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As he promised, Guttenberg reviews the Eminent Technology LFT-8c.

 

Back in June I initiated a thread bringing to your attention the LFT-8b loudspeaker from Eminent Technology, and the review of it by Steve Guttenberg. In that review Steve mentioned he would be getting the LFT option of a new woofer section, this one being of dipole design (the 8b woofer is a sealed monopole), the new model designated as the LFT-8c. Below is a link to Steve’s new review of it.

The LFT-8b remains available at a price of $3200 (including shipping within the States), the new LFT-8c selling for $4500 shipped. The 8c woofer system includes a power amp for the front-firing 8" and rear-firing 6.5" woofers, and DSP for planar-magnetic panel/woofer integration.

Not mentioned in this new review is that Guttenberg greatly preferred the LFT-8b to not only the Magnepan MG1.7i, but also the MG3.7i, which retails for almost three times the price of the ET. Steve found the 8c to be even better than the 8b, the dipole woofer blending with the LFT planar-magnetic panels better than did the 8b’s monopole woofer (Magnepan themselves is still working on their upcoming dipole woofer system).

However, he found the 8c woofer to be good down to only 40Hz or so. Hey, 8" and 6.5" woofers can do only so much! And he didn’t like the sound of the DSP when engaged. The $1300 price-differential between the 8b and 8c may be justified, but there is another option:

Any dipole woofer system can be used in place of the 8b’s monopole woofer, it needn’t be the 8c system. A great alternative is the OB/Dipole Sub offered by Rythmik Audio in collaboration with GR Research. This woofer system consists of two (or three, your choice) 12" woofers mounted in a dipole "frame", powered by a Rythmik Audio plate amp (which also contains a dipole-cancellation compensation circuit). The only catch is that the woofer system is offered only in kit form, the user being required to mount the woofers in the frame. GR Research offers just such a frame in both DIY flatpack form and assembled (and even finished, if you wish). This woofer system offers bass reproduction of the bottom octave, with the same superior integration with the m-p panels as that of the 8c’s dipole woofer. The Rythmik Audio plate amp includes all the controls necessary for optimum blending of the panels to woofers, including a continuously-variable 0-180 phase control.

The combined price of the LFT-8b and Rythmik/GRR dipole wooer is still far below that of the MG3.7i, and imo is an outrageous bargain in today’s high end world of loudspeakers. Steve once again mentions he doesn’t like electrostatic loudspeakers, but finds the sound of the LFT-8b and 8c to match ESL’s in transparency, while beating them in dynamics and tonal density.

 

https://youtu.be/R4vC3V00-3Y

 

128x128bdp24
bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,423 posts
 

 

@ledoux1238: Thanks for the heads up, I’m gonna read it right now.

 

ledoux1238
276 posts
 

I , too, have re-read the review and there are some observations by the reviewer that would merit further comment.
I have a room that is as deep as the reviewer at 30 ft, however, considerably narrower at 10 ft wide. The speakers are 7 1/2 ft from front wall ( not quite at 1/3 ) and 7 ft apart ( measured from center of panels ). I have found the speakers energize my room very evenly, just as the reviewer’s comment. I have an exercise machine at the back of the room, and I find that listening from that position is also enjoyable. Yes, I would be off from the horizontal axis but still not bad. 
My seating positions have varied from 10 ft, 12ft, and 15ft from face of speakers. In the first two positions, I do hear a soundstage that emanates from the back of the speakers. On good recordings, the soundstage stretches well beyond the sides of the speakers. However, with the new found 15 ft distance, I am experiencing a soundstage that can be best described as immersive, like listening through head phones. The soundstage is stable and floats from the plane of the speakers. I assume this is where  room nodes are canceled. 
The placement of the ribbon tweeters to the inside was, I thought, acceptable wisdoms for the LFT-8’s. I think even Bruce recommends this arrangement, so it is quite a surprise to find the reviewer listened throughout with the tweeters to the outside. This is prompting me to experiment over the weekend.
The 8c is a significant evolution from the earlier models.I lived with 8b’s and upgraded. I am sure it is probably similar to lovers of the 8b upgrading to separate dipoles woofers. 

There are a few equipment in my system that I have no inclination change, the Verdier TT, Trans-Fi Terminator tonearm, and the 8c’s. It’s hard to explain why this is. I know spending more money will get me more. But these three are keepers.

 

ledoux1238
276 posts
 

Oh, and @bdp24 turned me on to the ET’s several years ago. He had championed the speakers for many years. And I have followed him for a while now, so to have someone insinuate that there is a financial arrangement between him and Bruce is quite laughable. This perhaps go without saying, but there I have said it.

bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,423 posts
 

 

@ledoux1238: And it is members such as yourself that keeps me from abandoning Audiogon altogether.

In addition to the LFT-8, we also have in common the Trans-Fi Terminator arm, mine mounted on a VPI Aries (with a TNT-5 platter). The Terminator is another hi-fi bargain. Over-performing (price-to-sound quality relationship) components is where the fun lies for me.

 

ricevs
1,449 posts
 

The stock ETs have poor sounding speaker posts, wire, resistors, caps and coils.....you change all those few things to seriously transparent parts and you will never stop listening.  Coils need to be connected so the signal goes into the inside of the coil and out the outside.

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