Snell LCR7 XL 30th Anniversary Bookshelf Speaker

[admin]

The LCR7 XLs are one of their premier speakers that feature a design by Snell Chief Engineer Joe D’Appolito memorializing the 30th anniversary of Snell Acoustics. Utilizing a D'Appolito array (or Mid-Tweet-Mid, MTM for short, design) and the renown SEAS XL drivers, the LCR7 XL represent the pinnacle of what you can achieve through components and experience. At $6000 a pair, they certainly seem to be sparing no expense. Performance-wise, they are tops with a fantastically clear high end and nearly limitless power handling. These are speakers you can drive practically until your amp gives out since they seem to have no real upper limit.

Discuss "Snell LCR7 XL 30th Anniversary Bookshelf Speaker" here. Read the article.

 

[cwall99]

Sweet review. If only I had the money....

If I had the money, I could probably also buy me some of them $4K power cords for some amps to drive these.

Still, it's nice to see that despite the current economy, someone's still out there pushing the edge with their products.

The worst thing about reading speaker reviews is having to imagine what the speakers sound like. We all know that. Still, they say that the key to reading movie reviews is to find a reviewer whose tastes seem similar to yours, and then to go by what that reviewer says. I think you sort of have to do the same with speaker reviews.

Since Tom's reviews address many of the things I like... well, you see where I'm going.

Man, it'd be nice to give these a listen. I always feel a bit guilty when I go into a place that sells high quality gear just to listen. Still, if the place is empty, where's the harm? Okay, other than in getting the sales person's hopes up. I'm lucky in that I have a local shop where they know me and will chat with me about stuff.... hmmmmm, I'm digressing.

Thanks for the review.

 

[FirstReflection]

I find this review very interesting because it demonstrates how the most common objective measurement - frequency response - does not tell the whole story!

These days, there are many many speakers that measure with flat frequency response, both on and off axis, but the subjective listening detailed in this review makes it clear that similarly flat frequency response does not mean that two different speakers will sound the same.

It does seem as though a near-complete lack of distortion plays a big role in the clarity and fidelity of the sound though. Less expensive - or more accurately, less well-engineered - drivers (the tweeters and woofers) may offer flat frequency response, but higher distortion, and this could account for a large portion of the audible difference in clarity.

Naturally, one wonders if it is possible to have this same level of clarity, but at a lower price! It is certainly nice to know what is possible in terms of sound quality, but for many people, $6000/pair will not be affordable.

Personally, I have no issue with very limited output below 80Hz. I am a believer in using a subwoofer with ALL speakers and utilizing the 80Hz cross-over with 4th order slopes. For my tastes, too many reviewers focus on speakers' bass response and imply that a speaker that can play lower is somehow better or, at least, a better value. I, personally, see very little value in a speaker being able to produce bass frequencies that, due to room interactions, will only muddy the final sound and would be much better handled by handing them off to a pair of capable subwoofers.

To finalize, if these Snell XL speakers are able to noticably outperform speakers such as the RBH TK and Salk SongTowers in terms of clarity and distortion-free output, one wonders what it would take to match the Snell's level of quality, but at a more affordable price. I am keen to know how the Status Acoustics (RBH) Decimo bookshelf speakers would compare as they are similarly lauded for their clarity and detail, but come in at just under half the price!

 

[cwall99]

You make a good point. I'm not sure where it was I was reading this (but it was probably somewhere on this board), but very recently, I recall reading something about how if you can build a speaker that's more accurate in terms of a flat frequency response, more dynamic (more range from quiet to loud passages), and there was one other variable, but these were all things that you could measure objectively or empirically, then you'd probably have a speaker that would do well on subjective listening tests.

But, according to whatever it was I read, you couldn't necessarily go in the opposite direction. In other words, not all speakers that sound good test well, but speakers that test well tend to sound better.

While having good specs on these three variables isn't a guarantee of a superior sound speaker, having good specs increases your odds of creating a speaker people like tremendously.

Then there was a link to a book called Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms by Floyd Toole in which he expounded on this much more eloquently (and I'm sure accurately) than I can.

