Dear Gary
Glad to help. I actually bought the p8ltds without listening and thought it was a leap of faith but everything I read about the speaker suggest it would be great. First it is built in switzerland with incredible attention to detail. I have a feeling that if you pay this sort of attention to detail you will generally get very good results. Secondly every review has been stirling - not that reviewers know everything, they can't know what you like to hear - but they all described a sound I was looking for in a beautiful package, which was important so my wife did not kill me. The sound is the one I have always been partial to, very open and clean especially in the upper midrange and with great sound stage. The base is literally better than anything I have heard. I always wanted quad 57s but couldn't afford them when I bought so I went with magneplanars, the next best thing in my opinion. From there, I had traditional cone speakers (toukans - a size issue) and while they were good they did not give me the musical experience I wanted. I now have the p8ltds and I love them. Interestingly a wide cadre of my friends all love them too, everyone from audiophiles to musicians. I listen to mostly classical, jass, and vocalists (mel torme, tony bennett, jane monheit, joni mitchell and others). If these are attributes you are looking for then I would not hesitate to buy the speakers, they are that good. I have compared them to such things as verity parsifels and there is no competition in my mind. If you can't audition them in your town, drop me a note and I suspect I can help you out (in fact please email because there is some other information you might find helpful but I won't be at my office till monday). With regards to the grills I have actually had two pairs since one was damaged in shipping (not their fault in anyway, the shippers drove a forklift into them, with the sharp point first, even then only slight damage but they gave me a new pair). The company and distributor were superb in service. The new speakers have the silver grill and it is actually nicer in appearance than the black in most peoples mind. The old speakers were bought by a friend who had just bought a new system (moon throughout and kestrels I think). He heard mine and couldn't stand his old system. We plugged the speakers in and he said after 3 notes: 'these can't leave my system - though my wife is going to kill me.'. I have never bothered to take the grills off, which are curved. I belive you can but they are metal and you could scratch. The distributor does not suggest you remove them by the way (if I understood him correctly). In short if you can get a good deal on them and you have similar tastes to me I suspect you will be very very happy. If you need to find a place to listen I am sure I can help, though I have no vested interest in piega and no financial connections (I am a doctor). By the way the new speakers, based on a coazial ribbon are supposed to be even better. Anthony Cordsoman has a great review I believe in audiophile voice. Finally any info about your system and taste might be helpful. Good luck in your search
Gary
Glad to help. I actually bought the p8ltds without listening and thought it was a leap of faith but everything I read about the speaker suggest it would be great. First it is built in switzerland with incredible attention to detail. I have a feeling that if you pay this sort of attention to detail you will generally get very good results. Secondly every review has been stirling - not that reviewers know everything, they can't know what you like to hear - but they all described a sound I was looking for in a beautiful package, which was important so my wife did not kill me. The sound is the one I have always been partial to, very open and clean especially in the upper midrange and with great sound stage. The base is literally better than anything I have heard. I always wanted quad 57s but couldn't afford them when I bought so I went with magneplanars, the next best thing in my opinion. From there, I had traditional cone speakers (toukans - a size issue) and while they were good they did not give me the musical experience I wanted. I now have the p8ltds and I love them. Interestingly a wide cadre of my friends all love them too, everyone from audiophiles to musicians. I listen to mostly classical, jass, and vocalists (mel torme, tony bennett, jane monheit, joni mitchell and others). If these are attributes you are looking for then I would not hesitate to buy the speakers, they are that good. I have compared them to such things as verity parsifels and there is no competition in my mind. If you can't audition them in your town, drop me a note and I suspect I can help you out (in fact please email because there is some other information you might find helpful but I won't be at my office till monday). With regards to the grills I have actually had two pairs since one was damaged in shipping (not their fault in anyway, the shippers drove a forklift into them, with the sharp point first, even then only slight damage but they gave me a new pair). The company and distributor were superb in service. The new speakers have the silver grill and it is actually nicer in appearance than the black in most peoples mind. The old speakers were bought by a friend who had just bought a new system (moon throughout and kestrels I think). He heard mine and couldn't stand his old system. We plugged the speakers in and he said after 3 notes: 'these can't leave my system - though my wife is going to kill me.'. I have never bothered to take the grills off, which are curved. I belive you can but they are metal and you could scratch. The distributor does not suggest you remove them by the way (if I understood him correctly). In short if you can get a good deal on them and you have similar tastes to me I suspect you will be very very happy. If you need to find a place to listen I am sure I can help, though I have no vested interest in piega and no financial connections (I am a doctor). By the way the new speakers, based on a coazial ribbon are supposed to be even better. Anthony Cordsoman has a great review I believe in audiophile voice. Finally any info about your system and taste might be helpful. Good luck in your search
Gary