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

Who really cares about Steve Guttenberg?  Honestly.

The comments regarding tube amps being a good match with the LFT 8 correspond with my own experience. With the 8b, I preferred a 100W triode tube amp with 6550's. Now a 20W amp with 300b's in push-pull mode is sounding better than the higher watt amp. And in my 250 s.f. room, they can go over 100db without stressed. 

@soix: Years before Steve Guttenberg had a listen to the LFT-8b, Robert E.Greene gave the speaker a very interesting review in TAS (in 2014). Sure, one can also ask "Who really cares about Robert E. Greene?" To a degree I do (we both like the Quad ESL, which I also own). If you don't, fine, ignore him. Is it okay for the rest of us to discuss what Greene and Guttenberg (and a number of reviews by UK critics, also pretty interesting) think of the LFT-8b? You're free to state your opinion if you wish.

@bdp24 : I have considered all the points that you mentioned. What gives me pause to replace them are the following: I have very little to complain about with my current set up, so why upset the apple cart? I have worked out my room, best location for “these” speakers, the delicate balance of input sensitivity/output voltage, impedance (I use Speltz Zeros between the amp & speakers), etc. to the point where I’m very happy with what I’m hearing. Aren’t we sometimes thinking about what’s “better” out there though? I’ve tried many other speakers, and many other amplifiers, and lots of source components and source material, and I know the possibility exists that I’ll “upgrade” only to find myself missing what I had! Been there…. I’d like to repeat what some others have pointed out, regarding the ET 8b’s “specified speaker sensitivity”, it’s almost impossible to make a judgement based on what’s on paper because there are too many factors involved in how a manufacturer lands on that “spec” number… also critical is how the speakers interact with an individual’s room and amplifier. As just one example, I purchased a pair of speakers for a second room to use with a small tube amp. The speakers I was already using were PSB alpha B1 - bookshelf speakers (rated @89 db/watt/m), the new speakers were Tekton Mini Lore - small floorstanders (rated @96 db/watt/m). Looking at those specs, one would expect the more sensitive floor stander to sound louder and beefier than the bookshelf speakers (all else remained constant), but surprisingly (to me) that was not the case at all… the PSBs were a better fit in that system. I have no doubt that for many listeners, the LFT8bs will sound great with many high quality amplifiers. It is very important to try things in your own system, or at very least, listen to what you’re considering so you can make a fair judgement. Specs on paper can be very misleading!

@boxcarman: Bruce Thigpen openly expressed his admiration for Jim Winey's invention of his planar-magnetic design. I myself was an early adopter, buying a pair of Tympani T-I in 1973. Thigpen went on to study the Magneplanar, and had an idea for his own version of the planar-magnetic driver.

In the 1980's Thigpen introduced three loudspeaker models: the LFT-3, LFT-4 (of which I have a pair), and the LFT-6, all of which featured the Eminent Technology LFT planar-magnetic driver, which is a push-pull design (the idea Thigpen saw as a way to improve on Winey's design). For years all the Magnepan drivers were single-ended, and the lower cost Maggies continue to be.

Keeping the conductors that are attached to the Mylar diaphragm within the magnetic field of the planar-magnetic design is a means of eliminating the distortion inherent in single-ended designs (in his TAS review, Greene talks about the low-distortion character of the LFT-8b). The more expensive Maggies now have push-pull drivers, the 20.7 and 30.7 for sure, the 3.7i I'm not sure about.

How much this has to do with the sound of the 1.7i I can't say. All I know is that that model sounded---as I said above---"wispy" to me, images lacking body and substance, more like a ghostly apparition than a flesh and blood image. And whatta ya know, Guttenberg characterized the sound of the LRS+ sitting next to the LFT-8b in his living room just that way when comparing the two. I haven't heard the 3.7i, and very much want to. Until I have room for my Tympani T-IVa's, the LFT-8b will just "have to do." ;-)