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In Reply to: RE: " the R&D has already been done for us by Siegfried Linkwitz" posted by Lee M on October 27, 2015 at 15:54:41
Yes indeed. SL put in the time and work and is giving it to us for a song.
I find it interesting that so many are unwilling to believe that his loudspeakers are really that good. They want to believe that spending $100,000 on a system elevates them above everyone else, even if they don't have it themselves. The Big Bucks systems have a nice finish, are huge, often made with exotic materials and look amazing. But the engineering behind them won't be anything more than what SL has done.
Build yourself an LX521 system and nobody will leave your home without envy.
Russ
Follow Ups:
that his loudspeakers are really that good."
An interesting and good point indeed. I've noticed that too and the reasons seem to vary. Some seem to feel spending more certainly buys a better sounding speaker as you say. Some seem to have an axe to grind with SL for one reason or another. One fellow said he (SL) used the wrong op amps, in his opinion, on an older design of SLs indicating that that was the reason he wasn't interested in SL's speakers. One fellow didn't agree with SL's choice of amplifiers. So if SL wants to use Emotivas and you want to use Halos, no problem, pretty good odds that yours would sound even better than his. Lots of different reasons, but to condemn something without even listening to it? Oh well! It's their loss.
Long ago I fell in love with the sound of MOSFET amps when I bought a B&K ST-140 back in 1986. I now use 8 channels of a B&K AV1260 12 channel 60wpc amp to drive the Orions. They retail for about $1200 new. I paid $500 for mine used and it's been flawless for a good 8 years now. I see them on EBay go for no more than $500 and as little as $250.
I don't know how well it would work for the LX521. SL seems to be using bigger amps these days. But if you wanted to go the full LX521.4 route, which calls for 10 channels of amplification, it's got it.
Russ
Your B&Ks would certainly work for the mids and tweeters and they fall within spec for the woofers also. I'd bet they would work. I read one time on the builders page for the LXminis that the sound is so clean that there can be a tendency to turn the volume up more and more. Hazardous of course for drivers. It would certainly be worth a try if that's the direction your going. You could always pick up 4 channels later if you were so inclined.
I've got SL Orions now. Were I to go to something else, it would be the LX521. But I think my wife would shoot me. The Orions are a wonderful loudspeaker and image quite well. The LX521 would do a better job of imaging and the low end is much improved over my older version of Orions, but you explain to my wife why I need to drop $2500 or so on loudspeakers when my $4000 set plays as well as it does...
Besides, my Orions are done up in a Mission style which goes well with my 1920 Craftsman bungalow. They look better than the LX521. May not sound better, but they look better.
I expect that Madisound doesn't sell very many Orion kits anymore.
Russ
Been there a few times and I see the dilemma. I don't remember a bad review of the Orions either. I came really close to building the Orions a few years back but was still working and just never found the time. I like the way yours are trimmed out especially the grills across the bass bins.
I enjoy building and sure wish I had enough understanding of design work to undertake that end of it. Something in the back of my mind says that I might be missing something by not trying horns yet. Some folks are just adamantly opposed to it.
Go for it I say... Why some might be opposed is because even a folded horn with all hard edges is a bear to get right. To say nothing about making a beautiful wooden horn that has a bunch of soft curves. Even with power tools it seems like a Herculean task just to build it much less design it.But I say if you have the time, energy and skill...why the heck not?
Edits: 10/29/15
Right on the head!
And actually, who is to say anyone can't spend a little Xmas cash on some fancy veneer and have a cabinet maker put a professional touch on your DIY speakers?
I made a set of Bottlehead components once and I had a pro throw a little tiger stripe ebony veneer. $150 bucks made those boxes look amazing. Then I took apart the chokes and transformer and had the surrounds chromed. Painted the chassis gloss black and boy did those monoblocks look like a million bucks. Total spent was under $300 for cosmetics. I should have never sold them.
Point is, after I get done making these things, a relatively small amount of money and some clever design muscles can elevate the look from DIY to "oh my" (say it like Takie).
I thing the LW designs can look great with just a little wood here and a little metal there. The price of the plans are certainly within anyone's reach.
We are very much in agreement. I used to have a wood shop at the house and built a lot of loudspeakers. Loads of fun. But I lost that house and all of my wood working equipment and have never had the space again to repeat that. The friend who introduced me to Linkwitz is also a cabinet maker. I had him build my Orion cabinets to order.
I live in a 1920 Craftsman bungalow and wanted something done in a Mission style instead of the Danish Modern look that SL has. SL came by the house and said that the difference in cabinet style would have a minimal impact on the sound. That's what I thought as well and they sound awefully good.
Russ
Your area seems to be about the same dimensions as the one I am working with. I'm at 10 feet across and sit around 7 feet in front of the speakers. It's a converted garage so it is what it is. Good thing is I have a vaulted ceiling so the height is a little more ideal at around 10 feet above the speakers. The rest of the room is 20 feet long, but all my homebrew stuff takes up the rest of the space.
My space is about 14 feet wide and 17 feet long. Similar.
What so many seem to forget is that our sound systems generally have to live with the rest of the family, so we have to fit them in where we can and plan on sharing the space.
If you notice the music stands on the right in the photo, that's where my wife practices violin.
Russ
That extra 4 feet is key. 10 feet is just too narrow, but I do have the added attraction of not having to share the space with the rest of the house. So no WAF factor is factored in. I can make the ugliest speakers ever and no one will care!
NOt saying the LW mini is ugly...but my wife thinks ALL speakers are ugly.
Your wife thinks all speakers are ugly? She hasn't seen...
http://www.kharma.com/exquisite-world/exquisite-extreme-grand/
http://www.higherfi.com/search_higherfi/1
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533676624563117269/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533676624563117240/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533676624563115454/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533676624563114918/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533676624563114870/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533676624563114891/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/533676624563115186/
http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/yg_acoustics_anat_reference_ii_professional_loudspeaker/
http://www.monoandstereo.com/2014/08/estelle-extreme-speakers-with-burmester.html
Russ
Jesus...those are pretty. My wife would say they look like retarded aliens that got ditched when the mother ship left.
But they make me drool.
You're talking about the big KEF loudspeakers, aren't you? I think they're some of the more ridiculous looking speakers I've seen. Not as hideous as the MBL line or big horns. Those are beyond stupid. But the big KEFs are kind of like Victoria's Secret super models strolling down the runways saying, "I'm sexy and you can't afford me!"
KEF will have to allow me to not care.
Were I in the market, it would be the Linkwitz LX521. Of course they're pretty industrial looking...
Russ
She hates speakers, equipment, wires and anything to do with technology.
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