Tyler Acoustic Linbrook Super Towers


Has anyone heard these speakers in their system? How much much of a step up are they from the Linbrook Monitor? Thanks.
dumboat
I realize this thread is way old, but I happen to own both sets of speakers, so I might be able to offer some insight here (I was asking this same question when I bought my speakers, so this might help someone else). I started with a pair of the Signature Monitors and immediately loved the sound I was hearing. The soundstage was excellent, extending beyond the edges of the speakers and having good depth as well. The imaging was very precise, and it was very easy to identify the location of the individual performers in real space. As others have already said, the SEAS drivers are very nice -- very clean, fast and dynamic. I have long been a ribbon tweeter fan, but the Millenium tweeter has become my favorite. Vocals, guitar, drum shots -- all of these had a realism I had not heard in my system before (I previously had a pair of Legacy Focus speakers, which are certainly no slouches, especially in the mids).

The only negative of the Signature Monitors in comparison to my Legacy Focus was that on complex material, at high volumes (higher than most people would use), they would become slightly compressed and strained. The Focus remained unstrained and uncompressed at extremely high levels, and though I do not often listen at these levels, if I was going to replace the Focus, I wanted something capable of similar dynamics.

I called Ty and talked to him and was soon convinced I needed to try a pair of the Super Towers (I have a medium-sized room -- 18' x 13.5' x 8'). Ty described them as very similar to the Signature Monitors, just with 'more' of everything. I already had a Legacy Pacemaker sub, so I wasn't really looking for anything that would reach the lowest octaves -- imaging, soundstage, speed and dynamics were my main objective. At any rate, Ty sent me a beautiful pair of Super Towers in the Rosewood finish (this is the first speaker my wife has actually commented on how nice they looked!). I must concur with Ty's assessment -- they were very similar sounding to the monitors, but had much 'more' of that sound. The soundstage is simply incredible with them. It is huge -- tall, wide, deep -- but not unrealistically so. Vocals are as good as I have ever heard -- period. Same goes for guitar (both electric and acoustic) and piano. Drums are awesome -- the details of rim shots, cymbals, etc. have to be heard to be appreciated. My son is a drummer, and he could not get over the detail. What I found myself doing often was trying to sit down and 'analyze' the music, but ended up engrossed in the music. I used to rarely listen to an entire CD from start to finish, but with the towers, I find myself rarely skipping songs!

As for dynamics, they are near that of the Focus. With the sub, crossed over anywhere between 90 hz down to 50 hz, they seem limitless. Since I have a sub, I have them pulled them out about 4' from the rear wall, and about 18" from the side walls. They are about 10' apart, and I sit about 10-11' away. This location seemed to be best for imaging, soundstage, and smoothness of all but the lowest frequencies. In this setup, they are fairly flat down to the mid 40s (I can move them back closer to the back wall and get them pretty much flat down to the mid 30s, exactly what Ty specifies). Again, with the sub, they can play extremely loud without ever sounding strained or congested. Even without the sub, they are still very dynamic, and up to the standards I was used to with the Focus in all but the lowest octaves.

For my ears and preferences, the Super Towers are everything I was looking for. If you have the funds, I would highly recommend stepping up to the Super Towers. However, I could certainly live happily with the Signature Monitors as well (I am using one as a center channel and the other as the rear speaker in my 6.1 setup).

I should also say, as have many others, Ty is simply terrific to work with. I talked to him about upgrading to the Woodmeres, but with my current room, system and preferences, he steered me away from them (and costing himself a decent chunk of change).
Holley,

How is the imaging of the super towers vs. the Sig. monitors? And what amplification are you using?

thanks,

Steve O.
Steve,

The Super Towers sound very similar to the Sig Monitors but just have a 'larger' sound all around. They have a deeper, taller and wider soundstage than the Sig monitors, but not in an unrealistic manner. Both are very good at pinpointing the instruments within the soundstage.

I am currently using a Bryston front end -- SP2 and 4Bsst. I am not a tube guy -- never have been much for their sound. The Bryston gives excellent control over the bass, and is very musical. The newer SST series is quite a bit of a step up over the ST series -- smoother (not bright or harsh) and yet more air around the instruments.

The Sig monitors are excellent speakers, but if you have a decent sized room, I think you would appreciate the large sound of the Super Towers.
Holley,

Thanks. New speakers are a bit down the road, but I'm in central Ky, so driving up to Ty's place is something I should do.

Steve O.
Hi Holly, nice review and was close to as I figured the image would be. Basically with the Super you are getting 2 added W17's per cabinet. Correct? Which only adds more midbass/midrange. Not sure why you would go that route when you can get dual W22'/per cabinet in the Lin Sig Sys at near the same price.
"as others have commented on the Seas drivers"...there are no "others" ...its me doing all the cheering. You are spot on about the Seas' imaging, percise, clean, accurate. The Seas Millenium Tweeter is much superior to any/all ribbons. I can't stand ribbons. Many over at Madiisound disscussion board have stated the Millenium tweeter is the best they ever heard. Its certainly the finest I've heard and even beats out my opd Philips tweeter which was the finest tweeter back in the 1980's. Macintosh even used the Philips tweeter.
Hi Bartokfan,
I chose the Super Towers over the Lin Sig System in that it throws a larger soundstage, according to Ty. Also, I have an excellent subwoofer, so what I wanted was a 'large' monitor (the Towers have the MMTMM config vs. the MTMWW config of the LSS, which would look to throw a larger soundstage, at least on paper). The Super Tower is also taller (a little taller than my Legacy Focus) than the LSS, which makes the sound stage taller. I like 'seeing' singers that are realistic in size, and the Towers do an excellent job of that.
Then I would agree with a excellent sub, the Super towers with 4 7 inch W18's per cabinet would throw one "super size" sound stage. Thats 8 W18's projecting the midbass/low midrange!!!!! Unreal. Wow! I'd love to hear just that speaker even w/o a sub on my best orchestral/opera selection. You may have provided this senario for others to work out, sub + Lin Super Tower for a spectacular vibrant sound stage image. As the T25 Millenium tweer is beefy enough to cross low enough to meet the W18's (the W18 which equally are engineered to meet tweeter higher w/o breakup) that tweeter will not get "lost in the fray' from competeing with 4 midbass'. That would be some folks concern. But I'd bet the tweeter shines through with color. Correct? I nteresting and creative setup you got there. I'd love to have your speaker with a single Seas Excel W26 acting as sub. Though not a "true sub", still it should deliver all the lower fq's with performance.
Bartokfan, I was also worried about the 4 7" mids overpowering the T25 tweeter, but that doesn't seem to be a problem at all. The Millenium tweeter is simply amazing. I was a ribbon tweeter guy all the way back to the older Infinity EMIT tweeters, but the T25 has certainly changed my mind on that. You are also absolutely right about the towers in the midrange/midbass regions -- simply unbelievable.

