Emotiva Nostala LB12 Speaker Review.
By Steve Huff – Reviewed after 3 weeks of listening.
It was a cool early January day in 2026 when these vintage inspired speakers showed up via a huge Fed Ex freight truck. In fact, the semi driver had to drive down my 1100 foot long curvy driveway in reverse otherwise he would have gotten stuck. He was pretty skilled though and managed to deliver the package without incident. Phew. The last time a big freight truck came he got stuck and tore up our property trying to get out. One truck took down a tree trying to turn around. I had no idea these LB 12’s were shipping freight but when I saw the pallets and felt the weight, I understood why. It would suck if these got damaged from standard (often mishandled) shipping.
The big rig drove in reverse down our 1100 foot curvy long driveway to deliver the Nostala LB12
The speakers that were delivered on this day came from Emotiva, a brand I always saw in the past as a budget entry level type of brand that delivers great sound that hits above the price point. Meaning, for those who want to spend way less for audio gear yet still get great sound. I have reviewed a couple of Emotiva pieces in the past as budget options and always loved what this company stood for. Great sound for less cash.
The speakers that showed up on that cold January day though are not the usual fare from Emotiva. Normally the speakers they make are plain, black, tall, skinny and average in looks (sorry Emotiva) but then again, they do not cost a fortune so there is that. They also create subwoofers, AV processors, 2 channel amps, integrated amps and more. Something for everyone or anyone who loves music and doesn’t want to get caught up in the crazy audiophile world.
In any case, Emotiva says they are changing things up over there at the company. They are now calling this new push with some super cool new products “Emotiva 2.0” and this speaker is the first new product to showcase the change coming. Exciting indeed. I for one am happy to see this as we need some kind of injection into this hobby that is super cool, looks and sounds great and yet is accessible to more people when it comes to cost.
While Emotiva has not traditionally been a high end audio company they have produced some gems that sound better than the price would dictate over the years. The folks over there are very passionate about audio but also passionate about YOU not having to spend crazy cash to enjoy great music.
These speakers though, the Nostala LB 12 are indeed a new venture for the brand as they are unlike any other speakers they have made before and I personally think that this is cool to see. Very much so.
The great news is that the Nostala LB12 are drop dead gorgeous in looks as well as design and I feel this is meant to trigger a heartwarming response due to their nostalgic look and feel. I believe this is why most will jump on these, the looks alone. Many old timers in this hobby like me, will remember the golden age of HiFi and these look just like some of the speakers back in those days. The younger audio lovers will love the looks as well, as retro can be cool these days, and is. This is the kind of speaker so many are looking for yet some may not even realize it yet. One can add a turntable to these and unplug from the digital world, and get sweet sounds that just sound “right”. These are perfect for that, as well as digital streaming where millions of songs are at your fingertips, in an instant.
Add this Wiim Ultra Integrated all in one amplifier to the LB 12 and you have an instant 100 watt per channel amp with a preamp, streamer and DAC. Just add speaker cables and you are off to the races. This one costs $529 and is quite the deal.
The LB12 sure brought that nostalgic vibe to my heart and when Emotiva asked me if I would like to review them I jumped at the chance as soon as I saw an image of them. These gorgeous boxes for only $3k? Heck yea. While these look the part, there are many “retro” speakers being made today from Klipsch with their heritage line and JBL with the L100 and L85. There are others as well but some of these can get quite pricey. Emotiva is stepping into a busy lane but the price is so right here, even vs Klipsch and JBL. I was so curious as to how these would sound.
These look even better in the flesh and when you unbox them you will be very pleased with what you get for your money. Pride of ownership indeed. Nothing here with the LB12 looks or feels cheap in the build. That is not the norm in this price range today in 2026.
The Nostala LB12 remind me of speakers of the 70’s, much like the JBL L100 (see image below) which were brought back quite a few years ago. The LB12 from Emotiva are three way speakers as well and at 76lb each they really are beautiful beasts. Each set is unique as well, with hand applied veneer that is unique to each set. The veneer on the LB12 is beautiful. One thing that is cool is that the Nostala uses a big 3″ dome midrange for a big voice with warmth and some soul.
