LSA1 | LSA1 Statement | LSA2 | LSA 5.0 System
Standard Integrated Amp | Signature Integrated Amp | Statement Integrated Amp
LSA1 Monitors
CES Show Report by Chris Martens
Absolute Sound
"The LSA Group LSA1 Monitors [produce] images that are gigantic, beautifully focused, and three-dimensional beyond belief. These affordable stand-mount monitors seemed remarkably free from edge diffraction and struck me as being among the finest imagers I've ever heard at any price.
I was also impressed by the LSA1's natural tonal balance and unforced clarity. Though the LSA1s filled a quite large room with sound, they never seemed to be working very hard."
LSA1 Monitors
Stereomojo 'Maximum Mojo' Award Winner
Reviewed by Jim Darby, Stereomojo Editor
www.stereomojo.com
"...These are not toys. You would know that the moment you pick them up. Solid and heavy for their size - like they are carved from a single block of rosewood. They easily pass the knuckle rap test, sounding as solid as they feel. These speakers have “hi-end” and “expensive” written all over them. They even come with black veltvet custom-made covers with “LSA ” embroidered on the front. Classy. Very classy..."
"...It was impossible to locate an instrument that sounded as if it were being produced by a speaker. What did appear was a huge soundstage that filled the front of the room. Listening to “Tutti!”... the first violin section extended about four feet beyond the left speaker while the second violins and violas did the same on the right. The other sections were rendered in beautiful layers extending to the wall six feet behind. Most amazing was the sense of height. The brass and percussion were elevated well above the cabinets in perfect scale as they would be on stage. The LSA1s made it seem perfectly plausible that the Minnesota Orchestra or the Czech State Philharmonic were performing a private concert just for me."
"...Just for fun, I pulled out the Sound Dynamics 300ti. This is a much larger speaker that truly is remarkable, though not to the degree hyped by HP. Other than a more extended low end, the LSA1 was superior in every regard. It wasn’t even close. The very fine Vienna Acoustics Haydn (review upcoming) was stronger competition. While the Haydn costs about 30% more, the LSA1's were more convincing and lifelike, especially in the low bass and upper frequencies..."
"...All of the above is great so far, but if a speaker cannot convey a male or female vocal convincingly, the rest counts for nothing. The 1s were more than convincing, they were inspiring....These speakers have the innate ability to bypass your ears and grasp your heart, soul or both. One does not “hear” them, one experiences the music. They pull you in and cause you to forget the office, the bills, the noise and clutter of life and transport you to wherever the artists want to take you..."
Full review is HERE.
LSA1 STATEMENT Monitors
CES Show Report by Chris Martens, The Absolute Sound
Reviewed by Norm Luttbeg, www.soundstageav.com
"I have owned several minimonitors over the years . . . The LSA1 Statement isthe finest minimonitor I have heard . . ."
Click HERE to read the full review.
Norm Luttbeg
LSA2 Towers
Reviewed by Michael Wright, Stereo Times
"...How do they sound?
In a word, stunning. There is no way speakers at this price point ($2,500) perform this well with all aspects of music reproduction..."
"...My initial impression of the LSA2s was that they sounded bigger than they look. They easily filled my listening room with music. The LSA2s’ soundstage is expansive but with good focus. The images across the stage were rock solid and there was never a need to move the speakers closer together..."
"...Image depth was noteworthy as well, as music seemed to be coming from beyond the boundaries of my rear wall. Image height was good as well. These speakers are extremely musical and have the ability to transport you to the original recording event. The dynamic range of the LSA2s is also very good. They have the ability to convey the delicacy of strings being played softly and still play clearly even when played uncomfortably loud. The treble performance of the LSA2s is revealing and airy. Highs are extended and clear, no doubt helped by the rear-firing tweeter, which I actually did not have turned up very high..."
"..I was also surprised by the amount of bass these speakers were able to generate. The bass performance was extended, detailed, tight and full with good impact, pitch and the ability to make things rattle in my room. The low end reproduction never sounded loose or dominated the room..."
"... The LSA2s midrange performance rendered both male and female vocals with a natural, lifelike tone and warmth and had the ability to transport vocalists into my room with a palpable presence. This the LSA2s were able to do while being driven by solid-state and tube electronics..."
"...What the LSA2s do provide you with is music reproduction that competes with any speaker up to the $5K range..."
"...The LSA2s were easy to setup and require little effort to get good sound out of. As with any speaker, the more time and effort you put in to setting up the LSA2s, the greater the reward will be in terms of sonic enjoyment. Taking into account the LSA2s build quality, looks, sonic performance and cost, I would have to say that they provide you with extremely good value and are a bargain at their price...
"... Highly recommended..."
LSA Standard Integrated Amplifier
Stereophile Recommended Component, October 2006
Reviewed by Robert J. Reina, Stereophile
Reviewed by James Darby, Stereomojo, www.stereomojo.com
Reviewed by Stephen Dawson, Connected Homewww.connectedhometechnology.com
Robert Reina
"...very rugged and sexy-looking amplifier..."
"...The large, sleek, visually stunning [amp] features a tube line stage with 6922 triodes and partially dual-mono amplifier circuitry with Solen output devices..."
"...The midrange qualities indicated that the integrated amp possessed some of the hallmark attributes of a high-quality tube preamp. Every vocal recording I tried with the [amp] was silky, rich, uncolored, and captivating..."
"...my notes read 'angelic holographic blended harmonies.' Male vocals were equally enticing. Mighty Sam McClain's warm, gutteral growl was silky and organic..."
