[Flashman]

Just bought a pair of used cherry Lorelei speakers off Audiogon.  Can't wait to mate them with my battery-driven Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 integrated amp.  I am upgrading from a pair of Klipsch Forte speakers, vintage 1987 (but upgraded with new X-overs and Titanium tweeters).  I just figured after 20 years I could use some new drivers 

I'll post some pics of the Lorelei speakers once they arrive.  I understand they have rubber feet, so I wonder where the spikes might be.  I'll know better when I get them.  I understand they are two years old, so they should be nicely broken in!

I will be trolling the site from now on.  I have read virtually every Lorelei thread and also the old 6 Moons review.  I feel very, very good about my purchase.

all best, Michael

[satfrat]

You can believe Marbles,,,you will be involved with the music on an emotional level,,,, at least that's the trip I've been on for the last 4 years. The Lorelei's do not have rubber feet,,, unless the previous owner installed them himself. The Lorelei's usually come with Audio Selection stick-on cones(the Lorelei bases not threaded) and they do a fine job with clarity of the soundstage. There are some tho, like Klaus himself, that like them sitting flat on the floor. Myself, I have all 4 Lorelei's sitting in Sistrum Platforms which I highly recommend (if you don't have kids) even tho they are pricey.

Personally I can't wait to hear your comments about mating the Lorelei's with Red Wine. It should be interesting,,,,, 

Congrats,
Robin

[Flashman]

BTW, nice plane

Thanks Marbles.  I wish it WERE my plane.  But I do get to ride it from time to time 

I have read such wonderful reviews and comments on the Lorelei speakers that I DO want to get lost in the music... and just in time for the holidays!  I will settle in with a single malt or a nice aged rum... and nirvana.  One thing for certain: it will be great to go to two-way speakers so I get get some nice imaging.  The Klipsch Forte speakers are great dynamically and do some nice things but I think I am in for a pleasant surprise.

[Eduardo AAVM]

Marbles has said it ! Marbles know ! Marbles spoke for all of us who own these incredible loudspeakers !

[Flashman]

Personally I can't wait to hear your comments about mating the Lorelei's with Red Wine.

Robin,

I will definitely post some comments on the pairing of the Sig 30.2 and the Lorelei speakers.  Thanks for the tip about the base.  And I have seen your platform set-up and may do some experimenting along those lines.  You are a prolific poster and I think I have read all your comments on the speakers.  Quite frankly, it was via this forum that I really decided that the Lorelei speakers were for me.  So a collective thanks to all.

[TomS]

Congrats!  If you ever get a chance to hear the whole Odyssey setup, you will suddenly feel the pull to acquire a Candela and Mono Extremes to keep them company.       Enjoy! Tom

[St_PatGuy]

Flashman, let me tell you, these imposing two-way speakers are really quite impressive.  I am continuously amazed at the sound the Loreleis put out.  Not only do you get full-range sound, but quality full-range sound--agile and powerful.  A very potent mix.  Enjoy!

[satfrat]

Marbles has said it ! Marbles know ! Marbles spoke for all of us who own these incredible loudspeakers !

You're preaching to the choir Eduardo,  it was Marbles that convinced me with his accurate description of the Lorelei's attributes a whole 4 years ago that got me to take the plunge. Hell I'm still falling everytime I fire these babies up,,, great depth they have. 




cheers,
Robin

[bondmanp]

Long time lurker, new poster.

I am beginning to think about a speaker upgrade.  My system (combo 2-ch and HT) is in my sig.  After many upgrades, I think the resolving limits of my Vandys have been reached. I like them, but seek smoother mids/treble, more resolution, and especially less congestion with orchestras and rock at higher volumes.  Prior to reading all the glowing reviews about the Loreleis on the web, my audition list included Gallo Ref 3.1s, VA Mozart Grands, whatever Focals come in at $3K/pr, and Silverline Audio Allegros.  I lean towards warmer, yet high-resolution speakers that are very clean and uncolored in the brightness range (4-8kHz), where my hearing is very sensitive.  I do suffer fatigue from my current system.  I know the CD player is an entry level model, but home demos of better players revealed that my system could not differentiate between my player and a better one.  So, I think new speakers should be next.  As a reference, one of my favorite speakers under $10K is the Silverline Audio Bolero (which I cannot afford).  I also enjoy the Merlin VSMs - also too expensive.

