Lowthers - Please educate a village idiot...


Hello.

Despite me spending way too much time and effort on audio, and having two systems where one would do most normal people, I will, at some point in the future have a third.

My favorite uncle has a Williamson circuit tube amplifier which he built from a kit. He is a Marine who served our country valiantly during the roughest stretches of WWII(Guadalcanal, Solomons, etc.) and is a proud man. This system would become my remembrance of him.

Everyone thinks his stereo is an antiquated piece of junk, but when he saw my eyes and enthusiasm light up when he told me about it, he was just as happy as I was. He found a taker to pass along his treasured amplifier, as he is now to the point where he sees the end of the road in front of him. To have someone view him passing along this piece of him as an heirloom rather than something which should have instead be left at the curb swells his heart with pride and honor.

In order to do him justice, I want to give this amplifier a system which provide it with its proper level of importance. I have been toying with the idea of building a retro style system around this piece, albeit with a CD player.

The idea I have is to pair the amplifier with a pair of Lowther Medallions. The speakers would be done up in black, with maybe a tan grill at the mouth of the horn. A 1950s look to be sure.

The only issue is that I have no experience whatsoever with the Lowthers. And, more specifically, the Medallion.

Would someone please be so kind to educate me as to the Lowthers. I realize they are not for everyone, and I don't even know if they are for me. But, many have told me that if you fancy them, they are just pure magic. Some have even told me that it is the closest speakers to live even after all these years. Also, as I try to live by the mantra about not buying speakers I haven't auditioned(unless a KILLER deal comes along) are there any outlets for me to go give them a listen? I live in the Philadelphia, PA area.

Thank you all for your help,
Joe
trelja

Showing 1 response by latrobe13dd

I first discovered Lowthers 30 years ago. The pipe-organ was being refurbished in the cathedral-like school chapel. I found an old Acousta, put in an ordinary 8 inch unit and it sounded rather amazing. So I bought are real PM6 and WOW! We put the speaker behind the altar facing upwards into the apse, drove it with a 2 Watt gramophone with Jeremiah Clarke's Trumpet voluntary and . . . I've never looked back.

Years ago I used to accompany fireworks outside with the 1812 Overture, the Handel Fireworks Music and then Led Zep Stairway to Heaven . . . I used two Acoustas on each side and drove them at around 30 watts each. Very exciting sound.

Last year we had a live concert outdoors with a string quartet. The sound would have been lost entirely so I provided sound reinforcement, this time with a bank of three Acoustas on each side, each angled slightly differently to conteract directivity. The result was astounding - open - clear - transparent - one simply heard the quartet and was not at all conscious of amplification or speakers.

This year we had an opera singer singing in our Italian garden, about the size of a tennis court, to pre-recorded orchestral accompaniment. Had to make sure the amp did not exceed 10 watts or it would have been too loud. The sound was glorious outside - one felt "really there".

Recently I found a nice respectable pair of Tannoy bass-reflex design bookshelf speakers in a rubbish bin. Wired them up - super smooth silky sound. But the woofers are plastic and dull when tapped. One tweeter had gone so before buying a new tweeter I put in a Lowther PM6 and bypassed the crossover. The difference - WOW! Suddenly, rather than being merely smooth and silky - suddenly the musical performance and performers appeared in front of ones very ears.

I abhor speakers with crossovers and going for a full-range speaker is a good choice. Go for the efficiency of a Lowther and when you want to you'll be able to recreate a soundstage on a large scale.

Best wishes

David Pinnegar