Boston Acoustics best model? opinions needed

[62caddy]

Just to note, I wasn't, nor did anyone else that I saw suggest the A70 wasn't a good speaker, it's just a fact that it isn't Bostons best speaker...well at least not according to the OP's question of what was Bostons best (overall) speaker.:thmbsp:

+1. There's nothing wrong with the A70 for what it is but I certainly would not rank it as the best BA speaker ever produced. The A70 and A400 are completely two different speakers in all fairness- a large floorstander costing x times the money vs a modest size bookshelf. They're really not in the same class for comparatative purposes.

 

[maddog37]

I'll throw out the T1030s, since the T830s were included. These have an incredible sweet spot where the image floats directly in the middle of the speakers.

 

[cnh2]

I have by no means listed to every model of BA speaker ever made (I doubt many of us have) but I do have a pair of VR-3's, which I believe were their flagship model for a little while. Very impressive speaker.

Oh- and the A70's are pretty sweet too, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. :thmbsp:

I've heard the V3s. Very nice, indeed! Much better than what followed them! A good all around speaker. One that has no problem in a HT or in a two channel or in one system that does double duty. In fact an excellent speaker for "double duty".

cnh2

 

[Inspiribomb]

I have some A400's, and yes they are some hard to beat speakers. I also have the VR-M90's on my computer setup. They really rock too!

I think those are VR-M50's. They are definitely not the M90's, which are floor standing and were the top model of that series. Very nice nonetheless.

 

[tiga]

That's what mine are doing now - double duty in the mancave.

I've heard the V3s. Very nice, indeed! Much better than what followed them! A good all around speaker. One that has no problem in a HT or in a two channel or in one system that does double duty. In fact an excellent speaker for "double duty".

cnh2

 

[Magfinity]

Super old post but the best speakers they ever build are the 300l,400l and the 500l (was $4500 MSRP in black ash veneer and $5000 MSRP set price in rosewood veneer)

They are also the most rarest of all, the 500l was designed and build with in mind high end. Those speakers weight a whooping 110 pounds each, spec 31hz-38khz at 3db , and it's where their AMD tweeter technology came from.

They were build and designed by Phil Jones, from AE speakers. They contracted him for 2 years to make that happen. The drivers were custom,full aluminum mid range drivers ,dual spiders woofers in a bandpass enclosure . The cabinets were build in new York by the same company that build them at the time for dahlquist and advent.

There went some serious research and work into them.

That was their absolute totl...

 

[Danathepill]

Super old post but the best speakers they ever build are the 300l,400l and the 500l (was $4500 MSRP in black ash veneer and $5000 MSRP set price in rosewood veneer)

They are also the most rarest of all, the 500l was designed and build with in mind high end. Those speakers weight a whooping 110 pounds each, spec 31hz-38khz at 3db , and it's where their AMD tweeter technology came from.

They were build and designed by Phil Jones, from AE speakers. They contracted him for 2 years to make that happen. The drivers were custom,full aluminum mid range drivers ,dual spiders woofers in a bandpass enclosure . The cabinets were build in new York by the same company that build them at the time for dahlquist and advent.

There went some serious research and work into them.

That was their absolute totl...

View attachment 2661665

Those certainly look much more substantial than my old T1030!

 

[62caddy]

Still enjoying the T1000s I’ve had since new.

