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Linkwitz Lab LXmini Speaker Build From Kit
I am working on a build from kit of the very tiny, very amazing LXmini speaker from Madisound, designed by Siegfried Linkwitz of Linkwitz Lab (the woofer unit behind it in the picture is not part of that kit or this build). The LXmini were featured at each of the last three big audio shows I attended, and they are truly in a class by themselves when it comes to sonic bang for the buck.
I approached Madisound, the speaker kit and DIY audio supplier which has worked with Linkwitz to make a number of his designs available to the world, along with miniDSP and Siegfried Linkwitz, to see if they would be willing to sponsor a build, review, and evaluation sequence for the LXmini. They were all willing, and so the project is underway.
Siegfried Linkwitz has been designing speakers for many years. Now retired, he was an engineer for Hewlett Packard, and is the Linkwitz behind the Linkwitz-Riley crossover configuration popular with audiophiles.
The LXmini is about as innovative a speaker design as you will run across. The two-way design involves an upward-firing woofer mounted in the top of a length of common PVC plumbing pipe, and just above it is a full-range driver covering mid- and high-frequencies in a dipole configuration.
The combination of the arrangement of the drivers and the miniDSP 2x4 unit's response give a crossover at 700 Hz. The drivers are first-rate, carefully chosen drivers produced by SEAS.
The first time that I sat down to hear a pair of LXmini at RMAF a year ago, the show where “expensive,” “exotic,” “outrageous,” and “amazing” are descriptors that come to mind for much of what you see and hear, my thought was, “This will be interesting.” I was pretty much blown away by the reference-quality sound. The focus is on quality - the LXmini will not play super loud, but what they do, they do very, very well. I have been thinking about the possibility of building a pair ever since then.
Kit suppliers are, generally speaking, not big fans of reviews. They just do not know what to expect when they send out a kit for some unknown person to put together, what kind of problems they might run cross, mishaps that might get blamed on the design... too many unpredictables. I gave Adam at Madisound my assurances that he would be in the loop for the resolution of any and all issues and that I was experienced at building electronics and would have no problems getting the best sound from the speakers.
Generous Sponsors Of This Build/Review Project
Madisound - The complete kit, including wood parts but not the plumbing supplies, is available from Madisound. Madisound can supply the miniDSP 2x4 unit, in which case it comes pre-programmed. An optional wood parts kit is available.
Linkwitz Lab - The build instructions must be purchased separately from Siegfried Linkwitz of Linkwitz Lab. They include detailed instructions for fabricating the wood parts if you have woodworking skills and tools and choose to make them yourself.
miniDSP - The kit can be implemented with either the 2x4 or the 4x10 HD - with digital input and the option of 96 kHz sample rate - unit from miniDSP.
Go to the LXmini Performance Review
LXmini Build Video Series
LXmini Build Video, Part 1 of 4
LXmini Build Video, Part 2 of 4
LXmini Build Video, Part 3 of 4
LXmini Build Video, Part 4 of 4
Bill Of Materials
Goto the Final Bill Of Materials in Post #24.
Subwoofers Added
I added two JBL ES150P Subwoofers to my LXmini setup.
Goto the JBL ES150P Powered Subwoofer Review.
I am working on a build from kit of the very tiny, very amazing LXmini speaker from Madisound, designed by Siegfried Linkwitz of Linkwitz Lab (the woofer unit behind it in the picture is not part of that kit or this build). The LXmini were featured at each of the last three big audio shows I attended, and they are truly in a class by themselves when it comes to sonic bang for the buck.
I approached Madisound, the speaker kit and DIY audio supplier which has worked with Linkwitz to make a number of his designs available to the world, along with miniDSP and Siegfried Linkwitz, to see if they would be willing to sponsor a build, review, and evaluation sequence for the LXmini. They were all willing, and so the project is underway.
Siegfried Linkwitz has been designing speakers for many years. Now retired, he was an engineer for Hewlett Packard, and is the Linkwitz behind the Linkwitz-Riley crossover configuration popular with audiophiles.
The LXmini is about as innovative a speaker design as you will run across. The two-way design involves an upward-firing woofer mounted in the top of a length of common PVC plumbing pipe, and just above it is a full-range driver covering mid- and high-frequencies in a dipole configuration.
The combination of the arrangement of the drivers and the miniDSP 2x4 unit's response give a crossover at 700 Hz. The drivers are first-rate, carefully chosen drivers produced by SEAS.
The first time that I sat down to hear a pair of LXmini at RMAF a year ago, the show where “expensive,” “exotic,” “outrageous,” and “amazing” are descriptors that come to mind for much of what you see and hear, my thought was, “This will be interesting.” I was pretty much blown away by the reference-quality sound. The focus is on quality - the LXmini will not play super loud, but what they do, they do very, very well. I have been thinking about the possibility of building a pair ever since then.
Kit suppliers are, generally speaking, not big fans of reviews. They just do not know what to expect when they send out a kit for some unknown person to put together, what kind of problems they might run cross, mishaps that might get blamed on the design... too many unpredictables. I gave Adam at Madisound my assurances that he would be in the loop for the resolution of any and all issues and that I was experienced at building electronics and would have no problems getting the best sound from the speakers.
Generous Sponsors Of This Build/Review Project
Madisound - The complete kit, including wood parts but not the plumbing supplies, is available from Madisound. Madisound can supply the miniDSP 2x4 unit, in which case it comes pre-programmed. An optional wood parts kit is available.
Linkwitz Lab - The build instructions must be purchased separately from Siegfried Linkwitz of Linkwitz Lab. They include detailed instructions for fabricating the wood parts if you have woodworking skills and tools and choose to make them yourself.
miniDSP - The kit can be implemented with either the 2x4 or the 4x10 HD - with digital input and the option of 96 kHz sample rate - unit from miniDSP.
Go to the LXmini Performance Review
LXmini Build Video Series
LXmini Build Video, Part 1 of 4
Bill Of Materials
Goto the Final Bill Of Materials in Post #24.
Subwoofers Added
I added two JBL ES150P Subwoofers to my LXmini setup.
Goto the JBL ES150P Powered Subwoofer Review.