[Shredder]

So, I am leaning heavily toward a Lio DHT perhaps with the new dac. I have heard it several times with Harbeth and think is is great. I am also intrigued by the idea of a simple low power system instead of the multi-box, multi cord/cable, high powered beast I have now (Aerial 9s, Modwright 150se, Cary Slp-05, Lampi Atlantic). I tend to like systems described as musical and natural and rich and gravitate toward tubes.

I am leaning toward the Lio with the Devore Gibbon Xs although I have enjoyed the o/96s as well. Anyone hear the Lio with Devore? Thoughts?

Other than Harbeth and Devore, any other good pairings I should consider?

Thanks much.

[Tyson]

Without question you should check out the Spatial Audio X2's.  I've heard the Lio with Harbeths several years in a row now, and it's a great combo.  But the Spatial X2 with the Lio was 'holy shit' amazing.  Huge synergy there and (IMO) a big step up over the Harbeths.

[targa02]

I'm with Tyson here.  I have heard the LIOo DHT with the Harbeths and with Spatial X2s.  Both are great, but the combo of the LIO with X2s was magical.

I have not heard the LIO with any Devore speakers.

[Triode Pete]

Volti Audio Rival with a Vinnie Rosso LIO... Killer combo!



http://voltiaudio.com/rival/

Ask Vinnie!

My $0.02,
Pete

[mca]

Look into Daedalus Audio. My LIO sounds great with my Ulysses speakers!

[Shredder]

I know Daedalus, very nice.

The Spatial do look interesting, sad I missed them at RMAF. Any idea how they work with a variety of music? I listen to everything from Jazz to Funk to Metal and Indie rock. To me, that its where the Harbeth's fall short. Also, I have a 16 x 24 room, by eyeball (not that accurate, i know), the X2 looks about right for my room, the X1 probably too big. Any ideas on that front. Is the X1 a big jump in sq?

Would also love input on Lio Devore.

Thanks for the great input.

[jriggy]

Daedalus with a LIO here, too.

Edit: I heard Devore with LIO. I’ll shoot you PM later on...

[TomS]

I used my LIO DHT with TAD Evolution Ones, despite most telling me it shouldn't be done with such low power. I liked the combo very much, especially with the vinyl rig

[targa02]

Daedalus with a LIO here, too.

Edit: I heard Devore with LIO. I’ll shoot you PM later on...

The Spatials sounded great with all the music I heard through them.  The X1 is 20" wide.  I assume the X2 is similar in overall footprint.  One of the reasons Clayton designed the X2 as two modules is because the X1 is one heavy beast. 

I would call Clayton.  He is very easy to talk to, shares knowledge freely and is by no means a pushy sales guy.

[Chris Adams]

I have a LIO with a pair of VR120s and Spatial X1s. My room is 14x23, no problem with X1s.

[targa02]

Chris.  Can you please share with us your impressions of the X1s with Vinnie's equipment vs your prior set up? 

[Shredder]

Yes, impressions please. And, I can't find the dimensions for the x1s on the site? X2s but not x1s. What are they?

[rollo]

All great recommendations. The key here is the LIO. An excellent design period. I would try RETHM for single driver fans, Fritz for two way stand mount fans and as Triode Pete says Volti for horn fans.  Spatial for OB fans of course.
Let your ROOM size determine the right speaker. Any quality speaker with LIO will be just Ducky.


charles

[CSI]

My speakers for the past 18 months have been Spatial M4's. When we move next year I will ship them back to Utah to be upgraded to full Triode Master status. My LIO is fully equipped but non-DHT. I can hardly imagine a more satisfying amp/speaker combo.

[targa02]

All great recommendations. The key here is the LIO. An excellent design period. I would try RETHM for single driver fans, Fritz for two way stand mount fans and as Triode Pete says Volti for horn fans.  Spatial for OB fans of course.
Let your ROOM size determine the right speaker. Any quality speaker with LIO will be just Ducky.


charles

The RETHM is a very special speaker as well as the other aforementioned speakers.  I would love to hear them with a LIO.

[Chris Adams]

Chris.  Can you please share with us your impressions of the X1s with Vinnie's equipment vs your prior set up?

My prior set up was a pair of Pure Audio Project Trio15 Voxativ with custom crossovers I made. Sounded very good, clean, tight bass, spacious stage, very nice midrange. But, at higher volumes, there was a bit of shout from the full range driver even though the crossover was set up to ameliorate that issue. Along with that, the highs were rolled off a bit. All in all, very listenable.

The X1s eliminate the crossover and there is no shout with the uniwave driver. Removing the passive crossover (there is an electronic crossover in the LIO) is an ear opener. I've had full range no crossover speakers before, but the single driver has its limitations. The X1s don't. You'd think the 18 inch woofer and uniwave driver wouldn't match well but I can't hear the transition point. Punchy, resonant bass and clean and clear highs that just don't quit. Midrange is "you are there" gorgeous. The baffle is 20x48x4 plus the legs.

 

[Shredder]

So, it sounds like I need to hear the x1 and x2. For was, i would need to have these big boys fairly close to the back wall. Is that an issue? The site seems to suggest that, but what are your impressions?

Thanks for all the information.

[Shredder]

WAF, not WAS.

[Chris Adams]

So, it sounds like I need to hear the x1 and x2. For was, i would need to have these big boys fairly close to the back wall. Is that an issue? The site seems to suggest that, but what are your impressions?

Thanks for all the information.

Check with Clayton.

Sound travels approximately 1ft per ms. I read somewhere (I think is was Duke from Audio Kinesis) that in order to maintain coherency a dipole should be at least 5ft from the front wall because you want the front wave to hit you 10ms before the back wave. I have used this formula with all my Maggies, electrostatics, and open baffle speakers. I have tried closer to the front wall and found that the stage collapses and imaging becomes blurred to varying degrees depending on distance and speaker.

Herbie's makes a cone/spike decoupling glider that I use with the X1s. The spikes nestle nicely into the glider and make it easy to move the speaker. You can leave them against the front wall when not in use and pull them out for listening at your discretion. And they sound better with the gliders.

[Tyson]

X2's look like sculptures, box speakers look like monkey coffins.  Stylish OB speakers have much higher WAF, IME.