Tyler Acoustics Linbrook System II - Extremly disappointed

[frenchmon]

Here is a review of a pair of Tyler Acoustics Tylo Reference Monitors from 3/27/2012 over at the AK forum. It is followed by 2 personal message with myself and the same owner of the Tyler Acoustic monitors.

I recently struck a deal with Ty of Tyler Acoustics for this gently used pair of Taylo Reference Monitors. They arrived this past Friday so I haven't had but a few days with them. So far they're an impressive little speaker.

I guess this pair was a trade in that Ty received and there were a few minor dings in the cabinets. He said he just couldn't let them ship in a "less than perfect" condition so he pulled the components and refinished the cherry veneer and included this re-do in his original asking price to me (that's some great customer service!)

These loudspeakers are not only beautiful to look at, they're loaded with goodies too. They contain SEAS Excel woofers, ScanSpeak Revelator tweeters, Hovland capacitors, Goertz Alpha-Core inductors and Mills resistors in the crossovers.

I was a little concerned after purchasing the speakers and before they arrived when doing some reading of various reviews on the Taylo's and the fact that some folks claim they lacked low end resolution and slam. Maybe I've lucked out with my room acoustics but so far the Taylo's are loading my smallish basement room just fine. In this system I've also got an M&K subwoofer just in case.

As mentioned, I've got just a few days of listening in so far and have so much more testing to do. I've thrown a few different genres of music at the Taylo's including the likes of Yello, Peter Murphy, Michael Jackson, Inxs and a number of vinyl Deutsche Grammophon violin and piano concertos and a few symphonic pieces. As I said, lots lots more to listen to including all my favorite female vocalists that haven't yet had a turn.

I'm stunned at how accurately the Taylo's have reproduced the complex and dynamic passages from Yello, Peter Murphy and MJ which sounded great at lower volumes and also cranked up loud (to me, "loud" in this room is 90-95db). The SEAS woofer has great excursion and is fast and accurate, it kept up just fine on the more bass intensive passages. Inxs "The Swing" on vinyl has copious amounts of midrange energy and the Taylos did well with this recording as long as the volume was kept to a moderate level. I need to go back and re-listen to this one again but this time with the Taylos built in 3db-mid-cut switch in the engaged position to see if the midband can be tamed a bit.

In this room, various classical recordings get the most listening time and the vast majority of my classical collection is vinyl. These pieces typically get evening/night time listening rotation and at lower volume levels. The Taylo's are amazing with this genre. The soundstage is wide and deep, dynamic and nuanced. The accuracy of the ScanSpeak Revelator is jaw dropping in it's clarity and realism. Stringed and horned instruments have a beautiful texture while the timbre of the piano is spot on.

There is no way that the entire orchestra (or small chamber ensemble) is sitting in my little room, but they are!

Now the personal message with him and myself back in May. I have xxx where personal names where mentioned in the original message.



5/12/2012

...... The Tyler Acoustics Taylo Reference Monitors are no slouch and contain Seas woofers and Scanspeak revelator tweeters and all kinds of upgraded/high end xover components....yet they can't hold a candle to the Vento Ref 9's. The Canton are smoother from top to bottom, deeper in the bass region, resolving at all volume levels and not shouty like the Tylers can get.

The Tylers have a definite sweet spot for volume. Anything less and things get lost, anything more and they get shouty. I needed a speaker that was a one stop shop and the Canton is it IMO.

Not sure why XXXX (and all the other "modern" folks) dismiss the Cantons. XXXXXX has made comment that he heard some high end Cantons (reference series I think) driven by higher end components and said he really liked the sound. Then he goes out and buys another Harbeth model and seems to be somewhat disappointed in them now. Oh well.

I for one was tired of being less than thrilled with loudspeaker purchases. Now I can sit and smile and know I've done good. Hell, maybe my tastes will change down the road and something else will thrill me just as much, I dunno....but for now I'm quite satisfied!

And heres another PM he sent me on 5/29/2012

Hi, sorry for the intrusion and I hope you're ok with me contacting you.....

Just wanted to drop you a note as a fellow Canton owner (and after reading several of your posts that you're soon picking up the Vento 830.2)....

I have rolled thru many loudspeakers over the years in my basement setup looking for that sweetness that my older Canton Ergo Passiv deliver in my upstairs setup.

I puchased this pair of Ergo Passiv (late 80's models) about four years ago and they haven't moved since I brought them home. Nothing has been able to unseat them, they are that good to my ears at all volumes and with all music.

In my basement setup, there have been many loudspeakers. From B&W 805 Matrix, Allison models, AR models, Dahlquist, Tyler Acoustics, etc. All have fallen short of what I have upstairs for that ability to have a "do it all speaker" downstairs. I decided I had to try a standmount Canton to see how they would perform in this different space, shape, furnished room.

I came across a very lightly used pair of Canton Vento Reference 9 DC's and snapped them up. All I can say is my search is over. These smaller Canton's deliver the same goods in my downstairs rig that my big Canton floor standers upstairs deliver in that setup. I believe the 830.2 is very close in design to my Vento Ref 9 DC's (perhaps the tweeter is different, non bi-wire terminals, etc.??) yet I'm certain the 830.2 will thrill you the same.

It's amazing to me that more people are not aware of the Canton sound. So many folks have "heard" from one source or another that they are bright/tizzy/"German" and dismiss them from rumor. Or, in other cases they've actually listened to them but admit the room was wrong, the front end gear was wrong or other problems laced the system and don't revisit the Canton sound again. I suppose it's too bad for them because I believe Canton is one of the finest loudspeakers out there.

Congrats on your purchase and I look forward to any reviews you might assemble after you get a chance to listen to them.

Now have I totally ruined this thread? From what I can tell, the Tylers are great speakers....But I think as well as my friend thnk the Cantons are better....go out and listen to a pair of the Vento's or Reference for a extended period of time. You will love them too. But if you what Tyler Acoustics then I still think you have made a wise choice.

Heres a picture of the Tyler and his Vento Reference, and his old Canton Erogs from the 80's

[Mc240]

I've never heard Canton speakers live, but I have always wanted to. Cantons do not seem to be reviewed very often in the audiophile mags, I'll have to look in some back issues.

[frenchmon]

I've never heard Canton speakers live, but I have always wanted to. Cantons do not seem to be reviewed very often in the audiophile mags, I'll have to look in some back issues.

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