How about a new Steinway?

[Mr. Widget]

Check out this teaser site for a new audio system being marketed by Steinway... I bet they sell a few of them at $150K full retail.

http://steinwaylyngdorf.com/


Widget

[Mr. Widget]

I have never heard of "famed" loudspeaker designer Peter Lyngdorf... I guess he is from across the pond. Any of you UK types familiar with his work?


Widget

[timc]

Indeed we are :)

He is behind the company TACT (now changed to Lyngdorf) They specialize in digital amps and room correction preamps. So he knows lot about acoustics.

The sound of his electronics is rather dull IMO. Not very good at transients. Sounds a bit flat. On the other hand it is very easy to listen to. You never get scared when they really hit them drums. Thats the way most scandinavians like the sound. Smooth and boring. Me on the other hand wouldn't touch it with a forklift.

BUT he knows what he's doing thats for sure. No G.T, or Arnie Nudell, but.

-Tim

Edit: Please don't be offended if you'r a Lyngdorf fan. My statement about their sonical qualities are purly my own. :)

[Steve Schell]

I receive a glossy magazine from Steinway & Sons every so often, and the last one profiled this new speaker system. There is also a Bosendorfer (Austrian piano company) speaker system that has been on the market for awhile. I see both of these as originating in the fertile brains of the marketing wizards, leveraging and eventually undermining the prestige of the brand in order to make a few high markup sales or collect the royalties.

Piano and loudspeaker design and manufacturing could hardly have less in common. It reminds me of the old Gary Larson cartoon of the tiny shack sitting at the bottom of a huge open pit. The sign read "Fred's Fill Dirt and Croissants."

I have noticed that the Steinway mag contains ads for other speaker manufacturers, ones I have barely or never heard of. It seems that some companies abandon traditional "high end" audio advertising channels and go directly to the publications that target wealthy folks in general, not just those who like audio in particular.

[timc]

It reminds me of the old Gary Larson cartoon of the tiny shack sitting at the bottom of a huge open pit. The sign read "Fred's Fill Dirt and Croissants."


:D

[Mr. Widget]

I have noticed that the Steinway mag contains ads for other speaker manufacturers, ones I have barely or never heard of. It seems that some companies abandon traditional "high end" audio advertising channels and go directly to the publications that target wealthy folks in general, not just those who like audio in particular....and why not. There are more millionaires than people dedicated to the reproduction of music in their homes. (carefully skirting the audiophile title that many here seem to loath :D) You know most of the wealthy are aware of the Steinway brand and virtually none of them know of the existence of the Everest II.


Widget

[timc]

Mr. Widget. I agree with you, and its their loss.........


Well...and JBL of course. They would probably love to sell thousands of Everests..

[Thom]

It seems in time everybody makes the decision to cash out on the name they have invested in or in some cases imposter's buy the name. Bosendorfer has already become a sub brand of another piano company and has economy priced pianos. Seems like a fall for what I have been lead to believe was the manufacturer of the largest and most expensive piano in the world. I think it had 96 keys or something like that.

[boputnam]

...he knows lot about acoustics.but...

The sound of his electronics is rather dull IMO. Not very good at transients. Sounds a bit flat. ... Smooth and boring. Great post. :yes:
:p

[timc]

Eh?.....sorry...didn't get the joke. If it was a joke.


-Tim

[rs237]

in Germany one says “Schuster bleib bei deinen Leisten”, which means about: Make which you learned.
The following photo is also only a Fake :D

regards juergen

[DavidF]

Can you get them in any other finish? Do they come with a piano for $150k?

DavidF

[Hoerninger]

Do they come with a piano for $150k?

:rotfl:
(Buy a speaker, get a piano for free!!!)
____________
Peter

[timc]

Can you get them in any other finish? Do they come with a piano for $150k?

DavidF


Yup. A JBL Piano :D

[John]

Well They do know something about cabinets and piano black application is the best out there. Dare I say better than Wilson??? :blah:

[Ian Mackenzie]

Well They do know something about cabinets and piano black application is the best out there. Dare I say better than Wilson??? :blah:

Wilson is well regarded in classical music circles.

I am not sure piano black has anything to do with it!

I guess some audio buffs enjoy looking at pretty boxes.

http://www.passlabs.com/reviews/poltun-xa160.pdf

http://www.passlabs.com/reviews/poltun-xa160-x600.pdf

[speakerdave]

. . . . It reminds me of the old Gary Larson cartoon of the tiny shack sitting at the bottom of a huge open pit. The sign read "Fred's Fill Dirt and Croissants" . . . .

