are just part of the experience, and should be expected.
Had ESL and magnepans (probably 7 sets including the Tympani I)
They All lacked dynamics in the midrange and definitely low end. It's a great speaker until you hear a good dynamic cone system.
I still own currently a couple Maggie's (2.5qr and the lrs) and I most definitely will never use them in my main system again
They have to many caveats , goes for ESL aswell
@@MichelLinschoten completely agree, they do have a weakness there. When I had them I powered a pair of Elac’s and disconnected the tweeter. Had them hidden on bookshelf’s and they paired amazingly well with the Maggie’s. Ran old Adcom GFA 565’s to power all 4.
You know ... a big part of what most don't understand is use of low sensitivity speakers with awkward loads and the British Linn Sara used a Krell amplifier to achieve the exact same results.
One of your Best reviews in the last 6 moths--great job Steve---Bruce is great, brilliant designer
Ok, now I'm jacked. Been waiting for this one. On this whole side wall boundary issue, where the room acts as the speaker cabinet, my space is quite large: 30 ft x 22 ft x 15 ft high (=10,000 cu ft). With speakers placed 3 ft off the long wall, 9 ft apart, my ears 9 or 10 ft away, I've been warned that Maggie 1.7i's will get lost and sound like transistor radios in here. Go for Klipsch, I was told. But this new LFT-8C, you say, isn't so dependent on boundaries & isn't all that beamy. Here it is, Steve: will they work in a space this big -- if I'm sitting that close?
30 ft x 22 ft x 15 ft high (=10,000 cu ft) = a Hi-Fi Seller's Audition space, it's no problem.
I've owned 1.7's since they were released. In a large (wide) room they wont sound like transistor radios but because of the tweeter lack of dispersion the sweet spot will feel limiting. Something like Spatial Audio Q or X series speakers will be a better choice.
@@davidelliott8125 Thanks, David. I looked into Spatial Audio Lab, found only one photo (Q6) on their site, no other pics, no dealers, no reviews, and their X series is priced (> my budget) but not yet available. I do love the Q6's looks but they seem a bit small -- for Small-Medium Rooms, says Spatial, and I do play on the loud side. (Is Spatial Audio a new company?)
It was Steve's remarks re: the new LFT-8C being less beamy and boundary wall dependent that led me to post my question -- in hopes that the 8C might be a better choice for me than Maggie 1.7i (or even Klipsch Cornwall IV). Are you thinking that the 8C will likely suffer the same drawbacks? Thanks again.
@@davidelliott8125 It's odd that the company haven't used an acoustic lens if the dispersion is really that bad. You know ... we really need to hear the actual speaker and put such a guess to the test. Whizzer cones get a bad press but are far better when fitted with a metal centerpiece.
Someone lied to you about Maggies.
Steve I want to thank you for the excellent review of the Eminent Technology LFT C. I have a pair of Magnepan 1.7 upstairs and an Eminent Technology total theater system (2 LFT 8s, 2 LFT 16 and their midrange) in my basement so I can compare the 2 systems. I agree with all of your observations about the LFTs being more muscular than the Maggies - although the 2 DWM Magnepan panels help the bass a lot. as a result of your review I am planning on buying the dipole woofers that Bruce Thigpen now has as an update for my LFT 8s, as soon as I sell my old REL T9is! Your reviews are fun and inspiring and your passion is infectious!
I owned a pair of LFT 7 for many years （full range without any woofer ）, only lately trying them with Bi-amping , the sound is amazingly good😎
I had a pair of their original LFT's, seems like 100 years ago... LOL.. they where BIG and heavy but oh my, did they sound sweeeeeeet 😃 To this day, I live in regret for having sold them 😢
Love your music selections, wish you would list them! That would be a big help.
Hooray for open baffle dipoles ❤. I hope I get to listen to them soon!☺️
Ciao Steve. Posso dire che son oltre 30 anni che dico che i diffusori Eminent sono qualcosa di straordinario. Benvenuto al club.
Please compare them to Fischer & Fischer Slate speakers ! They sell them in the USA now ! 😇😊😃
I have moved over to a open baffle speaker because of the size of the sweet spot. I like to listen with the wife on many occasions and the sweet spot width is important so I wonder how large is the sweet spot on these speakers
Love the classical saxophone recommendation. Thanks!
