Classic Rock Listener - Help me build my system

I have owned a pair of Legacy signature 3's. This speaker has a very warm/sultry midrange. The bass output was always a problem- too much. And the ribbon tweeter has little power to overcome the other drivers. To get these speakers to open up:

1) Use very light guage copper cables.
2) Open up the terminal plate and combine the bi-wire leads to one post.
3) Use an amp that has massive stability into 2 ohm loads and has the ability to soundstage/image. ie Classe Audio.
4) Choose source components that have a light and airy character.
5)Place the speakers atleast 3 ft out from the back wall and tilt them back.

FWIW: I also owned the Focus and these also have problems. But they sound MUCH more open and detailed than the Sig 3.

Hi Sean,

I am also a frequent rock listener- but have an appetite for high-end electronics. It is not easy to find a full range high-end speaker that can play rock. The Legacys have high power handling capability (high temp voice coils) And they can rock out very well. But as noted, the frequency response is nearly impossible to overcome. I have just now gone thru a pair of Snell xa-90's. These have a flat response but did not work out for me for other reasons. I now have a pair of Maggie 2.7qr- nice speaker-wrong room (for sale by the way) I'm thinking about a pair of von Schweikert VR4se's to try next. Already been thru the b+w's.

Oh by the way, the Classe Amp I was suggesting was the model 15. Very lively and alive sounding, with soundstaging/imaging that are excellent. Works very well with Legacy.

Bob

Hi Dave,

The crossovers in the Sig 3 present a wicked load to the amplifier. I experimented everyway possible with those speakers. The best results are to open up the terminal box on the back. Unscrew the leads at the bass terminal (lower) and connect them to the upper post. Run one set of speaker wires to the upper post. The bi-wire jumper does not work well on that speaker- nor does bi-wiring. I would take a look at the Kimber brand of cabling to use with that speaker. I only tried the Nordost Red Dawn interconnect. That had a strange sound in the highs and the bass was incredibly powerful. Try a lowly pair of PBJ and some 8TC.
good luck

John,
I purchased a Classe CDP-1 new when it came out in 1995. Kept it for 5yrs. Wish I did not sell it. I like the sound of 1990's digital much better than the soft sounding stuff made today.

Budrew,
I am sorry to say- I just sold a Naim CD5/Flatcap2. The sound was too distant with closed in ambience. Not a good player for electronic/rock music. IME

About AQ speaker wire and solid core copper in general. This will give a more pronounced midrange/midbass. The highs are sweet but lack sparkle and air. The only solid core copper I have heard that I could live with is Tara Labs.

Sean, I have owned the DR-15 and Model 15. The main difference is the model 15 has better bass and is more dynamic. The Model 15 is a David Reich design with an output stage tweaked by Glenn Grue to make it sound more aggressive and alive. The Classe of today (CA series) is more refined/polite/controlled and comes off leaner-brighter
I never heard their Omega models/technology but these I am told are fantastic.