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Larsen speakers: 4.2 or 6.2??. Has anyone heard or own them??

I would like to know if anyone has auditioned or owns either the above Larsen speakers. If so, is there a major difference in the sound quality between the two models which would warrant spending over $2200 more for the 6.2 speaker  

(There is a large price difference: approx. $2200  vs $4400. Seems like a lot of money for a two way speaker despite the fact that the design eliminates most placement problems and can be placed against the wall ( so say the few reviews I read of both models)

 How might they compete with either the Ohm Walsh Tall, or Magneplanar. 7 or 1.7i ?.   From what I recently read  both Magneplanars do not work well in small or even average medium rooms, and require a lot of placement adjustments to get them to sound right

Thanks,

S.J.

. 

sunnyjim
br3098
997 posts
 
I have owned all three models of Larsen speakers, 4/6/8 and I used to be a dealer for these.  I think that Larsen speakers provide excellent sound, excellent value and are very easy to live with due to the easy placement options: 1- find the longest wall in the room, 2- place the speakers directly against the wall (no toe-in), 3- move speakers apart or closer together until the you hear the best imaging, 4- pour a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy.

I don't understand your comment re: the price difference between the Larsen 4 and the Larsen 6:
Seems like a lot of money for a two way speaker despite the fact that the design eliminates most placement problems and can be placed against the wall ( so say the few reviews I read of both models)
I can think of a lot of 2-way speakers that are more expensive than the Larsen 6.

In any case, the Larsen speakers all provide a recognizable house sound; the larger/more expensive models just provide more of it in larger rooms.  Larsen's are some of the most tonally accurate speakers I have ever heard.  A fair proportion of my clients were professional musicians (think more vocalists, classical and jazz music rather than hard rock.)  That's not to say that everyone will agree that these are the best speakers, nor would I.  But I will say that the Larsen's are probably the speakers most easy to live with that I have ever owned.

I have owned Ohm speakers and Maggies.  Both have good points and things they do well.  But neither was, to my ears, as good as the Larsens in my rooms and playing the music I listen to.  Not by a long shot.

One last observation: I am friends with the Michael Vamos from Audio Skies, the NA distributor for Larsen, Gamut and Pear Audio.  Michael has every speaker he sells available for listening in his home.  Yet many times I would go see Michael and he was listening to a pair of Larsen 4s.  When I asked hi why he wasn't listening to something more expensive his answer was that the Larsen 4s always amaze him at how good they are for the money and that they make him happy.  I can't think of a more apt description.

sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 

Thank you to gregm3 and to br3098 for their comments.


To br3098. You mention that you "used to be" a Larsen dealer; If so, did you drop the line and why.

My previous comment about the wide price difference between the models 4.2 and 6.2 was only to ask and highlight what made the 6.2 more expensive by almost $2100. I e-mailed Michael Vamos from Audio Skies  and ask him the same question;. he claimed the materials in the drivers and cross over network were of higher quality. The question  always is:... do price differences accounted for by better construction materials necessarily produce a better sounding speaker to the one below it in price?  I would give the 6.2 more consideration than 4.2 if I was convinced that its performance warranted the extra dollars.

BTW, Mr. Vamos referred me to a dealer in Los Angeles called "Common Wave" that carries Larsen  speakers and  is closer to where I live.

Thank you for you comments and advice

S.J.

br3098
997 posts
 
sunnyjim, I closed my dealership over two years ago.  It was a side business and as much as I love music and gear it was waaay too much work for the paltry return.

John Larsen is a great guy and the Michael Vamos at Audio Skies, the U.S. distributor, is awesome in his passion and support for Larsen and his other lines.

It is imperative that Larsen speakers be matched to your room size.  I have installed these speakers in small rooms where the 4 just sounded better than the 6.  There is an improvement in bass response as you move up the Larsen chain, and the 6 and 8 have more detail than the 4 in rooms that support those models.

Not to contradict Michael but we all know that pricing for audio gear is not as much based on labor and materials as what the market expects.   I think all the Larsen speaker models (4,6, and 8. I don't have any experience with the new 9) are all a hell of a deal for a full range speaker that works well in just about any room.
frazeur1
345 posts
 

sunnyjim, I think with most speakers of this type, Larsen, Ohm, Shahinian etc., you either like their presentation and get what the designers are trying to attempt, or not. They are different in various ways to direct firing speakers.