The JBL L100 Speakers are the natural competitors to the LB12. These look retro cool as well but when I had a set the veneer was not well done at all (early first version) and the sound, while very good, was not refined or open but more about impact with a direct nature to the sound and a bit of edge up top. I still dig them due to the looks and heritage and these are great for a basement party system or for someone who likes to listen intently ; )
The bass of the Nostala LB12 goes down to 40hz on paper and these also have bi-wireable binding posts on the back with metal jumpers, similar to Klispch Heritage models. The wooden feet are installed on the bottom (with rubber 3M style mini feet that all fell off within a week for me of moving the speakers around) and angle up the speakers gently to your ears, similar to a Klipsch Heresy. These are not short and squat like a Klispsch Heresy but a bit taller and slimmer vs the little stout Klipsch. Even so, these Nostala speakers sit in the same price class of speaker like the JBL L100 and Klispch Heresy.
The LB12 from Emotiva looks and feels better to me in overall build and parts quality than the Klipsch and I always adored the Heresy, a big fan for the heritage and unique sound and style. I still love the Heresy but the LB12 looks like a higher end speaker.
Klipsch Heresy IV
Don’t get me wrong. The Nostala LB12 are not exotic nor do they enter the high end lane with sound as these are not really for the audiophile crowd who seek perfection. They do not sound as refined, open or immersive as my $10,900 T+A Talis R330 or the $4940 Fleetwood Helios. Even so, these sound excellent and quite a few levels up from what I expected them to sound like. My mind was thinking JBL L100 but these for me are different in sound from those, in a good way. More on this later.
With this said, who doesn’t want a kick ass awesome looking and well made speaker that doesn’t cost a fortune and sounds a bit soulful, full bodied with some warmth in the mids? A speaker that creates a nice soundstage and actually does a nice natural type of imaging within the stage? Still, some will say these are too expensive and others will pass on them due to the “low” pricing as some will feel that they are not good enough for their space. I never do this or think like this as I am always looking for a speaker that can do amazing things for less money.
Heck, I love the design of the LB12 so much I would want them displayed in my home on looks alone as I think they are nicer in build and look cooler than either the Klipsch or JBL. The LB12 at $2999 will ensure they stay sold out for a while over at the ordering page (here).
On the Emotiva website I saw that the LB12 would be easy to drive being 91db efficient and 8 ohms. I also saw that these came with two sets of magnetic grilles. One in a cream color and one in a charcoal grey of sorts and wow are these some solid quality grilles! When I unboxed these beauties I was blown away at the looks and the quality of the veneer which to my eyes was indeed superior than what I have seen from Klipsch and JBL. Not knocking those brands as I enjoy them as well, but have to speak truth here and I do.
The fit and finish were, well, perfect.
Seriously amazing for the price point in this area. I also saw switches on the back that allow us to customize them to our room and ears by taming or extending the treble and midrange. I will touch on what happened when I tested all settings and where I settled.
So out of the gate, the box, these get a 10/10 from me for looks, design and fit and finish for the $3k that these cost. I mean they look like a $5500 speaker and I suspect this is what they would have to sell for it Emotiva had dealers vs selling direct. No middleman means a 30-60% savings.
The SETUP
The setup for evaluation consisted of the following pieces that are mine or in for review at this time and I tried them all with the LB12 as, why not? While I tested higher end gear with the LB12, I also tested affordable options.
- Kinki Studios Dazzle Amp – $8500 USD Flagship (My SS Reference)
- SoulNote A2 MKII – $9700 USD
- Oilily 300B Integrated MKII – $1299 on Amazon
- Western Electric 91 E 300B Integrated Amp – $7999 Direct.
- Devialet Astra – $20k all in one
- Eversolo T8 Streaming Transport – $1380
- Eversolo A6 MKII Master Edition (streamer and DAC)
- Matrix Audio NT1 Streaming Transport $3999
- Audio Mirror Wave TUBE Dac – $22k (ouch)
- SoulNote D2 VII DAC – $9700 USD
- A new budget $799 DAC yet to be released
- Wiim Ultra Amp – $529
- Heaven 11 Billie MK3 – $3200
I have some pretty nice electronics here which can really transport the sound to the next level and indeed has done so with my T+A R330 and Fleetwood Helios speakers. I was ready to listen to the LB12!
The attention to detail is like I have not seen in a $3k speaker.
First Listen
I have been getting used to some pretty snazzy speakers here in the Huff house. The German made all aluminum T+A Talis R330 2 way speakers that come in at nearly $11k sound as good as what they cost and defy logic with the bass and yes, these German made beauties are considered “audiophile” speakers. They have been here for many weeks and are still going to be reviewed sometime in Feb 2026.