 

[katana1100]

The Lynfields got a savage review ( stereophile ?) and died as a result but I would not be surprised if that wasn’t their best .
The a400 had just a fraction of the engineering and materials, I find it hard to believe they’d be better.
The a400 was actually a cheap ( for its time )
speaker , I think $1100 for a pair, a Best Buy.
Nice design, chintzy crossover, and crappy metal feet.
I have a pair and I think they sound better than my mint ads l1230.
The a400 responds real well to triamping .
Still, I’d like to hear the ultra rare Lynfields…

 

[Magfinity]

The Lynfields got a savage review ( stereophile ?) and died as a result but I would not be surprised if that wasn’t their best .
The a400 had just a fraction of the engineering and materials, I find it hard to believe they’d be better.
The a400 was actually a cheap ( for its time )
speaker , I think $1100 for a pair, a Best Buy.
Nice design, chintzy crossover, and crappy metal feet.
I have a pair and I think they sound better than my mint ads l1230.
The a400 responds real well to triamping .
Still, I’d like to hear the ultra rare Lynfields…

Stereophile reviews should be taken with a huge grain of salt. The project didn't really die,it evolved into a more budget friendly series the vr series .

I have a pair (serial number 00157) it's most definitely in any sense of the way their best. Especially build wise you won't top it with anything in their lineup .

The speakers have a extremely revealing nature, stereophile measurements (see footnotes) were also ridiculously flawed. They spoke of a 26khz spike in the response like it's a relevant frequency to worry about.

I do agree with stereophile on one thing, they can sound super hot on the highs. You can easily get rid of that edginess by dropping a couple db on 16khz. It's where the 500l series 2 was slightly better voiced at by doing so. They got that one later on, these are not speakers that will be driven easily either. I measured them regularly hanging on 2ohm at 85db they need ample amplification.

They are not speakers to listen everything on classical , guitar,trumpets are just incredible a crappy recording? You'll be met with merciless displeasement , but I do know this I have/had pretty much every Boston acoustics VR series ,VRM (my favorites btw) HD, CR and a couple A series (great speakers btw)

None of them sound anywhere as revealing as the 500l does. Or even same league qualities to them,they are not my end game speakers. But they are for sure something really special to listen too . But no denying you like over the top revealing and hearing a mouse fart on a record , these are the way to go.

You're more into the less fatique inducing speakers bit rolled off on the top ? I'd take my magnepans anyday over the 500l knowing I give up on detail the 500l reveals . They have their place...and are a piece of ba history, Andy and Phil didn't get along at all which created also creative issues. I know the Boston acoustics service manager at the time, he knew Phil (he has a set driven in biamp with a pair of krells) he loves them. And also a pair of 300l he adores.

To me I had the opportunity to buy them couple years ago for $925. My most favorite Bostons are not the lynnfield of A series the vrm series are my favorites. Followed by the vr40 within their respective budget ...

 

[katana1100]

I would totally take anything stereophile says with a grain of salt.
I remember reading a review of some speakers and they said nothing good about them until they whipped out some Uber expensive interconnects which “ transformed” the sound.
Seriously ?
Sometimes I wonder if they keep the equipment tested and if asked to return it, the review gets negative .

 

[Drumolator]

T1000

Peace and goodwill

 

[opnly bafld]

I never heard better Boston's than the T1030s I had for many years (until the foam started to go), the Lynnfield's were just not voiced for my ears.

Edit: I just glanced over Robert Harley's review/conclusion and it seems we pretty much heard the same things.

 

[62caddy]

The Lynfields got a savage review ( stereophile ?) and died as a result but I would not be surprised if that wasn’t their best .
The a400 had just a fraction of the engineering and materials, I find it hard to believe they’d be better.
The a400 was actually a cheap ( for its time )
speaker , I think $1100 for a pair, a Best Buy.
Nice design, chintzy crossover, and crappy metal feet.
I have a pair and I think they sound better than my mint ads l1230.
The a400 responds real well to triamping .
Still, I’d like to hear the ultra rare Lynfields…

Boston had some serious engineering talent. 2/3 the cost of the average speaker is in the cabinet. B/A was run frugally with very little debt and kept a tight rein on production costs while maintaining high quality which by most accounts was very good. Buyers looking for fancier cabinetry went elsewhere; those who wanted the best performance for the money could not have done much better than the A400 or any number of other B/A products. .

