Lawrence Audio Double Bass Speakers Review

Amping it Up

I have often said that the two most important interfaces in audio are amp-to-speaker, and speaker-to-amp.   Unfortunately, audiophiles often put together systems in which one or both these interfaces are improper. At virtually every audio show I attend, there are at least a few rooms in which the speakers are underpowered. When I politely point this out, the typical response is “there’s plenty of volume.” While this is in fact the case, what is clearly deficient is the transient response. Underpowered systems have an overly soft, overly relaxed sound that many find appealing (again, typically described as being “musical”), seemingly unaware that the excitement and detail that are essential elements of music, have been stripped away. (So if anything, such systems are the antithesis of “musical.”) The take home message is, make sure your amp has enough power.

For my review of the Lawrence Audio Double Bass speakers, I used the superb and award-wining Merrill Audio Veritas Monoblock amps, which have been reviewed in these pages by my colleague Ray Seda. I chose the Veritas not just because of their enormous power (400 W into 8 Ohms, nearly double that into 4 Ohms), but equally for their amazing ability to deliver that power in a lightning fast manner, to not run out of steam when the music has sustained peaks and crescendos, and for their iron fisted control of bass. I heard the Lawrence Audio Double Bass speakers with another very expensive amp and while the sound was smooth and rich, it did not provide the exquisite detail and speed of which the speakers are capable. Yes Virginia, amps do matter.

I began the review using one pair of the Merrill Audio Veritas monoblock amps. Because I have a second pair of the Veritas, I decided to try biamping the Double Bass speakers. It would be an exaggeration to say the effect was transformative; however, it most assuredly did improve the bass, which seemed even tighter and more powerful. (One could of course try a lower–powered amp (tube, perhaps) for the upper frequencies and the Veritas for the bass, but that would require a separate attenuator to correct for the different gains of the two amps. While this would not be terribly difficult, I was (and am) so pleased with the sound of the Merrill Audio Veritas amps from top-to-bottom, I stuck with them.)

Concluding Remarks

Planar magnetics (including ribbons and AMT’s) and electrostats are praised for their marvelous transparency and microdynamics, but are invariably deficient in macrodynamic and bass response.   Some designers (and their customers) accept these limitations, but others find them unacceptable. One approach to keeping what’s good while alleviating the deficiencies is a “hybrid” speaker, wherein the planar magnetics/ribbons/electrostats are used where they work best – in the mids and highs – and the lower frequencies are handled by more conventional cone woofers. There is of course no free lunch; the difficulty lies with getting two disparate types of drivers to properly blend with one another. Lawrence Audio took this approach, and did so in a most impressive manner. It is clear that considerable thought and attention to detail went into this speaker. In many ways, it represents the best of both worlds, albeit within limits. The treble and midrange have great clarity, transparency, and nuance, along with a palpable quality that together provide a wonderful, life-like reproduction.   The high frequencies are clean and detailed with tremendous extension, and most importantly, they are devoid of harshness. The lower frequencies lack the last bit of slam and extension, but make up for it in terms of clarity and detail. All-in-all, the Double Bass provides a well-balanced speaker with many excellent qualities, and deficiencies (as they are) that are easy to overlook.

To be sure, $28,000 for a pair of speakers is not chump change. But for those fortunate enough to be shopping in that neighborhood, the Lawrence Audio Double Bass speakers are well worth a listen. I greatly enjoyed my time with them, and will miss them.

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[1] As I was putting the finishing touches on this review, Angela informed me that Lawrence Audio is opening as U.S. office and warehouse in Denver, to coincide with the RMAF show. The office will provide both service and support.