Hi
@Mingo I just upgraded to a new to me pair of Signature 60s. Overall I love them and they fit my situation well. The short answer is that they sound very natural and are tonally well balanced and punchy for low to moderate level listening. They produce a surprising amount of bass.Vocals are clear and natural. The high end is rolled off meaning the AMT tweeter is not fatiguing. My understanding is that the Signature 80s are more of the same in a bigger package. If you like to listen loud or have a big room go up to the 80s.
Looks and first impressions. The 60's are heavy! They are dense and will built. The wood on the sides and leather on top takes obvious design queues from Sonus Faber. It is a real mid century look that goes well with my midcentury furniture. The paper cone woofer is not "pretty" and I keep the grills on. To my ears the sound is well balanced but the frequency response shows a bit of a midrange bump up and a roll off in the upper ranges.
The speakers respond well to EQ and I was able to get the frequency response pretty flat without much trouble. They also respond well to a powerful amp and they seem to be pretty transparent so that they reflect the sound quality of the equipment that is paired with them. Typically I listen in the 60-70 db range. Pushed to into 85 and 90 db the Signature 60s do not remain as articulate but at normal levels they can present great clarity and resolution. All that said the paper cone woofer is a softer more natural sound than my previous speakers with their metal cone drivers.
Soundstage and imaging. To me this is where these speakers really shine. They disappear. The soundstage is large in both width and height. Imaging is pinpoint but, with my gear not necessarily holographic.
Tonally, as I said bass is full and rich. I did pair them with a Gallo subwoofer. I prefer the Gallo's tight controlled bass over the softer bass response of the Signature 60. The Midrange is not as lush as I would like but it is clear and articulate. Very natural vocals. My gear is more analytical and I am now looking for options with a warmer tone to give me that lush midrange sound. The high end was not as open as I was expecting with the AMT tweeters but I think they toned it down on purpose. It is clear, but I boosted the upper ranges so my 54 year old ears can hear all the cymbals. I am not getting as much harmonic resonance or stereo lock as I was from my previous speakers with metal cones. So I am looking for gear to increase that vibrancy as well. But I do love the big, clear, very natural and easy to listen too sound of these speakers.
When I was trying to make the same decision you are making, between the 60s and the 80s, I asked ChatGPT to compare them, specifically for small room low level, critical listening. It provided a very extensive analysis. Happy to send it to you if you want but here is the summary:
In summary,
for quiet critical listening, the Signature 60 may have the edge. Its lower noise floor and high-resolution AMT tweeter mean that the finest nuances (whispered breaths, subtle room echoes, etc.) may be just a hair easier to discern. The Signature 80 is almost as transparent – even Stereo Times calls its detail “reference level” – but its emphasis on warmth and sheer scale can make it feel a touch less analytical in a dead-quiet comparison. By contrast,
for general listening and larger sound, the Signature 80 is the more powerful performer. Its deeper bass and greater dynamic heft make music, movies or parties more engaging. Reviewers note that its bass is “surprisingly strong and extended” and it consistently draws you into the music with a full presentation . The 60 will still play happily at normal to loud levels with excellent fidelity, but it simply has less full-range punch. Therefore, if your primary goal is
lofty resolution and nuance at low levels, the Signature 60 is slightly better suited. If instead you want a
bigger, more exuberant sound that can rock the house, the Signature 80 is probably the better all-round choice.
Overall the LSA Signature 60 is an amazingly enjoyable speaker. It seems like a great value to me. I am very happy with the purchase. (Speakers I have owned: Magnepan MMG-W, B&W 686, Markaudio Cesti-B. Speakers I have heard recently KEF, B&W and Martin Logan at Best Buy/Magnolia.)
