[gmarks]

Greetings to all.

I started my exploration of loudspeakers back in the 1950's. I read everything by G.A. Briggs. I built a variety of box configurations using his 8/CS/AL (cloth surround, aluminum voice coil) speaker. There was an experimental electrostatic with 3 foot square perforated aluminum screens, saran wrap, and a aluminum foil diaphragm. 250 volt power supply. Only arc'd a few times. Driven by Heath amps, which were always being rewired. The Radiotron designer's handbook was devoured.

Since then among those in my possession have been several Jensen's, Altec VOT, AR, Snell, Mirage, and Audio Engine. My current main system uses AV123 LS-9's. My office system is Vanatoo T1E's. I've listened to many, many others, of course.

The electronics moved from Heath and stuff I built on a Heath chassis, to Dynaco, to various Sony gear, and mostly top-end Denon AVR's for the last 15 years.

My musical taste is eclectic, ranging from jazz to classical, much of the 1960's to 1980's pop, to chill, EDM and House.

Greg

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Greg 

[SlushPuppy]

I was on the old AV123 forum for a couple of years. Back then I owned the RS-1000's. I really wanted the LS series, but funds weren't available at the time, and I believe there was a long delay getting them. I always thought they would be my final pair of speakers. Yours look great! Welcome aboard!

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC Greg   

[gmarks]

Thank you for each of your welcoming messages.

The LS-9's did take "a while".  I first heard them at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Oct 2007. I talked with Mark Shifter there and somehow he convinced me to pay upfront cash to get a discount and expedited delivery. Ahem, maybe a mistake or maybe the only reason I was able to get them. I finally received them in January, 2010!

It was sad to see all the trouble the company went through and that Mark got into. My personal belief is that he was a person trying to save his business and the array of people working for him, and went into a realm of bad and even illegal business practices to keep it afloat. I have no facts to prove that, it is just my gut reaction based on meeting with him, and having know some other entrepreneurs.

I've always wondered where my cabinets were made. I know Mark tried sourcing cabinets in Colombia for a while but that did not work out. I heard he found someone in the US to make them, but they seem highly complex so I have no idea how that could be cost-effective. Mine are beautifully made, so whoever did it was highly skilled.

Another treasured purchase set some of the stage for my taking a chance on AV123. Back in the late 1970's I bought a sack of circuit boards, ICs, and other parts for an early kit computer from the Digital Group. They were also based in Denver. The company head was Dr Robert Suding. His PhD was in Latin as I recall. They were a great bargain; they stated their business approach was to mark up the price of the parts by only doubling the kit price from what they paid. Needless to say they went bankrupt. But I got the kit working and it was an incredible experience building it.

Audio and this early computer connected in my life. I sold that computer, and a couple of other Digital Group systems I had bought from others who could not get them work, to a person with an audio connection - Steve Ciarcia of of Circuit Cellar and AudioXpress, Voice Coil, etc. He was using the Digital Group systems back then for an early form of automated home control.

So SlushPuppy, yes, there was a "delay" in getting the LS-9's - for reasons I attribute to passion for products over business sense. ArthurDent, I definitely adhered to the "don't panic" approach while waiting for delivery.