I do not claim that Lansche 4.1 is the best speaker in the world.
But with clean and pristine treble out of plasma tweeters and pretty good bass out of 2 10 inch driven by internal active amplifier and high efficiency (99db spec, but I believe it to be around 93db), it is hard to find better speaker with overall merit for my house.
The only catch is that it can stop working since it is an active speaker( plasma tweeter and active bass unit).
But I keep having good communication with Henry Dien of Lansche Audio who upgraded plasma tweeters twice at reasonable cost.
I can happily live with Lansche 4.1 speakers at my present house for my life unless serious health issues happen to either me or my speakers.
How about you gentlemen and ladies?
Had any one of you found the speaker for your life?
Some are never ever satisfied with their speakers or anything else, no matter how much they paid for them either, and will spend the rest of their lives buying speakers. There’s not a darned thing wrong with that. These types of audiophiles, however, just cannot except or wrap their heads around the fact that some/most of us have no interest in remaining on the speaker merry-go-round forever. These types of audiophiles consider those of us who think contrary to their beliefs to be non-true audiophiles (which is utterly ridiculous). I depend on those types to keep the used market charged up, so I can afford to buy speakers that I would not ordinarily able to afford ("Thank you to our dear wealthy audiophiles"). We all go though several different speakers over time as we’re in experimental mode (this can be very costly). But, I do believe that the vast majority of audiophiles who do run though a number of different speakers do this as a means to an end, and are, in fact, in search of that truly special (to them) pair of speakers that they think they can live with for the rest of their lives. I have found that very special pair of speakers that, as long as live in my current home (I’m retired and I’m in my last residence in life) I’ll never give up my beloved Revel Salon 2 speakers.
"Like you, in my current home, in my current room"
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I just read every post, what an amazing collection of speaker designs.
I am thinking, for each person, their listening space is a big part of their thorough happiness with their chosen speaker. Of course budget is involved regarding which models are auditioned, and the budget does reflect in the size of the spaces that permit/restrict what essentially fits.
Room treatments, some, more, finally darn good for the space probably progresses along with various auditions, i.e. final choice is speakers auditioned in a successfully treated space.
Without my beloved level controls, there is NO WAY my speakers would sound great in this space. I would probably still be listening to my other favorite: JSE Infinite Slope Model II's. Their 'balance' was outstanding in the audio show, (a rare thing as many have mentioned), and simply/luckily sounded great in this space with no level controls.
As good as the JSE's are, I missed these, part sound signature, part looks, part emotional i.e. their origin/memories of my uncle/my personal involvement with designing new enclosures/repairing the woofers myself, acquiring spare parts, i.e. when listening, I cannot separate all that from their sound.
When I look at the lack of internal bracing (I thought I would have to add some), and the lack of cabinet vibrations, I shake my head at my woodworker's skill and just plain luck.
Great stories from so many members here, thanks to OP for this thread.
The Lansche are gorgeous, small enough to fit many people’s spaces, the Altec’s need a converted barn or aircraft hanger, I would love to hear both.
DONE. Hmmmmmm, I think I’m done too, just messing with cartridges which doesn’t count as change does it?
Level Controls: What controls are on the back of the Lansches? I cannot find a photo that shows the back enlarged. The Altec’s probably have some way to adjust their output, correct?
Oh Yeah. Done, with Spare Vintage Parts downstairs. Die with them, none too soon please!
It was the sound of these speakers/drivers that got me thoroughly hooked in 1971. Came in a 1958 Fisher Console, President II, I inherited from my uncle.
8" high bronze base, 15" woofers faced down.
I’ve moved the drivers/level controls/crossover into a few different enclosures over the years, now their final: Custom Rosewood.
My Woodworker had been saving a small flitch of matched Brazilian Rosewood, just enough to do the job. New Import of Brazilian Rosewood was banned by then.
Original design, no ports. For open space, no wall behind (prior location) I open the tuned rear port (Enclosure and tuned rear port designed with the help of Electro-voice Engineers). Current space, I plugged the rear ports.