 

[gene]

I am keen to know how the Status Acoustics (RBH) Decimo bookshelf speakers would compare as they are similarly lauded for their clarity and detail, but come in at just under half the price!

You and me both brother. To date I haven't found a more transparent speaker than the Decimo. Its too bad Tom lives so far from me else I'd be there with my Decimos in a heart beat.

 

[FirstReflection]

I'm not sure how long Snell would be willing to let Tom keep the LCR7 XL, but I would love, Love, LOVE to read a "> $2500/pair bookshelf speaker shootout"!

I'm thinking something like a Paradigm Signature S4 would make for a good sample from a large, mass production company and its Be tweeter might make for an interesting review as well.

And then, maybe something from an internet direct company, maybe a ribbon tweeter design like the Salk Veracity HT1?

Put those up against the Decimo and the Snell and I think it would make for one heck of a shootout!

Also, from my own personal interest, I love it when significantly less expensive speakers (just 1 or 2) are also included - just as a juxtaposition and to see "how close" the less expensive speakers can get! Maybe throw something like a SVSound MBS-01 into the mix, just to demonstrate what (if any) difference that extra $1500+ gets you!

 

[ned]

It looks like they're comparable with the RBH 661 SER.

 

[Kitsum]

This speaker is very similar (same drivers, MTM) to the highly regarded Seas Froy MkIII , available for the last 9 years as DIY or as a kit for $1.7K.
In this case, not being able to put a kit together will cost you $4.3K.

 

[gliz]

even if I had the money I would neve spend 6 grand on speakers this size drivers this size can only do so mucn, hut mu 2 cents

 

[jamie2112]

Way overpriced IMO...............no thanks now the Decimo I would love to hear..Gene where are you I am coming to listen.....

 

[lsiberian]

Way overpriced IMO...............no thanks now the Decimo I would love to hear..Gene where are you I am coming to listen.....

Agreed. There is no reason for the price in this IMO, but it's probably the intro price not the resting one.

Seas drivers are awesome though and with the right cabinets you can blow away a lot of things with them.

 

[ratso]

i find it interesting the difference between the 2 channel 'audiophile' world and the multichannel A/V world. browse over to stereophile or TAS and a $6K pair of speakers would be somewhere toward the middle of the price range, even for bookshelf speakers (they're no $12K focal diablo's). the speakers i am looking at cost $11K new about 10 years ago and aren't even made anymore, but still cost $5K used (wilson sophia's). thinking about spending this kind of money on speakers still shocks me.

 

[gene]

Also, from my own personal interest, I love it when significantly less expensive speakers (just 1 or 2) are also included - just as a juxtaposition and to see "how close" the less expensive speakers can get! Maybe throw something like a SVSound MBS-01 into the mix, just to demonstrate what (if any) difference that extra $1500+ gets you!

The MBS-01 was faced off against the Decimos at Dave Phares G2G last year. It wasn't even a close match. The special edition x-ls speaker from AV123 was much more balanced sounding to the panel of listeners than the MBs-01s and was quite a performer for its asking price.

I plan on getting Monitor Audio's top bookshelf speaker with the ribbon tweet, as well as the top Dali bookshelf to face off with the Decimos in a couple of months. That should be interesting.

 

[mjcmt]

Yes this speaker may be Snells production of the SEAS Froy MkIII but Snells cabinet and front baffle construction plus x-over parts is nothing to look down at.

I built the Froy III into Paragon Radiant cabinets which had the correct internal volume, and have been using them for 7 years and must say they are simply amazing.

Mike

 

[mjcmt]

Yes this speaker may be Snells production of the SEAS Froy MkIII but Snells cabinet and front baffle construction plus x-over parts is nothing to look down at.

I built the Froy III into Paragon Radiant cabinets which had the correct internal volume, and have been using them for 7 years and must say they are simply amazing.

Mike

Here is a link to the testing of the SEAS Froy mk3 and Stereophile review of the Snell lcr7 xl:

http://www.audioxpress.com/reviews/media/403colin-dapp2204.pdf
http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/606snell