I had a pair of Larsen 8s for the better part of 2015. They are handsome and work very well up close to the front wall. Surprisingly good bass and they throw an expansive sound stage, which they paint more with broad brushstrokes than with detailed precision. This type of imaging is probably the key thing prospective buyers need to evaluate; Larsens image differently from the standard fare these days, but they offer a lot of good things in the tradeoff. Tonally they are in my wheelhouse, having some of the warmth, richness and organic correctness I hear from Harbeth. They really come alive at volume, but are at least adequate at quiet levels. I used them with a variety of amps, including an Audio Note Oto (10 wpc) and a much higher-powered Class D Hypex amp. They woked with everything, but solid state produced more controlled bass.
They are handsome as I said, but I felt the build quality was a bit disappointing in that the grill fabric on a few of the panels seemed to be on the verge of coming loose. Not a big deal, but nevertheless.
Try to get an in-home audition if you can.
They are handsome as I said, but I felt the build quality was a bit disappointing in that the grill fabric on a few of the panels seemed to be on the verge of coming loose. Not a big deal, but nevertheless.
Try to get an in-home audition if you can.