While some speaker manufacturers develop ever-smaller models to try to fit into the “lifestyle” market, at Legacy Audio the rallying cry after three decades still is pretty much “go big or go home.”
Legacy typically hauls some of the biggest speakers into the largest room available at each major stereo show. Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2015 was no exception, with the Illinois-based company bringing not one, or two, but three large systems to a cavernous ground-floor room at the Marriott Denver Tech Center.
Walking into the Legacy room was like entering Stonehenge. Suddenly, you are surrounded by huge obelisks, and you wonder how they all got there. Rather than ancient technology, though, Legacy was showing off its latest towering achievements.
The most impressive was the relatively new Legacy V speaker system ($51,500), which includes the Wavelet DAC/preamp/processor. The device also serves as a four-way crossover with time alignment, and speaker and room resonance correction. Specifically, Wavelet uses the company’s new Bohmer acoustic processing to optimize the loudspeaker/room acoustic transfer function in both the frequency and time domains. Alignments are individually optimized using a microphone and a wireless iPad, smart phone or computer. The result, Legacy says, is significantly improved accuracy and transient response in any listening environment.
The Legacy V system is outfitted with the company’s new dual 4-inch-long AMT neodymium tweeters for treble that goes to 30kHz. The speaker also features open-air dual 14-inch carbon/pulp drivers, a 12-inch aluminum bass driver and another 12-inch low-frequency radiator which drives three 10-inch mass-loaded pneumatic radiators. The lows are driven by a 1,500-watt amplifier.
The V cabinet is finished in wood veneer, and includes a gloss baffle and machined aluminum trim. The handsome design is set off by illumination from within the center of each tower.
The Legacy V system at RMAF was driven by two CODA 15.5 amplifiers ($10,000 each), in addition to its bass amplification. Source was a Metronome CD transport.
When I visited, the Legacy V was doing a fine job with Diana Krall. The system captured her whisky-and-honey voice and presented her start-stop piano playing with plenty of sparkle. It also reflected the Legacy house sound in that it presented a large soundstage and was easy to listen to.
Elsewhere in the room was a second system which included Legacy Aeris speakers ($20,735 a pair), looking alluring in a black pearl finish; a CODA CP preamp ($3,500); CODA TS amplifier ($5,200); and Ayon CD player.
The third system featured Legacy Focus SE speakers ($11,495 a pair), CODA CP preamp, a new Legacy Powerbloc 2 amplifier (price TBA) and an Oppo BDP-105 disc player.
All in all, Legacy’s key products may be unabashedly large, but their appealing design and custom finishes would seem to make them desirable in any interior décor.
It is not mentioned what cable and interconnects were used. It seems there are a lot of ads trying to convince us which is best and a good review might enlighten.
For me this room was best at this years RMAF. Wonderful !
It would be nice to know what interconnects and cables. I understand they can make a difference…… at least that is what the ads want us to believe.
Wow, I’m getting old. If I’m correct, the Focus arrived 20-some years ago for <$4k/pr. The current version is obviously immensely improved.
I was there. The sound was outstanding! If you have the room and the budget, these speakers will work miracles. The Coda gear is exceptionally good.
It is technically not possible for speakers of this size to image accurately at realistic listening distances so it must be that soundstage performance is not one the key strengths – in which case it is not Audiophile grade anyway. Really I don’t see the point.
What a silly thing to say. Clearly, you missed the demo. And the memo.
Dear Scot,
The poster ‘COULD’ be saying that the soundstaging is not realistic in that it is too big.
Laurence