The XD (active version) has an XLR in and 2 terminals. Manual says when you engage the full power mode, you just need to have XLR in.
Very very strange. Sounded very incoherent. I also reached out to Legacy but nothing in response yet.
🤯 Legacy Audio Calibre XD humming + no low ends & boxy sounding
I have recently purchased a pair of Legacy Audio Calibre XD from a friend, and upon wiring it using XLR straight to the DAC preamp, the sound shocked me with disappointments. I wonder if this is the Legacy’s house sound or that something is wrong with the pair?
Symptom:
(1) left speaker emits audible hum on all drivers with only the IEC cord attached; unless a balanced XLR is plugged in. Right speakers are near silent when on.
(2) when playing music via XLR the bass below ~60-80 Hz is almost absent—the front mid-bass driver barely moves while the top woofer carries vocal/mids. REW sweeps below (I don’t have the best measure mic).
(3) I was expecting clarity, dynamics, and separations of instrument due to the Calibre being a 3-way speaker. But I found the sound to be sort of muddy and similar to a JBL with worn out drivers.... I now start to wonder if it’s just my sonic preference for highly resolved speakers or that something in my set up is wrong.
Checks done: rocker switch is down (full-range). Source is a Topping D90 II Discreet running Pre-amp mode with 4V out and -25db level. Source runs fine with a BW 805 D3 + External Amp with full bass.
Contacted Legacy service via email but haven’t heard back yet. I wonder if anyone had experience with Legacy Audio product line, particularly the XD line, who know what this is about? 🙏
Showing 4 responses by kvnuc
I don't have another set of XLR, but my DAC/Preamp does have a RCA out and I have set of RCA -> XLR and I tried that. It sounded the same... The RCA out sounds AMAZING with external amp + BW805. I am in disbelief. I also tried phase inverted setting in the preamp but it's the same. When listen closely to the woofer, deep bass doesn't come out at all... I don't think it is the phase-canceling issue. |
@ronboco, I think one of the iceamp probably has a problem with grounding or bad capacitor yes. Because when I plug XLR in it becomes quite (grounding loop). |
@audio_guy_uofw yes I tried L and then R, humming is only from the L one but both play music. The lack of bass is consistent between the 2. Legacy’s support said possibly front driver failed and didn’t offer much insight besides that. Just a one-liner response. |