Alegria Ling 2way or single?

 

New member
Username: Stratquack

Near Philly

Post Number: 4
Registered: Mar-09
Hi again, still mulling over the many fine suggestions by you all a few days back. I've been narrowing down at least with on-line research, to the following, to pair with my Cambridge Audio Azure 640a, though I'm still quite open:
Ascend Audio Sierra 1 (but their just a bit high for me in price)
Paradigm Titan monitor
Axiom M22v2
NSM Model 5

and the Alegria Ling
I've seen some wonderful things said about the Ling two-way speakers, but what are your opinions on the Ling single by comparison?
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 9314
Registered: Feb-05
The Paradigm Titan Monitor and Axioms are awful so that leaves you with two (minus the Sierra).

Folks who have experience with those two should be here shortly with their impressions.
 

New member
Username: Stratquack

Near Philly

Post Number: 5
Registered: Mar-09
Hi Art, thanks for the input. I'm wondering though, what struck you negatively about the Titans and M22's?

I've yet to test them in a store myself.

thanks,J
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 13474
Registered: May-04
.

Have you contacted Tim about the Ling? He had stopped producing finished models a while back. Last I had heard he was making available plans for the speaker cabinet and you could purchase the driver from Planet 10.


.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 13475
Registered: May-04
.

BTW, I have a pair of NSM 5S's (the upgraded model,the one NSM uses in their "review" clips of the 5) that I am selling if you're interested.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 9318
Registered: Feb-05
The Titan Monitors have a huge suckout in the midrange and awful boomy bass. Port noise galore just a very poor offering. The Axioms are bright and relentless...listener fatigue is very common with Axioms.
 

New member
Username: Stratquack

Near Philly

Post Number: 6
Registered: Mar-09
Art, thanks for the heads-up. I'll keep this in mind.

Jan, I have not contacted Tim about the Lings. I was just curious if anyone had heard both to compare (2way v/s single). I'm still trying to figure all this out, but I'll probably contact him. As for the NSM 5's, I don't figure I'll be making any purchases right away, but I do have two questions for you: would I need a sub? And what is your asking price, if you don't mind?

Thanks again for your help guys!
j
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11989
Registered: Dec-04
I have those Ling singles, but did not get a shot at the 2-way design before Tim retired.
At some point I will get the plans and parts to build a pair.
Hell, maybe it'stime to email Timn8er for the plans...
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 13476
Registered: May-04
.

Most people will probably want a sub, these are small speaker enclosures. They have bass response that does make them quite a good match for a subwoofer with a steep filter. I used a Hsu sub and the matching was quite good with no suck out and no sense of too much sub running too high into the mids.

$225 buys the pair.


They are white with white grills.


They have a huge soundstage and image like a mother! Give them a good front end and amplifier and they totally disappear.


You'll need good stands.


http://www.nsmaudio.com/brochures/5broc.html

.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 13477
Registered: May-04
.

I can't speak for Tim but he asked me to review the two way Ling, which I did here; https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/products/reviews/156699.html This was just before the single driver Ling was available. It was introduced not long after I wrote the review and shipped the speakers back.

During the course of the review Tim corresponded with me and we exchanged quite a bit of information back and forth. Though other factors finally drove Tim to decide on a different direction for his company, partially his decision was made for him when the full range Ling driver took off. Tim felt there really wasn't much need for the two way version since the single driver had its own advantages and without a crossover could sell for much less money. Tim had invested a lot in the Ling and it was an excellent value but the single Ling was not a truly viable product for him IMO. For someone with woodworking skills a single driver Ling could be put together for not very much money at all compared to what Tim had to charge - and Tim's prices were too low to begin with. I really don't know how he made money.


As I understand the situation from Tim, if you have the extra money to buy the two way Ling, it's worth the bit extra. Otherwise, if you've not heard a two way, you'll be more than happy with the single.

I would recommend the Ling for its value and sound. You'll still need a sub and good stands. It does have deeper bass extension than the NSM 5S but neither speaker can defeat the laws of phsyics and both are still small cabinets, the NSM is very small. Not having heard the Ling for quite some time now, I'd say the difference is the NSM is a tad more refined overall than the Ling with an obviously wider soundstage while the Ling is terrific value and doesn't have very many noticeable flaws to speak of.


.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11990
Registered: Dec-04
the Ling singles performed their best for me closer to a corner, spiked and sitting on 2X1" slabs of maple, all on a solid shelf.
Very nice with Johnny Cash on the Apollo cdp and small tubes in a 12X10 full room.

Very nice, in fact.
 

New member
Username: Stratquack

Near Philly

Post Number: 7
Registered: Mar-09
Jan,

I'm highly interested in the NSM 5's. As long as they are in excellent condition, and you can wait a week or so, I'd like to take you up on that offer.

my email is: cartwrightfineart@yahoo.com

By the way, I see lots of speaker stands available...what constitutes a "good" stand? I'm very handy with anything wooden, could I make a pair or does a keen knowledge of acoustics come into play here?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11993
Registered: Dec-04
John, a keen knowledge of acoustics is not necessary to determine the stands that you use, but an understanding of the way that the speaker works is a good start.
Some speaker cabinets are used as isolating factors, ie; fully lined and insulated, to let the drivers do their thing with the air and port(or not) as designed.
More usual, the cabinet uses only small bits of material to direct return sound waves from affecting the bass driver too much, and these use the cabinetas an extra member of the sound.

When the cabinet comes into play, then the designer, and your ears have the say.
Some standmounts are meant to be firmly attached to earth, some only partly so.

Any stand that is meant to be sunstantial is mass-loadable, ie; hollow metal parts that can be filledwith sand or other mass.
Spikes can be involved.
Multi layer plinths can be very helpful.

For your woodworking skills, I suggest you see what JV says for the NSM speakers.

My speakers, for example, as designed to be boned to earth with weight. A lot.
The welded steel stands are filled with sand, but sit on carpet on a hollow floor to the dungeon below, which is bad.
The solution is to have the stands, which sit on 6 spikes, to be mounted on slabs of 3/4"ply, which have been applied in layers until a balance is struck, deadening to support.

This is a very common approach.

If your stands will sit on bare concrete, all the better for lack of a plinth, although your saw may get lonely.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 13479
Registered: May-04
.

I'll send you a message.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 11995
Registered: Dec-04
sigh
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1940
Registered: Jun-05
I never heard the single driver Lings but I've heard and reviewed the 2-way Lings which were very musical,they were crossed over to their tweeter at 8 or 10 Khz so they were basically a single driver speaker with a supertweeter.With no crossover on this type of design will probably be better,listen to Jan,buy his set im betting they sound better than the original Ling with no crossover as good as the originals were.
 

New member
Username: Stratquack

Near Philly

Post Number: 8
Registered: Mar-09
Hi Tawaun,I'm going for the Jan's NSM's. All things considered, sounds like the best match for the money, and my taste. Thanks for the info about the Lings!

Indeed, thank you all for your help and technical details.

Nuck, If you were to obtain the plans for the Ling single, I'd love to see them....who knows, it might make a great project for later on. But for now, I'll go for the NSM's.

best,
j
 

Gold Member
Username: Stryvn

Wisconsin

Post Number: 1068
Registered: Dec-06
E-mail Tim, John. He'll send you the plans and help with build advice if needed. Great guy.
 

New member
Username: Stratquack

Near Philly

Post Number: 9
Registered: Mar-09
Excellent! Thank you Stryvn.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 12015
Registered: Dec-04
The Ling's, riding piggyback on the totems.
Upload
 

Gold Member
Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 2398
Registered: Feb-07
Don't scratch those Totems Nuck.
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