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Tyler Acoustics Linbrook/Super Mini Monitors

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!
rsabia
newbee
4,751 posts
 
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!
aktchi
274 posts
 
Bartokfan:

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.
drseid
201 posts
 
Newbee is correct on the models (I own the 2 piece version of the original Linbrook System "I", but have heard the *Model* System 2 as well).

Just for clarification on the Sensible Sound review, that actually was the Linbrook Signature Monitor that was in the review...

Yes, the model names can be quite confusing... The speakers *do* sound quite good, however. :-)

---Dave
bartokfan
664 posts
 
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?
aktchi
274 posts
 
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?
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