One interesting side effect is that I seem to be in love with whichever speaker is running. After I've re-familiarized myself to it, I think, it's the better of the two. Then I switch back to the one which has been sitting idle and shortly thereafter think the exact same thought. I take this as a sign that I have speakers complementary to my ears and how I perceive music should naturally sound.

Greetings Doug - I feel the above is an interesting an important observation and worth further exploration. I understand where you are coming from and ponder whether it is due to any of the following?

1) Level differences
2) Time delay (we can only remember differences for short periods)
3) Bias. We expect it to sound different or a certain way i.e. ESL has wonderful resolution; Magnetic speaker has wonderful bass etc.

Like you I have some vastly different speakers at home, Electrostatics, Magnetic with Ribbon, all cones etc and I find each to have a strength and weakness. One observation I'd make is that we'd like to think that we can suppress the weaknesses but then one day we play the speaker for which that weakness is a strength and suddenly that speaker becomes flavor of the moment! Just some rambling thoughts.

kiwi_1282001 August 31, 2011 20:10

Kiwi, I don't want to lead you on in terms of the timing of the review. The amps just came in so it will be a while until the review appears, likely next year.

How is your review going Doug? Is it still targeted for publication early next year? Keenly await your update.

kiwi_1282001 November 25, 2008 09:23

Up until this week the Pathi were my "champs" in terms of overall listenability. Now they have a serious contender, a "dark horse" which I can't reveal yet. This new amp also has shockingly good sound with the Focus HD. I'll be writing about it for sure, but it's going to take a while before the dust settles and the new amp is announced.

How far away are you from revealing the 'dark horse'? I'm sitting here counting off the days :-)

kiwi_1282001 October 01, 2008 03:50

Hi Doug,

Perchance, have you had a listen to the AMR integrated? It was reviewed positively by one of your colleagues.

Thanks

kiwi_1282001 September 14, 2008 19:20

Hi Doug,

Thanks for your reply.

You write well.

I hear what you say about "tuning" sound and i guess that i hope against all hopes to find "the amp" - perhaps the dark horse special?

I wrote a mini review on the Continuum 500 and posted it on the forum page of my native audio site at www.audioenz.co.nz

As mentioned in my review i continue to look for 'the amp' and i have yet to audition the dual pathos config. That will be interesting indeed.

kiwi_1282001 September 08, 2008 19:14

Hi Doug,

Thanks for your comments. I would also be interested in your expanded thoughts on the Pathos MKIII vs. the Jeff Rowland 501 mono's driving the LFT-8's, all components of which i understand now grace your system. If i read your reviews correctly, despite giving the 501 mono's great praise, you actually prefer the Pathos sound - because in a nutshell of its warmth? Would that comment be fair?

After reading you 501 review i decided to head down to my local Jeff Rowland agent for an audition. Rather than listening to the 501's i opted instead to listen to the Jeff Roland Continuum 500 integrated. The continuum 500 is actually composed of 2 x 501 monos, with a Capri like pre and PFC-1 power supply - all integrated into a single chassis. For loudspeakers the agent connected MBL 116 Radialstrahlers which present a similar load to the LFT-8B's [and as i was very surprised to find out a very similar soundstage :-)] and for the front end MBL's 1521 transport and 1511 DAC.

The overall sound was pretty darn impressive. A big sonic picture was created which had incredible depth and width. Vocal articulation was brilliant as were the effortless dynamics which i think presented the most fleet footed transcient response i have ever witnessed. Until now, I never really 'got' [comprehended] what reviewers were talking about when they mentioned the 'blackness' between notes - but now i do, all thanks to the Continuum amp.

Glowing praise, so i'll be out to buy this Jeff Rowland next week then? Er, not quite. On the negative side, i found as you did, a general lack of warmth. Further, whilst not mentioned in your 501 review i also felt that the JR whilst delivering amazing vocal articulation did not capture the 'body' of the vocal. There was if you like a fantastic high resolution outline to vocals but no real density to them. My present, and much cheaper hybrid integrated amp does a better job of this even though it would have no hope of matching the JR in the other areas mentioned. Would you care to comment on my observations?

kiwi_1282001 September 06, 2008 06:59

Many Thanks for your reply.

Yes, i believe it was Robert Harley who made the comment of being able to live with the 840C at the front end of a $100k rig. Robert's heard a few players in his time so the comment really is quite powerful. All i know is that when i replaced my 840C i had to spend 5 times its purchase price to find something which clearly sounded superior. In this context your description of the 840C as being an "affordable reference player" really is quite apt.

I would be very interested in your comparison between the Legacy Focus HD and ET LFT 8b's. While the Focus speakers clearly are much more expensive what in your opinion do they do better and/or worse than the ET's?

Many thanks

kiwi_1282001 September 03, 2008 19:11

Added to the above have you replaced the ET's with Legacy speakers? What did the Legacy Focus speakers do better than the ET's? Are the Legacy speakers an easier or harder load for the Pathos mono's?

kiwi_1282001 August 31, 2008 03:42

Hi Doug,

I think the world of the Cambridge Audio 840C player. It offers great resolution with neutrality - which for me are the two most important attributes of a source. I still have my LFT-8B's and they are not going anywhere soon. I'm still considering your recommendation of dual Pathos Classic One's to drive them. I guess my only real reservation is whether 140 watts or so is really sufficient to drive the ET's? They are low in sensitivity.

kiwi_1282001 August 29, 2008 21:22