Wow I live in the same town and have passed his shop hundreds of times. Never knew. FSU/FAMU brings in a lot of engineers.
i'm impressed by the 'B' to 'C' upgrade of this E.T. ribbon job. As a man who's owned at least 4 (or maybe 5 e/stat pairs up to now) of traditional full-range panel(s) since '79 or 1980,my love /dissatisfaction of e/stats kept me from full-time use with them. (Accustat model X's were my fave' ..but massive e/stats now stashed away) Great detail & generally gr8 transparency & accuracy above approx 500'Hz or more, imo, (size depending) but they can't play e.g. reggae or music driven by a strong bass or 'low-end' foundation well & I've noticed any subwoofer just can not help e/stat's shortfall below typically 350 to 500'hz 'ish, where richness, bass & dynamic limitations can make music sound anaemic ...the lack of a box's resonation was e/stats & ribbons (that i myself have heard) strongest point. I had come to assume O.B. dynamic drivers must be my best choice of direction ..but there's this new E.T.
I tried & dissliked small M.Logan cheaper /smaller hybrid previously) If E.T. would accept returns if i'm willing to pay the 2-way postage from u.k. ...then it's only a matter of time before I will try these ...I'm willing to pay 2-way post as i fear missing out on what this Steve (I'm a far less experienced 'Steve') has made sound like the answer to "my final speaker" ...one thinks like that as age advances past 60, or is it just me? getting the speakers right has seen most changes in my life of hi-fi for the love of music
Great review. Steve, I'd love to hear your opinion of the Totem Acoustics Model One. It's been my favorite for so long, it would be nice to hear your take.
Well for anybody poor enough to be restoring old 1970s amplifiers, you know, it would be nice to hear the music without that volume crackle. But be careful just what product is used to clean the carbon track, a residue can be deposited and take years to you know, come off. The crackle will go but it can kill quality, if we bought the standard switch cleaner. Some recommend De-Oxit, I suggest just running it until that crackle goes away by itself.
A DSP is not at all for "dynamics or a home theater". It's needed to adapt a speaker low end response for a particular room acoustics and a room modes.
Great review Steve! I've been waiting for it. I've had reservations about upgrading to the 8c woofers because of the DSP and you prefer the sound without it - good to hear! Does that mean you didn't use the return RCA or balanced cables to the amplifier?
Correct, one set of cables to the speaker amp, a second set of cable to the active woofers.
Back in the year 1990 I landed a bargain SUB-700 sub-woofer from Radio Shack (of Canadian design). The US had these but not in catalogs. Best sound didn't use the return cable as it just destroyed the treble down about -5dB and there was -3dB switch to cut the treble even further. But run as a 4 ohm load it gave best. Even so, the Minimus-7 you know even with every fix in the book is only for low volume listening. We are able to get 3D images but have to use ideal amplifiers. They're not tolerant of many amplifiers.
Viewer system of the day for the TVTooHigh subreddit. As for the speakers they do look interesting, but - it's essentially an active subwoofer bolted to some electrostats. Also, the way it's wired with controls up top... well, it's not a very attractive piece, is it? Not for me, but I'm sure some will be happy with them.
I don’t believe those are electrostatic
Thanks Steve. Could you please include some classical recordings orchestra chamber vocal etc thanks
Yes, for comparison the same orchestral track at each evaluation, would be informative.
Spending more money gets you perfection with the all new Borresen Acoustics X3 and X6 Loudspeakers ! Best Kept Secret on the market 😇🤫😊
Not a secret, you mentioned it!
There seems to be.a fine line on the ETs whether their woofers are normal or subs. With the LFT8b they seem to be semi-normal woofers, but with these they are dipole subs. It would be interesting to build a set of the Linkwitz Lxsub2 or Lxsub4 dipoles and combine with the LFT8b and compare them to the 8c.
The LFT8C woofers are definitely not subs! I certainly didn't say that!
I agree, and Bruce doesn't call them subs. We actually use subs with our 8c to enhance music with lots of bass.@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Sorry Steve, I see that now. This turns the woofers (and thus the entire speaker) into a dipole. I was getting overly caught up in my own sub dipole solution.