The Fleetwood Sound Helios (Under $5k) and the Vipers from Virtual HiFi (Under $5k) were also brought out as the are closer to the price point of the Emotiva and these two are also quite incredible for what they do. The Helios for an all out immersive experience (though lighter on bass) and the Vipers for creating a dance club in your home with tiny speakers that image like a champ as well.
The T+A R330 are $10,900 and are pure reference small high end speakers. These should not be compared to the LB12 as they are so different as well as in a different price class but many say we should not let price dictate quality. Since I own these I had to compare briefly. These are my fave small speakers right now when paired with the Dazzle amp.
I wondered if my ears would have to adjust to these LB12 as I was expecting vintage sounds with the vintage looks for some reason. To me this old style vintage sound which I have heard many times with vintage gear in my younger years meant less refinement, a flatter presentation and bloated bass just like in the 1970’s. While I didn’t get this kind of vintage sound from the LB12 there are hints of it here (in all the good ways) but also huge doses of modern day quality. These bring both a bit of vintage and a heaping serving of modern as yes, they do sound better than the oldies but more on that in a bit.
Running these with my reference Kinki Studios Dazzle Integrated amp and an Audio Mirror Wave DAC seemed to be overkill for these when it comes to cost and yes indeed it is, and this kind of amp is also not needed for these to sound fantastic but it sure does sound great with this set. Yes. amps and source will greatly alter what these will sound like for you as I have experienced it here with various amps and DACs. The Dazzle dazzled me with its power and open sound, the SoulNote A2 MKII and D2 MKII brought a nice tube like warmth and glow, the Devialet brought smooth speed and impact.
The Western Electric 91E 300 B SET amp below brought warmth, glow and that gorgeous 300B vocal performance with a silky velvet like midrange but with harder hitting music was softer than the others, not as dynamic. Even so the 91E does ooze magic due to the 300B tubes. This amp though has bass impact and balls as well.
The Western Electric 91E iOS now half price of what it used to be and available direct from Western Electric HERE. The black is pretty dark and I feel the Nickel or Champagne color would brighten up a darker room better.
I ran and tested the LB12 with class A, A/B, D and the SET 300B Tube amp above. The best I heard them was with the Dazzle and Wave DAC for dynamics and slam then the Western Electric 91E which may just be the perfect amp for the Emotiva Nostala LB12 if you enjoy warmth in the midrange, a softer treble performance that also throws a big wide and deep soundstage. Two different sounds.
The Wiim Ultra sounded great with the LB12, nothing fancy but very musical and quite affordable. The Soulnote A2MKII and D2 MKII presented these with some warmth, soul, and a much more open soundstage than the rest with nice dynamics and impact as well.
The $1299 Oilily 300B amp was not the best match to these as they sounded a bit bloated and dark with it for some reason so the Dazzle, SoulNote, Western Electric, Wiim and even a Heaven 11 Billie MK3 was all here being tested with the LB12 and sounded great with the speakers. All brought forth a different presentation with the most warmth from the Western Electric, the most soul from the Soulnote and the most dynamics and impact from the Dazzle.
The Dazzle Integrated is the finest all analog Solid Stage integrated I have ever had the pleasure of owning, and I mean in over 40 years of this hobby. A stunning piece in build and sound quality. It’s a tank.
THE FIRST LISTEN
When I placed the Emotiva LB12 in the sound was quite different right off of the bat from what I was used to. Streaming Tidal from an Eversolo T8 streamer into the Audio Mirror Wave Tube DAC and then the Dazzle brought forth a crystalline sound with everything set to flat via the switches. My first impression was that these sounded energetic, big, bold and crisp but almost too crisp in the treble. (This changed as the days and weeks and gear went on).
The new Emotive logo is super cool and the badge is on the front between the ports.
When I pushed the switches on the back to the minus 1 setting, taming down the treble and midrange, I much preferred it in my room as it smoothed down the treble some, which out of the box at the flat setting was almost too much for my room and ears. This treble bite did fade out later so I attribute it to burn in as well as the Eversolo I was using as the T8 does have a bit of shine to the treble when in with the Dazzle.
The cool thing is that these are tunable and just by flicking a switch or two, I had them setup for my likes and room perfectly. Some may prefer them tipped up and some down. It’s awesome that they do this as it makes it easier to get the perfect sound from them in any space. In the end I had the treble at -1 and the midrange as flat.
