Loving My New LV Auditoriums

[Ninanina]

Having recently added a pair of Living Voice Auditoriums to my system I am really loving them

They might well be my 'final' pair of speakers

They do so much right and now I have added a proper plinth under them they really do sing

They seem quite at home with the 300b amp but I have not yet tried them with the Oto

They were certainly not the most expensive bit of hifi I have ever purchased by a long way but I love them to bits at the moment

Have I really found THE speakers for my system? maybe ... just maybe...;)

[brian2957]

Having recently added a pair of Living Voice Auditoriums to my system I am really loving them

They might well be my 'final' pair of speakers

They do so much right and now I have added a proper plinth under them they really do sing

They seem quite at home with the 300b amp but I have not yet tried them with the Oto

They were certainly not the most expensive bit of hifi I have ever purchased by a long way but I love them to bits at the moment

Have I really found THE speakers for my system? maybe ... just maybe...;)

Love to see a picture of these please .

[Ninanina]

Love to see a picture of these please .

Hi Brian
These are the LV's.... not great pictures but will give you an idea I guess:
http://i.imgur.com/zeCbw25.jpg (http://imgur.com/zeCbw25)
http://i.imgur.com/6X8uRqQ.jpg (http://imgur.com/6X8uRqQ)
http://i.imgur.com/5L6hGw5.jpg (http://imgur.com/5L6hGw5)
http://i.imgur.com/C5uAMAc.jpg (http://imgur.com/C5uAMAc)
http://i.imgur.com/QzEIjsm.jpg (http://imgur.com/QzEIjsm)

[Ninanina]

And their new plinths..

http://i.imgur.com/sbIWsJQ.jpg (http://imgur.com/sbIWsJQ)
http://i.imgur.com/y4iqnhl.jpg (http://imgur.com/y4iqnhl)

[Ninanina]

Not pretty but very heavy and they do the job very well... ;)

I will probably paint them a nice shade of something... :)

[Audio Al]

Have I really found THE speakers for my system? maybe ... just maybe...


Nope :lol:

[brian2957]

Very nice :)

[Lawrence001]

Everything I've read about these make me think they could be my final speakers too but I haven't found the right pair too, anyone got a pair of IBX they are thinking of selling??

Can I make one suggestion I tried and I couldn't believe it. Try the plinth sitting on top (with a felt sheet or something underneath to protect the veneer). The tightening up across the frequency range was amazing with my Wharfedales. Of course its not a permanent solution just a suggestion of what they can sound like. It might just work with speakers with poor cabinets but I'd be interested to know what you find.

Sent from my NEM-L51 using Tapatalk

[petrat]

Have I really found THE speakers for my system? maybe ... just maybe...


Nope :lol:

Actually, I know quite a few people who have stopped box-swapping after getting LVs. If they gel with the room, they are pretty convincing. OTOH, there are always the 'better' LVs to be sampled :eyebrows:

[nthall]

Those look like they could get heavy if you're in the mood for some metal.

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[Bonky]

So glad you like them Bev, as I said before, I have the IBX-R2s, and I think they'll be my final speaker too (I do have others (Q Acoustics in another room). I find them very smooth and well-behaved. Some may say a bit too 'polite'. I find them revealing, but at high volumes I do find there's bit of bass boom - some of this is because they are on wooden floorboards with a metre of air space underneath . Have you played with their position? With rear- facing ports they shouldn't be put in the corners of rooms and some US website recommended that they should be set 40 inches from the wall - a bit difficult in my case.

I also find - like so many other speakers - that the tweeter is very directional and for best results one's ears must be in-line (or slightly off-axis) with the tweeters. The tweeters are off-set from the mid-line of the box as you know; the tweeters should be on the 'inside'.

The owner of LV recommends some very esoteric Kondo cable and valve amps - but also Class A amps such as the Sugden range. My Quad 306s seem to drive them fine (they are Class A before the 'current-dumping stage' takes over.)

So glad you like them. Do you find speaker cables make a difference?

BW

R

[Ninanina]

Actually, I know quite a few people who have stopped box-swapping after getting LVs. If they gel with the room, they are pretty convincing. OTOH, there are always the 'better' LVs to be sampled :eyebrows:

I think Al is pretty much against anything I add to my system but that's fine by me as it's my system and my ears and we are all different :D

They certainly do seem to gel in my room Peter and I can't see me wanting to do any more box-swapping at the moment.... but as you say there are better LV's to be sampled which I might do after a while, but quite a while I reckon before I do so :)

[walpurgis]

Keep an eye on the carpet under the slabs Bev. The slabs will definitely have some residual moisture in them and that can rot organic materials.

[Ninanina]

So glad you like them Bev, as I said before, I have the IBX-R2s, and I think they'll be my final speaker too (I do have others (Q Acoustics in another room). I find them very smooth and well-behaved. Some may say a bit too 'polite'. I find them revealing, but at high volumes I do find there's bit of bass boom - some of this is because they are on wooden floorboards with a metre of air space underneath . Have you played with their position? With rear- facing ports they shouldn't be put in the corners of rooms and some US website recommended that they should be set 40 inches from the wall - a bit difficult in my case.

