Lowther Fidelios in Walnut veneer finish

[Oldpinkman]

A first toe in the water for selling on this forum. My wife has laid down the law, and I have to start de-stocking. Sadly, the Lowthers are the first to go. These are a modern Lowther design (it is a current production model)

More information on the Lowther site http://www.lowtherloudspeakers.com/fid-acad.html

I planned to make a pair as part of a nostalgia trip (Lowthers Acoustas were the first "proper" HiFi I heard in a shop, and we had a pair at the Pink Triangle factory in Sidcup). The quote for building the cabinets from Lowther plans was an estimate of £2000. This pair were advertised with Audio Nirvana drivers fitted for £600. They are a lovely pair of cabinets - the cabinets themselves well made (the original fitting out was pretty naff). There is a bit of mdf "blister" at the very bottom of the cabinets, but honestly, the main impression is of lovely bits of furniture.

Lowthers are used grills on, because the very very powerful magnets attract debris which degrades the drivers. There are also serious health warnings about the powerful magnets. In particular you should not handle the drivers or come within 60cm of them if you have a pacemaker fitted,

I have left these on permanently. Lowther recommend that the drivers should be warmed up before use by powering up without a music signal for at least 5 minutes

I replaced the Audio Nirvana drivers with Lowther EX3's . These are the superior driver to the EX2 which is fitted in the standard factory production model (which retails for £4710 inc VAT in walnut finish on Lowthers web site). Lowther offer an exchange facility on drive units. The drivers have approximately 200 and 50 hours each (one was replaced recently under the exchange scheme). Lowther consider they need 50 hours run in time to "sweeten" so this pair are only just about run in. Current price of EX2 drivers is £378 each. EX3's are £498 each (yes nearly £1000 a pair for the drivers)

Lowthers (horns) tend to be love em or hate em speakers. Perhaps I am strange in loving them, and also loving electrostatics. Their qualities derive from the sensitivity, control and lack of electronic crossover - it is a full range 8 inch unit. These are lovely in my mains set up, but also spookily good with a nad 3020 in the kitchen. They are loud - really loud at quarter volume setting on the NAD - with the audio muting button pressed in!!!!

Audition at my home near Maidstone in Kent is recommended. For sale on a collection only basis from Kent for now, although I guess it would be possible to ship them. They weigh close to 50Kg each. Enough for now - happy to answer questions. Looking for £750 (yes 75% of the current retail of the drivers only, less than 50% of the build cost of the cabinets!)

http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t582/oldpinkman/DSC_1998_zpse14ffe4b.jpg (http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/oldpinkman/media/DSC_1998_zpse14ffe4b.jpg.html)


http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t582/oldpinkman/DSC_1996_zps8fb0a3a4.jpg (http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/oldpinkman/media/DSC_1996_zps8fb0a3a4.jpg.html)


http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t582/oldpinkman/DSC_1997_zps75ffaa50.jpg (http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/oldpinkman/media/DSC_1997_zps75ffaa50.jpg.html)

A couple of pics of dealing with the original drivers and their shoddy installation (self tappers instead of captive nuts in MDF and wires "hooked through" the connectors. These issues have been addressed - the EX3's are fitted with allen bolts into captive nuts with a foam cabinet seal, and the speaker wires are soldered at the inputs and fitted with 4mm bananas at the drivers)

http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t582/oldpinkman/DSC_1869_zps6938d4fe.jpg (http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/oldpinkman/media/DSC_1869_zps6938d4fe.jpg.html)

http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t582/oldpinkman/DSC_1868_zps4ff43780.jpg (http://s1315.photobucket.com/user/oldpinkman/media/DSC_1868_zps4ff43780.jpg.html)

[synsei]

Wow they are lovely looking speakers Richard and an absolute steal for 750 quid, good luck with the sale dude ;)

[Oldpinkman]

Thanks Dave. Yes - its a lot of speaker for the money. It takes me back to the days before Linn dominated when a good pair of speakers was at the forefront of a decent system. They would particularly suit someone using valve amps, especially SET's because they are SOOO sensitive. The NAD 3020 has a set of leds that light to indicate the watts being delivered. I'm not sure how reliable they are - but they flash like a Christmas tree on the mission 70's or JBL's, and yet not even the 1watt light comes on with the Lowthers

Never mind SET's - most transistor amps are probably operating in pure class A whilst driving them.

I wish I had room for them but SWMBO is putting her foot down :(

[struth]

You won't find a better buy in any site. Shame you have to sell em!

[synsei]

If I had the cash to spare I'd grab them in a heartbeat, I bet my Amptastic mini-T would be in its element driving those, ever tried one with them?

[Oldpinkman]

Nope. If I hadn't got a gun to my head I was going to try them with a valve amp, but so far just the Quad 405 and the Nad 3020.

[synsei]

They're not exactly easy to hide in a cupboard either, are they? :lol:

Anyway I will bow out now seeing as this is a sales thread. Good luck sir ;)

[Oldpinkman]

Bump

I have been reminded that these speakers voted for independence from Pinkie rule recently, and my wife is accusing me of vote rigging since they are still here. I've assured her that if there is any corruption or shenanigans of any sort she can rely on Marco being on the case, but her reply was unprintable.

Hurry up and buy them and save my marriage :eek:

[Oldpinkman]

Bump

Just gone on ebay for £895 but still £750 to AOS members. Hopefully they will attract the attention of a valve / horn fan. I stuck them in for another listen on the proper system (they have been doing duty as kitchen speakers, although I am coming under heavy pressure to revert to the bookshelves behind the curtains). They are a lovely speaker. Very different presentation from the Quads, but not necessarily wrong. The lack of crossover distortion in the critical mid-band, and the complete absence of clipping make for a very natural "live" sound which I could easily live with. :cool:

[Sovereign]

If it helps the sale, I also live in Maidstone where these speakers are and I'm driving to Heathrow towards the end of next week, where I can deliver the speakers anywhere on route if that helps.

[Oldpinkman]

Thanks James. You're a gent. Although., unless already very familiar with the speaker I would expect a buyer to want to hear them. Gonna have to be cd - the pink triangle is in bits.

[Oldpinkman]

Sold

[synsei]

YAY!!! \o/ :cool:

[Sovereign]

Great!

[Oldpinkman]

Thank you gents. I know its not fashionable on here to like ebay any more than KEF speakers but what a delightful gent just collected the speakers and paid cash. Suitably appreciative of their fine sound, and taking them home to one of those strange devices with electricity running through bottles, to which they are clearly admirably suited. It's a real pleasure doing business with people like that.

James - we must link up sometime
:cool:

[Sovereign]

Yes mate, where in Maidstone are you, in fact come round tonight, the wine and music is flowing !

[Oldpinkman]

Yalding. Still cowering from the sonic boom. Thought I'd blown something up again. We'll sort something. I think you said you were in loose. 5 minutes away. ;)

[Sovereign]

Yes just up the hill. Would be great to meet. I don't think there are many of us audio nuts around here.