I then put in the Matrix NT1 Streaming transport and wow, this made quite the change and was a much better fit in this setup. Smoother, fuller and it removed the edge I was hearing 100%. I kept the Matrix in for the review period and set the switches back to flat on the LB12. The NT-1 is a $4k streamer without a DAC but it’s so refined, beautiful and musical yet detailed. Amazing with no digital edge going into any DAC I have here.
I started by cueing up some 70’s jams but in a more modern recording.
This live recording is one I always have enjoyed as it has good body and heft to it as all rock and roll should have. Big bass and body here. It’s not an audiophile recording nor does it have those traits but it should ROCK and does. I love it. Classic rock from an epic band live, I was ready to feel the energy that is embedded into this recording. I sat and listened to the entire album top to bottom in one sitting. No skips or scrubs. When “Good Times Bad Times” hit the sound was beefy, very much so. Bass from the 12″ driver was pumping for sure and due to the fact that these are front ported means I could easily place these in the room without having issues but the LB12 does have some beefy midbass, especially when turned up loud in my space.
Compared to the higher end T+A R330 the bass on the LB12 was somewhat looser and not as tight, clean or deep as it melded a bit with instruments in the midrange area. The instruments are not as outlined or separated as a higher end speaker. Rather than a full on 3D immersive presentation the soundstage was more in line with the speakers side to side with a natural organic imaging within that stage. The LB12 play music that makes you move vs music that will want to make you study the recording.
With the LB12 playing this album I was loving it and rocking out at low, mid and high volumes. Yea, these LB12 can ROCK and honestly they bring some of that raw energy of a live performance. Big, bold, powerful sound indeed with the Dazzle.
At low volumes the sound was nice and somewhat full sounding. The midrange was nice as well as full and beefy and the mid bass was very prevalent when turned up loud. The low bass of the LD12 goes down to around 40hz and I heard it here but it was not of the super tight variety. I often times like a beefier bass vs tight as some speakers are so tight with the bass they can sound lean. Not the LB12.
With all of this said, these speakers reminded me so much of my youth as a teenager as back then I loved my system and had some speakers that looked similar though I couldn’t tell you what they were. I admit that these sound much better with some of those traits of the past intact but with a much nicer midrange and overall better sound with some smoothness as well but for me, the midrange is the star of the LB12 show.
The Nostala LB 12 sound is big, bold, beefy and could fill a room with ease, without breaking a sweat. Overall the sound of this Zeppelin album was just as I would expect a live rock convert to sound. The roar of the crowd along with Robert Plants amazing vocals allowed me to feel the effort that went into this performance and recording. There is some slight edge here with the sound/treble with this album as rock should have with crunchy guitars and searing solos form Jimmy Page. These reminded me of those JBL L100 but a bit warmer and more refined in the midrange to these ears. This is thanks to that 3″ dome dedicated midrange driver.
The LB12 do not care about being perfect, they just want to make music and convey what is there on the recording and yea, these add some color to the sound with the mid bass presence but who doesn’t love color? Color adds life, soul and is much better than sterile any day of the week but I would never even review a sterile speaker. I have heard many and some are insane in the cost department but not my cup of tea, at all.
Crazy again that these LB12 are only $3k. Yea, $3k is a lot of cash to most (including me) but these will not bring buyers remorse as you will feel as if you stole them at this price.
MOVING ON
I switched up the music as the days went on and pulled up my Tidal playlist full of great recordings. All kinds of. music. I hit shuffle and this is what came up:
I love Stevie Ray Vaughan and I also enjoy this track. In fact I was listening to this one with the $5k Fleetwood Helios just the day before and marveled at the detail, the imaging, the smooth refined sound as well as the way the sound was so cleanly separated allowing me to hear everything within this recording. Each pluck, each string was separated from the mix though bass was a bit lighter than my other speakers.
I placed in the SoulNote A2 MKII and D2 MKII DAC to switch it up.
These were made to be musical and with the bass of these swelling in the mids they were doing just this. The soundstage was semi wide, and there was a nice warmth in the middle with sparkle up top but I feel it created a MUCH more inviting stage than say the Klipsch Heresy IV or the JBL L100. So far these have been living up to the vintage modern vibe indeed. The SoulNote gear was creating a smoother, richer and yet still open sound than the dazzle here. Two different sounds already but at the same time, similar as the sound of the LB12 shone through with each.
Stevie’s voice was rich, pure and well sized and yea, his voice was dead center of the image as it should be. His guitar was spread across the stage and the drums were kicking with authority. This made me move, sway and as I closed my eyes I was transported to a place in my imagination as I envisioned being at a live show watching it in person.