I also find - like so many other speakers - that the tweeter is very directional and for best results one's ears must be in-line (or slightly off-axis) with the tweeters. The tweeters are off-set from the mid-line of the box as you know; the tweeters should be on the 'inside'.

The owner of LV recommends some very esoteric Kondo cable and valve amps - but also Class A amps such as the Sugden range. My Quad 306s seem to drive them fine (they are Class A before the 'current-dumping stage' takes over.)

So glad you like them. Do you find speaker cables make a difference?

BW

R

Hi Richard
Your LV's are much further up the LV range than my humble Auditoriums so I can only imagine how good they must sound

I would agree with you when you say they are very smooth and well-behaved and I guess some people might say they are 'polite' but I definitely find them revealing enough to let the music shine

As I don't listen to my system at very high volumes I am not suffering from any bass boom but as you say it might be because of your suspended wooden floorboards, maybe try my method of a plinth and bitumen under the speakers instead of any spikes, they sound super like that in my system

As far as positioning is concerned to be honest I just 'plonked' (technical term!!) them down and towed them in a fair bit and they seem very happy with that placement

I cannot place them 40 inches from the back wall so I have them only about 30cm from the back wall and very near to the corners of the room and by accident my tweeters are on the 'inside'

I am aware that LV recommend some pretty expensive Kondo amps which I could never afford but my 300b seems to like them

As far as speaker cable goes I've been through loads of them with other speakers but I always come back the the TQ Ultra Blacks as being the best I've ever heard, in fact using UB's was like upgrading my amp/cd/dac ;)

[Ninanina]

Keep an eye on the carpet under the slabs Bev. The slabs will definitely have some residual moisture in them and that can rot organic materials.

Thanks Geoff for the tip, I know exactly what you mean about the moisture

I guess, as I have plenty of it, I could also place some bitumen under the plinths as well

[Spectral Morn]

I know a guy, who has a pair of LVs same as yours, OperaAudio Cyber 100S signature valve amplifier and a Gyrodeck and the combination is stunning. First time I got to hear a pair in a domestic setting and I can see exactly why folks love them, very musical.

[Ninanina]

I know a guy, who has a pair of LVs same as yours, OperaAudio Cyber 100S signature valve amplifier and a Gyrodeck and the combination is stunning. First time I got to hear a pair in a domestic setting and I can see exactly why folks love them, very musical.

Neil was it my Auditoriums your guy has or the more upmarket one's Richard has?

Whichever LV's he has 'musical' is exactly how I would describe them

They probably don"t have the best lows or the best highs but a very balanced sound that is super smooth and you can listen for literally hours with no fatigue..

[Spectral Morn]

Neil was it my Auditoriums your guy has or the more upmarket one's Richard has?

Whichever LV's he has 'musical' is exactly how I would describe them

They probably don"t have the best lows or the best highs but a very balanced sound that is super smooth and you can listen for literally hours with no fatigue..

Ones you have Bev. Beautiful tone, imaging and nicely articulate bass.

[Ninanina]

Ones you have Bev. Beautiful tone, imaging and nicely articulate bass.

Oky doky Neil

I may well be tempted to try some LV's further up the range at some point but not for a while yet as I just love them to bits... super smoothies they are and I would also describe them as very natural sounding

One of my better, and least expensive, upgrades ;)

They seem to love the 300b's :)

[Spectral Morn]

Oky doky Neil

I may well be tempted to try some LV's further up the range at some point but not for a while yet as I just love them to bits... super smoothies they are and I would also describe them as very natural sounding

One of my better, and least expensive, upgrades ;)

I struggle to listen to most traditional box construction speakers these days, the box colorations are very obvious to my ears. My Anthony Gallos don't have traditional cabinets so no cabinet coloration. The LVs while they have a little, manage to transcend these and produce lovely music.

[Ninanina]

I struggle to listen to most traditional box construction speakers these days, the box colorations are very obvious to my ears. My Anthony Gallos don't have traditional cabinets so no cabinet coloration. The LVs while they have a little, manage to transcend these and produce lovely music.

I'd never heard of Anthony Gallo speakers but looking at them they look fantastic Neil, completely different ... nice... :)

[Spectral Morn]

I'd never heard of Anthony Gallo speakers but looking at them they look fantastic Neil, completely different ... nice... :)

http://www.adventuresinhifiaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ref-3-1.jpg

Those are the ones I own, both Reference 3.1 and the later 3.5. Sadly no longer made. I hear Gallo are working on something new re two channel floor standers, but I have no details.

[Ninanina]

They look yummy Neil

I wonder why they are no longer making them

[struth]

a bit open baffle in style. Certainly an eyecatching design, although not heard any I bet they are good.

[Ninanina]

Yeah they make my LV's look very 'ordinary' :(

[Spectral Morn]

They look yummy Neil

I wonder why they are no longer making them

Gallo initially made them in China but the amount of quality control issues became unsustainable so they decided to discontinue the 3.1s and work on improvements. The new speakers were made in America (Gallo are a US company) but sadly that cause a doubling in price. The 3.1 sold for £2400 (bargain) the 3.5s were £5500. They sold and were better but the price was an issue. Eventually they discontinued them because the Stratus came close but at much less money.

