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Modern retro shootout: L100 followers

sabbot

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Hi ASR,

After the successful introduction of JBLs L100 Classic there are now a few more speakers following this recipe in design, featureset and size but at half the price. For one there is KLH Model Five, though not ported but with tone controls as well. And then there is the European counterpart Elipson Heritage XLS 15. Haven't found any measurements for these, probably still to early after their release. Not to forget the Lintons, but I guess they have been discussed here already. So what are your thoughts on the KLH and Elipson?
 

MarkS

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While I'm old enough to be nostalgic about ancient designs (my first speakers were the ADS 303ax), in fact I'm more than happy to leave it behind. To my eyes and ears, modern designs both look and sound much better.
 

Koeitje

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I'm not old enough to be nostalgic about the design, but I like the design. If somebody builds a speaker with those looks and proper performance I'll be all over it.
 
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sabbot

sabbot

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Again no proper set of measurements, but at least some more impressions on the Elipsons rather than just the sparse manufacturer/press Infos.

 

Mart68

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I prefer the look of the KLH, the lack of mirror-imaging on the Elipson would irritate me a bit. He says it would ruin the 'vintage look' - I don't see why.

Good to see proper 3 way speakers with twelves coming back into fashion.
 
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sabbot

sabbot

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1620837930069.png



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Only recently I discovered these, even though they have been in market already before the L100s. Within that series there are also 3 Way and Fullrange Speakers.

https://www.heco-audio.de/en/detail/index/sArticle/2982811

https://www.stereo.de/hifi-test/produkt/heco-direkt-1098

https://www.i-fidelity.net/testberichte/high-end/heco-direkt/labor-seite-6.html
 
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thewas

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New Stereophile measurements of the KLH Model Five, not too bad
 

q3cpma

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New Stereophile measurements of the KLH Model Five, not too bad
Directivity is strangely erratic, even if with a decent general curve shape.
 

DSJR

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Not sure the Linton Heritage has anything to do with the 'Super Linton' I knew (pre XP version) apart from a nod to the styling. I believe they sound right up to date but would like to see a Klippel style appraisal and subjective comparison with known good 'sounding' peers. Harbeths on the cheap? I still wonder ;)
 

thewas

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Directivity is strangely erratic, even if with a decent general curve shape.
Guess partially also due to diffraction effects, unfortunately Stereophile always normalises them to the 0° axis measurements which has been long criticised by many.
 

tuga

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Wharfedale has design a few retro models like the Linton Heritage:



And there are the BBC inspired models and replicas from Graham Audio, Harbeth and Stirling:



 

Mart68

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New Stereophile measurements of the KLH Model Five, not too bad
quite respectable if not perfect. Possible to do a lot worse for $2K. A speaker I would like to try.
 

arn

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I have the klh 5, it is an excellent sounding speaker. nice matching with adi2 + a800, now i try it with the benchmark ahb2.

one disadvantage… the manufacturing quality / delivery chain issues. I got a slighly damaged speaker (cosmetic issues on the edges), i sent it back got another pair. Same… i was very upset, and contacted with the eu distributor, and they reacted very unfriendly (be happy with, or sell the speaker, etc). it is pity, i really like it, but i am very sensitive to the quality perfection (especially at a new product).

Basically i was dreamed about since a long time an old fashioned speaker: 3 ways, sealed design, pulp paper cones, relatively big woofer (here 10 inch). Good mix of the old school and the modern speakers. I plan with it for longer time, maybe later i will change it for something really big (12-15 inch) modern jbl or atc as “last” speaker.
 
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UDXL2C90

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It seems as if some of the speaker companies are re-discovering the acoustic suspension (closed box) designs. I have a pair of Boston Acoustics A70 II speakers from the early 1990s, and they still sound very nice, placed approximately 12" from flat back wall. The tone from this closed box with a 8" woofer is noticably different from any of my stand-mounted bookshelf speakers, "richer" and "fuller" to my ears.
 

fpitas

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No one likes the Magnat Transpuls 1500?View attachment 217699
Not a lot to love, sonically: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/magnat-transpuls-1500.9390/

 
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