The main reason I am trying to learn more about the Lorelei is the fact that two words keep coming up in both journalist and user reviews:  Emotion and Involvement.  I prize these things about all else, having experienced these things (in speakers like the Boleros and the Roman Audio Centurion) and I am addicted.

I have a few questions, if Lorelei owners would be so kind:

1.  For those with a combo stereo/HT rig, what do use for a center channel speaker?  Anyone using a single Epiphony?

2.  The 6Moons review was positive, but it did say that the Lorelei lacked the "peculiar, finely filigreed finesse" in the treble that more expensive speakers could have.  Do Lorelei owners agree with this statement?  If so, how would you describe the Lorelei's sound above 4kHz?  Is it ever edgy, silvery, sharp or brittle?

3.  At higher volumes, with both rock and orchestral music, do you notice any compression or reduction in the sound stage?

4.  Has anyone directly compared the Lorelei to Gallo Ref 3s or any Silverline Audio speakers?

5.  My room is problematic: A 20' X 26' basement with 6' ceilings, asymmetrical walls, cement floor with carpet and limited space.  Speakers (front baffle) will be ~38" from the front wall, 28" from the side walls, ~5' apart with a RPTV in the middle (but set back behind the plane of the speakers).  I sit 8 to 9 feet back from the speakers.  Will the Loreleis work in my room?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[jdodmead]

Can't say whether or not they would be a fit for your room, 5 feet aparts isn't much. What I can say is that I replaced my Von Schweikert VR4jr's with Lorelei's this year. No regrets and just sold the VR4's. These speakers just sound so much bigger than they are and there is nothing  I would rather have. They have a huge soundstage, great imaging and bass you wouldn't believe, until you hear them.
I am using a Von Schweikert center with no issues.
Good luck withyour decision
Jeff

[St_PatGuy]

bondmanp, I use a single Epiphony as a center with my Loreleis and am happy with the set-up.  No, it's not an exact match, but they ended up being a better match than I thought.  Oh, I have the older version Epiphonies, by the way.

I agree with jdodmead about the 5' separation--especially if you're going to sit 8-9' away.  In my room, I found that getting them 7' or more apart helped with imaging.  However, my room is small so 5' may work in your room.

[satfrat]

The main reason I am trying to learn more about the Lorelei is the fact that two words keep coming up in both journalist and user reviews:  Emotion and Involvement.  I prize these things about all else, having experienced these things (in speakers like the Boleros and the Roman Audio Centurion) and I am addicted.

I have a few questions, if Lorelei owners would be so kind:

1.  For those with a combo stereo/HT rig, what do use for a center channel speaker?  Anyone using a single Epiphony?

2.  The 6Moons review was positive, but it did say that the Lorelei lacked the "peculiar, finely filigreed finesse" in the treble that more expensive speakers could have.  Do Lorelei owners agree with this statement?  If so, how would you describe the Lorelei's sound above 4kHz?  Is it ever edgy, silvery, sharp or brittle?

3.  At higher volumes, with both rock and orchestral music, do you notice any compression or reduction in the sound stage?

4.  Has anyone directly compared the Lorelei to Gallo Ref 3s or any Silverline Audio speakers?

5.  My room is problematic: A 20' X 26' basement with 6' ceilings, asymmetrical walls, cement floor with carpet and limited space.  Speakers (front baffle) will be ~38" from the front wall, 28" from the side walls, ~5' apart with a RPTV in the middle (but set back behind the plane of the speakers).  I sit 8 to 9 feet back from the speakers.  Will the Loreleis work in my room?

Thanks in advance for any help!

