Pardon me for creating a mint-new account for this, but I'm not much of a forum user. I think I'm in the right place with this particular request, however.
I have purchased construction plans for the late Linkwitz's flagship speaker design, the LX521.4. I'm sure many of you know about this speaker, or indeed may know someone who has built a set for themselves. I would like to build one, but the expense for me is quite steep, so I would like to try before I buy, in a sense.
Might any owners of this speaker be willing to share the fruits of their labor with me, and indulge me in a demo? I am in Los Angeles and looking preferably for someone close to me, even more preferably for someone with a turntable capable of playback through the speakers. If I can't find such a right person within proximity, I would be willing to make a little trip out to you. I can offer you money or a vinyl record in exchange for your time, and would abide by whatever COVID protocols you think necessary (within reason); I am vaccinated. I can email you a scan of my driver's license to ensure safety.
It used to be that one could go to Mr. Linkwitz's home and demo his personal set of speakers, but no more, for obvious reasons. For better or worse, this makes y'all who have built these speakers their new ambassadors, and I hope I can meet one or several of you soon.
I have purchased construction plans for the late Linkwitz's flagship speaker design, the LX521.4. I'm sure many of you know about this speaker, or indeed may know someone who has built a set for themselves. I would like to build one, but the expense for me is quite steep, so I would like to try before I buy, in a sense.
Might any owners of this speaker be willing to share the fruits of their labor with me, and indulge me in a demo? I am in Los Angeles and looking preferably for someone close to me, even more preferably for someone with a turntable capable of playback through the speakers. If I can't find such a right person within proximity, I would be willing to make a little trip out to you. I can offer you money or a vinyl record in exchange for your time, and would abide by whatever COVID protocols you think necessary (within reason); I am vaccinated. I can email you a scan of my driver's license to ensure safety.
It used to be that one could go to Mr. Linkwitz's home and demo his personal set of speakers, but no more, for obvious reasons. For better or worse, this makes y'all who have built these speakers their new ambassadors, and I hope I can meet one or several of you soon.
I'm sure someone will offer.
In the meantime:
What kind space do you have available?
Will you be able to provide a few feet behind the speaker?
Listening distance?
Spl expectations?
In the meantime:
What kind space do you have available?
Will you be able to provide a few feet behind the speaker?
Listening distance?
Spl expectations?
Hi Ernie - I have posted a similar post on another thread and been referred to the OPLUG group, which is one I had come across a while ago but forgotten about. I'm sure someone there will be able to help me.
If you must know, my space is quite irregular, hence my interest in OB designs. A quarter of my hosting space walls are actually glass, and trapezoidally shaped. I am trying to come as close to a continuous 100dB-105dB sound over hours as I can without hurting the ears. I also would like to be able to maintain this fidelity while hosting about 50 people in a 20'x60' space. Because of the kind of music I play, I anticipate I will also need a sub driven by horns, but I've yet to find one that isn't custom built which I think will address my needs. Most American products I've heard are too obsessed with rumbling out bass SPL output. I also might be experimenting with a quad LX521 design in order to achieve the effect I am looking for, although I worry that the coding of the DSP would have to change.
Cheers.
If you must know, my space is quite irregular, hence my interest in OB designs. A quarter of my hosting space walls are actually glass, and trapezoidally shaped. I am trying to come as close to a continuous 100dB-105dB sound over hours as I can without hurting the ears. I also would like to be able to maintain this fidelity while hosting about 50 people in a 20'x60' space. Because of the kind of music I play, I anticipate I will also need a sub driven by horns, but I've yet to find one that isn't custom built which I think will address my needs. Most American products I've heard are too obsessed with rumbling out bass SPL output. I also might be experimenting with a quad LX521 design in order to achieve the effect I am looking for, although I worry that the coding of the DSP would have to change.
Cheers.
This is a nice design but it might not be right for that room.
Clean spl (even with dedicated subs) will be limited. Especially if there's any alcohol involved.
My main listening room is about the same size. Prosound components in boxes or open baffle/H baffle get the job done every time.
Line arrays are the only time I got sufficient headroom with hifi components. With the exception of the Bliesma T34.
I would be tempted just to get some high quality prosound two-ways on sticks over subs.
Clean spl (even with dedicated subs) will be limited. Especially if there's any alcohol involved.
My main listening room is about the same size. Prosound components in boxes or open baffle/H baffle get the job done every time.
Line arrays are the only time I got sufficient headroom with hifi components. With the exception of the Bliesma T34.
I would be tempted just to get some high quality prosound two-ways on sticks over subs.
I don't necessarily disagree! I think about this a lot, actually. Which is why I want to hear an OB design in person. I would just walk in to any Magnepan dealer and check out those, but those seem to be quite different beasts from the Linkwitz, which might be more generous in the mid-bass.
The thing with the Taguchi system that I would venture is unusual, if not unique, is that the drivers have a flat design. Even the subs. This reduces standing waves quite a lot. The effect is really hard to overstate: it is like every transient is comfortably conveyed to you without shouting. I was able to hold a conversation on the dancefloor, and never felt a lack of bass.
I have heard a fair number of PA systems like the one you recommend at this point in my life. Nice ones, fickle ones (Funktion One, e.g.). Honestly -- perhaps it's just lack of proper tuning and bad EQ, or something -- but they usually sound like garbage to me. I can walk into a room with my eyes closed and tell you it's a PA system, if you could hear me yelling over it.