My musical preferences lean heavily towards rock/jazz, and you have not heard the power and attack of a guitar (acoustic or electric) until you hear it through the Super Towers. I even threw on an older Telarc disc called "Orchestral Spectaculars" yesterday just to see how they would handle some classical music, and I listened to the disc all the way through. The ability of the Super Towers to resolve the low, delicate passages and then to instantly transition to dynamic crescendos really is something special. The more I listen to them the more I like them.
Holly, from your comments on how classical music is projected as a full symphonic field of sound stage with EIGHT W18's in the Linbrook Super Tower's, this may help me to decide in my purchase of one of Tyler's models. The new Woodmere 2's have only 2 W18's, with 2 W15's + T25. I'm not so sure orchestra will have the body I'm looking for with the W15's. The T25 alone can carry all the violins, high winds etc, so that the cellos, bass cellos, violas, deep brass can have more voice with dual W18's in the Linbrook Sig Sys. So this may be my better choice which I was not sure of, that is until I read your comments. IF I could somehow intergrate a single W26 as sub into my system ( not sure if possible w/o dual amps) then I would also go with the Super Towers. But as it is , I'll stay with the Lin Sig Sys for its dual W22's, which carry excellent low bass. The Super Towers are now on my mind, and will take a closer look at them. Considering most of the orchestra is in the midbass.midrange fq's, I may have Ty cross 2 of the W18's in the Tower's real low, still they will not carry the authority of the W22's in the Lin Sug Sys. The cellos, bass cellos will sound "weaker' with via the W18's(Super Tower) vs the dual W22's(Lin Sig Sys) Tough call. Do I want the HUGE soundstage with great orch presence ,of the Super Towers, or the deeper voicing of the cellos in the Lin Sig Sys. Tough call.
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I am not surprised the Millenium does not "get lost" among the voicing of four W18's.
Keep us up to date on your review of the Lin Super Tower. Very few folks know much about this model. In fact I hardly ever see Ty ad it.
Can anyone tell me differences between the Super Towers and the Woodmere II's?

Does the Woodmere have a "full" sound, or sound it "weak"?
Which Woodmere, 1's with the dual W26's, dual W18's, Millenium or the new 2's with Dual W22's, dual W15's, Millenium. So we are talking a very different speakers in terms of the "Seas Excel Sound" (a sound unique to the Seas Excel driver, you won't get this voicing in from any other driver). Not sure why Ty used the name Woodmere in this design since the only driver used as in the 1's is the Millenium tweeter. ...anyway, I'm guessing you mean the new Woodmere 2. You may be on to something here with a "weaker sound stage" due to the higher voicing of the dual W15's, vs the "beefer" image comming from the dual W18's in the W1's. I love the voice from the W18's in my Thor's and am not willing to risk losing that midrange/midbass imaging..that is if I went with the W1's. The W15 is a very small driver and I seriously doubt if it carries anywhere close to the midbass of the superb midbass from the W18's. Also the dual W22 used in the W2's can be found in the Lin Sig Sys design along with dual W18's. So I would have to go with the Lin Sig Sys vs the new W2's for my classical/orchestral/opera. And if I had the extra cash would take the W1's over the Lin Sig Sys. The W26 seems it would offer the "ultimate natural" bass offering. My 2 cents, when i talked with Ty months ago, he was still forming his opinion on the voicing characteristic of his new W2's with the W15. I hope to get up to his studio sometime later this yr, after I move back to my NO home. I'll bring along my JOR and modified Cayin 17, provided Ty allows. To be honest my expectations of the voicing in the 3 designs, W1's , W2's, Lin Sig Sys will be that the 3 will voice different in a minimial sense. IOW each design will offer something unique to each listeners ears and in such a subtle difference that you really can't go wrong with any of the 3. Though which of the 3 is best(style of music, SP level, etc) for you , only you can determine. Of the 3, the Lin Sig Sys appeals most.
I know the W15 and I found it really beautifull!

I often listen to classical music (solo instruments, voices, choirs, organ) or classic pop.

Bass is always very important for me, but not over-extra and fat. I like to felt the deep organ tones, but not in a overwhelming way.
hey paul i noticed that ty created the woodmere twos not long ago, it got the best of me and i gave him a call, what he told me compared to the lss was the bass goes a little deeper, and thats about it, all in all they resemble the lss pretty close in sound according to ty, i sure love the look of them though.
good news on your return to new orleans, glad to hear it,