Detailed sound, solid response across the frequency range

Tendency to get shrill with some program material, not the last word in refinement

Having owned lots of different speakers over the past years, I didn't expect to ever own a pair of loudspeakers for over a year. Well, one year ago I bought the Linbrook Signature Monitors from Ty, and NOT ONCE have I considered changing speakers since then! Enough said?

The voicing of these speakers is really fabulous. Driver integration is so seemless, that even standing 3 feet from one speaker you still get a soundstage instead of hearing the drivers. At about 10 feet from the speakers this soundstage is among the best I've ever heard. Overall the sound is full and sweet, but at the same time very fast and detailed. If this seems contradictory to you (I thought it was), just listen to these Linbrooks. All in all, there is no type of music that is not being rendered utterly convincing through them.

I drive these speakers with great results with the German Symphonic Line RG10 amplifier (about 2x180W), but 40W of tube power should be enough.

Very, very glad with these Tylers!

Detail, clarity, tight bass, value

None that I can think of...

My audio experience in terms of trying lots of different gear is relatively limited so forgive me.

I’ve had the Polk RT800i for 4/5 years and recently had the Lsi15 for a few weeks. The rest of the set up can be seen below. I’ve had a couple of sessions with the Focal 836v and Dynaudio Focus 220 too.

I probably say this every time I make an upgrade and it’s the same thing I see when I see other people’s reviews of their upgrades; more vibrant, more lifelike and more detailed. Also better imaging and soundstage…..blah, blah. OK, all of that is true relative to speakers I mentioned above.

Here is what I found special about these speakers. They put everything on display. By this I mean when 3 and 4 instruments converge at one point in time a lot of times speakers just produce a sound that is a combination of the instruments being heard. With these I was still hearing each instruments and not just a single sound created by the combination of the individual sounds. I could still concentrate on each instrument, everything was “accessible”. Making the collision of sounds more meaningful and interesting.

I think some of these secondary and tertiary sounds - background guitars or keyboards or cymbals are much more “available”. Definitely not forward in an artificial way as the balance of where the sound is coming and it's presence seems natural in terms of imaging and the relationship between each instrument.

The more comparitive part:

I think I’m becoming more aware of how different speakers handle different types of music. Some might be better for a particular type of music. Depending on the tracks there might have been very little difference to what I’d say is a considerable difference between the Lsis and the Tylers all depending on the track. Even where differences were subtle each speaker still had it’s “signature” sound.

Tracks where vocals were the feature I played my usual Jerry Garcia and Sara Mclauchlan tracks. In both cases I felt the singers were closer with the Tylers than the Polks.

On a couple of different Wilco tracks with more sparse sounds and background noises I found more “space” and “air”, though I wouldn’t necessarily say these are general characteristics or traits of these speakers. (I might consider the 836v a bit “airy”) I don’t consider the Tyler’s “airy”. The imaging and soundstage was most definitely improved compared to the Polks on these tracks and less so on others.

I think I can say the Tyler’s are more revealing but also, and separately, you could technically say “brighter”, though they are not bright. But when comparing to the Lsis most anything is brighter, right?. The Polks just seemed to make me work a bit harder to hear some of the detail. I still heard the details but I felt I was a little challenged to hear what I was hearing from the Tylers. The Polks made me feel like I should move closer in an effort to hear more of what was going on, those background effects I mentioned- guitar, keys, cymbals and other odd sounds. They were all there but they just didn’t provide the same affect as with the Tylers.

The Tylers are as smooth or almost as smooth as the Polks but because they are more revealing I don’t think smooth comes to mind as an adjective for the Tylers. I think the “smooth” comes at a price in this case and that price is detail. As for the bass of the Tylers it’s what you’ve probably heard, tight and punchy and that’s no joke. Even before the Tyler’s appeared, the bass from the Polks was just good but nothing beyond that, IMO. I love my HSU STF-2 so the down low is handled when necessary but I usually don’t have this on during two channel listening.

I’m very pleased with them at the price I paid. Comparing the Tylers at full price to a pair of used Lsi at $750 or so I’d go with the Polks in a second. If you can get the Tyler’s at $1500 or so seems worth it to me or even a Tyler monthly special for $2k (shocking right!). Again I’m not an expert but I feel I must be getting close to my personal point of diminishing return, at least for speakers.

I’ll also say that I believe there is a LOT more potential in these speakers but I’m limited by the room, my living room, with a 42” TV and a 5’ audio rack between the speakers I know I’m missing out. Two cast iron radiators with tin shields opposite the speakers and 6 really old windows to the side can’t be helping either. The rear wall is only 10-12 ‘ opposite the speakers and most of the walls are bare with the exception of a few pictures and a small shelf.

Since this review I've added an Anthem Pre-2l tubed preamp and things are even better now.

Similar Products Used:

Focal 836v, Dynaudio Focus 220, Polk Lsi15

Amazing, no mesmerizing sound and construction for the money. Classic vintage speaker look. Rock solid 1" MDF on all six sides, think they weigh about 55lbs each and that's really heavy for a monitor. Top shelf components throughout. Custom, sound deadening stands with brass points that can be filled with additional deadending material.