Yesterday I demo'd a high-end PA brand that I won't name (the guy who runs it patrols forums and replies to stuff people post in a way I find irritating), and the employee demo'ing the stuff to me, bless his heart, just had no idea what good sound was. Granted, that is poor training, I guess, and I didn't have the courage to neg his employer or him to his face, but if his judgement is -- and I can assure you, as far as American products go, it is -- part of the vanguard of the preeminent brands we have available here in the Western Hemi, then I think we still have a long way to go.
Billowy, over-big, over-masculine bass is what I am trying to avoid, but at PA scale. The trouble is that American music tastes in 'loud'/club music have been so stormed by dubstep and its particular playback demands since the late 00s that we've essentially evolved here away from tasteful sound reproduction. And like many people in America at the moment, I'm pretty tied down. So just trying to work with what I got.
The thing with the Taguchi system that I would venture is unusual, if not unique, is that the drivers have a flat design. Even the subs. This reduces standing waves quite a lot. The effect is really hard to overstate: it is like every transient is comfortably conveyed to you without shouting. I was able to hold a conversation on the dancefloor, and never felt a lack of bass.
I have heard a fair number of PA systems like the one you recommend at this point in my life. Nice ones, fickle ones (Funktion One, e.g.). Honestly -- perhaps it's just lack of proper tuning and bad EQ, or something -- but they usually sound like garbage to me. I can walk into a room with my eyes closed and tell you it's a PA system, if you could hear me yelling over it.
Yesterday I demo'd a high-end PA brand that I won't name (the guy who runs it patrols forums and replies to stuff people post in a way I find irritating), and the employee demo'ing the stuff to me, bless his heart, just had no idea what good sound was. Granted, that is poor training, I guess, and I didn't have the courage to neg his employer or him to his face, but if his judgement is -- and I can assure you, as far as American products go, it is -- part of the vanguard of the preeminent brands we have available here in the Western Hemi, then I think we still have a long way to go.
Billowy, over-big, over-masculine bass is what I am trying to avoid, but at PA scale. The trouble is that American music tastes in 'loud'/club music have been so stormed by dubstep and its particular playback demands since the late 00s that we've essentially evolved here away from tasteful sound reproduction. And like many people in America at the moment, I'm pretty tied down. So just trying to work with what I got.
Right now, for what it is worth, when I throw a party I run Klipsch La Scala IIs with some RF2s as satellites. The sound profile is different from LX521 territory, yes, I imagine, but consonant. IIRC, it was the LS (or Klipsch horns more generally) that Linkwitz was initially inspired by.
Looking at these Bliesma tweeters now. Very interesting. Thanks for putting me onto them.
If you have any pro OB designs you've used and liked, I'm curious to know.
Looking at these Bliesma tweeters now. Very interesting. Thanks for putting me onto them.
If you have any pro OB designs you've used and liked, I'm curious to know.
There is a world of difference(polar opposites) between the dynamic capabilities of the La Scala's and the LX521...I'll be curious of your impressions when you get to test them.
I heard one Danley install and wasn't too impressed. Tuning was probably the main issue as it is with most systems.
Do you have a pic of the Taguchi system?
My OB system was 18's in deep H baffles, suspended 15" drivers and suspended 12" coaxials. Tuned with ARTA and Holm for semi-linear phase response.
It really does take careful tuning to get the best out of a system. Especially a high sensitivity one. Directivity plays a big part as well. Many systems are pushed too hard to get any resemblance of high fidelity.
The best sound I've heard in lounges and clubs was from professionally setup distributed speakers. Never too loud, always in the sweet spot.
I heard one Danley install and wasn't too impressed. Tuning was probably the main issue as it is with most systems.
Do you have a pic of the Taguchi system?
My OB system was 18's in deep H baffles, suspended 15" drivers and suspended 12" coaxials. Tuned with ARTA and Holm for semi-linear phase response.
It really does take careful tuning to get the best out of a system. Especially a high sensitivity one. Directivity plays a big part as well. Many systems are pushed too hard to get any resemblance of high fidelity.
The best sound I've heard in lounges and clubs was from professionally setup distributed speakers. Never too loud, always in the sweet spot.
A measurement mic, measurement software (REW, Arta), and knowledge of what you're looking at is key to getting a balanced sound.
Active speakers do a lot of the work for you but in room tuning is still required. Especially bass.
Active speakers do a lot of the work for you but in room tuning is still required. Especially bass.
Definitely, they are, in a way, polar opposites. What I believe -- but will confirm, or not -- is that they share a sense of broad soundstage and are forgiving w/r/t rooms, relatively. Given my space, this is definitely an appeal for me. I would like to become versed in tuning software but feel like I am due to apprentice someone before attempting myself.
SOUND SYSTEM | VENT the pics are not the most informative but you get the basic idea. Line array and good room.
And I agree about systems being pushed too hard. Not enough drivers for the job and techs being forced to make calls on the fly that should take weeks to dial in.
SOUND SYSTEM | VENT the pics are not the most informative but you get the basic idea. Line array and good room.
And I agree about systems being pushed too hard. Not enough drivers for the job and techs being forced to make calls on the fly that should take weeks to dial in.