As I tested the LB12 with other amps I found they all sounded good with the speakers, just variances in warmth, detail and how open they sounded. SoulNote was open and a bit warm yet super refined with gentle detail retrieval that never offended. The Dazzle and AM DAC was spatial, wide open, impactful and more on the neutral side with big bass and impact. The Billie MK3 was softer, with a stage set farther back and super smooth. The Wiim Ultra was smoother still, mellow and I detected a bit of edge in the treble here with the Ultra amp but heck it sounded great. The Western Electric was pure warmth, glow and had that full on 300B single ended triode sound but with more authority than most other 300B amps I have heard. The 91E puts out 20 watts per channel of pure 300B goodness and this took away any and all edge from the LB12, presenting a nice warm, full bodied sound that had a beautiful soundstage and imaging. Quite lovely indeed.
With my imagination and the Dazzle or Soulnote set I was transported to the show or studio as these do have a “live” sound about them with a dynamic amp. In fact, they reminded me some of the Klispch Forte IV I tested a few years back just a but warmer and smoother still. While the LB12 are not horns they do project the voice out and this reminded me of Klispsh Heritage a bit, bit with more body and warmth in the mids.
I then pulled out the Fleetwood Sound Helios and did a side by side comparison with that speaker.
With the Western Electric 91E.
This time Anna Lee came on by Buddy Guy. This track sounds incredible on some speakers and excellent on others. I started with the LB12 and the sound was once again full bodied with nice rich vocals from the midrange driver and loads of warmth and fullness yet nice gentle details were easily heard. It had a groove, a flow and sounded wonderful with Buddy’s voice being rich, warm and huge. Not the most resolute sound but musical and groovy.
I then placed the Fleetwood Helios in and again, bass was tighter, sound was much more open and less beefy but each instrument was separated more cleanly vs being more together in the mix. Again, not the same as the bass was lighter on the Helios where it was very full bodied in the LB12. One made me groove and move (LB12) and one had me marveling at the sounds within the recording. Hmmm.
The Helios
I went back to the LB12 for one more listen and this time with the all in one streamer and DAC, the Eversolo A6 II, the sound was now somewhat flatter, sharper and yet still dynamic, full throated and a touch leaner vs the exotic Wave DAC and Matrix NT1 streamer. They still sounded like the LB12. I stopped listening for each detail and all of the audiophile traits as I feel these LB12 are built to be enjoyed rather than analyzed. That is what makes them so good in fact as they are music makers for all, not for the few. I mean, some speakers are priced out of range for so many. The LB12 offers looks and sound while being easy to drive and the cost makes them more accessible to so many more music lovers. Add in the pride of ownership and you have a solid winner. I can’t imagine anyone being unhappy with the LB12. The good news is they sound good weather you are using a $1500 integrated or one that costs $10k.
These LB 12 will always offer some warmth, full bodied sound and sweet treble with a large midrange. Out of the box when I heard that bit of treble bite? That all vanished after a couple of weeks so burn in here is real, but you will not need 100 hours to get there. Maybe 20. Also, your amp and source will dictate how these sound in the realm of warm vs dynamic or open vs more closed in.
I then hooked up a Heaven 11 Billie MK3 and bam, this was nice match. Warmth from the tube preamp, a nice soundstage from the premium DAC on board and big class D power that brought out the smoothness of the LB12. This is what I would pair with the LB12 if setting up the system from scratch based on this speaker with a budget of under $10k total. Add a streamer to this setup and you have a killer system that will satisfy you day in and out.
As I sat and listened more and more to my playlist on Tidal I pulled out the $20k Devialet Astra amp to see how it would do, reference level Class D, with the LB12.
While not many who own a $20k Astra will buy a set of $3k speakers to pair with it I had to try as this is a high end Class D amp and I wanted to see how the LB12 reacted to it so away I went.
This track here has some super low bass that my Talis R330’s and Vipers expose like a beast. The LB12 here with the Astra was now warmer up top and softer in the mids, with a gentler flow and less impact vs the Dazzle or SoulNote but dynamics jumped up. The bass was a little less present which is what I always find with the Astra. The sound here smoothed out some and became more fluid and seeing that the Astra is an all in one, I was using it as a streamer and DAC as well. The Astra was more refined than the Billie and not as warm or full as the Western Electric. I would choose the Billie here due to cost vs performance with the LB12. The Astra would not be an amp I paired with the LB12 for on reason…cost. The Devialet is more suited to audiophile speakers that are revealing, open and holographic vs warm, full bodied speakers like the LB12.