"...tremendous low-end slam, and its reproduction seemed effortless even at high volumes..."
"...lightning-fast ability to render rapid transients without any sence of blunting or artificial edge..."
'''My listening note: 'Chills!' "
James Darby
"The first thing one notices is the easy sense of power . . ."
"The next outstanding attribute was dynamics . . ."
"Lawdy she can rock!"
Awarded Steremojo "Maximum Mojo Award."
Read full review HERE.
Stephen Dawson
". . . this amplifier was suitable for use with any loudspeakers."
"There was so much power on tap that not once was there any sense of approaching anywhere near the amplifier's limits, regardless of the genre."
". . .this amplifier is . . . exceptional value for money. . ."
Read full review HERE.
LSA Signature Integrated Amplifier
Reviewed by Martin DeWulf, www.boundforsound.com
Reviewed by James Darby, www.stereomojo.com
"...Now, I can tell you that if a 2006 product of the year were to be picked, even though the year isn't over, the Signature would be the odds favorite to take that honor. It has literally come out of nowhere to destroy my pre-existing conviction that integrated amps are nice, but not high-end..."
"...My first response to hearing the Signature was that it seemed to have as much power as the XLH M-2000 (600 wpc) mono amps. Which is not a knock on the XLH. It's just that the LSA Signature is one of those amps that delivers in terms of macro and micro level dynamic expression..."
"...the LSA Signature lit up the room with animated life... took control of the VMPS and the music came forth vividly with as much moxie as one could want..."
"...I sat in sonic splendor, observing the materialization of musical moments come to life..."
"...There is NO image blurring with this integrated. A crystalline focus takes over wherin it seems that any veils you had become accustomed to have been removed - you are now closer to the unadulterated music than before.."
"...With the LSA Signature the skies are clean and the air is clean..."
"...This product has a sound about it that, to some, is unobtainable from any set of separates in terms of excitement, intimacy and transient action; all without the typical heaviness that comes with many tube units..."
"...in terms of sound all I can say is 'outstanding.'"
"The LSA Signature is not only a contender in the world of $15,000 and up high-end separates, it may well be vying for the crown."
"If you are looking to spend anywhere between $5000 and $12,000 for amplification, you would do yourself a favor to audition the LSA Signature."
Click HERE for the full review.
LSA Statement Integrated Amplifier
Reviewd by Dr. Sardonicus, Positive Feedback, Issue 35
Reviewed by James Darby, www.stereomojo.com
"This is an amplifier for grownups.
When you know who you are and what you like, and are unmoved by the shallow swings of shifting fashion …when you are ready to settle down and commit to a long-term relationship …when music is the objective, not the equipment …then this is one piece you absolutely have to hear...
... this baby will beauty you into submission... it is neither overly sweet nor aggressively forward. More like a perfect Spätlese, it is perfectly balanced and nuanced to provide both compelling complexity and squirmy pleasure. It's beautiful...
...Over the past few months I have pushed this amplifier hard with a wide variety of full orchestral and rock material, and never heard the slightest strain. Both micro (inner) and macro (large scale) dynamics were convincing...
Fully ran in, and properly lashed up and optimized, the Statement/Marantz combination gives you the slam and dynamics needed for full orchestral and heavy rock material. Just as adroitly, you get the pure aching, lit-from-behind delicate tonality supposedly reserved only for low power SE amplifiers.
The proverbial best of both worlds.
For me, this combination was a flame to my "moth-ness" inexorably drawing me back, over and over again to much more frequent and much longer listening sessions than I could reasonably afford (time-wise); too many bleary-eyed mornings due to unplanned late-night listening sessions. I blame both components equally (but not, of course, my own complete lack of self-control).
What is missing from the Statement is any hint of an "electronic" nature; no glare, no grain, no MOSFET "mist," no euphonic colorations …no compression or limitations for anything approaching a reasonable load.
Within the first week I knew the Statement was a sure thing for my writer's awards for 2008 and that I will probably only give it up after a stern admonition to do so by LSA...
The reality is that I have plumbed its depths and found the LSA Statement to be truly meritorious and worthy of my strongest endorsement. This is an enormously musical piece and if you seek beauty and strength, I am hard put to suggest where you could do better at anywhere near this price point.
Bravo!"
Read full review HERE.
"The Statement just reaches out, grabs and caresses you and pulls you into the performance in a way few amps at any price or configuration can achieve."
Complete review is HERE.
LSA Standard Amp and LSA2 Tower Speakers
Reviewed by David Vivian
Hi-Fi Choice, June 2007
"What hits you first is the sheer immediacy and physicality of the sound and its wonderful intimacy; the sense that all there is between you and the performers is fresh air...
Without lapsing into aggression or sounding in any way ‘lightweight’ the system’s ability to deliver lightning-fast transients without blunting or, indeed, hyping the leading edge is revelatory...
And it isn’t just pace and detail that are stunning. The system’s just as potent in the areas of resolution and texture...
The music comes to you; you don’t have
to concentrate to hear exactly what’s
going on. Simpler tunes are handled with
the same majestic confidence and
authority... Most
importantly of all, although this system’s
powers of analysis are fabulously acute,
they don’t result in a cold, clinical sound.
Far from it: an entirely natural-sounding
balance, supports remarkable levels of
musical insight...
Bass is fleet-footed,
tuneful and articulate but convincingly
weighty and extended. It isn’t just this
system’s ability to track a rhythm that
makes it absorbing, but a rarer skill in
cutting to the heart of the music without
being too forensic...
Make no mistake, this is one of the very best 'Beautiful Systems' to date, which makes it astounding value. A personal favourite."