[Michael777]

Hi. I am looking for Legacy Signature III speakers. What speakers are comparable?

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Michael
This speaker is a monster, it is a 4 ways design, they are somewhat rare in hi-fi.
It is perfect for home theater explosions and action movies, nothing musical can go from a 4 ways xover, I suggest a 2 way hi sensibility as Klipsch.
There is a old thread about it:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=115960.0

OBS.>Please Note this 4 way speaker have a 6 legs xover, i.e. six xovers.

[opnly bafld]

Completely disagree with FRM.

If you are willing to use subwoofers a number of speakers can give a similar sonic signature (pun intended).

I look all the time for later model Sig IIIs and Focus, they don't come up often and are usually too far away to buy. 

[ASCTLC]

Well I'll be damned!  I thought my Focus SEs were awesome for equal use theater/music but having now relisted, I find I've deceived myself, they sound like shit for music.  good grief...

[richidoo]

Well I'll be damned!  I thought my Focus SEs were awesome for equal use theater/music but having now relisted, I find I've deceived myself, they sound like shit for music.  good grief...

Congratulations on your epiphane... I'll dispose of them for you.

Nothing is comparable for the money, imo. Old Legacy's have excellent value. There are old Focus for sale regularly for under $3000. You'll find more Focus than Sigs, and you'll like it more too. It's bigger, yes, but livable and they play better at low volume, late night listening.  They are very well designed, and there is nothing wrong with 4 way crossover if properly designed. 

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[poseidonsvoice]

Congratulations on your epiphane... I'll dispose of them for you.

Nothing is comparable for the money, imo. Old Legacy's have excellent value. There are old Focus for sale regularly for under $3000. You'll find more Focus than Sigs, and you'll like it more too. It's bigger, yes, but livable and they play better at low volume, late night listening.  They are very well designed, and there is nothing wrong with 4 way crossover if properly designed.

+1. 

Best,
Anand.

[Freo-1]

Completely disagree with FRM.

If you are willing to use subwoofers a number of speakers can give a similar sonic signature (pun intended).

I look all the time for later model Sig IIIs and Focus, they don't come up often and are usually too far away to buy. 

I had the Legacy Signature III's for a few years.  Sold them to a fellow member of the audio community a couple of years back. 


While I think they were OK, they were far from superior performers.  The crossover was below par in build quality and construction (IMHO).  The drivers were not that great, either.  The cabinet work was excellent.


These speakers are hard to find, but they are a big step up from the Signature III's



http://www.tmraudio.com/product/ta-criterion-tb-160-german-audiophile-floorstanding-speakers


The T+A speakers are amazing.  They have 2 10" drivers in a transmission line setup, so no sub is required.  They also have dynaudio midrange drivers, and a high end tweeter that escapes me at the moment. (Update: It's a Focal tweeter). 


I also agree with monitors and subs.  I get excellent results with a pair of ATC-SCM-19 monitors and a SVS SB-13 ultra sub.  I did upgrade the crossovers in the ATC's which did further improve the sound. 

[opnly bafld]

I had the Legacy Signature III's for a few years.  Sold them to a fellow member of the audio community a couple of years back. 

While I think they were OK, they were far from superior performers.  The crossover was below par in build quality and construction (IMHO).  The drivers were not that great, either.  The cabinet work was excellent.

Opinions vary, but you had an early pair of IIIs, IMO the later versions (with a black tweeter) were significantly improved.
Agree with Richidoo that some of the older Legacy speakers are an excellent value.

[Freo-1]

Opinions vary, but you had an early pair of IIIs, IMO the later versions (with a black tweeter) were significantly improved.
Agree with Richidoo that some of the older Legacy speakers are an excellent value.

Actually, I got the III's from Legacy in 2010.  The speakers were refurbished by Legacy with several new drivers (including the tweeters).  The T+A speakers sound more open and transparent, due to better midrange and tweeter drivers (not to mention better quality crossover parts).  They are roughly the same price in the used market.


I still have the T+A speakers.  They sound too good let them go. 

[richidoo]

I understand where Freo's coming from. I had 2020s 2004 vintage with the Japanese Foster planar ribbon tweeters and Audax TW034 (black) dome tweeters. They did not have what I thought should be "audiophile" treble and I was a noob climbing up the mountain for the first time and "needed more." But now 12 years later I would like to get back to that same voicing of Focus 2020 but with modern drivers and more resolution, that's the new SE with AMT.

I recently had a chance to buy old 90s era Focus, in my town for really REALLY cheap, but I knew the resolution wouldn't do it for me and not so easy to sell, so I passed. But the 2000s era with black dome tweeter sound very nice.

[Delacroix]

Another former Sig III owner here, I ran them from late 90s for 7 or 8 years. I liked them a lot, only used them for music. Warm, good but not great detail delivery with nice presentation of timbre,  easy to place (as much as any large floorstander can be so described) and some tailorability enabled through rear toggle switches. . Bought them originally from the Legacy factory where I heard several speakers of increasing cost and found them to be the sweet spot at the time for my budget. I think the Focus sounded better to me  but I thought them a little too big for my room at the time. Sold them to the first person who heard them when I listed them locally. When I wanted to upgrade, I had to listen to lots of speakers costing significantly more to hear enough of a difference for me to think I was upgrading. My wife still talks fondly of the Sig III's sound.

