The 'quest' of greatness.....

[frankmarsi]

11-18-09 5P.M. EST

Dear CSP members, I may have a chance to purchase another pair of ‘AR-LST’ speakers believe it, or not, that is my current of level of 'nut-job' vintage 'AR-LST' craziness.

The purchase would require me and a family member or friend, maybe one of you guys too, to leave our humble-abodes and drive from NY to MA., (I'll all pay all expenses), which would involve motels, meals, gas and what-ever essentials in doing so, almost as much so for a ‘14th century' trip to another land of listening experiences. Shipping of these kind of speakers is just too worrisome and dangerous and doubtfully correctly ever done. That's why my owned units have been carried by me from close locations. In my own arms always in fact!, and lovingly so! I once saw on the 'net' a guy who sold and shipped his, but he had built actual wood grates and all aspects were covered to ensure safe delivery as the new buyer demanded before the sale.

Bottom line, I would have four pairs of ARLST’s and finally achieve the system that another highly regarded member of this site had once inspired me to dream of. He said once to paraphrase: he had the opportunity of listening to eight AR-LST’s, two in each of the four corners in the room, and they were connected to, four ‘PL400’ amps and all had added to the richest of musical experiences and was beyond words his very words. His description highly motivated me a few years ago. He said, to paraphrase again: the piano was sounding as much as 'real' as it should and could sound from any 'hi-fi' system. I hope I haven't misunderstood the essence of his words, it's doubtful. Fellow member, I won't hold you responsible for my diversions because I have the strongest of beliefs that you were hearing with no doubt at all correct! I generally use four LST's at any one time.

If this ‘deal-goes-down’ I’ll have to drive over 650 miles just to do this delivery feat.

I have the four Phase Linear400 amps as originally described by ‘him’ to do this act of selfish materialism of my own ‘AR-LST mania’, but should I? Opinions are much welcomed as the auction only has three days left. Don’t get me wrong my dear fellow members, I have three pairs already, but just think of such a 'LST'-monster-system’, perhaps the greatest of ‘AR’ systems ever in vintage AR history.

Should I, or shouldn’t I? Am I too greedy in my life after loving and owning the greatest of all AR speakers most of my adult life?

FM, a man torn and almost desperate to achieve the ‘greatest-AR system’ of all times. I’m not talking AR-9’s, but of AR’s most shining moments of LST’s, although, I may go ‘head-to-head’ with ‘9’s’ also, comparatively speaking of course.

FM, hard-up, or just greedy, or simply crazy and lost in the ‘AR’ time fold.

FM, please help me with your responses, why don’t ya.

FM, have I just ‘lost-it’ or do I speak of ‘greatness’ ?

FM, let me be 'frank, after all, that is my name. But now it's maybe more like 'Frankenstein'! Excuse me if you can?

FM, hail ‘Caesar’!

[Pete B]

FM ... I wonder - how many AR-LST's will fit from floor to ceiling in your listening room?

Clearly, that is the correct number to have on each side!

Where in MA are they, if you don't mind my asking?

[JKent]

FM ... I wonder - how many AR-LST's will fit from floor to ceiling in your listening room?

Clearly, that is the correct number to have on each side!

Where in MA are they, if you don't mind my asking?

The ones on ebay are in Cambridge (appropriately) but if Frank snags those, there's also a pair in Germany (local pickup only)

Kent

[Tekker]

"Buy the ticket, take the ride" HS Thompson

[Pete B]

The ones on ebay are in Cambridge (appropriately) but if Frank snags those, there's also a pair in Germany (local pickup only)

Kent

My brother lives and works in MA, but not close to Cambridge.

He will be visiting here in CT next week, could probably bring

them but Cambridge is a bit far for him.

[frankmarsi]

Dear Howard Ferstler,

CSP, 11-22-09

Well as my luck would have it, I missed the sale of the two AR-LST in Cambridge Mass.

I was out of town and missed the bidding.

I was under the silly impression no one else would bid on them at $1,200.

They sold for $1,785. , I wouldn't go that high in price as I reconsidered my 'personal extravagance factor' was peeking too high, may the best man win just the same. I’ll bow out and be happy with my three pairs and reconfigure my future plans.

Howard F. speaks of ‘rear-speakers’ and ambient sound, gee if were to use them like that I could use an AR-3a, or something smaller and although ‘ambient’ sound really doesn’t require a large amount of power and large speakers, using LST’s in that way would be a gross waste of speaker.

Regarding the Allison 1’s, I had a friend who owned them, powered by a PL400, later a powerful old Marantz, I was only 'some-what' impressed by the Allison 1’s. Oh they sure sounded good and all, but as I can recollect, hardly a match for an “LST”! In fact at that time I felt my AR-3a’s had a 'richer' bottom end all things considered.

P.S. The person I believe I heard it from was a prominent site member who heard them also, not Larry Klein

FM

[Guest Radiointerference]

Hello, I think everyone has a quest for greatness or Madness as my wife puts it. I have attached a photo of my current speakers that I have in the house. I have never heard the LST's but have had the AR14 and am currently trying to get a local guy to let go of his AR9's.

[frankmarsi]

Hello, I think everyone has a quest for greatness or Madness as my wife puts it. I have attached a photo of my current speakers that I have in the house. I have never heard the LST's but have had the AR14 and am currently trying to get a local guy to let go of his AR9's.

