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

 

Over the past few years I and a number of other owners of the Eminent Technology LFT-8b have on this site extolled the virtues of this under-acknowledged loudspeaker. I myself have encouraged those interested in Magnepans to try and hear the LFT-8 before buying. That is not easy, as ET has only five U.S.A. dealers.

I am a long-time fan of Maggies, having bought my first pair (Tympani T-I) in 1973, my last (Tympani T-IVa) a few years ago. But the Tympani’s need a LOT of room (each 3-panel speaker is slightly over 4’ wide!), which I currently don’t have. So I gave a listen to the MG 1.7i, and didn’t much care for it. As I recounted in a thread here awhile back, I found the 1.7 to sound rather "wispy", lacking in body and tonal density (thank you Art Dudley ;-).

Brooks Berdan was (RIP) a longtime ET dealer, installing a lot the company’s linear-tracking air-bearing arm on Oracle, VPI, and SOTA tables. After Brooks’ passing his wife Sheila took over management of the shop, continuing on as an ET dealer. I knew Brooks was a fan of the LFT-8, and he had very high standards in loudspeakers (his main lines were Vandersteen, Wilson, and Quad). The shop had a used pair of LFT-8’s, so I gave them a listen. They sounded good enough to me to warrant investigate further, so I had Sheila order me a pair, along with the optional (though nearly mandatory) Sound Anchor bases.

I wouldn’t waste your time if I didn’t consider the ET LFT-8b to be just as I have on numerous occasions (too many times for some here) described it: the current best value in all of hi-fi. Hyperbole? Well, you no longer have to take it from just me and the other owners here: Steve Guttenberg finally got around to getting in for review a pair (the LFT-8 has been in production for 33 years!), and here is what he has to say about it. After watching the video, you can read other reviews (in a number of UK mags, and in TAS by Robert E. Greene) on the ET website.

https://youtu.be/Uc5O5T1UHkE

 

 

128x128bdp24
ledoux1238
276 posts
 

@harryz Just looked up the Starkrimson Amps, 500W class D, very interesting! I believe you will be happy with the 8C, unless you want to hold off until the LFT 18s' are released. 

There are folks here with tube amps from Music Ref. - 100w @bdp24 and @chowkwan with 400W Manleys.  I have a pair of Von Gaylord Nirvana 100 W with 8 Tung Sol 6550s'. However, I really like the LFT 8C with a 20W Mactone MH-300b, a little known Japanese amp with 300Bs' in Push-Pull configuration. It is harmonically richer, with better bass and slightly wider / deeper soundstage. A 20W tube amp would be quite comfortable driving the LFT 8Bs', and most definitely 8Cs'. I think Manley makes a pair of 300b monos' that can be switched into a 20W P-P or a 10W SE mode. in my estimation,  that would be a good fit with the ET. I guess I am the low power advocate for the ETs'.

harryz's avatar
harryz
12 posts
 

Thanks Ledoux1238-

I imagine that the 8B is great with higher power tubes amps and I’ve experience some magic with my lower powered ones, but I prefer the Starkrimson amps. They just seem to work better with my associated gear in my room. As I noted, I’ve never had sound like this, even with wonderful horn speakers and original quads.

I bet that the 18s are magnificent and I’d love to hear them someday. I’m certain that they will be too big and too much speaker for my room.   Bruce has already responded and I’m going to order the upgraded woofers. 
 

Harry

bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,453 posts
 

Oops: that should have read 1.5" wide, not 1/5".

harryz's avatar
harryz
12 posts
 

Hey Eric-

Did you replace the Sound Anchors with the Mye stands? I thought I had read that you had…

 

Harry Z

bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,453 posts
 

@harryz: Nope Harry; I'm a huge procrastinator. ;-)

My correspondence regarding the Mye stand for the LFT-8 was with a swell guy named Scott (I'll keep his last name private, as he may not want it made public). He contacted me after seeing my posting on the LFT a coupla years ago, telling me about the Mye stand. He told me the stand made a noticeable improvement in the sound of the LFT, well worth the cost of a pair.

I gave Grant Mye a call, and he said sure he'd make me a pair, to send him the locations/dimensions of the mounting holes in the bottom of the speaker. The mounting holes in the Mye stand will presumably be the same as that in the Sound Anchor, but a measurement is of course a good idea.

The stand isn't pictured on the Mye website, and neither is the stand Grant makes for the Quad ESL, which looks incredible (he sent me a pic). It is also not included in the Mye price list, so I don't know what the current price is.

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