I still can't find a used pair of any Tyler product on ebay.

It's been over a year now and I can tell you that my appreciation for these speakers has grown steadily with continued break-in. Of course the tweeters have opened up and provide and even greater degree of fine detail and clarity, but bass is delivered more effortlessly and with substantially greater authority.

Don't get me wrong, out of the box these moniters were exceptional, but a careful and lengthy break-in has paid off with substantially improved performance. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the heightening of the soundstage and generally much more air between the instruments and the fact that each instrument has more impact and more resolution. The entire presentation more palpable, and in my room, I'm not listening from the 4th or 5th row, I'm standing right in front of the musicians. Can you get more sonically intimate than that?

No question and irrespective of price, these weighty Tylers are among the best Jazz speakers I've ever heard. Sax, guitar, drums, wow!. Vocals, both male and female are no less than astounding. Some of what I listen to on vinyl: Eta Jones, Miles Davis, Carmen McRae, Count Bassie, Jack Teagarden, Paul Winter, Brian Auger, AWB, ShadowFax, Jeff Lorber, Essra Mohawk, Sinatra, Donny Hathaway, Arco Iris, Brian Auger, Ella, Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Wilbert Longmire, David Sancious, Chick Corea, Sade, David Sanborn, Grover Washington Jr., Frank Wess, Johnny Coles. Stanley Turrentine, Tina Maria, man I can go on and on.

Customer Service

You can speak with or e-mail the man himself.

Similar Products Used:

Nothing that came close in the price range. Honestly, I did like a pair of electrostatics, but they were huge and a bit over 5 grand, lacked the punch, but sounded heavenly with stringed instruments.

Amazing, no mesmerizing sound and construction for the money. Classic vintage speaker look. Rock solid 1" MDF on all six sides, think they weigh about 55lbs each and that's really heavy for a monitor. Top shelf components throughout. Custom, sound deadening stands with brass points that can be filled with additional deadending material.

I still can't find a used pair of any Tyler product on ebay.

It's been over a year now and I can tell you that my appreciation for these speakers has grown steadily with continued break-in. Of course the tweeters have opened up and provide and even greater degree of fine detail and clarity, but bass is delivered more effortlessly and with substantially greater authority.

Don't get me wrong, out of the box these moniters were exceptional, but a careful and lengthy break-in has paid off with substantially improved performance. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the heightening of the soundstage and generally much more air between the instruments and the fact that each instrument has more impact and more resolution. The entire presentation more palpable, and in my room, I'm not listening from the 4th or 5th row, I'm standing right in front of the musicians. Can you get more sonically intimate than that?

No question and irrespective of price, these weighty Tylers are among the best Jazz speakers I've ever heard. Sax, guitar, drums, wow!. Vocals, both male and female are no less than astounding. Some of what I listen to on vinyl: Eta Jones, Miles Davis, Carmen McRae, Count Bassie, Jack Teagarden, Paul Winter, Brian Auger, AWB, ShadowFax, Jeff Lorber, Essra Mohawk, Sinatra, Donny Hathaway, Arco Iris, Brian Auger, Ella, Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Wilbert Longmire, David Sancious, Chick Corea, Sade, David Sanborn, Grover Washington Jr., Frank Wess, Johnny Coles. Stanley Turrentine, Tina Maria, man I can go on and on.

Customer Service

You can speak with or e-mail the man himself.

Similar Products Used:

Nothing that came close in the price range. Honestly, I did like a pair of electrostatics, but they were huge and a bit over 5 grand, lacked the punch, but sounded heavenly with stringed instruments.

Linbrook monitors are all killer and no filler.

Superb sounding loudspeakers to be sure at extremely resonable price point.

Top notch audiophile grade wiring, crossover components, and drivers.Custom options as well as some far out veneer finishes.

Well dampened and heavy 55lb cabinet - hierloom quality built to last a lifetime IMHO - speakers veneered on all six sides. USA based company. Great people to do business with.

Seriously considering another set of Linbrook Monitors with the bass modules for my main system with a really funky veneer.

No regrets whatsoever in taking the leap with the Linbrook Signataure Monitors.

Percussive instruments that were lost in the background as filler with other speakers are reproduced realistically; that is, with a sense of immediacy, urgency, and within a clearly defined space. Bass is dead on but using and Earthquake sub for the lows.

What surprised me most is the smoothness and believeability of the vocals. Both male and female vocals are exceptionally smooth and fluid, tubey if you will, and I'm using midfi solid state equipment. The sustain and decays of the instruments are beautifully rendered and dimensional.

Soundstage is wide and deep actually beginning behind the speakers and coming forward as well as extending out to either side of the speakers. The sweetspot is also much larger than I'm typically accoustomed to with tweeter over woofer configurations. I've had speakers that if you tilt your head one way or another you're out of the zone.

