Speakers more tuneful than Linn

We use the Tune Method to evaluate performance

Moderator: Staff

matthias
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2092
Joined: 2007-12-25 16:47
Location: Germany

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by matthias »

Spannko wrote: 2023-02-23 20:46 Most people on this forum are struggling to find a speaker designed within the last 25 years which deserve house room
I found one :-)
Matt

MBP / Exposure pre + power (both modified) / JBL3677
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Spannko »

matthias wrote: 2023-02-25 11:42
Spannko wrote: 2023-02-23 20:46 Most people on this forum are struggling to find a speaker designed within the last 25 years which deserve house room
I found one :-)
The 3677?
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by ThomasOK »

matthias wrote: 2023-02-25 11:42
Spannko wrote: 2023-02-23 20:46 Most people on this forum are struggling to find a speaker designed within the last 25 years which deserve house room
I found one :-)
I suppose that's true. But it isn't exactly what you would call a modern design. ;-)

But then LSR308s certainly are a modern design. There is an exception to every rule.

I do find it interesting that the vintage speakers many people here and elsewhere still love tend to feature either bextrene or paper cones. Gives you pause for thought.
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
matthias
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2092
Joined: 2007-12-25 16:47
Location: Germany

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by matthias »

Spannko wrote: 2023-02-25 17:53 The 3677?
Yes
Matt

MBP / Exposure pre + power (both modified) / JBL3677
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Spannko »

ThomasOK wrote: 2023-02-25 18:01 I do find it interesting that the vintage speakers many people here and elsewhere still love tend to feature either bextrene or paper cones. Gives you pause for thought.
That’s an interesting observation Thomas. Of the about 8 bass units I’ve evaluated so far, the equal top two have had paper and bextrene cones. However, the worst bass unit also had a paper cone, which spoils the story somewhat!
User avatar
ThomasOK
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4358
Joined: 2007-02-02 18:41
Location: United States
Contact:

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by ThomasOK »

Spannko wrote: 2023-02-25 23:14
ThomasOK wrote: 2023-02-25 18:01 I do find it interesting that the vintage speakers many people here and elsewhere still love tend to feature either bextrene or paper cones. Gives you pause for thought.
That’s an interesting observation Thomas. Of the about 8 bass units I’ve evaluated so far, the equal top two have had paper and bextrene cones. However, the worst bass unit also had a paper cone, which spoils the story somewhat!
That is interesting. Just because a material is good doesn't mean you can't make something bad with it!

The same goes for drivers. There were many, many speakers that were made using KEF bextrene bass and mid drivers, and the laminated styrofoam B139s, but they weren't all capable of the kind of musical quality the Isobariks and Kans were.
The LP12 Whisperer
Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer and above all lover of music.
User avatar
Hermann
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 616
Joined: 2018-05-13 06:52
Location: Ruhrgebiet

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Hermann »

I'll sign it right away. Especially some transmission line constructions with the B139 sounded horrible, like the IMF reference standard.
Trust your ears
Fred11
Active member
Active member
Posts: 134
Joined: 2019-07-10 08:03

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Fred11 »

I am in the Lejonklou-Jern Club. I just got Kan-stands to my Jern 12WS and switched the spikes for some matching pads under the stands (sounds strange, probably, but much better music) and sounds amazing now. I think Efraim Roots found the 12ws more musical than 109. I think it is described here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5990&p=66080&hilit=Jern#p66080
F
Efraim roots
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 312
Joined: 2009-10-23 01:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Efraim roots »

Yes Fred! I rate JERN 12WS highly, especially with Lejonklou electronics. I had 109's long time ago and they are really great, it's so very difficult finding a more musical speaker than them. I think that Linn Kan and Naim IBL has some absolute strenghts which made me use those instead (with my naim amps), but it was also because I already owned the 109's it didn't feel right to go back to them, I rather to wait for something that was better than both options. First I got Klångedang T1, the original version with external hard wired serial filter, but shortly after heard JERN 12WS and I just had to get the JERNS. I think both of the latter speakers are a level up from Majik 109s.

It's interesting how certain speakers match better or worse with different amps though. I'm not strongly into this idea but along the way it has become very obvious sometimes. I really think Boazu + JERN 12WS is a great combo. Just like naim amps and linn kans, you usually don't see Linn guys holding one to old kans, which I think because they still sound wicked good on naim amps. Right now I listen to my first ever Royd speakers! Model is Coniston and they were always used with a Rational Audio Aura amplifier. The marriage between the amp and these speakers are real! It really amazes me for a few days now, they are magical together, very pure! When I tried it, the aura amp doesn't sound all that with JERN speakers, and the Royd speakers doesn't sound all that with Boazu. Regardless this is two very, very good vintage hifi pieces. Royd makes me happy, they have great bass and built to such beutiful precision and attention to detail. What to you guys think of Royd, and Royd Coniston?
the players of instruments shall be there..
matthias
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2092
Joined: 2007-12-25 16:47
Location: Germany

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by matthias »

Any experiences with the new Klangedang Jore speakers?

https://www.klangedang.com/jore.html

Thx
Matt

MBP / Exposure pre + power (both modified) / JBL3677
jewa
Active Member
Active Member
Posts: 89
Joined: 2007-01-31 18:57

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by jewa »

I have only heard them with room correction and only compared to klangedang dingle, both were excellent. But would need to make further comparisons to make a recommendation. But both speakers were very impressive!

