GR Research LGK 2.0 Speaker Review (A Joke)

[Spkrdctr]

As I said, this is the worst sounding speaker I have ever tested and one that simply is not fit for any hi-fi use. Period.

OK, 18 pages and 358 posts. All to analyze and examine in minute detail, a junk speaker. Now why do I say that? Well, lets look at the price performance ratio. In the end that is what almost all buyers look at if they have the information. So, after looking at the price for a single 3 inch driver speaker, we find that the price per pair (assembled) is $1000. We need it assembled to compare it to other tested speakers that are also assembled. So in an apple to apple comparison, it clearly comes out as junk. Pure unadulterated junk. In fact it has THE RECORD at being the the biggest piece of junk speaker (but small in size) that Amir has ever tested. The music coming out of your iPhone speaker is better. I'm not talking headphones, I mean actually coming out of your miniature iPhone is far better. Ok, so what is there to say? What is there to analyze? Why on earth would Amir waste time on further testing the speaker? Unless it was obvious that the driver was defective, than it was just a piece of junk as designed. The speaker is and has always been junk.

Now my problem is something I can't seem to fix. I have practically begged Amir for the "junk" Panther. He researched and there was no junk Panther. Well, it seems there is a person who posted a Panther in a trash bin. That is the perfect junk Panther. I'm saying right now in front of everyone, I will send Amir $100 if he starts offering a junk Panther on the voting. $100 US straight to Amir. Oh, and yes I am now on my knees begging. This speaker SCREAMS for the junk rating. A poor rating does not convey how bad and junky the speaker really is. I'm thinking of possibly doing a sit down strike until we get a Junk Panther. Everyone is welcome to join me. Till then I'm sitting!

Power to the Panther!

 

[AudioArchitech]

Ha! Do you build speakers or something?

 

[Everett T]

Ha! Do you build speakers or something?

Me? Yes.

 

[GDK]

In case it’s of interest, for $499.99, I sell an upgrade kit that will turn these speakers into wee 3” circles of heaven…

GDK Research

 

[tomtoo]

You guys are hilarious, so excited to BASH him over a review of his most tiny speaker design, using a 3” driver ! GR Dumpster… really!?!

1000$ design.

 

[Doodski]

1000$ design.

Actually $1014 – $1038 for a pair that is finished.

 

[ALaylowguy]

Just saying, I would use an amp with a better track record. This new to market PA5 seems to be failing quite a bit. And be honest with Danny, you told him you use Purifi

Danny practically said Amir can do whatever he wanted and he didn't care. And what more honesty are we as readers having all the knowledge of what are being used can ask for? Do you have a problem with the test result? If so what it is? Are you suggesting Amir to use other AMP in hope that it would change the result? What AMP are you suggesting and why?

 

[AudioArchitech]

Danny practically said Amir can do whatever he wanted and he didn't care. And what more honesty are we as readers having all the knowledge of what are being used can ask for? Do you have a problem with the test result? If so what it is? Are you suggesting Amir to use other AMP in hope that it would change the result? What AMP are you suggesting and why?

It was already discussed the last page or two. But if you are looking for context. Personally, I would use a reliable and trusted brand. Bryston comes to mind, go Canada Really, there's plenty of options, the Purifi would have satisfied me. Amir seems to think it would have fried the LGK's, I'm not sure why he couldn't just attenuate the volume, but he must know what he's talking about. Topping PA5 is new, affordable Chinese ClassD amp, issues have been reported, more keep failing. See the Poll for Topping PA5 Owners thread and PA5 review thread. In the end, it doesn't matter, the LGK's are garbage.

 

[Fidji]

You guys are hilarious, so excited to BASH him over a review of his most tiny speaker design, using a 3” driver ! GR Dumpster… really!?!

One of predictable outcomes of this forum is that once we get failed "high-end audiophile" product, we just like to drool over it. It is our revenge to all those smug audiophiles rebutting our statements about uselessness of "cryogenically treated high-end ethernet cable [make sure you use it with proper directivity and make sure micro-vibrations are handled via our Magic Kone Foot]" with "yes, but then your system must be very low quality, if you are not able to hear the difference". Simply, human nature. [see Wilson Audio Tiny Tot thread]. I have nothing against GR Research, in the same way as I have nothing against homeopathy or Fiat cars, I simply don't care. [and you can count me among audiophiles too, as I also do probably pay over the real value of some products, e.g. LINN streamers or Ayre amplifier]

Which does not change the fact, that this design is probably on par with SQ with Logitech, similar design, similar outcome, laws of physics.

for completness - my experience with GR - I have heard one "upgraded" product by GR Research {Dynaudio special 40] and al I can say, that it played like Dynaudio special 40].

Just one personal note - so you bought defective, well measuring 350USD Chinese amplifier. Get your refund and move on. No need to die on GR Research hill. I had to return my multichannel Hypex amp, so what. Still not going for tubes.

 

[AudioArchitech]

I did return it, and I moved on. I was just questioning the amp choice by Amir for testing is all

 

[ALaylowguy]

It was already discussed the last page or two. But if you are looking for context. Personally, I would use a reliable and trusted brand. Bryston comes to mind, go Canada Really, there's plenty of options, the Purifi would have satisfied me. Amir seems to think it would have fried the LGK's, I'm not sure why he couldn't just attenuate the volume, but he must know what he's talking about. Topping PA5 is new, affordable Chinese ClassD amp, issues have been reported, more keep failing. See the Poll for Topping PA5 Owners thread and PA5 review thread. In the end, it doesn't matter, the LGK's are garbage.

