SOLD: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.

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gmarks

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  • Posts: 15
SOLD: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« on: 26 May 2023, 06:41 pm »


These LS 9’s are late production from AV123, serial numbers 70680 and 70681. In email just before they were shipped to me in mid-January of 2010, Mark Schifter referred to the cabinets as just having been shipped from Lucid. My understanding at the time was that his Colombian cabinet manufacturer had not been meeting his quality standards so he was using someone in the U.S. instead. Perhaps someone here can clarify what was happening with cabinet sourcing at that time. In any case, these are gorgeous, dramatic cabinets.

Photos and other information are at this site:

https://gmarks.typepad.com/focus_ls_9_speakers/

That site was created in 2015 as I first contemplated selling the speakers because of my late wife’s health problems at that time. I was able to care for her without moving to a smaller space (assisted living) so I never took that next step of selling them. She passed in 2021 and now I am in the process of changing living arrangements and have decided to sell these speakers.

That site has some broken links – some Web pages from 2015 no longer exist. There is still enough there to tell you about how much I’ve loved these speakers ever since I first heard them, and some of the design reasons for that – although the key in my mind is that Danny Richie has a near magical combination of technical insight and ability to hear what is happening as he experiments with his designs.

One matter of curiosity that someone here may be able to answer: whose signature is on the Focus LS9 serial number plate on the back of each speaker?

The price: $3500. I have the original shipping crates. I will pay to get them placed within those shipping crates but the buyer is responsible for the pickup from my garage floor and transport to their location, plus any insurance. Each cabinet, in crate, weighs about 350 pounds. My location is Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I’m sure this listing has caused a few people to be lusting for these, assessing all the factors involved. A really far-out purpose would be to use these as the basis for creating something approximating the Mockingbird Audio LSX shown as the last link at the Web site above. Uh-oh, I need to stop writing this or I’m going to change my mind about selling them.
« Last Edit: 3 Jun 2023, 06:38 pm by gmarks »

jn316

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Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #1 on: 26 May 2023, 06:54 pm »
Almost positive the signature was Mark Schifter's.

I was on the pre-order list for these, but bought an engagement ring instead.  :thumb:  Still happily married so no "you made a mistake" jokes please.  :nono:

VinceT

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Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #2 on: 26 May 2023, 07:07 pm »
Those are stunning and your price is more than fair


gmarks

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 15
Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #3 on: 26 May 2023, 07:16 pm »
Thanks, I appreciate your feedback.     Greg

gmarks

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 15
Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #4 on: 26 May 2023, 07:21 pm »


Almost positive the signature was Mark Schifter's.

I was on the pre-order list for these, but bought an engagement ring instead.  :thumb:  Still happily married so no "you made a mistake" jokes please.  :nono:

It would make sense that it is his signature, but when I look at what is on the plate, it just seems SO far from what even the most inventive scrawl might be.

VinceT

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 685
Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #5 on: 26 May 2023, 08:12 pm »
Those plates are same as mine, serial 70695 70696

morganc

Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #6 on: 28 May 2023, 04:11 am »
How well would these play in a small room?  I'm
Assuming that they need space, correct ?

gmarks

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 15
Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #7 on: 28 May 2023, 02:05 pm »
They need space. My quick thought is 15' by 20'.

You want them several feet away from any wall, out in the room, if possible. Then 8 to 10 feet apart. Listening position: a similar or greater distance from each speaker - and then the listening position should also be 2/3 of the way back in the room or more. I say "or more" because these are line source loudspeakers, and as noted in one of the links in my posting, the loudness of a line source drops off significantly less with distance than the common point source loudspeaker. Thus you can make the triangle a bit bigger and be listening to them from farther away, depending on the shape and acoustics of your room.


gmarks

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 15
Re: FS: a pair of Focus LS 9’s in satin Rosewood.
« Reply #8 on: 28 May 2023, 03:10 pm »


These LS 9’s are late production from AV123, serial numbers 70680 and 70681. In email just before they were shipped to me in mid-January of 2010, Mark Schifter referred to the cabinets as just having been shipped from Lucid. My understanding at the time was that his Colombian cabinet manufacturer had not been meeting his quality standards so he was using someone in the U.S. instead. Perhaps someone here can clarify what was happening with cabinet sourcing at that time. In any case, these are gorgeous, dramatic cabinets.

Photos and other information are at this site:

https://gmarks.typepad.com/focus_ls_9_speakers/

That site was created in 2015 as I first contemplated selling the speakers because of my late wife’s health problems at that time. I was able to care for her without moving to a smaller space (assisted living) so I never took that next step of selling them. She passed in 2021 and now I am in the process of changing living arrangements and have decided to sell these speakers.

That site has some broken links – some Web pages from 2015 no longer exist. There is still enough there to tell you about how much I’ve loved these speakers ever since I first heard them, and some of the design reasons for that – although the key in my mind is that Danny Richie has a near magical combination of technical insight and ability to hear what is happening as he experiments with his designs.

One matter of curiosity that someone here may be able to answer: whose signature is on the Focus LS9 serial number plate on the back of each speaker?

The price: $3500. I have the original shipping crates. I will pay to get them placed within those shipping crates but the buyer is responsible for the pickup from my garage floor and transport to their location, plus any insurance. Each cabinet, in crate, weighs about 350 pounds. My location is Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I’m sure this listing has caused a few people to be lusting for these, assessing all the factors involved. A really far-out purpose would be to use these as the basis for creating something approximating the Mockingbird Audio LSX shown as the last link at the Web site above. Uh-oh, I need to stop writing this or I’m going to change my mind about selling them.

An important addition to my original post is information on size, weight, and shipping.

Each speaker is 80 7/8 inches high, 12 3/8 inches wide, and 20 1/2 inches deep, weighing just under 250 pounds. These are dimensions without the detachable base.

The crate for each speaker is 90 inches high, 22 inches wide, and 31 inches deep. Each weighs about 350 pounds with the speaker inside.

I've been advised that a good way to find freight carriers is to do a search on freightquote.com. Specify LTL (less than full load) and liftgate service at both ends - they will pick up the crate from my garage and leave it in yours. For the unboxing you will need two, or preferably three, strong people to uncrate them, install the bases and position them. I used a couple of football players in my family and it was a challenge for them. A local-only moving company is a good bet. You want to have enough muscle and skill so that the drivers are not damaged during the process.