Here is a shot face down, back off. No special bracing, but no vibration. Tops are slightly slanted and I put many of Donna’s precious things on top. I verify the drivers are tight annually.
The Horn’s drivers are linen, phenolic coated, essentially indestructible, and the 15" woofer paper cone has vintage cloth surround, hard to find, I re-coned them twice myself and have spare cones and full set of spare drivers for the future. All drivers are Electro-Voice 16 ohm
The Original Electro-Voice 3 way crossover is components in tar in a sealed metal can. Custom Crossover builders tell me to leave them alone.
I put new 16 ohm L-Pads Level Controls recently.
Incredibly efficient, came with Fisher 30 wpc mono tube amps, I have driven them with 8 wpc tubes; fisher 500c 35wpc tubes; McIntosh 300 wpc SS, now Cayin 45 wpc tubes, AT88 version one with 16 ohm taps (sadly bias adjust is internal).
Balancing the speaker’s in the room with the level controls, sound pressure meter, tripod, test tracks is hard, tedious, but very rewarding when done right.
Everybody knows by now that I think speakers should come with level controls, to adjust the speakers IN THE SPACE they will be heard. Precise stepped L-Pads would be easier than my step-less rotary ones.
This has been the longest I’ve had speakers from the same company. Went from Vandersteen Treo’s to the Quatro’s and will never look back. I’m in heaven daily. Most of my friends are constantly changing out speakers etc. so glad to be off the hamster wheel.
It all depends on my financial status. I love my Paradigm Studio 100’s especially since I added a JL Audio E112 sub but if somehow I become wealthy they will be gone. Not sure for what but I’d upgrade my entire system.
In the later half of the 1960s I had a large, portable stereo with two detachable speakers .
In the early 70s ((while I was a music major with no money) the detachable speakers crapped out on me and without a great deal of funds or tools I constructed speakers made with matched 8” speakers with wizzer cones in the middle, and mounted them in somewhat reinforced cardboard boxes.
Mid 1970s Generic bookshelf speakers
Later 1970s. RTR Tower speakers front and rear channels
1981 Magnepan MG-1 front speakers / Generic bookshelf rear speakers
1982 Magnepan MG-1 Improved front speakers / MG-1 rear speakers
2015 Magnepan 1.6 front speakers / MG-1 Improved rear speakers
2016 Magnepan 1.7 front speakers /1.6 rear speakers (All 4 - Mye Stands)
2017 Magnepan 1.7i front speakers /1.7 rear speakers (All 4 - Mye Stands)
2019 Magnepan 3.7i front speakers /1.7rear speakers (All 4 - Mye Stands)
2020 Magnepan 3.7i front speakers /3.5 R modded rear speakers (All 4 - Mye Stands)
Unless an accident happens, these will be my lifetime speakers
Also - from 1985 to present - 1 pair of custom built subs with 15” woofers, crossed over at 40 Hz
Like you, in my current home, in my current room (and I don’t plan on moving anytime soon) my "take-to-the-grave" speakers are, my beloved Revel Salon 2 speakers. The Salon 2 speaker perform, from top to bottom, at such a high level of proficiency, I just don't have to want for anything more. The Revel Salon 2 speakers are absolutely phenomenal speakers that I could live with forever!!!
@mihorn Your speaker look tidy. If you could upload the Youtube video of its sound, it will help
My humble audio system looks simple and cheap. In my > 4 decades audio pursuing, I had some big/expensive systems (wall of audio components) before. But I found it is not the answer for the best audio sound.
Hmm. You haven't watched my video yet. I've been posting my videos regularly in Agon for many years. I think I should post more often. Alex/Wavetouch
I couldn’t find a speaker that I could live with. All speakers in the world sound unnatural and incomplete. So, I made a speaker I can live with until I die. My speaker sounds natural and closest to the original music than any other system. Simply, there is no other speaker or sound system in the world sounds better than mine at least to my ears. Alex/Wavetouch
Endgame speaker will depend on personal taste, budget and size of listeing room.
