Are Lowthers a "full range listening" speaker?


To TWL: (or anyone else)- I am intrigued by the concept of back-loaded corner horns because when I used to own a pair of Quad 57's all I could think was that the sound was basically perfect if only they would go much louder, deeper, and a bit higher! My very broad tastes includes a lot of music which is delivered in concert through electric amplification, not merely just rock, but also Loreena McKennett, and even performers at folk festivals, world beat, etc. Live performance in this case is not the same as the symphony at all, from what my ears tell me in 8th row center, or the middle of the field!. I couldn't say which music I am more prepared to lean away from if I have to, but a former pair of Klipch Cornwalls, while fun at times, were way too forward and overbearing most of the time. It would be nice to be happy with both electric and acoustic presentations.

So I am wondering (after all the above) if from your own experiences you regard the Lowther type as the ticket for broad listening, since its unlikely anytime soon that I will hear them. (I know, I know---no one can answer except to their own tastes).

After following TWL's postings and others on the subject of full range reproduction, I am curious about a few things:

Have you heard the AER and the very expensive Reps and do you find huge sonic differences? Which AER? Are you thinking of parting with an extra grand (or more) for the upper end drivers anytime soon?

Also-TWL- have you heard the Oris horns and what do you think compared to your own rig? I note that Bert Doppenberg, in a discussion posting, said he no longer finds back horn set-ups the best, due to unacceptable frequency colourations and lack of low bass (though he once loved them) and even less so with Lowther drive units, which he says are inferior to his own version of AER. BD seems to be suggesting that Oris horns and full range drivers coupled to separate bass enclosures is the way to progress from back loaded horns, though at a significant cost, to be sure.

A more affordable project to me would be along the lines of the AER?/Hedlunds. Do Lowther/Voight Pipes sound similar?

Thanks!
eclectic

Showing 3 responses by herman

I think the short answer to your question is "no". You cannot expect a Lowther system to reproduce the lower octaves unless you have extremely large cabinets. That said, I find that coupled to a good subwoofer to handle the lower frequency extremes, one of these systems will provide one of the most musical listening experiences possible. I was on a continuous upgrade path until I discovered the glory of a Lowther/SET system with a high quality sub. I know it is a matter of taste since all sytems are compromised to some extent, but it works for me.
The only experience I have are with my own Lamhorns with DX-3 Lowthers and a friend's Beauhorns with I believe, EX-4. Both systems have high quality subs. Based on this, I disagree with Ultrakaz' observation that they are not the best choice for rock. Both of these systems are capable of very high SPL and do not "unravel." Quite the opposite.

As for poorly recorded music being unlistenable, you can't have it both ways. If your system hides the flaws in poor recordings it will also hide some of the beauty in good ones. I would rather the best be better and the worst be worse than everything sounding mediocre

I guess if rock was all I wanted then I might go with a multi-driver, mega-watt setup, but Eclectic listens to a wide range of music and I think this is the way to go.

One thing to consider with AER drivers, and the reason I went with Lowthers, is that the AER driver was only available in 16 ohms. Perhaps this has changed since I bought mine, but a 16 ohm speaker limits your choice of amplifiers since many SET amps don't have 16 ohm taps. I had a Wavelength amp at that time with 4 and 8 ohm taps. Gordon Rankin was very adamant about using a matched speaker with his amp to obtain best performance.
Comparing the 2 is very difficult because they are used with completely different electronics, cables, and rooms. That said, they are much more alike than different. Both full range, extremely dynamic, and just a pleasure to listen to. My Lamhorns image better but that could be a matter of setup and/or the rooms.

I had the same problem in that I had no way to hear the different possibilities and I was exploring the DIY route due to limited funds. Luckily, just after I had made the decision to get some type of Lowther/SET setup, I came arross some dealer demo Lamhorns that were not quite the latest version so I got a very good deal and the decision was basically made for me. As you search the various Lowther sites you will see many different cabinet designs and I have no way to guide you to a particular one. I can only vouch for the 2 I have heard and recommend them highly if you have the cash.

I just got a message from an amp designer friend who says he will showing some amps in conjuction with Lowther America at the Stereophile show in June in San Fransisco. That would be a good way to get a taste of what is available.