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71.101.74.212
Model: LFT-VIIIA Category: Speakers Suggested Retail Price: $1500/pair w/o stands Description: Hybrid planar magnetic/dynamic speaker Manufacturer URL: Eminent Technology Model Picture: View
Review by ka7niq ( A ) on July 16, 2005 at 23:58:17
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for the LFT-VIIIA
The LFT 8a is a planar magnetic/hybrid speaker speaker.It uses an 8 inch sealed woofer crossing over to a planar magnetic midrange tweeter array.
The midrange ribbons are called upon to cover a very wide rage.
Presumably, this is to keep the crossover artifacts out of the midrange, albeit at the expense of increased IM distortion.
Asssembly was easily handled by Tunz, an Inmate, friend, and neighbor, and I.
We had em up and running within an hour.
The first thing I noticed, compared to my Magnepa MG3A's, and B&W 801's, was the lack of efficiency.
These suckers flat shut off a Moscode 600!
After Tunz left, I put on some more dynamic material with bass, and the little 8 inch woofers bottomed out frequently!
I played with them for about two more weeks, then sold them.
They were too inefficient and dynamically limited for my room.
I dont think they are awful, but certainly not in the same league as the MG3A's.
Yes, they have their moments, and they are a very forgiving speaker due to their rolled off voicing.
The 8 inch woofer goes deep, but so what ?
Why go down to 20 hz if you cant move much air?
That isnt too bright in my opinion.
Really, I dont understand what all the fuss is about with these speakers.
The imaging was pretty good.
The high end was really rolled off, even in the high setting.
Male voice was a real problem in my room.
The placement for best imaging left male voices sounding thin, and when i moved em closer to the rear wall to help out the puny 8 inch woofer, the soundstage collapsed.
In desperation, I pulled out my big monoblocks, since the wonderful Moscode 600 kept shutting down due to their unusual power demands.
The monoblocks are over 500 watts rms into 8 ohms, and the Eminents activated their clipping indicators far too often.
I have no place in my system for a power hungry, and dynamically limited speaker.
If i wanted that, i would still own Quad 63's.
The quads smoke these speakers.
Female voice was pretty well done.
These are not rock speakers, or big orchestral either.
they are at their best on chamber music, soft Jazz, etc.
Bruce Thigpen was a great guy, and we both agreed that they wouldnt work out for me.
I have a large room, but several speakers have worked in this room.
The Eminents were not one of them.
I would caution anyone that has a medium to large room to not buy them, or you will be sorry.
Perhaps, in a small room, you could live with their dynamic limitations, but why ?
Quads will destroy them in a small room, and so will several other speakers.
I just cannot believe all the good reviews on these speakers.
I think Bruce Thigpen neds to re think this design, and i told him so.
I think he needs to go to better magnets for more efficiency, and to not try and take a puny 8 inch woofer down to 20 hz.
That, in my opinion, is an excercise in futility.
He has sacrificed bass extension for efficiency, a stupid thing in my opinion.
After all, why go down to 20 hz if you cant pressurize a decent sized room ?
This design has much promise, and I consider Bruce one of our hobbys truely great inventive minds.
But, as is, I cannot reccomend this speaker to anyone except a person in a small room.
And even then, they are up against Quads and other better speakers.
Product Weakness: horribly inefficient and dynamically limited, woofer bottoms easily. rolled off top end, dull, lifeless sound. Product Strengths: smooth, laid back sound will appeal to some, some transparency, deep bass in small rooms, easy load, female voice done well.
