I'm a huge fan of ty's products and of ty himself. In fact, I've even visited his owensboro facility (last year). I have a pair of linbrook monitors from ty as well as 1)a custom home theatre setup based on 3 linbrooks (2 semi-mounted into the wall) and 2 taylo's (both partially-mounted in the wall); 2)2 pairs of custom mini-monitors for my kitchen and bedroom (I think these were the proto-types for his linbrook super-mini's). The linbrooks are a wonderful speaker: deep, rich bass, clear, detailed highs with no evidence of sibilance, and full mid's. the soundstaging is excellent and the quality is terrific. Of course, I wouldn't have a houseful of this stuff if I didn't think that! I've listened to lots of speakers, and not only is ty's product a terrific value, but it outperforms everything I've heard at up to 3x the price. I have the monitors set up in my den: 9x12, on ty's superb stands, using an audio refinement complete alpha integrated. My sources are (1) a bolder (highly) modded squeezebox 2, and (2)vintage thorens td125 mkII turntable through an aes/cary ph-1 phono stage. The speakers do well with all kinds of music (one of my pre-requisites, as I listen to just about everything): clear and present enough for all types of acoustic jazz, punchy enough for rock, delicate enough for intimate chamber recordings, and robust enough for full orchestral settings. In my home theater setup, they are powered by an arcam avr300, and perform wonderfully. The little mini-monitors have super sound for their size and ty even manages to squeeze out pretty creditable bass performance from these boxes. His ported designs do not sound boomy or diffused - I listen to a fair amount of acoustic jazz bass, and it's spot on. As importantly, you'll be working with one of the real class acts in this business. My home theatre setup was a total custom/from scratch design by ty, and he was wonderful to work with - great ideas, great listener, great execution. Pictures available on request!
Hey Stltrains, glad to meet you. I had my stereo up on the second floor, moved it up from the 1st on sunday night. I was at home during the storm and witnessed the 12 ft flood water attack lakeview. I hope you are located near Barton Rouge (where I live now) /New Orlreans area, as I want to hear the Tyler's. There is a Linbrook Signature Sytem, MTM + dual 8 inch woofer bass modules ( so everyone knows which speaker we are talkinga bout) but its north of Jackson Mississippi and is really quite a drive for me. And yes thank heavens for my pickup truck. I got my stereo system on a FEMA boat late Wensday at dusk, paid him $110.00 for the "stereo rescue" and ploaded it on my truck. To the amazement of all the FEMA workers and public standing around. Couldn't risk leaving it at home, flood waters receding and we in Baton Rouge. I was fearful of the looters hitting 2nd floor homes for the loot. Please PM me. Regards Paul Baton Rouge
bartokfan i was taken by katrina also, we were with out a home for 4 months, in that time i did a lot of online research and found out about tys great speaker line, called him and what a great person to talk to and deal with, he made me a pair of 1 piece linbrook signature system, and boy am i glad, very happy with them and not going to be looking back for a while, my only problem was solved when i bought a truck to take them with me, this time i am taking my system,
I would guess Ty followed D' Apoloito's xover in the MTM. So expect no sound difference there. Considering Ty has put together a very impressive array of models using the Seas' (he does utilize the Scanspeak tweet, for whatever reason in a few of his designs) in such a short period of time. Apparently he knows how these cross these Seas drivers for their max potential. I've seen the Seas describe by the DIY board over at Madisound as "beasts", and "taming the beasts". Huge magnets, very low efficiency , and other thr=orny issues using these drivers. Most DIY's leave them alone due to price $150+/each driver) and for their difficulty in desgining a xover. I guess there is someone over in europe doing what Ty is up to with these drivers, not sure. If not then Tyler is the only lab in the world you can get these designs. Which alone is quite impressive of Ty's projects.
I own the larger Tyler PD80's. I recently started using my Behringer DEQ for a DAC and corrected my room with it's "auto EQ" function. I should also say that I have no room treatments of any kind.
Considering the size of the PD80s, you'd probably be surprised at how good they sound at very low volumes. I am very happy with the sound.
Tvad: Aktchi, would you say one can assume all loudspeakers made with Brand X drivers will sound the same? I don't believe this is true. Cabinet design and crossover design count for something, too. Sure, they will have a similar flavor. There is no doubt.
I have been wondering about the degree to which the final sound is determined by drivers as opposed to cabinets/crossover...but basically, as you say, I would expect them to be similar, not identical.
