Larsen speakers: 4.2 or 6.2??. Has anyone heard or own them??

I have owned all three models of Larsen speakers, 4/6/8 and I used to be a dealer for these.  I think that Larsen speakers provide excellent sound, excellent value and are very easy to live with due to the easy placement options: 1- find the longest wall in the room, 2- place the speakers directly against the wall (no toe-in), 3- move speakers apart or closer together until the you hear the best imaging, 4- pour a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy.

I don't understand your comment re: the price difference between the Larsen 4 and the Larsen 6:

Seems like a lot of money for a two way speaker despite the fact that the design eliminates most placement problems and can be placed against the wall ( so say the few reviews I read of both models)

I can think of a lot of 2-way speakers that are more expensive than the Larsen 6.

In any case, the Larsen speakers all provide a recognizable house sound; the larger/more expensive models just provide more of it in larger rooms.  Larsen's are some of the most tonally accurate speakers I have ever heard.  A fair proportion of my clients were professional musicians (think more vocalists, classical and jazz music rather than hard rock.)  That's not to say that everyone will agree that these are the best speakers, nor would I.  But I will say that the Larsen's are probably the speakers most easy to live with that I have ever owned.

I have owned Ohm speakers and Maggies.  Both have good points and things they do well.  But neither was, to my ears, as good as the Larsens in my rooms and playing the music I listen to.  Not by a long shot.

One last observation: I am friends with the Michael Vamos from Audio Skies, the NA distributor for Larsen, Gamut and Pear Audio.  Michael has every speaker he sells available for listening in his home.  Yet many times I would go see Michael and he was listening to a pair of Larsen 4s.  When I asked hi why he wasn't listening to something more expensive his answer was that the Larsen 4s always amaze him at how good they are for the money and that they make him happy.  I can't think of a more apt description.

sunnyjim, I closed my dealership over two years ago.  It was a side business and as much as I love music and gear it was waaay too much work for the paltry return.

John Larsen is a great guy and the Michael Vamos at Audio Skies, the U.S. distributor, is awesome in his passion and support for Larsen and his other lines.

It is imperative that Larsen speakers be matched to your room size.  I have installed these speakers in small rooms where the 4 just sounded better than the 6.  There is an improvement in bass response as you move up the Larsen chain, and the 6 and 8 have more detail than the 4 in rooms that support those models.

Not to contradict Michael but we all know that pricing for audio gear is not as much based on labor and materials as what the market expects.   I think all the Larsen speaker models (4,6, and 8. I don't have any experience with the new 9) are all a hell of a deal for a full range speaker that works well in just about any room.

Is that Tim?  Howdy!

Duevel speakers?  Wow, how... esoteric.  But seriously, you should describe them in this or another post.  I have never heard them or even seen them but I would love to hear more about your impressions.

Back to sunnyjim's original questions: as frazeur1 says, either you like the musical presentation provided by omni speakers or you don't.  I listen to a lot of live acoustic music and I think that omnis sound and feel closer to a live performance than other types.  But if you have always listened to canned (reproduced) music or your live musical experience is limited to amplified rock concerts (not that there is anything wrong with that) then you might not appreciate the staging and imaging that omnis provide.

At shows I have had guys complain about the lack of high SPLs from Larsens or horn speakers.  My answer is how much SPL do you hear or feel at a live venue? The correct answer is zip.

My biggest complaint is that, with the exception of a couple of decware models, almost all omni speakers are fairly inefficient so most tube amps are not a real option.  It's an inherent "feature" of the design.  My Larsens and Shahinians always sounded better w/ SS amplification.