We have a pair of LFT-8b speakers, and the sound is wonderful. Very detailed, great separation and frequency integration, though we do use them with subwoofers for extended bass.
I have to agree that the finish is not as high as many expensive speakers. I think Bruce found a way to manufacture excellent sounding speakers at a truly low price compared to others, and the tradeoff is that while these are hand-made in the US, he uses pretty common materials - steel plate, steel channels, neodymium magnets, and mylar with printed aluminum. Yes, I agree the woofer boxes could be supplied with threaded inserts, and the wood trim could be more impressive.
However, the sound is quite amazing, and very satisfying. We can listen all day with no fatigue, and the speakers handle a wide range of music and volumes. These replaced MTM/subwoofer box speakers with Seas Excel drivers that sounded great.
We also have an ET-2 tonearm on our Oracle turntable, and while it is fussy to set up, and I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who isn’t technically competent so they can do their own adjustments from time to time if needed, we have overcome most of the challenges with the tonearm, including installing the air pump in a sound-isolated cabinet a few feet away from the turntable. It also has the damping trough which really enhances the sound and performance.
One challenge with the speakers is the midrange panels have to be adjusted properly, and the mylar can stretch over time. We had one speaker that gave me a lot of trouble with adjustment, but Bruce sent me a couple of additional hex adjusters, and finally, when the panel wouldn’t stay in adjustment (buzz at very specific mid-low frequencies at loud volume), Bruce sent me an entire replacement steel frame/panel with mid-range panel installed and adjusted, all under warranty. A week later, Bruce sent me replacement tweeter ribbons and fuses/fuse blocks (at no cost) because I had stupidly blown the tweeters by incorrectly connecting a new active crossover. Fortunately I have the tools and expertise to replace the ribbons myself rather than sending them in for replacement - and what I'll be doing later this morning.
What I’ve come to accept is that Eminent Technology makes true audiophile gear, but it can sometimes require maintenance skills that not all audiophiles have acquired. However,, Bruce goes out of his way to ensure that any problems are resolved. I’ll be ordering the new woofer/DSP upgrades tomorrow!