DCAudioDIY.com

A review of the Siegfried Linkwitz LX521 by Peter Azctel, (in)famous for his "10 bigest Lies in Audio" article.

LX521 Loudspeakers

-- Charles

_________________
"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

........

So, maybe I should tread lightly here, but I came to the site tonight and saw this thread started about a speaker review. Maybe it's just me, but the review reads just like any other completely subjective, glassy eyed view of a product (or design philosophy) the author seems enamored with. When I clicked on the "what they say about us" link, guess what? A glowing endorsement (of said critic) from the designer(s) of the speakers being evaluated.

Then I went to the link about the "10 biggest lies in audio", and I gotta say I think this guy is as indoctrinated as the reviewers he rails against. Personally, I hear differences between types of amplifiers. I've heard capacitors improve their sound quality with "burn in". I've heard a set of cables improve the quality of a system. And don't even get me started on ABX boxes (sorry Tom).

No disrespect meant toward the OP. I'm sure he (she) just sent a link he thought some of us would find interesting. I just thought, well........

Maybe someone else has an opinion?

Well, to paraphrase: There's lies, damned lies, and then there's Audio Reviews...! Woe be to anyone who puts their faith in them.

Peter Aczel has fashioned a long career out of controversy. In journalistic terms, he's alternately a crusader and a muckraker. IMHO, these are NOT bad things....they are a necessary part of a system that is intended to illuminate an unknown reality that is currently hiding somewhere in the darkness. I don't mind reading his work; I think he's a talented writer and his provocations often generate some lines of thought that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. But.....believe him? Nah. I gave up Audio Belief Systems for Lent!

None taken. FYI: I am male. [ I have never met a woman named, "Charles", but perhaps you come from a different part of the country, where this appelation is commonly given to (bearded?) women... ]

Perhaps a different track would be useful here: Namely, "the case of Joachim Gerhard":

Joachim Gerhard is a German loudspeaker designer: He makes the SONIC series, and was the founder of Audio-Physic. His "convetional" [ passive crossover/"boxed" acoustic suspension & ported] loudspeakers, are reported to compete well with the likes Wilson Audio and MAGICO loudspeakers -- see a sample here (the top-of-the-line Passion):



Note the Scan-speaker R2904/700000 tweeter, and the VISATON AL130 mid's -- the individual driver boxes, which use constrained-layer-damping.

Here is the freq response of the Allegra, two steps down from the Passion:



Opinion: I posit that Jochim is a competent loudspeaker designer.

Now read what Joachim wrote when he encountered the LX521:

Quote from >here<

Recently i visited Siegfried Linkwitz and heard his LX521.
I was positively shocked about the sound quality and the progress he made since my last visit when i heard the final version of the Orion.
I like the Orion, no question. I even build a pair for my friend.
The Orion is neutral balanced and throws a nice soundfield.
What it lacked for my ear is what i call drahma. It is more a polite speaker, never agressive and very clean. The aural attention is more in a wide cut midrange. At the edges of the spectrum, high up and deep down i would wish for more extention and definition. Transients come a bit slow so there could be more resolution and snap. This is more a speaker that does well what it can do well. It is all about avoiding glaring mistakes at the price of ommitting some of the details. Nuff said, the Orion has it´s time and place.
Nothing prepared me for what Siegfried had in stock.
The LX521 fullfills all my wishes and some...
The sound is now totally free from the speakers. I could not hear sound comming from the baffles, even in close miked pans. That is really unusual and welcome. They totally " disappear ". OK; this has being said many times in reviews, for example in Michael Fremers Review in the 90th of my original Virgos and it is true. I can only tell you that they even " disappear " more then i have heard before in a dynamic speaker. Another feature is also at work here that gives the illusion of the speakers not present : there is absolutely no preasure on the ears.

So, yes -- I wanted to shared with this group that there exists a very fine DIY loudspeaker out there.

If curious, small groups of two or three people are welcome to hear my pair LX521, in case you want to ascertain if I am "blowing smoke" (up a bearded women's skirt, named Charles (?)). I live in Annapolis.

My own "review" of the >LX521<


-- Charles

_________________
"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Charles,

I had no idea you owned a pair of these speakers. I simply thought you were sharing a link to a review. My commentary was purely directed at the reviewer, not the product being reviewed. I live in Annapolis, and would love to come hear your system. No offense intended.

Jim

Hi Jim:

You are more than welcome to come over -- shoot me an email -- c p o r t @ r a w b w . c o m

-- Charles

_________________
"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities."
Ralph Waldo Emerson