@@jvburnes Then I would combine LFT8C with Magnepan UBS subwoofers cause I'm now interested how would that compare with the set you've built
....just dreaming 😁
@@ludikonj8927 also the Linkwitz Lxsub2 or lxsub4. Probably the lxsub2 would be the best match.
MADNESS,...One Step Beyond!!!
What?
@@cudfoo1cudfoo247 Madness was a band, the album was One Step Beyond!
Also, the title song.
Steve…. This was a great review… I am interested in this speaker.. So affordable… What sub woofer single or 2 would you add.. I have a single now that mostly disappears….
I'd recommend Rythmik Audio's servo subs which are good value & fast.
Does Eminent still sell their rotary subwoofer/ If so, would be fun to see SG review it, especially in his NYC apartment.
Yes they sell it, no I want to review it.
I originally bought my Magnepan 1.7s after your review over a decade ago. I still have them and have added a center channel and rear surrounds. Tonally, do. you think it would blend very well with the Magnepan center channel (cc5) and surrounds (mmg w)? I'm looking to update the speakers and was originally planning on switching to a completely different system for home theater. Thanks!
Steve, are you attributing the dsp and high-pass facilitating increased capabilities in the mid/high panels?
Nice
I've always wanted some of Bruce's push/pull panels ... always liked them.
The immediacy ... a stable, non inductive, un-reactive load.
Speed is governed by how much current can be dumped into a load ... a non inductive load is best in that regard.
Are the electronics only for DSP or are the woofers powered. How do they compare with a focal aria 936
Hi Steve! Should I put a Dynavector 10x5 on my Thorens TD-316 or sell my Thorens and buy a Technics SL-100C, keeping my Sumiko Rainier cart? Thanks!
Miles Davis KIND OF BLUE ~ PROCESSED USING NPDT PROCESS ~ now available for purchase
Loved your review! Do you think these would pair well with the Heaven II Billie Mk2 integrated amp?
If your room isn't terribly large, and you're not craving high volume or dynamics, yes.
Great show the sweats are a bit of heaven music on sir.all the best to you.
Thanks Steve. Cheers Tony
Hey Steve, with how many viewers you get I dunno if you have time for individual questions, but I've been trying to find an answer for this forever. I heard some demos of the JBL M2 master reference monitors and was blown away. But I don't live somewhere I can just go around sampling equipment to see what else is good. I'd really love to chase that incredible detail with a home system but I don't know how they compare to other expensive speakers and whether I can get as good or better for cheaper from someone else. On the chance you've heard the JBL M2s and remember them, can you direct me to anything comparable or better?
Thanks, Steve. I've got an 8b on order because of your previous review. Bruce is a great guy to talk with. BTW: Could you play Festival Te Deum from the Chesky Ultimate Demonstration CD and let me know about the holography?
These are definitely superior than those cheap but severely flawed Magnepans "ribbon" speakers you used to rave on about. Those baby Maggies have gross, (measurable and audible) peaks and dips in the frequency response along with copious amounts of ringing... while these little ETs are considerably smoother and more accurate.
Wish they made a "Apartment Friendly" size 36in. High!
They make a stand mount!
Thanks for the info, did not know of the LFT16-A. Any chance of a review?@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac
It will never be speaker of the year by any mainstream organization. In Fact, it most likely won't even get reviewed by them. Pay to play isn't doable for these smaller companies! This is why many times I never go by their recommendations because there are so many good products they don't even review!
So, yes, some pedantry: the 8c woofer subsystem is _not_ a "dipole". It's hard to come up with a universal term for what Thigpen did with the 8c woofer subsystem, but the best I've heard is that it is a _multidirectional_ speaker. That is, it has more than one transducer, and they are pointed in different directions. Any *single* transducer, like an 8" woofer, is a dipole - it radiates forward and backwards. But most people put such transducers into boxes so their dipole nature is hidden. So called "open baffle" speakers expose the woofer so it is allowed to be in its full dipole glory.
The Genesis Primes have a true dipole-radiating planar magnetic midrange ribbon, but rear bass output from passive rear bass units on the bass towers, and an array of 6 rear-firing tweeters to match the 20 front-firing ribbon tweeters to (as they put it) "form a near perfect dipolar line source array". Hence If anything, I'd say the 8c is closer to a pure dipole design than the Primes.
