Eminent Technology LFT-8c Robert Greene review


A friend of mine forwarded this review to me a couple days ago.  I hadn't seen it as it's just a week old at this point. 

Why would I be interested? I have a pair of LFT-8b speakers that I picked up about 7 months ago.  Wonderful speakers. I always wanted to try a set of panels and, as luck would have it, last summer I found a used pair of 8b's just a short drive from my home..I made the jump.  As it turns out, this was one of the best moves I've made in my 50+ year audio hobby. 

In the last few months, I was considering picking up the 8b to 8c upgrade components, but put it off as I had a number of other projects going on.  Well..the projects got completed and I started a few more projects, though this time around the 8c upgrade is one of them.  I ordered the 8c upgrade yesterday and I'm really looking forward to the adventure once it arrives. 

One thing I've noticed when reading discussions of the LFT-8(no a, b, c)  here on A-gon, is the discussion wanders over the now 36 year history of the LFT-8.  Issues identified in this or that review from 10-20-25 years ago are brought up as if they reflect what the LFT-8 is today.  LFT-8's had a great sound 30 years ago, with a few flaws, as any 30 year old speaker would, and it sounds better today. Nothing surprising there. Most companies cut ties with models as they age and come out with something new, whether they are really new or repackaged parts..that varies.. 

What's my point?  I just find it interesting that Bruce Thigpen (Eminent Technology) came out with the LFT-8 in about 1990 and has been continually improving the model 8 year after year, decade in and decade out, staying in business with no advertising, though with a few shows here and there. There are very few current speakers(let alone businesses) alive today that have a 30+ year history under largely the same name. (Though the Vandy 2 series comes to mind)  Pretty unique in this industry.  It's also pretty unique that a decades old pair of LFT-8 speakers can be upgraded to the current model at a very modest cost. And the upgrade is easily done by any owner. 

So..the latest review:

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/eminent-technology-lft-8c-planar-loudspeaker/

Robert Greene goes into considerable depth in his review, which is specific to the 8c version, though he's done an 8b review in the past. I'm glad it came out as it pushed me over the edge in ordering the 8c upgrade.  I'm not getting any younger..time to give the 8c a spin. 

One last note, I've read in a number of older and current reviews that the LFT-8 speaker placement is..finicky.  I haven't found that to be the case at all.  In the last 7 months I've experimented extensively with placement and they respond well to various setups. My current setup is about 115 inches between the panels (on center) and maybe 30 degrees toe-ed  in from facing directly forward.  Each speaker is 45 inches off the front wall(on center) and 38 inches from the side walls.  I have a great soundstage and and equally great imaging.  My tweeter panels are on the inside. 

 

(...and no..I have no affiliation with ET..just a customer owning a used pair of the 2017 model 8b)

nogaps

@jnovak 

My wife got quite a laugh from this!

It's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission!

@nogaps 

when the little Maggie’s came out, I got a maybe from her, but when I mentioned getting a second subwoofer, I got the eye roll. Down stairs, I do still have a pair of Acoustat Model X’s and they were bought before we were married. 😁

Couple of things, the speakers I believe that a few are talking about are the "new proposed design" that ET showed at the Florida Audio Fest a few years ago and they were called the 18LS, a planar panel of tweeter and midrange and a tall "box" of dynamic woofers, price mentioned approx. $15K.

A question I have is there anyone on here that has hooked up 2 pairs of the ET- LFT 8, (A, B, or C's) in a system. I know that Doug Schneider ? did this years ago but was wondering is anyone currently has done this? If so how did you hook up the two speakers to the amp? Was there a big difference in the sound? Any issues with doing so? And what version of the LFT's did you use?

@audibleguy 

I just received a reply from Bruce regarding the new speakers: 

‘ We may not make an LFT-16 for a while……’ He calls named it  LFT-16, FYI.

I too would appreciate reading descriptions on a quad speaker configuration for the LFT-8s’.

 

@ledoux1238 

From the couple of videos from last year Florida show, the 16s looks really interesting. It uses the ribbon tweeter and mid-range panels with upgraded magnets in one panel and a seperate bass unit with six or seven dipole 6" woofers, The thing I don't like is that it will be completely active, no amps required. I like tubes. But that may be a bias I can get over. 

I just send Bruce a question on the status of the 16s' . 

Iv'e listened the the LFT-16s at least ten different times close to 5 different amplifiers [at least] over a period of years at my local dealer.  All sessions were either different AudioNote or Quicksilver TUBE amplifiers, 10w, 20w, 60w, 120w versions. 

Two sessions they were powered wtih my same Quicksilver Mono 120 amplifiers with KT150 tubes in the amps both times.  I liked the 16s so much with my own amplifiers I was so darn tempted to buy them just to have them for their cost, sound, value, small footprint.  I did not need another pair of speakers, and build my own speakers, yet these are something different on their own.  Each time, the speakers were pulled out into the room about 7' from the front wall, and did not need a subwoofer when matched with my amps.  Really neat little speakers, and fun to listen to, fwiw. If you are dead set on getting a pair, I could ask my local dealer if he still has a few sets.  He used to keep a few in stock as they sold fast or people would some time trade them back to try the larger unit 8bs.  I always enjoy listening to them when he had them fired up whenever I stopped by.