On 1989, I lived in apartment at Chicago with 15feet W 20 feet D 8 feet H listeing space.
I had auditioned ML CLS, several Apogee and other box speakers.
After auditioning several choices, my endgame speaker on 1989 turned out to be Apogee Diva driven by Krell KSA 250.
But I could not afford it at that time, thus I had settled at Apogee Duetta Sig driven by Krell KSA 150.
I had been happy with Apogee Duetta Sig driven by Krell KSA 150. until 1998.
But I want more deeper bass and switched to Avalon Ascent II which sound too bright with Krell amp.
Thus I switched to Jadia 200 and then Jadia 500.
Avalon Ascent II driven by Jadis 500 sound very musical with no serious faults at all.
But one audio dealer offered big discount on Wilson Watt Puppy 5 and I switched to it on 2001
Watt Puppy 5 gave nice details with 3 d soundstage but too bright for my taste.
I used DCS Elgar and upsampler fed by CEC TLX 0 using volume of Elgar without any pre amp.
Thus I let Watt Puppy 5 go only after 6 months and got B&W Notilus 800 instead.
I had enjoyed B&W Notilus 800 driven by Jadis 500 from 2002 to 2004
It had given most powerful bass that I had experienced in my listening space.
On 2004, Mr Chung of Silbatone who is a close friend of mine recommended me to try full range speaker(6 inch driver) with his Silbatone 300B SET.
While I enjoy Jadis 500, I could not play it during summer due to too much heat.
Thus I followed Mr Chung's recommendation.
Full range speaker(6 inch driver) driven by Silbatone 300B.SET gave gracious sound with nice tonality, but no serious bass or dynamics.
After using full range speaker for two years, I swithced to Lansche 4.1 on 2006.
At that time my listening room was rather small 10 ft W 15 ft D 7 ft H.
Lansche 4.1 driven by Silbatone 300B SET. fitted by WE 300b made in 1950's gave perfect sound in the small listeing space with clean and sublime lady vocal, nice dynamics and timber.
But after moving to larger listening spcae of 15 ft W 20ft D 12 ft H, Silbatone 300B SET. could not drive Lansche 4.1 with enough power.
Thus I had to switch to higher power tube amp to drive Lansche 4.1
On 2021 I got Altec A7 which gave unlimited dynamcis and vintage flavor.
On 2022, I also assembled Scaena 3.2 which I got used on 2020 but could not assemble it during Corona pendamic.
Scaena 3.2 gave very realistic placement of each instrument in deep and wide soundstage but not going deep enough below 30 hz.
After getting pair of Rel 31s April this year, Scaena 3.2 augmented by pair of Rel 31s really sings with nimble and deep bass.
During last two years, I attended Pacific Audiofest 2022, 2023 and Seoul Audio Show 2023.
If I choose one speaker that impressed me is big Genesis with natural and lifelike dynamics from reel tape as source.
But it is too big for my current listening space of 16 ft wide 20 ft deep 15ft to 20 feet sloped ceiling.
I am too lazy to build larger dedicated listening space.
I wil use my currrent house as is.
If i start new, i may choose either MBL 101e or Asylvox planar.
Yes I can live with my speakers for the rest of my life. I feel with each passing year it’s like I walk down the road and at every crossroad there is a guy asking me for money and selling new speakers. The problem with this analogy is that for every block I walk further the more money the guys ask from me. Comes a point after walking that it’s ridiculous. Not knocking anyone else shelling out that mega big cash, it’s just not something I want to do.
A very thought provoking question. After many years of searching I've found my speaker (or line of speakers). The speaker must be tonally neutral so that voices and instruments sound correct and not altered in some strange way. The speaker must also be phase correct so that the leading edge of dynamics is properly rendered and the speakers give that spooky natural sense of 3-dimensionality. And they must be dynamic so as not to bore me. Beyond that, and the most difficult to find, they need to have that ineffable quality that makes you want to listen today and 5 or 10 years from now. For me that speaker is a Vivid Audio Giya series speaker. They all do it (G4s2, G3s2, G2s2, G1 Spirit).
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