I have a 4 Lorelei system and have tried the Nemisis AND the Epiphony and neither do a good job sonically with the Lorelei's. I would highly recommend against using either of them. Another option that Byteme turned me onto is the Usher X-616 center channel speaker who's 7" driver more closely matches with the Scan Speak 8545. I use 2 Usher's in my 6.1 system, they are worth the extra $$. As for the Scan Speak 9700 tweeter, I find it very smooth, very nice and blends in well with the sweet midrange of the 8545. I did get more range from AV123's ERT (Extended Range Tweeters) but for my ear, I'd much rather have a well behaved tweeter with shimmering highs than that of a berillium tweeter that does cause listening fatigue and a headache to my ears. The Lorelei's are nonfatiguing unless you make them so like I did. The Lorelei's are anything but compressing but in fact will project a large soundstage usually centered high and behind the loudspeakers themselves. Instead of a highly accurate loudspeaker that makes you feel like you're sitting in the front row, the Lorelei's will have you feeling like you're in the middle of an empty concert hall. Not the most accurate but definitely highly entertaining and involving,,, and in fact is their most highly loved trait by yours truely. Even after 4 years, mine still take me to my happy place and i needn't close my eyes to get there either.
As for your room, let me tell you of mine, it's 11' x 17'x 7'. i have my Lorelei's on the short wall (it's an HT system afterall) with my mains 38" fromthe front wall, 22" from the side wall, 7' apart with very little toe-in, with a Sony 36"XBR on a Sanus stand and a 6 shelf Sanus stand fully loaded in the center but set back maybe 5" from the rear of my mains so there's just enough room for my center channel Usher,,,, sounds simular to your setup except you have more room and a lower ceiling. I'll add that i highly subscribe to room treatment, maybe a little over the top but i'm single so wtf!  For such a low ceiling, I'd highly recommend ceiling treatment at the first reflectionpoint between the mains, even if it has to be recessed into the ceiling. At 6' 3", I can't imagine a 6' ceiling, what the hell is up with that? Oh yeah, I sit 6 to 8 feet away, it varies depending on my mood but works either way i go. I only have 1 suggestion for you,,, with all the room you have why do you want your loudspeakers so close together. 5'??? Come on, open them up a little and by doing so you'll open up your soundstage. Because the Lorelei's have such a wide dispersion, you can open them up 7-8' apart with very little toe-in and still get a rocksolid image while having  an expansive soundstage. Why short yourself? That's all I got,,, hope you can make some sense out of it. 


Cheers,
Robin

[bondmanp]

Thanks for all the replies.  BTW, although I like the Vandy house sound, I cannot upgrade to 2Ce Sig IIs (which would allow me to keep my center) because they are too wide, and the Quatros, which are narrower, are too expensive.

Although my basement is large, I have to share it with toy and grocery storage, a bathroom, boiler, water heater and laundry .  Because of the main support beams, the only place for my system is an alcove, approximately 10' wide that opens up to the rest of the basement.  So I have a small amount of space that opens to a larger one.  The advantages are almost as many as the problems - it's dark, quiet, the cement floor does not transmit vibrations much, and there is plenty of space behind the seating area for surround speakers.  Best of all, the wife doesn't give a darn what I do with the basement, so there is no WAF involved in my pursuit of this hobby .  I do have some foam on the cieling and on some glass-doored CD racks behind the speakers.  My equipment rack has to be along the side wall - the only side wall that runs from front to back of the room.  It's an old house, and the basement was only 6'.  Although it looks like someone might have made a french drain by raising the floor at some point.  I am only 5'7", so as long as I duck under the steam pipes (about 5'5" off the floor ), I don't hurt myself!

FWIW, I get a pretty wide soundstage with my current setup.  There is some height, and good, but uneven, extension into the room.  There is no depth behind the speakers, however .

Here's another question:  One of the better aspects of the Vandy is the minimal baffle design.  Being used to these, I can hear loudspeaker enclosure resonances a mile away.  Anyone here go from an open baffle or planar speaker to Loreleis?  Did you notice any box-like colorations, especially at first?

And satfrat, how much was that Usher center?

Thanks again, everyone!

[byteme]

Michael,

Congrats on the purchase!  I see you pulled the trigger - you won't regret it as others here have attested.

Keep us updated!  Also, I second Robin's impression about the Sistrum stands, I think I mentioned it in my email to you but he turned me on to them - I found a pair on a-gon for not a ton of money ($225).  Good improvement but NOT kid friendly.  In fact, my dog nearly tumbled one over when bolting away from the window to head over to another window with a better view of the squirrel he was "hunting".  Damn squirrels.

Bondman - the Usher x616 is the PERFECT center for these speakers.  Tweeter is essentially 100% match and the mid drivers are as close as you'll find unless you go custom made.  The best part is that the center can really hold its own against the authority of the Lors.  I tried two other centers with them both of which were awful in comparison.  I paid $750 from Usher back in May 2004.  Can't believe it was that long ago already!  Expensive?  Yes.  Worth it?  Without question.

I don't notice anything lacking from my system, it doesn't break up or shrink when played loud enough to hear it 150' away on the street (according to my wife) with the doors closed, I've only compared them to Polk RTA 11t's I still own with greatly updated and improved crossovers (there was no comparison). 