I've always believed that the ear/brain notes the affect of a change in dispersion pattern just as Steve states. That being said if you want to add a sub woofer to this speaker I believe you should use a dipole sub. There's not a lot of them but they exist.
Magnepan UBS 🤔
Most of us have a TV flat panel between the front speakers. U should include how they interact. U should get w andrew Jones and have him build a speaker w your name on it!
No you know, Steve likes w andrew Jones but plastic baffles you know ... the Leak 3020, they were amazing speakers that have probably never been bettered but the British just can't get over plastic baffles and Andrew you know, needs to look at the Sinclair C5 Car and why Clive Sinclair had to sell to Amstrad. British stuff was always poorly conceived, their Rover Gas Turbine big ideas and American loans.
Before you rule out stand mounts try the Yamaha NS-5000.
Although not a stand mount speaker per say, I'd rate the Qualio IQ speakers higher than the NS-5000's. And they're also a lot cheaper thanks in part to being sold factory direct into the US. Then you can use the savings to buy a set of Iso Acoustics Gaia feet to replace the factory spikes
@@melbguy1 I had never heard of Qualio until now. Hard to compare price wise. Different philosophies. Yamahas like power.
@@reestyfarts The HiFi Pig review is a good read
Maybe the Duet's 15-inch woofer is too much for my 13x14 ft room, so maybe I should go with the LFT8C instead? If not, which one reproduces large-scale orchestral music best? Greetings from Sweden!
Well, a near square room is definitely problematic for bass, so the LFT8 c's adjustable level woofer makes a lot more sense.
Thanks for the tip!
Sadly the costs will increase by too much when importing into the UK.
It's a shame, so many good US speakers but the extra costs are crippling. I have seen Magnepans on the used market in Ireland though!
True, but the costs are too high for us in the UK. Even second hand is too much.@@peterlarkin762
How much? Is the question.
These speakers are so affordable, what about 2 speakers per channel turned 20% away with 10 feet between channels….
Would you say the imaging on these speakers are closer to a point source? Most panels don't have that the pin point imaging.
Closer to a point source than what? There's quite a difference between a "point source speaker" & "pin point imaging". And why would anyone want pin point imaging? Unless there was none at all, I suppose.
Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
@@TriAmpHiFi Closer to a point source than a line source, we are talking about panel speakers with long tweeters arent we?
These are line source speakers which to put it simpler give you a "bigger" sound
@@dajikbatarang1 Ah, line source imaging. I learn something everyday.
You say they sound like electrostats, so how does that compare to magnapans?
Better than any Maggies I've heard in this room. Up to 3.7i
So, better than a Maggie 3.7i?
Did you switch to a second shirt that’s almost identical to the first?😳
Good catch!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I wish I could pull off shirts the way Steve does he look so sexy in them❤❤❤👍
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I have often wondered where you get your shirts. Love them.
Still enjoying my Martin-Logan Sequel II’s I bought in the 80’s. Guess I’m not an audiophile😂
You're an audiophile, enjoy!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac He's got plenty of seasoning like a good Sunday roast
Magnepan UBS is subwoofer for this
Does this improvement reduce the length of the ribbon tweeter?
No
So what if people already bought the LFT 8B?
The upgrade is nearly the same price ($4,500/pr) as the 8C. The 8B/$3,200 + $1,600 for the woofers.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Hi Steven, thank you for the info. Kind regards
What competition ? Not in their price range 😊
Steve got a haircut 💇🏻♂️
Sounds like this is going to be your new in-home speaker Steve. If not, why not? oops… I spoke too soon. This speaker does not have enough soul…hmmm
Ha ha. Steve clearly loves them, but yeah, this kind of clarity isn’t Steve’s thing. Steve likes things with more character and color, as you’re alluding to.
What’s a cassette deck?
😆
A bargain!
So I need to replace my Maggies with this?
Of course not. If you love your Maggies, stick with 'em!
Nice review and I believe you that they sound great… but man are they ugly.
Grilles on, much nicer.
I’m not a DSP guy…. I prefer MAGNEPAN.
As mentioned in the review, nearly all of my listening sessions were without DSP.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac❤
P
first!