For fun I placed in the tiny power hungry Virtual HiFi Vipers (above) and yes, these go lower than the LB12 in bass and have a more open yet smoother treble with a warm juicy midrange. These are crazy as what they do for the size is incredible but they need AT LEAST 200 watts to perform well and my Dazzle delivers it all with them. Still, these Vipers are $2k more than the LB12 in cost but the sound was just so different. The Vipers did imaging in a much more open and detailed way but the LB12 just stayed musical and with a rhythm and flow I really was enjoying. The LB12’s had more juice, more life even but the Vipers were the better imager and soundstage champ and more refined and smooth. Oh and the LB12 can be powered with 20 watts, those vipers NEED at least 200 WPC of power to sound their best.
As time went on I kept the LB12 in by themselves and stopped comparing. Now I could just enjoy them fully without taking notes and comparing. I just wanted to enjoy the ride with them and so this is what I did.
My ears were getting used to the sound, as they do with any speaker after a while. After a few days I was falling for the unique sound these produce and loving them more and more for what they are vs what they are not. My wife came in one day to listen with me and she loves the design of these as she is of the same era as me of course ; ) She enjoyed them and thought they “sounded full and pleasing.” A times she said “wow, that’s beautiful” .
I had the Western Electric 91 E in again (with Matrix NT1 and a new $799 DAC that will soon be announced) and Elvis popped on with FEVER and the LB12 produced this track with a superb vocal performance from the King in a big, rich and somewhat warm kind of way. Again, super musical and with an infectious groove that kept me listening for hours though the treble seemed softer than with the other amps I have on hand. Still, the snaps were heard cleanly and when I turned it up LOUD and all was well with the world. I feel these could fill a larger room than mine with ease.
CONCLUSION
I have been spoiled by some mighty fine speakers over the last two years. Some of these speakers cost way too much and are out of reach for most of the “normal” audio buying public yet there are thousands of audio lovers who can get into the exotic lane so I do not discriminate against any great audio product.
I get to have many of them here as it’s what I do, my full time job so to speak. Even so, I also enjoy speakers that make music sound great, make me move, even if that means throwing a lot of the audiophile stuff out of the window sometimes. I am not a high end snob, nor am I a high end hater but I love all audio gear that sounds great or maybe even magical. I love it all. Whatever sounds best and moves me is what I enjoy. I do not criticize the truly great expensive gear nor do I trash truly great affordable gear. If it looks good, is built nice and sounds awesome it’s good with me but it must be worth the cash. The LB12 certainly are worth the price tag and then some. They also do imaging in a gentle organic way vs analytical or etched.
The LB12 doesn’t care about catering to the perfection of audiophiles but instead focuses on making amazing music in your space. Music that is big bodied, clear and dynamic. Music that can kick your ass (live rock or metal) and music that can sooth the soul. It has some warmth, some beauty inside as well and good recordings can sound amazing, heartfelt and rich.
I think Emotiva wanted to come out with a bang for their reboot and the Nostala LB12 was a perfect way to launch. Makes me excited to see what other high value products they are planning as they are planning more with this reboot.
The LB12 will not bring the sounds of a high end big money speaker such as big stage holograhic imaging, full immersion and all out refinement. Yea, my little R330 and Helios do sound better to me in these areas for sure but they cost thousands of dollars more. Again, just differences.
If I were setting up a vintage inspired system and had an under $10k budget for all I would 100% buy the LB12 with a Heaven 11 Billie MK3 (either version) integrated with premium DAC (built in). Add a streamer of your choosing and you can be in the $7-$10k range for the full system. Say you want to spend more and love warmth and glow, up to $15k. Grab a Western Electric 91E for $8k, the Nostalas for $3k and a streamer and DAC for under $5k and you will have one heck of a pleasing, musical and sweet system that looks amazing and sounds as it looks. If you just want to start making great music without spending thousands, go for the $529 Wiim Ultra Amp and upgrade later, if you want to. This is the most affordable setup with the LB12 and sound great indeed.
This system would kick major booty for any music lover who values not only the music but the style as well. The LB12 from Emotiva are winners!
For the money, style and performance these get a 9/10 from me. Such cool speakers that look just like they sound. Vintage vibes done right.
You can order these at Emotiva HERE as they only sell them direct.