I'm not a huge fan of room correction and would assume that I would like them even more without. But it is an bit of a win some, loose some situation. I think I am used to room issues interacting with the speakers and feel that something of the drive in the music is lacking when the room issues is compensated digitally.
Efraim roots
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 312
Joined: 2009-10-23 01:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Efraim roots »

Thanks jewa for the little insight in Tonlägets own speakers. I think my new (but old) Royd Coniston (also sold by tonläget back in the days) is also made out of plywood? Maybe there is something good about that choice of material. I remember another speaker builder in town which used to have models in both mdf and their special glued plywood boards , they claim that they always sold speakers after demonstration and that they almost never sold any MDF ones.
the players of instruments shall be there..
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Spannko »

I believe the Coniston’s (and A7’s) were made out of vinyl covered chipboard and the Coniston R’s wood veneered chipboard.
Efraim roots
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 312
Joined: 2009-10-23 01:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Efraim roots »

Ah, of course, mine are Coniston R in black ash veneer. I just noticed they were lightweight. Their bass reflex system seems to work incredibly well in my room. Kans sounded very intense but also brashy in comparison to Royd with the rational audio 'aura' Z1 amp , Anyone know of a better pair of stands than Kan II stands for a pair of Coniston R's? They don't need to get as close to back wall as Kans so maybe there is stand even more optimal. What are the Lejonklou forum members experience and opinion in general regarding Royd speakers?
the players of instruments shall be there..
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Spannko »

A7’s: The most musical of all the bargain basement speakers. They could be good fun (for the money) but quite unrefined.
Coniston’s: more of the same ie more musical and more refined than A7’s
Coniston R’s: More of the same ie more musical and more refined than Conistons.
Eden’s: A bit disappointing. They were a similar 7 litre speaker to the A7’s, Coniston’s and Coniston R’s but with steel sheet lined walls and an upgraded bass unit. They were the most refined but the least musical of the 7 litre speakers.
Abbot’s: A larger floor stander which was probably the least musical in the whole range.

The best were the Coniston R’s and although they weren’t as musical as Kan’s, they were the next best thing.

Update: I’ve just brought in a pair of Coniston R’s from the shed (where I use them with an old Nad tuner and Creek amp), plugged them into Källa and Boazu, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised! They still sound pretty good, and way better than they do in the shed. Even though I really don’t think they were as good as Kan 1’s, they’re still a great speaker, and probably better than 95% of speakers ever made. Just in terms of pure musicality, I’d put a tenner on them being better than the new Linn flagships 😳
Efraim roots
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 312
Joined: 2009-10-23 01:37
Location: Sweden

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Efraim roots »

Thank you so much for your take on Royds! So nice to hear you also listen to them :)
the players of instruments shall be there..
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Spannko »

You’re welcome! The Coniston R’s I’ve got sound very musical in the mids/highs, but the bass isn’t great (but still better than 95%+ of modern speakers!). Half of the problem is possibly related to the external foam rings on the bass port having fallen apart after 35 years! However, “back in the day”, Kan bass was always better, if not quite so fulsome.
Rutger
Active Member
Active Member
Posts: 66
Joined: 2007-03-03 07:42

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Rutger »

The Sibelius from Pearl acoustics is a very tuneful speaker .
Cant play very loud though.

http://audiophilemusings.blogspot.com/2 ... 7.html?m=1
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Spannko »

Here’s a typical example of what they sound like.

https://youtu.be/YFp3DR4Wong
tokenbrit
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2038
Joined: 2012-03-22 19:47
Location: New England

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by tokenbrit »

Apparently that’s “an excellent track for auditioning soundstage width and depth” … (a)musing that there are those that go for that rather than listening to the music* :shrug:

* didn’t hear much here, but that may not be the fault of the speakers :?
Spannko
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 2292
Joined: 2008-01-24 21:46
Location: North East of The Black Country, UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Spannko »

Here’s another example of the Sibelius’ musicality. https://youtu.be/WRMEmWaFc58 Pulsating bass units seem to be very much in fashion these days.
User avatar
lejonklou
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6522
Joined: 2007-01-30 10:38
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by lejonklou »

Boring clips that don’t make me curious.

I am however curious about Rutger’s experience with these speakers. Do you own a pair or where did you hear them? Please share your impressions (assuming the Audiophile Musings weren’t written by you)!
Music at Home
Active member
Active member
Posts: 120
Joined: 2008-10-09 16:10

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Music at Home »

It’s been a while since I posted here but I do drop in from time to time. If anyone is interested in my nomination for a speaker more musical than Linn then it would be the modern day Rega Kyte (not the vintage iteration, I’ve not heard that one). They remind me very much of the musicality of Linn Kan I’s (although nothing can out-Kan a Kan) and with as much confidence that time allows I can comfortably state that I personally prefer these to Majik 109’s. I’m hoping to have a listen to Rega’s new AYA floorstanding speaker when I get a convenient opportunity. The material choices look intriguing and if they have all the musicality of the Kytes but with a little more low-frequency extension then they’ll have a winner.

Just as an aside, I was reading an interesting forum article recently which posed and attempted to answer the question can a standmount speaker with subs sound the same as a floorstanding speaker if they both measure the same? The comparison was KEF LS50’s plus a pair of 15” subs vs JBL 4722’s (dual 15” drivers per speaker, with compression driver tweeters). The article came with subjective impressions, measurements and binaural in-room recordings. I listened to the LS50’s with and without subs and thought in both instances they sounded stiff, congested and boring but was willing to put much of that down to the recording. Then I listened to the JBL’s and couldn’t help but notice how much more freedom, ease and enjoyability they had, despite being fed via Audiolens room correction.

The 4722’s are huge though, I’d never be able to accommodate them. Even the much revered 3677’s would be too big here unfortunately, but I really get the attraction.
Charlie1
Very active member
Very active member
Posts: 4831
Joined: 2007-12-11 00:30
Location: UK

Re: Speakers more tuneful than Linn

Post by Charlie1 »

Thanks for the tip M@H and nice to hear from you.

I too am keen to hear the new Rega floor stander.
Post Reply