[ASCTLC]

These may not be the end all to clarity and performance but they fill an expectation for some of us looking for what they have to offer.  Some of us don't have dedicated music & theater rooms, singular hobby focus that all money can get funneled towards, want multiple dedicated systems in the house each only for specific purposes, expect a certain flexibility of performance for multiple uses, a level of WAF that these don't push bad enough to be rejected, etc. 

Michael77, I got these Focus SEs to replace VMPS Tower IIs.  I find the detail and musicality of the Focus far better than the VMPS but I thought the VMPS did a little better for theater use.  We all have different ears and expectations so these are trade offs, that's all.  My wife notices and appreciates the better performance for music but recognizes no performance difference for movies so it pretty much just comes down to how much better the Legacy's look in our room than the old VMPS.

The VMPS towers were sure a hell of a lot cheaper, and a little "boxier" and further than the WAF would allow again.  We really liked those VMPS towers and had no interest in replacing them.  If we had to do this all over again, we'd still pick these Focus SEs over trying to find and rebuild a pair of VMPS Tower IIs simply for the better music performance at the slight expense of theater performance.  Separate monitors on stands and subs spread out in the room was nixed so fast by my wife it made my head spin.  She wanted smaller but accepted the SEs because their foot print are smaller than separates spread out. 

The last consideration was "OMG, but they have another crossover in them!".   I won't knock someone who has/wants a dedicated system where such things that make them feel better about their spending choice as I have my own focus on such details for other activities in my life.  But I don't tell others the performance of their stuff couldn't possibly be acceptable, or even great, for them because it violates some "all else being equal" general rule of thumb.

Good luck on your search!

Andy

[opnly bafld]

I agree that the new AMT versions are the ones to get if within budget.
The black dome tweeter (2020) older speakers are better than the neo ribbon HDs IMO/E.
I had a pair of Focus HDs for a year; didn't listen to them much after the first 2 months or so. YMMV 

FWIW I listen mostly to rock and my main focus (pun intended) is to make it sound good to me.
I had Bill D's personal pair of Hot Rodded Classics for 5 years and wish I had not sold them. 

These may not be the end all to clarity and performance but they fill an expectation for some of us looking for what they have to offer.  Some of us don't have dedicated music & theater rooms, singular hobby focus that all money can get funneled towards, want multiple dedicated systems in the house each only for specific purposes, expect a certain flexibility of performance for multiple uses, a level of WAF that these don't push bad enough to be rejected, etc. 
 

I won't knock someone who has/wants a dedicated system where such things that make them feel better about their spending choice as I have my own focus on such details for other activities in my life.  But I don't tell others the performance of their stuff couldn't possibly be acceptable, or even great, for them because it violates some "all else being equal" general rule of thumb.

+1

[Michael777]

Hi. Thanks to all for the input. The reason for this thread is I recently acquired a Linar Model 250 amp and Model 2 stereo preamp. They are replacing my Viet Nam era Sansui 4000 receiver. The speakers I have are also Nam era Pioneer CS77's. A friend recommended the signature III speakers as something I should be looking for to go with the Linar equipment. I am getting the drift that while the Sigs are good the Focus speakers are better.

[richidoo]

If they are of similar vintage (Sig and Focus) then they would share tweeters and midrange because they are adjacent models in the lineup, so they would sound very similar tonally. 

The double radiating area of Focus has lower distortion, higher dynamic range and efficiency, but they also have satisfying deep and detailed bass even at very low volume, which small driver speakers can't do.

Sig has relatively large radiating area too, compared to other speakers in it's price. It's no slouch! Example: compare Sig SE dual 10" to Revel F208 with dual 8" for same price.

[ASCTLC]

I am getting the drift that while the Sigs are good the Focus speakers are better.

But there's always going to be something better.  That's never ending for those mortals of us that don't have endless finances or willingness to spend it even if we don't really have it.

I'd say jump on Signatures with little reservation.  I consider them the most musical home theater speaker I've even encountered but can admit it's not like I go through a lot of speakers.

Mine are fed with Van Alstine Synergy 450 amp and Insight+ preamp.

[Michael777]

It looks like the prime consideration, in addition to price, is going to be which ones pop up and location of seller. Every pair I have seen advertised are local pickup only. I really appreciate all of the input I have received. They have been very informative and helpful. Thanks to all. Mike

[sunnydaze]

Hi. I am looking for Legacy Signature III speakers. What speakers are comparable?

for pickup in FLA.......don't know your location....but here ya go:

http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649329341-legacy-signature-iii-loudspeakers-local-florida-pick-up-only/

[SeagoatLeo]

I have Signature IIIs in my living room for occasional listening and they sound great with moderately high end gear there.  I have Focus originals in my custom listening room with high end gear.   For the price, I doubt it can be beat for musicality and moderately good sound.  I've auditioned dozens of $10K to $100K speakers and intend to replace them with higher resolution, superior listening width speakers (Von Schwiekert VR9SE MkIIs or VR55s) in the near future.  I would not replace my Focus with Magicos or Wilsons if they were gifted to me.  Those two brands do not engage my listening interest (smaller Wilsons are good though).  My room and equipment deserve better speakers but I am still greatly enjoying my Focus speakers until then.  I'll move them to the Family Room for theater use then.  Why sell such an easy to listen to, easy to drive, inexpensive speaker.