Right, or "The Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company" in one of Bob Newhart's early routines.

David

[Mr. Widget]

I had the privilege of meeting Peter Lyngdorf and hearing three different systems of theirs last night. I was impressed!

Before I go any further I will post this disclaimer. At present I work for a firm that represents Steinway Lyngdorf. I have always attempted to post factual if not always unbiased thoughts regarding audio. I post this disclaimer not to suggest that the following is an advertisement for the line as I doubt there are many members who are in the market for these mega dollar systems, but rather to simply be upfront about that fact.

Now that the speech is over, I remember when I first stumbled across the Steinway speaker line I didn't give them the benefit of the doubt, quite the contrary I assumed the shiny boxes and glossy ads were simply selling a prestige product to the private jet set. To some extent they probably are, but they also make a damned good product!

All of their systems have air-motion transformer tweeters. Most of the designs are operating as dipole radiators with open backed mids on some and even open backed woofers on the Model D (the system shown at the beginning of this thread). All of their systems use dedicated electronics with a digital signal being fed directly to the amplifiers... but they have more than a few technological tricks up their sleeves that they are able to pull off being a completely closed system. (i.e. we are not talking simply a powerful DSP in an otherwise conventional system)

My Reviews:

The first system was the S-Series. A vey compact system. They demonstrated a 5 channel surround system with these speakers and two modest sized subs. The entire system including woofers and all electronics retails for $50K. It sounded great, and for $50K I would sure hope it did. :) It was dynamic as hell, capable of surprising SPLs, exceptionally neutral tonal balance, etc. They played music and some movie clips. For those of you who have heard the Open Range shootout at the all Everest theater at Northridge, this wasn't quite that... but the entire system costs less than a single pair of Everests and will fit in a small bedroom yet fill a moderate home theater. It was shockingly good for a speaker of any size... and these are 5 1/4" two-ways!!!! These are truly remarkable speakers.

The next system was the Model D, this is made up of two towers with open backed MTM systems centered between 4 open backed woofers. They are phenomenally good speakers... and at $228K as demo'd in Ferrari Red hand polished lacquer by the wood elves at the Steinway factory they better be. These speakers are a bit flashier than my taste runs, but the imaging, dynamic punch, effortlessness, accuracy, detail, etc., etc. is all there. I'd have to say they are about as good a presentation as any I've ever heard.

The last system I heard was the new LS Concert system. These are line arrays with a pile of open backed mid woofers and a line of air-motion tweeters that are about 8 feet tall. They are designed to go with a tall stack of 12" subs that go in the room corners... six twelves per side! I've heard big line arrays from the old Infinity IRS system to the newer offerings from Wisdom Audio and Genesis, they are all interesting, but none ever fully sold me on the concept. Well Damn! This system has all the wallop you could ever ask for, yet it is about as delicate, detailed and accurate as you could ever hope for. On top of that, the sweet spot was several people wide and this wasn't because it was diffuse and ambiguous. These speakers really knocked me out. I've never heard anything better, and possibly nothing ever this good. The bad... this system too was over $220K.

If you ever have an opportunity to audition any of these systems, I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity.


Widget

[4313B]

The bad... this system too was over $220K.Well hell... I bought this for a couple hundred bucks instead. The power and dynamics are simply stunning.

Of course they don't do requests and I have to be around other people who also like great music but I guess that's the difference between spending a couple hundred bucks and spending $220K. ;)

It's also fun keeping real musicians employed. :yes:

Then there is the depression that sets in having to go home and listen to recorded media on a several hundred thousand dollar system knowing that no matter how much money you throw at it it will always be a mere shadow of the real thing. :o:

[Mr. Widget]

Then there is the depression that sets in having to go home and listen to recorded media on a several hundred thousand dollar system knowing that no matter how much money you throw at it it will always be a mere shadow of the real thing. :o:I know what you mean, but I have to say that when I come home after an evening listening to live Jazz or the Symphony, lately my Everests haven't left me feeling that way at all... if the recording is true, the experience can be startlingly realistic and quite fulfilling.

Rock is... well, different. The power of a 50,000 watt JBL system in a large venue really doesn't translate into a smaller space... the experience at home can be exciting as hell, but it is a different experience entirely. As with any competent stereo, often times it is easier to hear the vocals and other details far more clearly at home, but it is simply a different experience.