Gsselling can you explain further, I'm not following you. How do you find the Systems 2? Comp[ared to all other speakers from your past? "...the larger Tyler's will be first on my list as replacements" I gather you mean to say you will be interested in another alrger Tyler speaker, correct?
purchased my Tyler Acoustics System II's in August of 2005 and ever since then I have fallen off of the Audiophile upgraditis craze. I have no desire to change out amps, pre-amps, cd players, cables etc.... I guess in a way they have ruined the hobby for me. LOL So what have I been doing since? Well, I have gotten back into playing the guitars again. In fact I have bought 5 guitars in the last 6 months. LOL. Oh well, I guess my sickness knows no bounds. As long as I am in the room that I use now my Tyler's are staying. Should I move to a larger venue I may change that but rest assured the larger Tyler's will be first on my list as replacements.
Look what could lead to provocative encounters here if each side would level with the other's idea's /opinions ( believed) thus we might have more meaningful discussions. But I'm afriad to take Sallie's comments further. Read the article make up your own mind. There is one thing I felt she is saying , of utmost importance, and that factor will be not be counted in after reading. I've talked with a tyler owner on the phone, and have heard the same things I'm reading in other customers comments nad in sallie's review. The Tyler's do not need any advertising, no hard sell. Sure I see all the speaker reviews in the past 20 yrs all saying the same exact thing, or close to it. Which is why I avoid reading reviews. In this case there is truth what Sallie writes, and you'll have to hear them for yourself. Ty has a list of owners that are willing to have you audition them. I don't see that option among any other speaker lab. Yeah I know all offer the same thing Tyler has , the 20 day money back guarantee, but who here wants to rebox and ship back a speaker? Not me. With Tyler the chances are slim to none you'll be going through that drudgery of returns.
Tvad, as you are aware Katrina wiped me out. Had circumstances been otherwise, I'd have a pair. Things may change later this yr, , a certain "loan" may come through. Until then all we have to go on are sally's comments and dozens others like here's. Comments made on every Tyler speaker about the same experiences. I did not go into questioning Ty how he has either of his speakers in xovers. I'm sure he valued the xover dozens of ways before he felt "thats the one". btw Ty is the the lab that I see mention the names of the high quality parts he uses. He lets you know what you are getting. unlike other labs everything is all sealed, not only you do not know what the drivers llok like, but xovers as well. The seas' can be seen from various photos, but do not do justice to the actual physical unit. As I say I'm trusting Ty to "tame these beasts" with the xover network. I'll report back on how I haer the speaker, after extensive comparisons with the Thor. That might take anywhere from a few days to one hour(or less). I can't expalin why the time differential, its too complex to explain how I do a session.
Read 43600 as "$3600". The seas' might not be "as soft" as other paper cone woofers, but as sally says, "imprefect, yet possessed of magical power". IOW 'as close to perfect as you're going to get". Seas' in the design of the cone material gave up something in order to gain in other more important areas, the end result is as near perfect as you're going to get. What I find exceptional about The Seas' is the non-exsistent fatigue level. Honestly and I'm not hyping, its only you and the music with the Seas'. I cannot say that about any other speaker I've heard in my 30 yrs.
Sally doesn't say outright she prefers the spendor, says "what then keeps this 43600 speaker from quite the overall level of performance the spendor S8 achieves? The answer lies in the slightly compromised lower middlerange and midbass. these to my ears do not quite match that magical resolution of the upper mids treble." ....would you like if I take this line in context of what she wrote earlier? Should I micro her words so as to show its flimsy nature in light of what she wrote elsewhere in the review? I don't think Ty would wish I did. He's happy that AS even considered a review since Ty is not an advertiser. I'm not going to knock spendor, if they float your boat, happy sailing. I'm a Seas' man, was love at first sight.
She mentions the Spendor "S8e" whatever those #'s letters are suppose to mean is anyones guess. I looked at a photo of that speaker, not at all impressed. I've heard "that" speaker before somewhere in my 30 yrs of past critquing speakers. seems AS must keep those advertisers happy. Make note, you'll never see Tyler spending a dime on das in audio mags. Doesn't need to. The product sells itself. Just look at the # of used Tyler's on the audiogon market? Zero. Every blue moon one will pop up. And when one does, its sold in less than 5 days. And look at all other labs, dozens. draw your own conclusions.
Bartokfan: I haven't gotten to Absolute Sound yet. I guess that review is not available online (usually you get that sort of stuff at manufacturer's website). Anyway, which Spendor model does Sally prefer to Tyler Linbrook System 2?
