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Review 3 of 14
Price Paid:
$15.00
from Radio shack Summary:
I too am a big fan of the Lineaum tweeters.
While the dipoles are no longer available on clearence, there still is a great deal to be had from Radio Shack Unlimited.
The monopole is still only $14.95[the dipole may well be available too. I didn't check, I got mine when they were $19.95].
I've been playing around for several yr.s combining these tweeters with better woofers and crossovers.
I recently expanded my main system to be tri-amp capable[using a quality 12V 3-way active crossover. Don't laugh, it works great] and I paired 4 of the 180 deg. Lineaums with four upper mid-fi. 6.5" woofers [I mainly listen to music in the standard Dolby suround, sans center channel].
With an 18db./octive high-pass, I've tried crossing them over at 2.5K, 3.5K and 5k Hz. They just didn't sound comfortable at 2.5k, so I settled on 3.5K. Which is fine with me , as the woofers will easily play up to that.
By using an active crossover, I avoided the need of designing[or have designed] a passive crossover for the somewhat odd Re. of 6 ohms for the Lineaum tweets. It also eliminates concerns for matching SPLs. Although the rather ineffecient Lineaums match well with many woofers without need for tweeter attenuation.
These tweeters, used as I described[crossed-over sufficently above their resonate Fq. and driven with a clean strong signal] are just superb. I really feel that I would have to go with floorstanders[perhaps magnaplaners or electrostatics] or 3-way mains to improve upon their performance.
I've read here that one reviewer felt that they were plasticky sounding, but I feel that looking at the tweeter diaphram may have colored his perception.
I also read of of Cory Greenburg's remark that the Lineaum monopoles were "beamy". Perhaps I don't understand the meaning of the word in his context, but I've always been amazed at how little the tweeter response drops off, off-axis with these transducers. Almost to the perpendicular. In a suround set-up, these tweeters offer a homogeneous swrill of sound without the diffusion of dipoles.
On the subject of dipoles, I use them as well, in my second modest system using only a pair DIY 3-way floor standers. They are crossed over from the 5.25 in. mid-woofer with a simple 1st order high-pass[with a quality cap] at 3k. An L-pad was inserted, but is not really needed. Being larger, I think the dipole is more tolerent of a less sharp filter and lower X-over fq. But I think 3k hz. is the lowrange limit for a 6db. filter . On the other hand, they roll quite a bit faster over 14-15K hz. Perhaps this is why some people have had problems matching timber with monopole centers and dipole mains. There doesn't seem to be any problem matching monopole mains to dipole surrounds though. I've done it myself. For a two speaker system[I'm using SRS] the 360 deg. Lineaums are fantastic. Like another poster mentioned, You can walk into a different room with out hardly any drop-off in sound.
To sumize. These are an outstanding value. For mere lunch money, a guy can walk into his local R.S and order tweeters that are not only very sweet, but durable as well.
We budget wana-be-philes never had it so good.
[I suppose people will ask, Why not spend the money to tri-amp on really good speakers in the first place? Well, for one thing, I went on the upgrade as you go plan and the two Pioneer recievers[ VSX 209 and VSX 608, I already had a nice Sony Pro-logic rack amp. to run the sub.s.] only came to $500 on Ubid. That's [an optimistic]640 watts of four speaker power for less than a dollar a watt. Add in another $300 for the cross-over, connects[I make my own using R.S stuff. Buy the long three packs and the 12"gold"RCA ends and make 24 cables] and extra speaker wires and I think I'm still ahead of the game.
To better the sound of this system with one reciever, I'm sure that I would have to be looking at speakers starting well over $1,000.
There is a downside though. Three recievers does take up some space and would not appeal to those with minimalist tendencies. And things like source switching and 5.1 sound can present connecting challanges[I wimped out and use a switching box. One of the weird things about the new budget Pioneer, Optimus and RCA recievers is that the tape loop needs to see a record signal to become functional.]
And I'm necessarly locked into an anolog system, even though the major componates are digital capable. But that's ok because the DAC in my Denon DCM370 is superiour to those in the Pioneer recievers[but they have great surround processors].
Other "budget" componates in my systems are: Strengths:
Dispersion, detail and durability Weaknesses:
Perhaps lacking in a little "air, but I'm not above adding some EQ. Similar Products Used:
LX7s, Pro77s, BIC62s, Mission 701s and Infinitys with the EMIT ribbon tweeter[an excellent but fragile tweeter]
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