I have owned all of the above speakers, various Ohms, a couple of Shahinian, and also, Larsen Model 4.2's, which I had for over five years and enjoyed them greatly. I think Bill above, summed things up very nicely(Hello Bill, we have talked a couple of times, been awhile though!). Much like Ohm speakers, the family sound is there amongst all models, just as you go up the line, as Bill said, you just get more of it. Room size is important, just as much so with any speaker.

I totally enjoyed my time with the Larsen, and placing them as Bill mentioned above, try to keep them from being crammed into corners, and give them a bit of space to breathe on all sides, they are hard to beat for just listening to music and enjoying, no fiddling around etc. For me, this was huge, for once I had a speaker that I could just forget about messing around with things, they made great music, simply put.

I have never had a pair of speakers for five years, let alone a bit longer, so that is saying something. I cannot answer your question as to the "worth" of the model 6 over the 4, at the additional 2K price. Only you can make that call using your own ears. I also wondered that myself for awhile, as I was thinking of moving up the Larsen ladder at one point. But I never bothered, as the 4.2 I had were just doing the business and I had no real reason to change them.

One thing about Larsen in general, they are not, nor ever will be the popular choice. I have had other dealers basically make fun of them to my face, and try to explain why they are not a good speaker etc. Yes, really. Thank goodness then I never listened to their advice. Funny how that goes though. But, if you like what they do in your room, your gear, your music, why not? For people that require a speaker that goes up against the wall, and do not have room for some of the speakers that require huge room space, these are great speakers to try. They visually get out of the way, give you your floor space back, and to my ears, sound quite wonderful. Are they the last thing on detail, imaging, all the usual buzz words. No, maybe not, but what they do is really very good across the board, besides, I listen to music, not buzz words. Take it for whatever it is.

In the end, it took a good deal bit to get me away from the Larsen 4.2, and I listened a lot to other speakers. I think in the end, it was more of a system thing, and not just speakers themselves, so don't make the mistake of not listening to speakers on your own setup, it is after all a "system". I now have a pair of Duevel Venus speakers, and yes, I like them more than the Larsen 4.2 in a few ways, but honestly, I too could have lived on with the Larsen had I not changed my entire system a bit over a year ago. This will probably be it, at my age, and time of my life, other things have more priority.

If you can though, give yourself a treat, give the Larsen a good listen, just do not give up on them too quickly, which I find is what happens all too often when people try Omni or Omni types, they do present things in a different way, and many will not allow themselves time to adjust to it. Not to mention, I think the industry has not done much to persuade a person to try this type of speaker, instead giving the same old reasoning: Look at all the box speakers out there, how can we be wrong? Omni's are just a fad, a one-trick pony, etc... etc....The main thing, use your ears, not reviews, not my suggestions, or anyone else's for that matter. And for goodness sakes, anyone trying to listen to speakers out there, have fun darn it! It isn't life or death, music can be fun!!!!

br3098
997 posts
 
Is that Tim?  Howdy!

Duevel speakers?  Wow, how... esoteric.  But seriously, you should describe them in this or another post.  I have never heard them or even seen them but I would love to hear more about your impressions.

Back to sunnyjim's original questions: as frazeur1 says, either you like the musical presentation provided by omni speakers or you don't.  I listen to a lot of live acoustic music and I think that omnis sound and feel closer to a live performance than other types.  But if you have always listened to canned (reproduced) music or your live musical experience is limited to amplified rock concerts (not that there is anything wrong with that) then you might not appreciate the staging and imaging that omnis provide.

At shows I have had guys complain about the lack of high SPLs from Larsens or horn speakers.  My answer is how much SPL do you hear or feel at a live venue? The correct answer is zip.

My biggest complaint is that, with the exception of a couple of decware models, almost all omni speakers are fairly inefficient so most tube amps are not a real option.  It's an inherent "feature" of the design.  My Larsens and Shahinians always sounded better w/ SS amplification.

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