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: Moscode 600 Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Dared Line Stage w/NOS Tubes Sources (CDP/Turntable): CD using two different DAC's Speakers: MG3a's, B&W 801's Cables/Interconnects: Home Depot Outdoor Extension Cord 14 guage Music Used (Genre/Selections): You Name It ? Room Size (LxWxH): 20 x 24 x 8 Room Comments/Treatments: Dipole friendly room Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 weeks Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PowerVar Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - ka7niq 23:58:17 07/16/05 ( 84)
- Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - ka7niq 02:46:20 08/25/05 ( 0)
More Support For My Review ! Another Reviewer Agrees! - ka7niq 18:41:27 08/23/05 ( 0)
A tiny kernel of truth and then off the rails - suits_me 13:32:39 07/19/05 ( 3)
- They are inefficient, they do roll off in the highs, they do beam (vertically, especially,) and the ultimate spl capabil - ka7niq 15:43:16 07/19/05 ( 2)
- Re: They are inefficient, they do roll off in the highs, they do beam (vertically, especially,) and the ultimate spl cap - suits_me 19:40:31 07/21/05 ( 1)
- Re: They are inefficient, they do roll off in the highs, they do beam (vertically, especially,) and the ultimate spl cap - ka7niq 22:53:13 07/22/05 ( 0)
Are we off the wagon again? (nt) - info@seekio.com 22:13:06 07/18/05 ( 0)
Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - middleground 13:23:59 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Hi Middleground ! - ka7niq 16:57:44 07/18/05 ( 0)
OK boys and girls--PLEASE leave ka alone. He's entitled to his opinion just as each of us is. - jeffreybehr 10:12:48 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Re: OK boys and girls--PLEASE leave ka alone. He's entitled to his opinion just as each of us is. - ka7niq 11:56:14 07/18/05 ( 1)
Nonsense squared - Stale 09:45:59 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Thank You For All The Flames! - ka7niq 10:26:32 07/18/05 ( 0)
Wierd - Jim Willis 07:25:28 07/18/05 ( 5)
- Acoustat 1 + !'s Dont Have Cone Drivers For One ! - ka7niq 10:54:39 07/18/05 ( 4)
- Re: Acoustat 1 + !'s Dont Have Cone Drivers For One ! - morricab 16:09:44 07/18/05 ( 3)
- Owned Acoustat 1+1, And The Biggest Acoustat, The Model 8 ! - ka7niq 17:40:14 07/18/05 ( 2)
- Re: Owned Acoustat 1+1, And The Biggest Acoustat, The Model 8 ! - morricab 04:23:13 07/20/05 ( 1)
- Re: Owned Acoustat 1+1, And The Biggest Acoustat, The Model 8 ! - ka7niq 06:28:16 07/20/05 ( 0)
What I learned from this post. - Tom C 04:37:29 07/18/05 ( 0)
Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - CSF 00:03:22 07/18/05 ( 7)
- Re: Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - ka7niq 05:28:28 07/18/05 ( 6)
- You are absolutely right. - Stale 10:08:51 07/18/05 ( 5)
- Wanna Have Some Fun ? Read This ? - ka7niq 11:23:32 07/18/05 ( 4)
- Not only don't you "get" these speakers, you must have skipped physics class. - Tom C 11:48:38 07/18/05 ( 3)
- Ok Mister Engineer ... Like What ? - ka7niq 11:57:44 07/18/05 ( 2)
- Re: Ok Mister Engineer ... Like What ? - Tom C 14:30:04 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Re: Ok Mister Engineer ... Like What ? - morricab 16:13:49 07/18/05 ( 0)
room acoustics AGAIN - hemholtz 20:56:19 07/17/05 ( 6)
- Re: room acoustics AGAIN - ka7niq 21:37:17 07/17/05 ( 5)
- Re: room acoustics AGAIN - Stale 09:57:59 07/18/05 ( 3)
- Thank You Again For The Flame! - ka7niq 11:45:33 07/18/05 ( 2)
- Re: Thank You Again For The Flame! - Stale 15:35:24 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Have a Nice Day ! nt - ka7niq 17:50:44 07/18/05 ( 0)
