I'm sorry to say that I've never heard the Hovland, but I have had a 17LS for about a year now (first on my block to have one) and can talk a bit about its performance. So far, I'm extremely pleased with it. The sound is classic CJ (warm, detailed, smooth) but is somewhat livelier, and a little brighter than the older Premiere 14, and has an excellent soundstage. I'm not sure that I categorize the 17LS as being especially neutral (overall, CJ tends not to be), but it does bring out some of the very best in many of the classical pieces I listen to. For rock and techno however, CJ in general might not be the best match (ok, go ahead and let me have it…). Also, and I'll admit that as a purist I fail completely, I can't really live without a remote control, which for me is one of the nice features of the 17LS.
I took a peek at the Hovland web site (they're still using the free site they get from register.com apparently -- very tacky) and from their descriptions I'd say that their product is likely to sound very different from the 17LS. It may be difficult to arrange, but an audition of the two will likely be required if you're seriously interested in them. It should be easy enough to find CJ dealers, but I’m not sure how readily available the Hovland is for auditioning. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to hear from folks that do have some experience with these two.
Good luck,
Ken
I took a peek at the Hovland web site (they're still using the free site they get from register.com apparently -- very tacky) and from their descriptions I'd say that their product is likely to sound very different from the 17LS. It may be difficult to arrange, but an audition of the two will likely be required if you're seriously interested in them. It should be easy enough to find CJ dealers, but I’m not sure how readily available the Hovland is for auditioning. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to hear from folks that do have some experience with these two.
Good luck,
Ken