The criteria for loudspeaker choices.

@kennyc: The title of the thread was made in relation to what PS Audio had to say about planar-magnetic drivers, which they choose to employ as tweeters in all their loudspeaker models. In their promotional literature for their speakers, they cite all the ways in which p-m drivers meet their criteria for achieving superior quality reproduction of high frequencies (reread the op to refresh your memory if necessary).

The question I therefore asked was: If planar-magnetic drivers meet PS Audio’s criteria for superior reproduction of high frequencies, why not use a planar-magnetic driver for midrange frequencies as well? There are only a very limited number of loudspeakers employing p-m drivers to reproduce midrange frequencies, one being Eminent Technology. Another is of course Magnepan. I currently own both Magnepan and Eminent Technology models, and because everyone already knows about the former and few do about the latter, I felt compelled to once again bring the ET LFT-8 to everyone’s attention. If that now qualifies as shilling, so be it.

Everyone has their own criteria for choosing a loudspeaker, I posted this thread in response to the criteria stated by PS Audio as the reason for them choosing a p-m tweeter, not as a means of myself making the case for the superiority of planar-magnetic drivers or loudspeakers. I also own ESL’s (QUADS), but didn’t bring them into the discussion as PS Audio doesn’t use ESL drivers, nor make any claims as to their ability to reproduce music.

One listener who DID bring the subject of ESL’s into his review of the ET LFT-8b and 8c is Steve Guttenberg. In his reviews he states that he doesn’t care for the sound ESL’s make, preferring his dipole panel speakers to be of planar-magnetic design. He then goes on to say that he found the sound produced by the two ET models to be superior to that produced by every ESL he has heard, as well as all Magnepan’s he has had in his listening room.

I hope this post makes clear my motive and intent. I did my best to make it so!

I don't put much, if any stock in marketing blurb. PSA was on the cusp of releasing a floor standing speaker, but the showing at Axpona (pre covid) got so little attention that the company threw out that design and started over from scratch. The FR lie is much more of an attention getter than that previous box. This lineup looks like a legitimate investment and effort.

Well, I don’t have an axe to grind against Bruce or any of his products but was just commenting on some of the measurements from stereophile.

In fact, while they are in the same price category, I don’t think it makes sense to compare a large open baffle line array to a small stand mount.

however, i did want to target some of the technical analysis.  As you mentioned above, wavelengths are very small around 8 kHz and a lower crossover point would be beneficial.

regarding the sensitivity, John Atkinson commented that the LFT-VIII was 4.7 db lower than his LS3/5A’s 82.5 dB and to this puts the speaker around 78 db/2.83V

https://www.stereophile.com/content/eminent-technology-lft-viii-loudspeaker

Paul writes our ad copy and the website and it can be a little hyperbolic at times as we’re trying to emphasize the positive attributes of a product.  However, I think the speakers are very competitive performance wise to a lot of big names and have some unique performance attributes.  Our bookshelf speaker in particular is getting great feedback and will be on the cover of the October issue of hifi news and in an upcoming stereophile, I believe.

they men

@cbrunhaver: The sensitivity measurement Atkinson got was for the original iteration of the LFT-8, reviewed in Stereophile way back in 1993. In 2007 the original woofer and crossover were replaced with new ones (and renamed the LFT-8a), which raised the speakers sensitivity to it’s current 83dB spec. When the original tweeter was replaced with a new one, the speaker became the LFT-8b.

As other owners have found (as did Steve Guttenberg), while the LFT-8b has a rated sensitivity very close to that of Maggies, the ET’s require far less power than do Maggies (As I stated above, I have both). But the way to run the LFT-8 is bi-amped; when run that way the p-m panel itself is an 11 ohm load to the amp, and 50 watts is plenty for it alone. The woofer of the 8b can be powered by any ol’ amp, preferably a solid state one

By the way everyone, Steve Guttenberg recently reviewed another large planar-magnetic loudspeaker, made by the French company Diptyque. He likes it even more than the ET LFT-8b/c, but it costs far more, I believe four times the price of the LFT-8b.