 

[Magfinity]

I would totally take anything stereophile says with a grain of salt.
I remember reading a review of some speakers and they said nothing good about them until they whipped out some Uber expensive interconnects which “ transformed” the sound.
Seriously ?
Sometimes I wonder if they keep the equipment tested and if asked to return it, the review gets negative .

Well aside from that , lets say we take your favorite speaker. And put them in my room and setup and subject them to my musical taste. I am sure we would have very different opinions. Until we sit in each other space and listening "what the heck do different here "

These are guys that disregard tons of variables that make a speaker sound good/bad. These are overweight (g) old eared guys that have a neck for relaying audio in a almost poetic way. But simply rely on their measurements. Disregard completely that your space and musical taste is more than likely completely different.

The room is key, set up, formats, what type of music. What have you not. Don't get me wrong,the 500l is a speaker that really posses a incredible amount of upper end. But that's what most high end speakers tend to do regardless of brand.

They try to strive for giving you as a listener every single bit that the format you play has to offer. It's not always a good thing. But sometimes I can be really amazing to hear such detail. But it comes at a price it can be (not always the case) fatique inducing.

Like with very tame speakers., It's not for everybody's. And that's fine...

 

[Eldam]

May I ask you please if you have the crossover shematic of them, please ?

Seems the mid twweter filter of my 400L I get second hand, was tweaked and I can not find again the original values ? SOme capacitors were blended with the yellow BA mylars !

Many thanks

 

[GordonW]

I sold Boston Acoustics at the time- and to our ears- and to those of our customers- the VR-M90 and the later VR-3 speakers just outclassed any of the original Lynnfield speakers, in many very significant ways. Better tonal balance (more neutral), better transient response (more dynamic, in both the micro- and macro- sense), and way easier to integrate into a room. The VR-M and VR series were also finished better too.

Those VR an VR-M series speakers were some of the biggest bargains in speakers of all time, IMHO. Those, and the PV series subwoofers, sold like hotcakes, for good reason.

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[Magfinity]

I sold Boston Acoustics at the time- and to our ears- and to those of our customers- the VR-M90 and the later VR-3 speakers just outclassed any of the original Lynnfield speakers, in many very significant ways. Better tonal balance (more neutral), better transient response (more dynamic, in both the micro- and macro- sense), and way easier to integrate into a room. The VR-M and VR series were also finished better too.

Those VR an VR-M series speakers were some of the biggest bargains in speakers of all time, IMHO. Those, and the PV series subwoofers, sold like hotcakes, for good reason.

Regards,
Gordon.

The 500l engineering wise made exceeds any Boston, the amd tweeters happened because of them . Without the lynnfield, it wouldn't be a thing even , the mkII versions of the 500l were voiced by David fokos (he designed and voiced the vrms)

Build wise it doesn't outclass the Lynnfield at all not even close. Sound wise, the vrm gives the 500l a legit run for its money.

 

[Eldam]

Magnifity,

Have you please some pictures of the filter ? On my 400L the tweeter high pass is very strange and unusual... with more capacitance value at the beginning of the high pass filter than at the end between the two coils of the 24dB filter (looks like).

I wondered if there was not a problem from the workers that inverted the filters caps values at the plant which makes the problem known at Stereophile (btw which article is very bad because just made of assumptions with imaginery all 8 ohms filter sketch-up without opening the loudspeaker... very bad job, a shame as they were not bad loudspeakers, all the opposit in fact).

A pity most of owners do not refurbish the lythics of the bass filter low pass cap as the caps of the mid high pass... Nigth and day after as values drifted with years on mine.

 

[GordonW]

The Lynnfield speakers had some serious internal components- but the sum was less than the parts, from what we heard. Just had issues with tonality and dynamics, that no amount of room placement adjustment or equipment matching could fix.

For finish- here's a picture of the VR-M90. Compare that to the picture of the Lynnfield above. I'll let everyone draw their own conclusions, as to which one looks better...



Regards,
Gordon.