$3,000 Planar Speakers

Someone posted a recommendation a month or so ago here regarding a planar speaker
that sells for approx $3-4k. I searched this forum but could not find it.

It was not a Magnepan

Please post that speaker again.

mitch4t11-15-2017 3:58pm

16 responses Add your response

johnnyb53 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,490 posts 11-21-2017 at 09:33pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete martykl: Which small Maggies and which Rythmik subs did you settle on? I have a similar combination--Magnepan 1.7s and a pair of Mirage MM8 subs (discontinued for some time now). Nov. 16 marked the 4th anniversary of bringing my Maggies home. I'm still amazed daily at how musical and involving they sound on any kind of music. The little Mirage subs have a pretty comprehensive set of analog controls for blending--continuous volume, crossover frequencies from 40 Hz to open, and continuous phase control from 0 to 360 deg. For me, the phase control proved to successfully dial in a seamless transition between the panels and the subs. Finding the sweet spot (160 deg.) eliminated a room resonance around 150-200 Hz, and now the subs and panels play as one.
martykl Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,563 posts 11-19-2017 at 04:16pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I've heard the ET extensively and like it a lot. At one time I was considering a purchase and spent a fair bit of time in front of a pair. In the end, I preferred small Maggies with a pair of Rythmik subwoofers. If you get the xover nailed (I cross digitally with Audyssey), I think the latter offers somewhat better overall performance over a wider bandwidth than the ET at substantially similar cost
skeepowder Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 10 posts 11-18-2017 at 08:28pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I sold my Martin Logan Prodigies for $3500 which seems to be the going rate. They are truly outstanding and list around $10,000 in the early 2000s. Now I have completely restored MGIIIas which are worth less than $1000 but sound great and are good enough for me right now. I think I'll keep these as my forever speakers. Good Luck
wspohn Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 210 posts 11-18-2017 at 05:53pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Apogee’s require an amp with some serious current delivery, and the ability to drive a 1 ohm load. Only early models like the Scintilla were serious 1 ohm loads. Later ones tended to be more like manageable 3 or so. I wouldn't try to pair th with a tube amp, but many SS amps will drive them well.
tomic601 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,164 posts 11-18-2017 at 05:52am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete not the Apogee Stage, relatively easy 3 ohm load my lil mac 240 does a decent job ss does mc250 SS and and an Audionics CC2 the bigger Apogee require serious iron....
hiphile Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 29 posts 11-18-2017 at 05:19am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Completely agree with bdp24. As part of my New Year's resolution, I'm planning on getting a pair of these.
bdp24 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 4,908 posts 11-16-2017 at 08:30am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Apogee’s require an amp with some serious current delivery, and the ability to drive a 1 ohm load. You can forget about tubes in that case, Mitch, except perhaps the Music Reference RM-200 Mk.2.
tomic601 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,164 posts 11-16-2017 at 04:42am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete The Apogee Stage is also a giant killer of sorts
cal3713 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 388 posts 11-16-2017 at 01:06am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Perhaps outside your budget, but there's a 4k pair of Apogee Diva's listed right now...
bdp24 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 4,908 posts 11-16-2017 at 12:59am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Mitch, it was I who recommended the Eminent Technology LFT-8b. They actually retail for only $2499, an incredible bargain. Harry Weisfeld of VPI recently said the LFT has the best midrange of any speaker he has ever heard. I wouldn’t go that far, but I have the original Quads in addition to the LFT’s! The speaker has some advantages over the similar-in-some-ways Magneplanars (which I also own, though the old Tympani-IVa): The LFT driver is push-pull, most of the Magnepan drivers are single-ended. The main driver in the LFT-8b covers frequencies from 180Hz to 10,000Hz, without a cross-over! The speaker has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, a better match for tube amps than are the 3-4 ohm Magnepans. Ralph Karsten at Atma-Sphere says he has a number of owners of his great OTL tube amps using them with the ET’s. If you bi-amp the LFT (the current Maggies can not be), the midrange panel itself is 11 ohms, an even better match. The LFT-8b has an 8" dynamic woofer for 180Hz and down, and does not have the planar/cone discontinuity often found in hybrid speakers, ESL’s especially. The speaker is capable of pretty high SPL, unlike many other dipoles. There aren’t many Eminent Technology dealers around, and if there isn’t one within 150 miles of you, ET will sell and send a pair to you free of shipping and tax (unless you reside in Florida, I presume). An over-looked best buy of a speaker---Eric.
douglas_schroeder Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,824 posts 11-16-2017 at 12:21am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete For years I looked for the blend of the Maggie and the Vandy 2. The Eminent Technology LFT-8B is the closest I found. Every bit as sensational performance to value as either of those two speakers, perhaps more. :) YMMV Disclosure: I reviewed the ET LFT-8A to B conversion for Dagogo.com Sound Labs are in a different price to performance structure; their bookshelf model is $3,200 and the floor standers are well north of $10K. Majestic 545 is only $13K! :) I say the OP needs to go for it and reach for the stars! ;)
gdnrbob Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,421 posts 11-15-2017 at 10:10pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I would not discount a pair of Maggie's if I were you. B
mitch4t OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,486 posts 11-15-2017 at 08:35pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Thanks yogiboy! These are the exact speakers that I was looking for.
randy-11 Details Discussions Posts This discussion 1,913 posts 11-15-2017 at 07:42pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete how much are the Audio labs? always an impression looking speaker - or should I say "home renovation"...
tomic601 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,164 posts 11-15-2017 at 06:09pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete they are really good need the right room and a bunch of room behind them ( disclosure I do have a pair of planar speakers in the arsenal)
yogiboy Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,678 posts 11-15-2017 at 04:22pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Must be these! http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html

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