Danny Richie "fixes" the Linkwitz Arion loudspeaker

@rushbutton, totally agree with active crossovers. Doubt I will ever go back to passive. 

@russbutton

Me too... 

The only thing I might like better is the LX521, because its bridge helps tame the bass and prevents vibration transmission to the mids and tweeters.

But... there are still few speakers that can match the later Orion's, for the reasons you mentioned.

@clio09  
@russbutton 
Count me as another that finds fully active speakers to be the way to go. I have fully active Legacy Calibre with crossover duties handled by the Wavelet processor. 6 channels of amplification and lots of ability to adjust and tweak the sound. To me, they are way more versatile than any of the passive models I have used and sound better too.

+1 russbutton. I agree whole heartedly. I bought Orion 3.3’s and built LX521 baffles, LXmini’s and LXsubs. I use both active analog and digital crossovers, all ATI amplification, tube hybrid preamp, Yggdrasil and Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC’s, Synergistic Research interconnects, PS Audio power equipment, and DIY HFT’s (Ozzinators). It’s all configured in a way that I can mix and match components and speakers easily depending on what works best for the music I’m playing. I feel I am done with the equipment part of the problem (for my budget) and my limiting factors are now: #1 the recording engineer, and #2 the fixed dimensions of my room.


Life is too short to sit around and worry about what someone might say with regard to design problems or equipment measurements. Harvest and apply the knowledge as well as possible but then leave it behind and enjoy the music.


Rather than make a lengthy post on this topic, I finally got my act together and posted my system https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8930. In the notes you will find plenty of detail about the equipment and why I made the choices I did. Questions and comments welcome.

I was fortunate enough to hear the Orion's in the Linkwitz’s rental cabin in Sea Ranch and later the LX521.4 and LXmini in Linkwitz’s home in Corte Madera. Many people have tried to “improve” the Orion which is fine. Many submitted their design modifications to Linkwitz and he welcomed that; however, there was always a caveat. To paraphrase, ‘Do what you want but don’t call it an Orion unless you follow the plans exactly.’ In fact, if he saw my system (where I have the option of playing only the Orion or bringing in the other drivers, he would probably say ‘sometimes you have an Orion and sometimes you don’t’ or words to that effect. The meaning is clear. Don’t try to make the Orion into something that it isn’t. The sound (with all of its’ beauty and flaws) is baked in.