Wilson is well regarded in classical music circles.Originally Posted by John
Well They do know something about cabinets and piano black application is the best out there. Dare I say better than Wilson???
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
Right, or "The Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company" in one of Bob Newhart's early routines.
David
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
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.
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.
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.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.
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.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!)
Sexagenarian Assaults 12 Concertgoers, Injuring Ten:
Senior then beaten to a pulp, stripped, and left for dead
Out.
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.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.
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
"I could be arguing in my spare time"
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?
Control 25AV on the deck - L1 - L20t & L80t in piano black - 4312A - 4430
Here is their dealer locator... there are a number in the NYC area... not sure who have any on display available for audition.
Widget
David Bowie at the old Wembley stadium . Just memories now ,but fond ones ... Have a nice weekend folks !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
or "I didn't spend enough time in the office."
Cheers Rich.
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.
Out.
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