Orion Active Speakers

James Tanner · « **on:** 2 Apr 2011, 07:17 pm »

Hi Folks,

As many of you know I am a big fan of active speakers - anyone had any experience with these?

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/

Also I hear there is a new Model 4 on the way.

james

sfdoddsy · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 08:40 pm »

Superb speakers.

gary · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Apr 2011, 08:43 pm »

Beautiful speakers... awfully familiar looking though.

gary

PRELUDE · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Apr 2011, 01:13 am »

Quote from: James Tanner on 2 Apr 2011, 07:17 pm

Hi Folks,

As many of you know I am a big fan of active speakers - anyone had any experience with these?

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/

Also I hear there is a new Model 4 on the way.

james

Hi James,
I did not know that you are big fun of active speakers and I would like to hear the Orion active speakers too.It was only one active set up at the show and it was "GRADIENT" the model was REVOLUTION made in FINLAND www.gradient.fi the sound was good but I think the bass had some problems,it could be the room or set up but I would like to have few more people listen to it also.I hope we can see them again in Toronto show and I thought that I lost the picture of it but it was on my other SD card.

Hear Clifford Brown · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Apr 2011, 02:39 am »

The Orions are amazing, a friend has them and I've never heard a system sound so life like. He recently acquired them (about 9 months ago), I've heard them numerous times, and they have caused me to re-think my entire system. I have high efficiency speakers and SET amps, simple short circuits, high end cables, etc. and my room is maybe more optimum than his, and his system with an inexpensive multi-channel SS amp, a active crossover with a bunch of op-amps, nothing special cables, has more dynamics, accurate tone, and whatever it is that makes you want to keep listening for hours than anything I've heard.

James Tanner · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Apr 2011, 02:06 pm »

Quote from: Hear Clifford Brown on 4 Apr 2011, 02:39 am

The Orions are amazing, a friend has them and I've never heard a system sound so life like. He recently acquired them (about 9 months ago), I've heard them numerous times, and they have caused me to re-think my entire system. I have high efficiency speakers and SET amps, simple short circuits, high end cables, etc. and my room is maybe more optimum than his, and his system with an inexpensive multi-channel SS amp, a active crossover with a bunch of op-amps, nothing special cables, has more dynamics, accurate tone, and whatever it is that makes you want to keep listening for hours than anything I've heard.

I am going to be loaning them some 9B SST amplifiers for the AXPONA show in Atlanta this month so maybe I will get to hear them.

james

ltr317 · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Apr 2011, 04:21 pm »

The Orions were my vote for best sounding system at the 2010 Rocky Mountain show. Very musical speakers.

PRELUDE · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Apr 2011, 04:28 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 4 Apr 2011, 02:06 pm

I am going to be loaning them some 9B SST amplifiers for the AXPONA show in Atlanta this month so maybe I will get to hear them.

james

Hi James,
Are you going to be at AXPONA show yourself?
I also have a question about the speaker load on 7bsst and 4bsst. The minimum is recommended as 4 ohms.Some times I like to try drivers that I get down to 2 ohms up to 3 ohms but not 4.Is it safe to go that low even if I do not have any clipping problem?

Hi Prelude - I may go down for a look

The 7B will have no isues at all with 2 omhs.

james

vegasdave · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Apr 2011, 04:23 am »

Quote from: James Tanner on 4 Apr 2011, 02:06 pm

I am going to be loaning them some 9B SST amplifiers for the AXPONA show in Atlanta this month so maybe I will get to hear them.

james

budt · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 Apr 2011, 01:06 pm »

I owned the Linkwitz Orion II . Great speakers in many regards, very musical, very dynamic BUT they didn't do voice well. As I love voice recordings I sold them.

Don Naples · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Apr 2011, 05:04 am »

Quote from: ltr317 on 4 Apr 2011, 04:21 pm

The Orions were my vote for best sounding system at the 2010 Rocky Mountain show. Very musical speakers.

The Orion-4 speakers we showed at RMAF were prototypes. The final design has a different woofer cabinet design, different side panel design, different SEAS woofers made specifically to Siegfried's requirements (changed for dipole rather than box cabinet), the lower crossover frequency has changed, and a change was made in the ASP for the new woofers. The results are amazing. I heard them side by side with Orion 3.2.1. The Orion-4's will be happy with more power (read 8 channels of Bryston 9B SST2 amps would be nice) to drive these new woofers. The Thor subwoofer is no longer needed for augmenting the bass.

