Steve Guttenberg finally reviews the Eminent Technology LFT-8b loudspeaker.

@bdp24 Thanks. That's helpful!

@aniwolfe Sensitivity is low but it does not require a high current amp. This speaker will not go lower than 7 ohms. So lower powered tube amps work fine if not used in a large room, needing concert listening levels. The LFT’s are especially sensitive to VOLTS = Tube power.

I’ve heard the LFT-8bs paired with a very capable 10w AudioNote EL34 amplifier, and a 20wpc QS Integrated. While it sounded nice at low volume levels, in a 12x25’ room, sitting about 8ft away, the speakers tended to lose their steam and dynamics above 1/2 volume level on that AN integrated. A little better on the QS 20wpc integrated. Still needed a little more boost, even for low volume listening levels, imo. Now jumping up to higher power 60wpc+ QS Monos, separate/active tube preamp, yielded larger and more expansive sound. I found the 8Bs seemed to thrive better at lower listening levels with a little more power and drive behind them, for whatever reasons.

Given the chance, once the 8Bs are back in stock at my local dealer, I’m gonna ask to hear them on the Audio Note Meishu Tonmeister 300b amp. While its only 8w, still a capable amp, speaking of current, impedance/match, capability to drive. Might be a few months, hope to try it next to see & hear the pros/cons.

Exactly as @aniwolfe states. Looking at the impedance versus frequency chart on the ET website, you’ll notice the impedance of the LFT-8b remains above 10 ohms all across the spectrum, with the exception of dropping below 10 ohms only between 55Hz and 180Hz (the crossover frequency). Unlike Maggies, a good candidate for tube amps. I had already sold my pair of Atma-Sphere M60’s by the time I got the ET’s, but I’m sure they’d work great, especially on the m/t panels themselves (with as I said above ss on the woofers). In contrast, Maggies never rise above 4 ohms, dropping sightly below 3 ohms at some frequencies.

As far as sensitivity goes, we have to keep in mind that sensitivity measurements are always lower with dipoles than they actually perform in a room. Those measurements ignore the back wave, fully half the speaker’s output! Add 3dB to the stated figure. Still low, but not enough so to cause it to be extremely amplifier-fussy, unlike ribbons, which are low in sensitivity, low in impedance, and reactive in nature (magnetic-planars are pretty much a resistive load). That is why I cringe when I hear Steve (and others) characterize Maggies as quasi-ribbons. No, they’re not. They are planar-magnetics, with the exception of the Magnepan true-ribbon tweeter. The tweeter in the LFT-8 (reproducing the top octave only---10kHz and up, though with a shallow 1st-order high-pass filter) is also a ribbon, the midrange driver a planar-magnetic---as Steve mentions, push-pull in design (most of the Maggies are single-ended.).

Excellent Ric (@ricevs), thanks; I hadn’t seen those videos. For those who don’t know, Ric at EVS was in the past offering a line of loudspeakers employing NEO planar-magnetic drivers mated with the fantastic open-baffle servo-feedback woofer offered by Rythmik Audio in conjunction with GR Research. I have a pair of the OB subs, with two woofers in each W-frame I built from flat pack kits.

By the way Ric, I still have the Audible Illusions Modulus 2 pre-amp you "modified" (redesigned is more apt ;-) for me back in the 90’s ;-) .

eminent i belive is long time company before 1980 ,, just wonder the now  make good speaker? anyone have ever hear beside Steven G.  ,, i must confess that the more opinion about this speaker ,  thr more i maje a good conclusion about quslity on yhisv speaker  ,,, anyone can help me about this transiator https://youtube.com/shorts/zRakw_KIfWI?feature=share   thanks everyone who have answers my question!