GO FIGURE Zero Tyler's on the used market. All buyers keep their speakers. . I guess no one is figuring that out. IOW the # of used speakers on the used market let you know how well to how c**py they are. Tyler is the only lab with zero, which tells me it is the best. Now how many here would figure that out? See i like to use my head. btw Sallie's "I slightly prefer the Spendor" sounds so much like absolute sounds's games they play ,seems clearly to me playing the pied piper to Spendor to get spendor to ad with AS. btw plenty os spendors on the uded market.
Make it a point to stop off and pick up a copy of Absolute Sound, go ahead its only $8, so we are all on the same page. That review should put to rest any objections that the Tyler/Seas is something to be heard.
Aktchi "maddening" hehe...yes it has been difficult for this 50 yr old brain to keep all the Sigs, Systems, ONE, TWO's all in proper order, and making sure everyone is on the same apge. But as you point out there is no lab that offers the extent of moels as does Ty, At the top of his line you've got those MONSTROUS Towers with a 10 inch at the top and one at the bottom of the cabinet!!! + A few other Towers to boot. Then the baby of the seas' family ty has that newest mini monitor with the 5 inch midwoofer/tweeter. And everything in between. Come one come all. No other lab worldwide comes even close. Thus in someways you can say Tyler ofers the world's best speaker line, not only models but also as I consider the seas the finest deriver in the world. Just my opinion "of course". But as you say names do not matter its the end redsult we are all after, : Does it deliver? Is the question. According to Sallie , yes indeed the Systems 2 does. If it a good idea that Ty renames his models, all for the sake of convience? I guess not really , what we need to do is make sure we are on the same page on what model we are talking. So I suggest write down all his models on a reference card and make short notes. Exaplme, Taylo7U=MTM T (T= tower) Taylo REFERENCE 3's = W26/W18/T25 ( a model no one talks about) Linbrook Systems 2 = W22/W18/T25 Linbrook SIGNATURE SYSTEM = MTM/Bass Module. Sure it will take alittle work from us, but after a month, you'll have the models locked into memory. btw there are a few issues i have with Sallie's review. For some odd reason she brings up another speaker as reference. But says its possibly her first choice over the SYS2. seems to me its a bit disingenuious to make these accurate comments on the Tyler's which after reading you could translate "it just don't get much better than this", yet she prefers the "other reference speaker" I just don't get it. Which is why I avoid these "audio reviews". There si an article in the Absolute Sound, "Can an audio system sound real?" Which I will not read, as I know the answer already and know of a sytem that will deliver the goods. Mine at present does just fine. I'm comparing my setup to the dozens of speakers/systems I've heard over the past 30 yrs. The System2 vs Thor will have to wait, I expect the System 2 to come out as my fav especially for classical music, but all other genres as well. The System 2 seems to be the ideal speaker, each driver is doing what it is suppose to do.
Bartokfan: Just to illustrate the confusion Ty's speaker nomenclature causes, here are a few exerpts from another A'gon thread:
"If you are referring to the Linbrook floorstanders that have the one mid/bass driver and a tweeter in each enclosure (ie, these are not the Linbrook System speakers)..."
"You will get a tad more bass with the Linbrook floorstanders...That said, the Tyler 7Us, or the Linbrook Signature Monitors would indeed be a step up over the Taylo Reference Monitors."
"Could you clarify which model of Linbrook floorstander you are talking about? I have the Linbrook Signature system, one piece per side, but I think you may be talking about the rhw new Linbrook System two which has one tweeter, one midrange and one woofer. ???"
"The Signature System II is a major step up from the Taylo Reference Monitors (sorry, I thought you were only interested in the Linbrook Floorstanding Reference Monitor)..."
"I don't own the "II" (I have the regular Linbrook System "I" if you will)"
A good speaker is a good speaker, but the nomenclature is amusing or maddening depending on how you are involved. :)
Bartokman: I appreciate your sentiments. Hope you get a chance to compare Tylers with your Thors side by side some day. I know you'd enjoy that greatly.
Have you---or anybody else here---had a chance to investigate Salks and Silverlines in comparison to Tylers, either in absolute quality or value for the dollar?
