I am a newbie to the LFT-8b's having installed them for a little over a month. Robert Greene's review was fresh on my mind when I reversed polarity on the woofers. Expecting some kind of transformation, I heard none! I did it twice, once a week in, and then a few days ago with about 200-250 hrs on the speakers. ( Yes, I've been listening non-stop! )
To be honest, I really wasn't expecting anything major. The speakers wired in their correct polarity was, for me, extremely engaging. I spent most of my time on speaker placement which proved most enlightening.
BTW @bdp24 turned me onto the ET's. I put the same question to him on another post. And It was Doug's review that moved things forward, having no dealers nearby. |
Amplifiers
In the past 1 1/2 year three tube amps and three pre-amp / phono stage has passed through the ET’s. I believe with @bdp24 that tubes in the signal chain mitigate brightness. I started with an all tube combo, vintage MFA Luminescence pre + 100 w push pull triode. Needless to say there was no brightness. However, the Luminescence was giving other problems. The preamp chain then went solid state with Lightspeed Passive Attenuator and a current mode phono stage, creating a more revealing and transparent sound. No brightness, again. I played with a vintage International Projector Corp am 1026 amp for two months. With only 22 w I have come to realize all the talk about how difficult the ET’s are to drive, minimum 100w..etc. is BS. Right now my main amp is from Japan, Mactone mh-300 b, with output again in the 20’s. Four 300b’s in push pull class A configuration are playing very well with the ET’s. No brightness to report.
Room Placement
My room is 3.3 x 9 M. The ET’s sit 2.8 m from back wall, almost 1/3 into the room, with 40 cm from side wall and quite a bit of toe in.
I am getting the holographic, image specific, and wide soundstage that I was told only box speakers excel in. I didn’t expect it from the ET’s, but thoroughly enjoyable.
Cartridge
Through a recent change in cartridge I did get a glimpse of ET’s brightness with the Audio Tekne MC 6310. Framer described it as more Lyra- like, i.e. analytical, than Koetsu. Well that is a pretty apt. However, adding a damping pad from Origin Live helped greatly.
@ bdp24 Thanks for the Townsend pod information. My only question is whether removing The the sound anchor stand and simply placing the speaker directly on a Townshend speaker base might not be a even better solution?
|
@bdp24
Leaving the SA stands is probably the way to go with a bit more mass, as you say, at the bottom. How is the height of the Townshend pods affecting listening on the vertical axis? Do you need to change your chair / sofa height? I find the ET’s particularly sensitive on the vertical axis. I sit low on a reclining chair while listening. And I find that tilting the ET’s 1.5 cm forward gives me the best soundstage and imaging. Adding the pods will raise the speakers quite a bit.
|
@bdp24
Thanks for the BDR tip. I am sure I can source locally for something similar. The Townshend pods will be inserted sometime down the line.
There is a question about adding OB subs to the ET’s. I think you run GR Research servo subs and you do not connect to the ET’s woofers. You mentioned somewhere that the ET’s crossovers still engage the woofers even if they are bypassed. Have you tried to disengage the woofers from the crossover?
|
@bdp24
1. Can I simplify use two separate amps, one connected to m/t panels and one connected to the woofers, without a cross-over? Do I need some form of volume control for output mismatch?
2. From reading the manual, I need two x/o in passive application, one 180hz high pass and one 180hz low pass.
a. Where can one find ready made high and low pass x/o modules?
b. Where to I connect these to?
c. Would I need additional volume dial to match output?
|
@bdp24 I greatly appreciate your answers. As it turns out one of the amplifiers that I will be using, Mactone mh 300b, has a built in volume control. It put out 22 watts and I am using it right now to drive the LFT-8b's to satisfactory level. But I intend to use it to drive the M / T panels in the bi-amp set up. There will be a 100 w tube mono's returning from repairs. These will drive the woofer. I will start with no x/o and use the volume control of the Mactone to match levels for now.
I also got in touch with Bruce T. and he recommended I look into x/o's from Marchand Electronic which I believe you have commented on in previous post. |
@bdp24 Regarding the potential mismatch of the two amps, your point is crystal clear. I will know in two weeks time.
If there is a mismatch, the issue of which x/o remains. The initial thought was a passive x/o, 1st order. However, several comments, including yours, I believe, indicated that the particular passive x/o from Marchand was not as good as their active tube. You have pointed to the less than stellar parts quality in the passive. There is also a clear price difference between the two units.
I suppose going active will provide the most flexibility for future subwoofer upgrade, or, heaven forbid, a change from the ET’s to other transducers.
Regarding your earlier post on the TAS reviews of the ET’s, I think I’ve read all the available professional reviews and most of the forum posts on the LFT 8b’s before I contacted Bruce T. I have had the pair for over a year. In terms of placement / interaction with my listening room, I believe they are optimized. I would like very much to push to optimize the speakers in other ways, hence the bi amp queries. And eventually, I ‘d like to upgrade the the internal x/o caps, and try OB subs.
|
@clio09 You have convinced me that active x/o is the way to go. And also, more research is needed before I jump in.
@bdp24 The GR Research / Rythmik OB subs come with its own plate amps. Do you then use one set of amps for the M / T panels only? You mentioned that the woofers on the ET’s are bypassed. In terms of connections, are there one line out each from the preamp to the m/t amp and the GR plate amp?
I sincerely apologize for my questions which, I assume, is rudimentary for you guys. Just trying to learn from the masters!
|
@bdp24 Acquiring an active x/o seems the versatile path with bi-amp or sub-woofer application. With an active x/o in the signal path, the advantage seems to be adjustability, a way to dial-in the most ‘appropriate’ sound. Would you say that an active x/o allows the speaker system to perform at a higher level? With the LFT8b’s, you get smoother highs, wider soundstage....etc? What is the most significant improvement in a bi-amp, non sub -woofer application?
|
Scot,
very important information that you are sharing. The flexing of the panels adversely affect sound quality. I believe retrofitting vertical bracing to the sound anchor stands that I am using would be another solution.
|
