First Listen: LSA Model 2 Surround Speaker System

Posted by: Chris Martens at 4:04 pm, July 21st, 2010

Let’s speak candidly. Nashville, TN-based LSA Group isn’t exactly a household name among speaker manufacturers, which in my view is a shame given that LSA just might be one of the best speaker companies you’ve (probably) never heard of. Let me supply some background to explain why I make this statement.

I first encountered LSA at CES exhibit roughly two years ago, and at first I didn’t really know what to make of them (in case you’re wondering, the LSA acronym stands for “Living Sounds Audio”). A banner in the doorway of their exhibit room proclaimed that the firm made speakers that were “designed by ear,” but “verified by science.” Intrigued, I poked my head in the door and gave them a listen. At first glance, the speakers appeared well made and nicely finished, but perhaps somewhat unexceptional or “generic” in design—at least judging by first initial visual impressions. Both the handsome speaker enclosures and LSA’s chosen drive units reminded me of scads of other brands of loudspeakers I had encountered over the years, so that I really wasn’t expecting them to be noteworthy in any way.

But was I ever wrong in that snap judgment, as I quickly learned when I played a few reference tracks through the LSA’s. Three things made the LSA speakers exceptional to my way of thinking:

·      Killer, 3D imaging and soundstaging.
·      Amazingly smooth, seamless blending between drivers.
·      Smooth, natural tonal balance and an overall quality of sonic refinement that made the LSA’s sound more expensive than they really were.

This, in turn, brings me to the other key point about LSA products; they are sensibly (though certainly not cheaply) priced and generally leave listeners with the impression of delivering an awful lot of value for the money. As you’ll see in a moment, LSA also offers several grades of each of its models, and offers unusually attractive incentives for listeners who decide—over time—that they might wish to upgrade from one level of performance to the next.

From the time of that first visit to the LSA booth on through to the present, I’ve wanted to review the firm’s speakers, and now I’ve got an opportunity to do so under the auspices of The Perfect Vision.

This blog describes first impressions of a LSA surround system I’ll soon be reviewing, which is based on the firm's Model 2 loudspeaker ($2500/pair), which is the firm’s “bread and butter” 2 ½-way floorstander. Rounding out the system, I’ve also got on hand LSA’s 2 ½-way LCR speaker ($750/each), which I’m using as a center channel, plus a pair of LSA’s 2-way, 4-driver, multi-mode On-Walls ($1000/pair), which I’m using as stand-mount surround-channel speakers. At present, LSA doesn’t make a subwoofer, so I’m using one of The Perfect Vision’s reference JL Audio Fathom f112 subs in that capacity—not that the LSA’s require very much bass support at all. Frankly, the Model 2 floorstanders offer solid bass output into the mid-30Hz region, while the LCR and On-Wall reach down into the mid-50Hz range. Thus, I am (at LSA’s suggestion) crossing the subwoofer in at 50Hz for the Model 2 mains, and at 60Hz for the center and surround channels.

According to LSA, the firm’s speakers require a good 100 hours of break-in time before they loosen up and sound their best. As this blog is written, I’ve not yet reached the magic 100-hour mark, so please take that point into consideration (and stay tuned for the full review, which will—of course—be written after break-in is complete).

First impressions: straight out of the box, the LSA’s sound not bad at all, but perhaps just a little “stiff” and “congested”—almost as if they want, in a figurative sense, to clear their throats and sing. As break-in hours mount up, though, their sound is becoming more and more open, transparent, and texturally refined. I think they’re going be really good when break-in is complete.