Newbie, yes now I've got it, THE SYSTEM 2 is a one tweet, one 7 midwoofer, one 8 basswoofer. The SIGNATURE SYSTEM is the MTM + BASS MODULE. Lets just stay with these 2 for right now. (Tyler has 3 model lines for his Seas dricers, the Woodmere, Linbrook, and Taylo with I have in the Madisound kit, wjich is a MTM, one 7 midwoofer, one tweet, one 7 midwoofer, Ty calls his the Taylo 7U) Akttchi good to see you agree that Ty could do a better job at naming his models, especially for those with poor memory, like me. But really the most imporant thing is to get these fanatstic drivers xover properly, which i knwo he does. What i find amazing about Tyler is the number of models he puts out, something for everyone, AND at very competitive price. IOW I consider his lines a bargain, even at new. btw you'll notice there are very few used on the Audiogon market. Seems what Sallie Reynolds says in her very accurate, well expressed review in the latest edition of Absolute Sound, which I just finished reading :"There are rare speakers you hang on to , because they will go on satifying you for a long time". As I've said many times here, the seas's Thor is a speaker that will be my last. If it wasn;'t for Ty's SYSTEM 2, the Thor would be. There is much I agree with Sallie's assessment of the qualities in the Seas's voicing. In fact Sallie is able to get across the temperments , the tonal percision (clarity and separataion) of the Seas that describe my experiences perfectly. Hardly much I could add. If anyone wants wants a accurate review of the Seas as presented in Tyler's design pick up a copy of Absolute Sound. Sallie uses the Musical Fidelity cdp and amp. Which i would guess is a pretty "middle=of-the[raod equipment, which makes the review even more fair to everyone. In fact is a further testment to this speaker. That is if MF can sound THIS good over a speaker, you know the speaker has something, if not alot to do with the end result. Are you following me, or need I further touch on that point?
Yes it is confusing. Creative individuals, enterpreneurs etc are often their own worst enemies. I think it is good that one should not feel bound by others' viewpoint, but it is not good if one can't or doesn't even take it into consideration. That's one reason most such businesses fail.
Anyway, the main Linnbrook itself comes in two versions: one-piece and two-piece. Linnbrook II is a lower model. I have never understood where Linnbrook and Taylo series stand in relation to each other.
Bartockfan, Wrong - The Signature System comes in either a two piece, principally made for folks with the monitors to add a bass module, or a one piece for folks starting from scratch. Both have the same driver complement. Both cost the same.
The System II is the smaller unit with a single drivers for mid range, bass, and highs.
FWIW, while there are not many 'reviews' as such on Tylers speakers, there are many user comments you can cobble together. I think the 1 piece Signature System was reviewed by (?) Sensible Sound within the last year and was considered comparable to the Dunlavy Alethea, for what that might be worth. The II's are very new and I've seen no reviews and few comments, other than a review in TAS which I referred to in my last post to you on this subject. Lastly, I have no quarrel with Dave's comments on the Sig System's in his review or elsewhere. From my experience I think he is spot on!
Dave I'll head on over to AA right now, hope to locate your review. Now for clarification (I do not like how Ty has his speaker models labeled, I find it very confusing to recall all the models), LINBROOK SIG SYSTEM has 2 'versions" the first , earlier model released by Ty is a 2 piece, that is a stack, MTM sits atop the "dual bass module", which houese 2 8 inch.That would be version ONE, correct? Now the SIG SYSTEM TWO is the later model, all in one piece, yes? Just to make sure we are on the same page. I'm interested in the Ty;s SYSTEM TOW. Its a 3 way. So you see how things can get confusing. SIG SYS model 1, model 2. then SYSTEMs 2. I alos paln to pick up a a copy of Audio Review to ck out the review of the SYSTEMS 2. Will report back.
I think that sometimes people can get *over-emotional* about their speakers... as we have seen in a recent thread. If you want my opinion on the sound of Tylers, feel free to check out my review on AudioAsylum.com under the Linbrook Signature System (mine is the two piece version of the I) -- I really don't want to re-write the same thing. Bottom line is the System II sounds similar to the System "I" which I absolutely love, but provides about 90% of the performace (and costs less, of course). It does not get as low, sounds a bit less dynamic, and is missing a hair on the midrange/mid-bass presentation in comparison. It is a great speaker that I enjoyed when I heard it.
Not sure why other Tyler owners are afraid to speak up about their speakers. No one is going to criticize your own personal opinion. But please be more specific than many other posts I read on other speakers. Its difficult to grasp just how the sound is from some vague, unspecific over emotional one line comments,. Go ahead into details. Sure I agree describing the sound by the written word is near impossible, but we should try to do the best, and leave the rest up to the imagination of the reader. So Tyler owners, this is your thread. A place where the questioner is free to probe further into this little known speaker design. I need to know about the Tyler 3 way called Systems 2. The speaker has a 8 inch, 7 inch midwoofer and the T25 Millinium . Anyone give me a review?
Rsabia, can you give us more details on the models you have and a short review on each. I believe your Taylo's are a 2 way with a Seas 7 and a Scanspeak tweeter, yes? Now you also have the mini-monitor called the Linbrook has a 5 inch seas and a Scanspeak tweeter. Is this correct? Short review on each. Thanks Paul
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