Best value speakers available

I recommend the Eminent Technology LFT-8's. They may be a bit high at $1800 to $2000, but their sound compares favorably to speakers five times their cost. In my opinion they beat or match many of the big electrostatics with their liquid sound. The electrostatics tend to sound grainy to me in comparison with the Et's.

The ET's employ a push pull design which makes the signal they produce more linear than other planars. Others planars have magnets only on one side, causing the magnetic field to be weaker farther from the speaker; therefore as the diaphram moves outward, it experiences a weaker magnetic field, losing control and linearity. With magnets on both sides, the Eminents eliminate this problem entirely.

The sound they produce is magic, with a very large multidimensional soundstage, deep, wide and tall, with good dynamics and midrange to die for. The new "B" version boasts a much improved tweeter, with neodymium magnets for control.

If you are a fan of the planar sound, you can't go wrong with these speakers. I own 2 pairs of earlier models, and couldn't be more pleased with their sound.

Bruce Thigpen, one of the inventors and owner of the company has no problem speaking directly with his customers and is very accomodating. Not only that, but he produces almost everything used in the speakers on site in Tallahasse Florida, employing folks who are local to the area.

Add these factors up and in my opinion you come up with an unbeatable bargain for high end planar sound.

Hope this helps and good luck with your search,
Ron

hi ron:

i have auditioned the lft 8s, 6s and the earliest, the 3s.

i find with the hybrids, that the cone and planar elements produce two dsitinct sound patterns, perhaps, partly because of the radiating patterns which are unique to each driver type.

there have been reports of a seamless blend between cone and panel, yet, i hear two different speakers.

i don't consider my ears a national treasure, yet i often differ with other audiophiles about the continuity between cones and panels.

is it possible that the recordings i use when evaluating stereo systems makes it possible for me to observe the discontinuity between panel or cones, or is there another explanation ?

Vandersteen, new or used they are a huge value. My 2c's are 25 yrs. old and sound better with every upgrade. I suspect most Vandersteen owners do not approach the the performance limits of their speakers due to placement and setup. They will reveal weakness in upstream components but sound good in the process. It's common to read that Vandersteens sound veiled. That issue fell by the wayside when I purchased modern, not expensive, cables. They do appreciate a bit of power, but I suppose much of this is true with most quality speakers.

Eminent Technology LFT-8B
Legacy Focus HD

I reviewed these speakers with differing technologies on Dagogo.com for the purpose of presenting them as excellent values with good build quality and unexpectedly high performance. I continue to use them both in reviewing due to their superb performance.

The LFT-8B is an upgrade model using an improved tweeter to great effect, with far more integration and seamlessness in presentation than the 8A version. The Focus HD is a complete redesign from the Focus 20/20.

I consider these speakers authentic bargains. If someone wants comparisons to Vandersteen and Magnepan, they will need to read my reviews.

The Boston Acoustics VR3. They are considered mid-fi but you should hear them properly set up and positioned with decent electonics.