Thanks for the reply "radiointerence", but you're flipp'in nuts! Nice to hear of others out there such as myself, although I have to admit , there must be others out worst than you and I.

You have a nice diverse collection from varied manufacturers, whereas mine are only from AR. I'd like to hear some of yours though.

FM

[Guest Radiointerference]

I wanted to add, I drove from Maine to West Virginia to pick up the Cosmostats in the pic and two weeks ago drove to Pennsylvania to get the Allison Ones. So it did make me feel better as I showed my wife you were willing to drive to MA to get the LST's. I told my wife many years ago now, that I am an AudioPile-ist. The bigger the pile the better. Good luck on finding the next set of LST's.

[Rlowe]

Understand that Roy Allison designed both speakers, and was also instrumental (working along with Chuck McShane) in designing the AR-3a. However, the Model One comes later than the LST, and it would be preposterous to think that his then top-of-the-line Allison Model would not at the very least equal the LST. We all (I hope) acknowledge that Roy is a great speaker designer, and the Model One was designed to overcome deficiencies in the LST and AR-3a.

The Model One has several advantages or equal-performance characteristics compared to the LST. First, the mid and tweeter drivers are liquid cooled, which, in spite of it only having four mid and tweeter drivers instead of the eight in the LST, allow it to hold its own in terms of power handling. It utterly outclasses the AR-3a in this respect. Second, the individual drivers disperse energy better than the LST and 3a drivers, with a decisive advantage over the 3a. Third, the driver spacing is tighter, which allows the Model One to image better in the midrange and treble. Fourth, the lower-woofer/mid crossover point overcomes the problem the LST and 3a have with their rather high-crossover-point woofers somewhat beaming near the top of their respective operating ranges. Fifth, and probably most importantly, the woofer placement in the Model One overcomes the "Allison Suckout Effect" problem that the LST, 3a, and most other systems have with quarter-wavelength cancellation artifacts in the mid bass. The latter problem was highlighted by several articles Roy published.

I once owned both Model Ones and AR-3a systems and did some comparing in the same room. The AR-3a is a great speaker, but it could not match the Model One in any way that mattered, other than deep-bass reach and treble extension. The Model One was first reviewed in the Boston Audio Society magazine "Speaker," and in that publication the assorted reviewers (club members) noted the advantages of the Model One over both the AR-3a and the LST. The listing room is a major factor in how speakers sound. If one listened to Model Ones in a sub-par room and then went and listened to LSTs or AR-3as in a really good room, it would be easy to dismiss the advantages of the Model One as you did. The solution is to compare in the same room, with the levels closely matched. I have been doing this for years as a speaker reviewer.

Howard Ferstler

I think this is the review you are refering too above.

LINK =>

http://www.bostonaudiosociety.org/bas_speaker.htm#EARLIER

To find the articles, scroll down to the table toward the END of the web page.

Look on the left side of the table.

Locate AND click on the appropriate BLUE "VOL-ISSUE-YR MO" index, shown below in the 3 references.

(1) 01-06-7303

Summary from Roy Allison’s talk on “The Listening Room” (Included in introduction)

Vol:01-Issue:06-YrMonth(7303) B.A.S. Newsletter

PS - DON'T read the included article on "Diagnosis and Treatment of Audiophilia" ;-()

(2) 03-107507b

A B.A.S. test report – The Allison One – Speaker – Jim Brinton (Included at end of Newsletter)

Vol:03-Issue:10-YrMonth(7507b) B.A.S. Newsletter

(3) 04-01-7510

Comments on High Fidelity review of Allison - One (Included about Halfway through Newsletter)

Vol:04-Issue:01-YrMonth(7510b) B.A.S Newsletter

[Rlowe]

I think this is the review you are refering too above.

LINK =>

http://www.bostonaudiosociety.org/bas_speaker.htm#EARLIER

To find the articles, scroll down to the table toward the END of the web page.

Look on the left side of the table.

Locate AND click on the appropriate BLUE "VOL-ISSUE-YR MO" index, shown below in the 3 references.

(1) 01-06-7303

Summary from Roy Allison’s talk on “The Listening Room” (Included in introduction)

Vol:01-Issue:06-YrMonth(7303) B.A.S. Newsletter

PS - DON'T read the included article on "Diagnosis and Treatment of Audiophilia" ;-()

(2) 03-107507b

A B.A.S. test report – The Allison One – Speaker – Jim Brinton (Included at end of Newsletter)

Vol:03-Issue:10-YrMonth(7507b) B.A.S. Newsletter

(3) 04-01-7510

Comments on High Fidelity review of Allison - One (Included about Halfway through Newsletter)

Vol:04-Issue:01-YrMonth(7510b) B.A.S Newsletter

For the record, I missed a follow-on comment made by Roy Allison, in Sep 1975, about B.A.S review of his Allison One, starting on Page 3 of the following B.A.S newsletter, available at the same location.

The following VOL-ISSUE-YR MO refers;

BAS-03-12-7509b

[draftingmonkey]

Gee Frank,

Now I know why I can never find a pair of LST's out here in the west. Everyone ships them back east for you to buy. I may have to travel out your way someday if I ever want to hear some in person. Good luck on your never ending quest for the "Wall of LST's" (feel free to use the title).

James