The stereo imagery is also very stable and solid so the entire performance is planted which keeps me focused on the music instead of trying follow where the instruments are going. Best position for me and my room is an equalateral triange with zero degrees toe in and I didn't bother to put the grilles on some of the most expensive drivers money can buy.

Construction is solid and they're far bigger in real life than the photos on webiste would have you believe. Mine are sitting on auralex platforms with 2" thick solid maple platforms from mapleshademusic.com over them topped with the black Tyler Acoustics custom Linbrook stands with the speakers finished in maple. Great constrast and the speakers really stand out against the hunter green wall.

I ordered my speakers with the optional Cardas terminals in the rear which appear to me solid, unplated copper. A very nice touch. Delivery date was on time as promised from Ty, form fitting foam and corrugated packaging. Fed Ex delivered them safely. Ty is a guy with a lot of honesty and integrity to be sure. Great doing business with Tyler Acoustics and will recommend as well as buy from again.

I'm giving these speaker 5 stars on both counts because I feel they serriously deserve a chance if you're in the $3k -$7k range for speakers.

FYI Using the Linbrooks paired with a 21 space equipment rack in my modest home office. My equipment is: Parasound line drive 1100 pre and A21 amp with PS audio extreme plus cables, and Audioquest King Cobra Interconnects among other things.

Customer Service

Excellent

Similar Products Used:

Make your own comparisons.

Superb cabinetry. Huge variety of finishes to choose from. Sonically perfect. Highest quality drivers and crossovers. Ty is a pleasure to do business with.

None

I'm honestly done searching for my reference speakers, and they are not even fully broken in yet. It could get "scary good" in my living room in the next couple of months. I do have two Legacy subwoofers integrated with the Signature Monitors to handle the bottom octave, but it isn't a necessity. Have tried a Prima Luna Prologue Two, Musical Fidelity A308, and a Coda Unison Continuum Integrated Amp and all sounded superb. Magic happened when I lowered the channel gain on the Coda to 85db. It was a match made in heaven. Unless you want to spend megabucks on speakers I honestly can't think of anything I'd rather own or recommend. Thanks Ty!

Similar Products Used:

Thiel CS1.6 Legacy Classic

Incredibly lively sound. Very 3 dimensional! I listen all evening with no fatigue.

None. Give the speakers 80 hrs to break in and get the fullest sound.

THese speakers are a joy to listen to. The imaging is fantastic; the instruments and vocals just pop out at you. They are very lively and have a full range. My sub is rarely needed or used......Ty Lashbrook's service is wonderful. He goes out of his way to make sure you are pleased with his products. I have a specific height limitation, so he made custom stands to fit. He also sent me a new prototype LInbrook model to listen to and compare to these to Linbrook Signature Monitors (which I kept)...His cabinetry is beautiful (I got Kewazinga-"African rosewood")

Similar Products Used:

JBL, Aerial Acoustics, others

Tyler speakers are the best speakers for the $$$, it is that simple.

None.

These monitors have it all; looks and sound. For the sound; Linbrooks are accurate, clear, dynamic, detailed, ith deep bass, and a midrange to-die-for!! And looks: my Linbrook Moniors are finished in a very attractive rosewood veneer. Almost any other wood veneer is available. The speaker's drivers, wiring, and crossovers are of high quality( I've seen pictures of $55,000 speakers using these drivers). I have owned these speakers for 2 years and am still amazed everytime I listen to music with them. Linbrooks also sound great with both tube and solid state amps.

Similar Products Used:

Reference 3a DeCapo, Near 50me, Fried 3a, Galante, Meadowlark, Mourdant Short, B&W, and others.

Very easy to drive. Solid build of both stands and speakers. Beautiful veneer choices (try the Ribbon Mahogany). Play loud without strain. Trade in policy. Price. Customer service: Ty is one of those guys that will give you down to earth advice that is right on the money. Ty went went way beyond the call of duty to make sure I had exactly what I wanted and needed. I plan to be a loyal Tyler Acoustics customer for the long haul.

No retail locations to go try them out.

I purchased my Linbrook monitors from Ty Lashbrook after visiting his facility in KY. As you probably know, Ty's approach is to use the best drivers and crossover components available with thoroughly researched and tested design. He then draws on his years of cabinet making skills to produce some of the best looking (and thick) cabinets on the market. By keeping overhead low, he sells speakers at what I consider a great value. I personally like that model. I traded in my Ref monitors that I had for a year or so. It was very beneficial to hear the differences between the 2 speaker lines. The Taylo uses the Revelator tweeter wich is great in that it doesnt call attention to itself. The Linbrook uses the millenium from Seas which is brighter and more airy. While I loved my Taylo ref monitors, the Linbrooks sound more extended in both directions. They are rated to go down to only 35hz but It sure seems like they go lower than that. This is definitely one of those instances where specs can be misleading. I find the Linbrook monitors to be a very dynamic, fast and transparent speaker. I think I have found the sweet spot between monitors and floorstanders. I now listen to entire albums without thinking about my gear but rather how lucky I am to get so close to the musicians.

Similar Products Used:

Magnepan, Alon II, JBL L65 jubal, Martin Logan QuestZ