Widget

[Titanium Dome]

I know what you mean, but I have to say that when I come home after an evening listening to live Jazz or the Symphony, lately my Everests haven't left me feeling that way at all... if the recording is true, the experience can be startlingly realistic and quite fulfilling.

Rock is... well, different. The power of a 50,000 watt JBL system in a large venue really doesn't translate into a smaller space... the experience at home can be exciting as hell, but it is a different experience entirely. As with any competent stereo, often times it is easier to hear the vocals and other details far more clearly at home, but it is simply a different experience.


Widget

We go to the Long Beach Symphony, to (rarely) the LA (too much hassle and too little for the money), to the Cerritos Center, to the orange County Performing Arts Center (like for the Cleveland Orchestra) and to an occasional bar band, and even more rarely a big-name gig like Roger Waters. So we love live music and are willing to pay for it.

But I gotta counterpoint that rock sounds better at home and it's better for you, and those are the important things that are different. I get really tired of over-driven amps through crappy speakers delivering noise with no intelligible music or lyrics to speak of from artists who should never leave the studio. And I'm really sick of drunk or stoned people leaning on me, breathing on me, puking on me, trying to burn holes in my clothes with cigarettes or joints, smelling their effing foul bodies, listening to their foul mouths, sharing their contact highs, feeling them try to grab my wallet, see them try to feel up my date--yeah, that doesn't translate into my home either. :eek: Thank goodness.

I'm not saying I'll never go to another rock concert, but if I do look for me in the headlines the next day. (There are no Steinway owners in this picture, except for one guy who said, "I shoulda stayed home and listened to the Steinways, dammit! :banghead: )

Sexagenarian Assaults 12 Concertgoers, Injuring Ten:
Senior then beaten to a pulp, stripped, and left for dead

[Robh3606]

But I gotta counterpoint that rock sounds better at home and it's better for you, and those are the important things that are different. I get really tired of over-driven amps through crappy speakers delivering noise with no intelligible music or lyrics to speak of from artists who should never leave the studio. And I'm really sick of drunk or stoned people leaning on me, breathing on me, puking on me, trying to burn holes in my clothes with cigarettes or joints, smelling their effing foul bodies, listening to their foul mouths, sharing their contact highs, feeling them try to grab my wallet, see them try to feel up my date--yeah, that doesn't translate into my home either. :eek: Thank goodness.

Wow you have some major bad luck at shows! I have been going for over 40 years never had someone try to pick pocket me, feel up my date, puke on me or lean on me. It's a crowd so you get what you get so yes there are some annoyances.

Sound systems well that's a mix some good some awful many mediocre. I agree many times it does sound better at home but it's not the same as having Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, Asia, the Moody Blues ,Yes or Zappa performing 50 ft in front of you. Just to name a few. I go for the live performance not the sonics and be damned any jerk in the crowd. That's never going to stop me from seeing a good band live.

Rob:)

[Jonis]

.....These speakers really knocked me out. I've never heard anything better, and possibly nothing ever this good.

Mr. Widget, coming from you, that's quite a statement. Your recommendation to audition these... would you know of any possibilities to hear these in the NYC area?

[Mr. Widget]

Mr. Widget, coming from you, that's quite a statement. Your recommendation to audition these... would you know of any possibilities to hear these in the NYC area?Here is their dealer locator (http://www.steinwaylyngdorf.com/dealer-locator-all-dealers/north-america)... there are a number in the NYC area... not sure who have any on display available for audition.



Widget

[richluvsound]

Wow you have some major bad luck at shows! I have been going for over 40 years never had someone try to pick pocket me, feel up my date, puke on me or lean on me. It's a crowd so you get what you get so yes there are some annoyances.

Sound systems well that's a mix some good some awful many mediocre. I agree many times it does sound better at home but it's not the same as having Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, Asia, the Moody Blues ,Yes or Zappa performing 50 ft in front of you. Just to name a few. I go for the live performance not the sonics and be damned any jerk in the crowd. That's never going to stop me from seeing a good band live.

Rob:)

David Bowie at the old Wembley stadium . Just memories now ,but fond ones ... Have a nice weekend folks !

[grumpy]

or "I didn't spend enough time in the office."

Cheers Rich.

[trueview]

may have said that if you went to see Great White or The Who...

[Titanium Dome]

may have said that if you went to see Great White or The Who...

"I went to one concert too many." However, technically probably not said on the death bed of the poor souls trampled or burned to death on the spot.