I read Amir's response and he made it very clear that PA5 is as good as his Purify. The fact that LGK is not good is also very clear to me from the first page.

 

[DanielT]

So pretty much exactly the same as Amir's opinion?

Completely unusable without high-passing below 200Hz?

Which leads back to the fact that around 200 Hz, and higher up..two bass elements would be preferable. And when you're still up and running, add a proper tweeter. Then you end up, where you kind of end up, with such a 3 "driver. As part of a three-way speaker. In addition, I think 200 Hz is too low a crossover point for those elements, in a three-way construction. But that's another question.

Edit:
Should you then make it sound good (in a three-way speaker). The "usual" namely knowledge regarding DIY speakers / construction speakers, measuring equipment, calculations and so on.
(which I do not have, a lot of, but as a matter of principle, it is a starting point, a necessity)

As previously mentioned in the thread, by me and others. If you are now going to have some small desktop speakers with small broadband elements, there are many good, affordable elements to choose from. The sound will be what it will be then, of course. But it will not be particularly expensive.

 

[voodooless]

I was just questioning the amp choice by Amir for testing is all

What’s there to question? It’s an amp, it works. Any old amp would have been as good.

 

[AudioArchitech]

I guess I'm just quite surprised that it could that bad. Good to hear that you retested your PA5 and it still works good, that's promising. May have to try another PA5 later.

edit: only if PA5 warranty shipping is to somewhere in North America, not risking having to ship to China again, that's for sure.

Guys, we moved passed this already ^^ Page 18

 

[DanTheMan]

Thanks for this Amir. So, this begs the question as to whether GR Research speaker upgrades are worth the $$. I'm interested in the upgrade for my Focal Aria 906's with a price tag of $460. Maybe Amir would be willing to measure them for me, hint, hint ;-)
Anyone here ever do any of Danny's Upgrades?

I watched a couple of hisYouTube videos where he makes modifications on speakers based on his measurements which are done in a crossover null or off the axis of a narrow directivity horn speaker. His ”upgrade” would almost without question be anything but. I’m not sure if he’s an idiot or a snake oil salesman. I mean he sells a lot of snake oil, but I’m not sure if he’s aware of it. I’m glad the tides have turned on him after at least a decade of doing this crap. I was shocked that his first speaker measured on here was decent. I was even disappointed just because I know how much BS he spews on the web and how many country boys must fall for it. He can speak like your cool bumpkin uncle, but in reality he’s a scammer wether he knows it or not.

 

[Toni Mas]

Klippel gives you the full 3-D radiation of a speaker. You can use that data to model any room you want. PIR is one such modeling which is included in all the reviews. Other situations can be modeled as well.

With respect to LGK, there is no requirement stated to push them against the wall. Even if you did, it would make no difference to problem at hand which is severe distortion all over the audio spectrum. As I noted, I am actually ignoring the bass performance.

It is clear that the distortion will remain whatever the placement. But i suppose that when you publish a predicted in room response, you have to choose as parameters the placement of the speaker relative to room boundaries, because the predicted in room response cannot be the same with a speaker floor standing, in wall, in a corner or placed on a desktop, etc...
Btw, can you model a predicted in room response with desktop placement?

 

[JSmith]

Calling out Danny @GR Research... 7:22 is an interesting comment.

Danny at GR-Research made a video and it Is Elitist and Delusional... has rubbed a few people the wrong way.

Responding to Paul | PS Audio... 3:40 is amusing.


JSmith

 

[DanielT]

Calling out Danny @GR Research... 7:22 is an interesting comment.

Danny at GR-Research made a video and it Is Elitist and Delusional... has rubbed a few people the wrong way.

Responding to Paul | PS Audio... 3:40 is amusing.


JSmith

The problem, or one of them, of listening to things in another home is partly the listening room. Hard to determine speaker performance, per se. The room and its acoustics and / or speaker, what created the sound?.Yes I know a combination. But just to show the difficulty.

Amir's measurements, made independently of listening rooms,hence make sense to read.

Plus you, and all of us more or less .. probably more than you think, are easily influenced. You hear what others want you to hear. Even if you really know it's wrong. Like this:

Edit:
Also, was it not in this thread that someone mentioned that these little 3-inch drivers / speakers had been listened to at Danny's along with lots of fat subwoofers? Probably with steep HP-LP filters (sub-3-inch drivers / speakers).What do you hear then? How to determine the sound in these small 3-inch broadband speakers then?

 

[sarumbear]

Interesting because the design tries to involve the desktop environment and the influence of boundary conditions ( walls, desktop itself...)... Things that are
obviously not covered by the Klippel measurements system, and do make a difference.

Klippel measures in 3D. If you know the reflecting surface material, dimension, position you can calculate the in-room response of the speaker on a bookshelf, flush to wall, etc.

I’m not sure but I assume the in-room response that @amirm posts are of listening in an undefined “typical” listening room condition.

 

[DanielT]

Responding to Paul | PS Audio... 3:40 is amusing.


JSmith

If you look at it, I watched that video. 10:15 in Danny says: Connect and listen.

Well. Then Danny can take part in a blind test ... Will he take part in one? .... Of course not, he's not that stupid.

Edit:
When Danny laughs and says that it makes a difference to the signal, he is absolutely right, but the question is whether it is an audible difference?One more grain of salt in the pasta water and it is not the same but the taste of the cooked pasta?Of course, there is no difference in taste, other than imaginary taste difference.