James Tanner · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Apr 2011, 09:16 am »

Quote from: Don Naples on 11 Apr 2011, 05:04 am

The Orion-4 speakers we showed at RMAF were prototypes. The final design has a different woofer cabinet design, different side panel design, different SEAS woofers made specifically to Siegfried's requirements (changed for dipole rather than box cabinet), the lower crossover frequency has changed, and a change was made in the ASP for the new woofers. The results are amazing. I heard them side by side with Orion 3.2.1. The Orion-4's will be happy with more power (read 8 channels of Bryston 9B SST2 amps would be nice) to drive these new woofers. The Thor subwoofer is no longer needed for augmenting the bass.

Can't wait to hear them Don

James

budt · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Apr 2011, 12:28 pm »

The great thing about the Orions is they come with their own dedicated active crossover which has the equalization tailored for the Orions.So they are a true active design. I wish every company offered their top models with this option.When you hear speakers with the amps hooked up directly to the drivers it is something you always remember and miss when you don't have it.

coolbiz · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Apr 2011, 05:20 pm »

Quote from: gary on 2 Apr 2011, 08:43 pm

Beautiful speakers... awfully familiar looking though.

I happen to know for a fact that it was "icebear"'s design that was inspired by the Orion. It was certainly not the other way around.

Quote from: James Tanner on 2 Apr 2011, 07:17 pm

As many of you know I am a big fan of active speakers - anyone had any experience with these?

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/

I have a pair of Orions (v3.2.1) and find them truly superb. Incredibly open, effortlessly fast, uncolored, coherent, with precise and believable dynamics and soundstaging. For me, they are definately keepers. (Unfortunately, my budget did not allow for Bryston amplification..)

You need not worry that the Orions might make your amps look bad, James.

James Tanner · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Apr 2011, 07:23 pm »

Quote from: coolbiz on 13 Apr 2011, 05:20 pm

I happen to know for a fact that it was "icebear"'s design that was inspired by the Orion. It was certainly not the other way around.

I have a pair of Orions (v3.2.1) and find them truly superb. Incredibly open, effortlessly fast, uncolored, coherent, with precise and believable dynamics and soundstaging. For me, they are definately keepers. (Unfortunately, my budget did not allow for Bryston amplification..)

You need not worry that the Orions might make your amps look bad, James.

Hi coolbiz

Yes Don was pretty excited about using the 9B SST's at the Audio Show this week.

I think one of the reasons the speakers have not been taken as seriously as they should be is because the demos tended to use very inexpensive mid priced gear which made a point but probably alienated the audiophiles.

james

coolbiz · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Apr 2011, 07:54 pm »

Hi James,

I think you could very well be right. In my experience, many audiophiles "listen" more with their eyes, wallets and prejudices than with their ears, and besides, have little or no idea what a live performance actually sounds like.

(EDIT: I did not mean to suggest that the Orion would not benefit from being driven by Bryston amps.

)

Of those who have listened to my Orions, those who thought most highly of them are musicians and/or frequent concert goers.

I would be interested to know how much better a pair of 9B SST2 amps would make them sound, and I am looking forward to reading about the impressions from Axpona.

rave959 · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 Apr 2011, 11:31 am »

The Orion speakers are very transparent. Stringed instruments being played through them sound like, well... actual instruments. Voice quality is up there as well due to its open baffle nature - spacious. Finally, the bass. One word - precise.

Best,
Ian

coolbiz · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 08:54 am »

James,

Would there be a discernible difference in distortion or overall performance between driving the Orions with a pair of 4-channel 9B-SST² (front and rear tweeters driven in parallel), and driving them with a pair of the 5-channel version (front and rear tweeters driven by individual amp channels) ?

SEAS E0011-06 T25CF002 tweeter frequency reponse and impedance curve:

James Tanner · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 10:52 am »

Quote from: coolbiz on 15 Apr 2011, 08:54 am

James,

Would there be a discernible difference in distortion or overall performance between driving the Orions with a pair of 4-channel 9B-SST² (front and rear tweeters driven in parallel), and driving them with a pair of the 5-channel version (front and rear tweeters driven by individual amp channels) ?

SEAS E0011-06 T25CF002 tweeter frequency reponse and impedance curve:

Hi coolbiz,

I have not had time to try it myself but given the fact that the above tweeter has a very easy duty cycle and impedance curve I would suspect that a single 9B channel would be more than capable of driving both tweeters adequately.

They are using two 9B's at the audio show this week and using 4 channels on each speaker on the new Orion 4's.

james

coolbiz · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 Apr 2011, 12:58 pm »

Thanks, James. That's pretty much what I assumed, but it is nice to have it confirmed.