[rcag_ils]

Biro L/1 speakers owners, I would like to know what do you have.

The AVA 1996 catalog shows the L/1 has the open port (no foam, or does not show it in picture), with a round tweeter on top of the cabinet.

The AVA 1997 catalog shows the L/1, and L/2, I have never seen the L/2, or the Kingston subwoofer.

Mine were made in 1999, the port was stuffed with foam,  the tweeter is in octagon shape, instead of round.

Initially, I thought the foam was put in by someone else, I pulled the foam out and thought the sound was better. After extensive sound comparison of with and without the foam, I now think that the foam should be in the port, since I get fuller sound and more bass response. Without the foam, the sound is leaner, and it affects speaker placement. Details and image are excellent either way.

Please tell me what yours are like, so I can get it back to the origianal configuration.

[plaf26]

My L/1s have octagonal, almost square tweeters.  When I added the Kensington sub, I stuffed the ports with the foam as per the Kensington's "Special Instructions" for use with the L/1s.  This was because of the variable crossover control on the K's plate amp.  "The frequency control ideally will be in the minimum (CCW) position when the L/1s are set up this way."  Presently I am not using the L/1s with the Kensington, but with the old B&W Acoustitune, so I removed the foam from the ports.  I don't know  if this is optimal, but they're part of my home theater set up now, which is a less critical application--to my ears anyway.  You can view the setup in my "systems" and "gallery" pages.

[rcag_ils]

That's funny, you have the L/1 in oak and a black sub, and I have the L/1 in black and a sub in oak. Would you consider a trade? Just kidding.

Anyway, so you are saying that if L/1 are used with the K sub, then foam needs to be added to the port of the L/1? It doesn't make sense.

That means stand alone L/1 should have no foam in port?

I am using the L/1 with my Sonographe sub. With foam added to port, the bass response is much fuller, with the foam pulled out, the L/1 would have a leaner sound. So why would one makes the L/1 to have more bass when a sub is added?

Does it mean that the L/1 were designed to be used as stand alone speakers with no foam in port. But add foam to port when the K-sub is used?

[plaf26]

That's right.  Why?  I yield to someone with a higher pay grade.  When you played the L/1s without the foam, were you playing them alone or with your sub?  Maybe with the sub playing there were phasing/cancellation issues.  The L/1s alone with open port should have increased bass, I would think.  With stuffed ports, the bass is taken over by the sub.  Just guessing.  My L/1s are oak and so is my Kensignton.  They matched nicely until the divorce and remarriage to the Acoustitune, which, I recall, came only in black.

[rcag_ils]

I've played the L/1s hooked up with the sub, with and without the foam so far. I haven't had the L/1s for very long, so more experimenting will be done.

 It seemed like the more bass still coming from the L/1s with foam in the port. Maybe when I listen to it again, I'll have the control for the sub amp turned fully CCW. Then listen to the L/1s as stand alone with no foam in port and see what result I'll get.

Did you buy the L/1s and the K-sub at the same time? I ask because I want to know if the L/1s came with the foam separately for you to use with the K-sub in the future, then it would tell me if the L/1 should be operating with no foam in port, when the K-sub's not used.

But the guy who sold me the L/1s said that was how they came from AVA, with foam in the ports.

[plaf26]

I bought the L/1s first and used them alone and unstuffed for a few years.  When I got the Kensington I stuffed the ports with some of the foam packing material rolled up as per instructions.  I wonder if Frank knew your L/1s were stuffed.  Anyway, happy hunting for best sound!

[rcag_ils]

Brio L/1 are amazing speakers, I just want to use them in according with it's design, your response clarified a few things, thanks.