Vitavox CN-191 horn speakers and Lamm ML2.1 amplifiers on Silent Running Audio amplifier stands connected with Stereovox cables.

Details? OK. The room was one of the largest, and the seats were not crowing the speakers like in the other large rooms. Yes, we talked some about the virtual 'local rollercoaster' rumbles coming from the neighboring subwoofer abusing rooms. Between the rumblings there was good music played in this room.

Some people complain that the music played is too traditional - old jazz and classical for the most part. Yes, one (me for example) might be curious to hear what techno sounds on these big boys. But there is something to be said for playing the music that was designed for, intended for, speakers like these.

In the late 60s, early 70s rock and roll was intended to be played on Vox guitar amps and Marshall stacks. Some might say rock and roll is still in that phase. There is a mutual synergy here - the music is designed to be played on these amps/speaker cabinets and the amps and speaker cabinets are designed to play this music (however much they seem to be making things worse over time, this is what they are trying to do).

And it seems to me that earlier jazz and classical music was either played without amplification or on speakers like these. So do the speakers have that '50s sound? No. The speakers are that 50's sound.

That sound, the sound of this system, is rolled off at the bottom octaves at a much higher frequency than one finds in a modern sound. It is also a little compressed right before that roll off. The midrange is big and open and uncompressed unlike most audiophile speakers and most processed sound these days. Big Bands are right there, pointing all those trumpets in your face, not in a harsh compressed and congested imitation, but in a bold, brash, exuberant and uncontained fashion.

The other attributes of this system which I do not think to be inherent in the "'50s sound", is some horn coloration at or near the male vocal frequency, a very slight congestion in the mids during complex passages, and, as a friend pointed out, a rather shallow soundstage. I could guess and say that the soundstage is due to the rolling off of the higher frequencies - not much "air" here - but I personally was able to overlook these nits and enjoy the music.

Or rather, enjoy the show. Put on Mel Torme. There he is, with his band laid out in front of you. Rachmaninov? We are transported to the symphony hall. I am not really old enough to be nostalgic for the '50s, but there is something there that needs scratching every once in a while anyway - just like I sometimes need to play techno... loud... and hear all those soaring synthesizers. All in search of that well-balanced diet we are all supposed to have, right? ;-)

Lamm Ml2.1 monoblock amplifier sitting on Silent Running Audio amplifier stand

CEC transport, Lamm L2 Linestage, Weiss Medea DAC

Thorens turntable, Lamm LP2 phono stage on a Acoustic Dreams rack

Thorens turntable

Vitavox CN-191 speaker and Lamm ML2.1 amplifier

The inside top and inside bottom of a Lamm Industries ML2.2 amplifier

Lamm M2.2 amplifier

Lamm M2.2 amplifier