If you check my gallery you can see how I've got mine situated.  My room is 12x20, with a bit of a bump in on one of the corners where the chimney in the adjacent room butts in.  They sit equally as far in from 12' side walls and about 2.5' off the back wall.  The baffles of the Lors and the center are all aligned.  My 70" JVC LCoS RPTV sits directly behind the center.  The soundstage continues outside the box of each main in 2 channel, fills the entire area even behind the TV.  There have been updates since the picture was taken - in the picture the TV is 61", it's now 70" and REALLY hard to get to the back of the rack.  The Stratos Extreme has been modified to an Extreme Mono, another one purchased and moved to the rack under the TV.  CD transport is gone and replaced with Squeezebox still going in to the Nixon Tubedac.  XM receiver is gone.  Dish box upgraded to HD DVR.  DVD player gone, upgraded to Toshiba A35 HD-DVD player.

Lovely speakers these...

[satfrat]

FWIW, I get a pretty wide soundstage with my current setup.  There is some height, and good, but uneven, extension into the room.  There is no depth behind the speakers, however .

Here's another question:  One of the better aspects of the Vandy is the minimal baffle design.  Being used to these, I can hear loudspeaker enclosure resonances a mile away.  Anyone here go from an open baffle or planar speaker to Loreleis?  Did you notice any box-like colorations, especially at first?

And satfrat, how much was that Usher center?

Thanks again, everyone!

You WILL have depth behind these Lorelei's if you move them out 3+' away from the front wall. I noticed no baffle issue with the Lorelei's but I'll also admit quite an improvement in both imaging and depth when using Jim Goulding's diffractionbegone or what I like to call wool surrounds,,, cuz that's what they are.   1/2" of wool surrounding the tweeters will take any thought of baffle interference away. All tho it's been said that the wool itself in

teract with the tweeter, for me in my small room AND with my extensive use of Bybee's in my system, I lose either depth nor imaging nor the huge soundstage. You got a used pair of Lorelei's, right? There's no break in issue as those carbon fiber drivers are well broke in by now. Mine sounded real good straight outta the box, flat on the floor w/o spikes. In fact I left them that way for 3 months in which time they just kept getting better n' better. When I finally installed the glued on Audio Selection cones, the detail definitely sharpened up as did the imaging. But the Sistrum stands are in a league of their own IMHO, even tho one needs to practice care. I've had incidences myself as my components sit on the inside of my left Lorelei and I have a 2.5' crawl space to get into the wiring. But that said I'm blessed as I also have an Australian Shepard that has the energy that I can vaguely remember having, yet he hasn't come close to even touching one, even when we're graba$$ing in front of the mains and he's doing his 360's. I only wish I could be so careful.  
Just me speaking but I will never part with either of my 2 pair of Lorelei's. I was blessed to have picked such an awesome sounding speaker with real good bass, a sweet midrange and smooth shimmering highs. And they are very tweak friendly,,,, which happens to be a weakness of mine. Oh yeah,like Byteme said, even with the space in the middle and slightly set behind my mains completly filled with a 6shelf Sanus rack, a Sanus TV rack, and a Subwoofer on a 28" subwoofer stand,,,, the imaging continues (thanks in part to the Bybees) to come behind the mains, floating high toward the ceiling. What's in your system has a lot to do with what comes out of the Lorelei's of course but their basic strengths are what's been mentioned already, i'm just saying they can be improved upon and the Lorelei's will not hold you back as much as your wallet will. I'm going thru this painful process right now with a power cord change,,,, my wallet says no-mas while my Lorelei's say God Bless you. Whatsha gonna do?  

Cheers,
Robin

[byteme]

Robin, good to see you back my friend!   

[satfrat]

Robin, good to see you back my friend!   

Thanks Brian, never been happier after a 3 year hiatus. 

[jimdgoulding]

Flash & Bondoman-  I'd like to hang with those speakers, you betcha.  For the record, the surrounds Sat and another AC member are using on Loreleis are 3/8" thick.  The work they are doing typically begins at around 2,500Hz as the Lorelei cabinets are 8" wide if memory serves me.  That's the little buggers pictured in my avatar on some VS 2's.  Happy listening!   Whoops!  Actually, that photo is of the center channel in a surround sound setup using Von Schweikerts.  Oh well.