[Ninanina]

Gallo initially made them in China but the amount of quality control issues became unsustainable so they decided to discontinue the 3.1s and work on improvements. The new speakers were made in America (Gallo are a US company) but sadly that cause a doubling in price. The 3.1 sold for £2400 (bargain) the 3.5s were £5500. They sold and were better but the price was an issue. Eventually they discontinued them because the Stratus came close but at much less money.

As you say the 3.1's were a bargain at £2,400 as a lot of work seems to have gone into them.... I can see why you now struggle to listen to traditional box construction speakers ;)

However it's comforting to know you don't mind the LV's sound

[Spectral Morn]

As you say the 3.1's were a bargain at £2,400 as a lot of work seems to have gone into them.... I can see why you now struggle to listen to traditional box construction speakers ;)

However it's comforting to know you don't mind the LV's sound

The 3.1s were widely hailed as being a massive bargain re price to performance, the predecessor the 3 is also very good.

[Ninanina]

It's nice that I still love my LV's after owning so many speakers

I have some Rega RS3's that I must get round to re-trying to see how they stack up against the LV's.. I will try the RS3's soonish and report back my findings on their sound ;)

After being away from my system for a little while I am still very happy with it's sound and the LV's are sounding very nice indeed :)

[Frazeur1]

Those look really nice Bev, glad you are enjoying them. I always wanted to hear some of the LV speakers, but rather rare on this side of the pond. I am curious how your Oto would sound with them, as well as I would my Croft amps. Anyway, enjoy them and your music, well done!

[Ninanina]

Those look really nice Bev, glad you are enjoying them. I always wanted to hear some of the LV speakers, but rather rare on this side of the pond. I am curious how your Oto would sound with them, as well as I would my Croft amps. Anyway, enjoy them and your music, well done!

Thanks Timothy... As it's a bit late here now I have them turned down and they still sound very good at low levels... I am currently using a 300b with the LV's but will put the Oto back into the system and will report back how I find the sound...;)

I am sure your Croft would also sound great through the LV's... I am familiar with the Croft sound

[Frazeur1]

Thanks Bev, obviously do not spend a lot of time swapping things around just for my curiosity on your Oto! One thing you mentioned that I like right off, is how the LV play at low volume, I always struggle a bit with that on the speakers I own, they tend to need a bit of goosing to sound their best in general. When my wife is working, it makes it a little harder to enjoy the music as much, so that is a win there! Enjoy!

[chris@panteg]

Glad you're enjoying the Auditorium's Bev, they should sound sweet with 300B's, have you found positioning them quite sensitive?

I've had my Avatars two years now and would love to try a nice valve amp with them, it will happen.

[hifinutt]

I enjoyed listening to some lovely LV`s in the room at the wam show . used with a 18w mr liang amp . lovely tone with piano

[Lawrence001]

I was thinking of buying some LVs without audition if necessary as I had read so much about them, but having heard 2 pairs at Scalford I'm now glad I didn't I'm not sure they would be to my taste at all, the treble was so restrained well below what I like, and I thought I was a laid back kinda guy! Is it possible the systems were the culprit here or are they really like that? I should add that I found the treble piercing in some rooms and couldn't stay longer than politeness demanded so it's probably not my taste, or hearing.

Sent from my NEM-L51 using Tapatalk

[Sherwood]

And their new plinths..

http://i.imgur.com/sbIWsJQ.jpg (http://imgur.com/sbIWsJQ)
http://i.imgur.com/y4iqnhl.jpg (http://imgur.com/y4iqnhl)

Love the speakers but as one honest person to another, the carpet has to go!

:)

[chris@panteg]

I was thinking of buying some LVs without audition if necessary as I had read so much about them, but having heard 2 pairs at Scalford I'm now glad I didn't I'm not sure they would be to my taste at all, the treble was so restrained well below what I like, and I thought I was a laid back kinda guy! Is it possible the systems were the culprit here or are they really like that? I should add that I found the treble piercing in some rooms and couldn't stay longer than politeness demanded so it's probably not my taste, or hearing.

Sent from my NEM-L51 using Tapatalk

They are not a forward in your face type of speaker but I've never felt that the treble was restrained? I would say they are hot on tone, texture and dynamics with an overall impression of tremendous depth.

What sort of system/speakers do you usually prefer?

[Lawrence001]

I recently had some Kef reference model onesand wanted a similar sound witha 300b single ended amp and thought the LVs would deliver that but it didn't sound like it.

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[chris@panteg]

The best I've heard the LV's sound was with a 300b Border patrol single ended amplifier, it was at Kevin Scott's in Nottingham but I'm not familiar with the kef reference so I've no idea what you're looking for.

I would say though that LV's are not the best choice if you are into hard rock or thunderous bass etc,etc.

Laid back presentation, yes I'd say they are.

[struth]

Love the speakers but as one honest person to another, the carpet has to go!

:)

I,d keep carpet and get shot of the slabs

[Sherwood]

I,d keep carpet and get shot of the slabs

Or at least carpet the slabs!