- Re: room acoustics AGAIN - hemholtz 23:01:29 07/17/05 ( 0)
Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - DavidJames 19:39:42 07/17/05 ( 8)
- Well said! - Vladimir Dorta 04:47:53 07/18/05 ( 1)
- That Pretty Much Sums It Up - ka7niq 10:06:26 07/18/05 ( 0)
Re: Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - ka7niq 20:40:56 07/17/05 ( 4)
- Re: Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - jazzbeat 04:50:11 07/18/05 ( 3)
- A Typical Practice For Dynamically Limited Speakers! - ka7niq 06:12:52 07/18/05 ( 2)
- Because - Stale 09:56:20 07/18/05 ( 1)
- But, There Are Competing VMPS Designs That..... - ka7niq 11:37:02 07/18/05 ( 0)
Re: Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - tomw2 20:35:22 07/17/05 ( 0)
REVIEW: LFT-7 FDR - tomw2 17:34:07 07/17/05 ( 1)
VERY interesting. k, have you ever measured your peak listening levels? - jeffreybehr 10:10:40 07/17/05 ( 1)
- Yeah, I Admit, I Like It Loud ! I am A "Closet Cranker" LOL ! - ka7niq 11:02:04 07/17/05 ( 0)
Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - tomw2 08:36:27 07/17/05 ( 1)
- I Wasnt Even Going To Review Them ... - ka7niq 09:16:10 07/17/05 ( 0)
Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - jazzbeat 08:32:49 07/17/05 ( 5)
- Yeah, I Guess I Expected Too Much ? - ka7niq 09:30:02 07/17/05 ( 4)
- dont the VR4jr's have 2 x 8" per side? - Mike in NJ 14:28:53 07/19/05 ( 1)
- You Are Correct ! I Have So Many Speakers That I Forgot! - ka7niq 15:53:37 07/19/05 ( 0)
- Re: Yeah, I Guess I Expected Too Much ? - jazzbeat 12:55:29 07/17/05 ( 1)
- Yes, You Are Right .... - ka7niq 16:28:45 07/17/05 ( 0)
Too bad your equipment was not up to the task of really letting hear these speakers. (nt) - Tom C 06:57:50 07/17/05 ( 14)
- Yeah, You Are Right .... - ka7niq 08:58:46 07/17/05 ( 13)
- Try a used pair of Infinity RS1bs - Tom C 11:14:00 07/17/05 ( 12)
- I Have Owned RS 1b's My Man ... - ka7niq 11:56:25 07/17/05 ( 11)
- Re: I Have Owned RS 1b's My Man ... - Tom C 13:04:27 07/17/05 ( 10)
- You may be right ? - ka7niq 16:46:33 07/17/05 ( 9)
- Re: You may be right ? - morricab 04:29:02 07/20/05 ( 4)
- What If They Break ??? Any Apogee Repair ? - ka7niq 06:33:59 07/20/05 ( 3)
- Re: What If They Break ??? Any Apogee Repair ? - jazzbeat 19:30:03 07/20/05 ( 1)
- Re: What If They Break ??? Any Apogee Repair ? - ka7niq 10:28:56 07/21/05 ( 0)
- Re: What If They Break ??? Any Apogee Repair ? - morricab 08:35:16 07/20/05 ( 0)
- 801s - Tom C 18:14:57 07/17/05 ( 3)
- Re: 801s - ka7niq 21:51:26 07/17/05 ( 2)
- Re: Custom Speakers - Tom C 04:07:43 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Re: Custom Speakers - ka7niq 12:09:24 07/18/05 ( 0)
Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - rkeman 05:58:16 07/17/05 ( 12)
- Re: Eminent Technology LFT-VIIIA Speakers - mposton0 16:37:58 07/18/05 ( 2)
- Not Just ANY Lamp Cord .. Home Depot Outdoor Extension Cord! - ka7niq 17:59:45 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Re: I stand corrected! - mposton0 11:40:16 07/19/05 ( 0)
Perhaps ? - ka7niq 08:54:41 07/17/05 ( 8)
- Actually I don't think Bruce designed the VMPS panels - DFaulds 11:37:54 07/18/05 ( 3)
- Great Post ! - ka7niq 12:24:53 07/18/05 ( 2)
- In all fairness to Brian... - DFaulds 15:57:58 07/18/05 ( 1)
- Re: In all fairness to Brian... - ka7niq 18:58:19 07/18/05 ( 0)
Re: Perhaps ? - tomw2 09:09:53 07/17/05 ( 3)
- No Insult To Bruce ... - ka7niq 09:43:04 07/17/05 ( 2)
- Re: No Insult To Bruce ... - tomw2 09:55:44 07/17/05 ( 1)
- Thanks Man! - ka7niq 10:45:50 07/17/05 ( 1)