Legacy Audio Calibre

This hobby has one serious drawback: it destroys your back. Sometimes, when importers tell me about a product, I forget to look at the technical specifications if I assume that the devices are small or very light. This is the case here: we are talking about bookshelf monitors. So far, so good.

When I saw the packaging, a cold sweat began to run down my forehead. It was too late. The Legacy Audio Calibre speakers are big, very big. Later on, you'll understand why they're so big, but for now, let's have a minute's silence in honor of the backs of music equipment reviewers.

A while ago, I tried another product from this same American company, and the size is similar in concept. Everything is a bit larger, more exaggerated than the European standard, although it also makes sense, and this is wonderful in essence; they are true to their principles. Here you can read my previous review of the superb Focus SE.

Like most brands, Legacy also has different series to distinguish its most basic products from its top-of-the-range ones. In this case, Calibre is part of this distinguished and highly prized line.

The main features of these speakers are their configuration and layout. I would like to highlight the following: it is a three-way speaker with a closed structure, meaning that it is not a typical bass reflex speaker. It has a 4-inch AMT tweeter and 7.5-inch midrange drivers, both on the front. At the top, there is an 8-inch woofer and on the sides, there are two 8-inch passive subwoofers, one on each side. Its frequency response ranges from 30-30K Hz. And its recommended amplification varies from 45 to 400 Watts. Sensitivity of 90.5 dB and 4 ohms of impedance.

And the weight of each of the packages... 25 kilos. 22.5 without the packaging. That's why I started this article by mentioning my back.

How many times in my life have I heard that every audiophile's dream is to reproduce music exactly as it was recorded in the studio, while enjoying it on speakers in their own home. One? Four? Four thousand?

Legacy Audio Calibre is a studio track room speaker. Like the Legacy Audio FOCUS SE, it is a mastering room speaker. And no, in general, the same speakers are not used for these different tasks.

The sound from a closed-enclosure speaker is very different from that of an open-enclosure or bass-reflex speaker. You lose some presence in the room, but the clarity of the sound is greatly improved, making it much easier to identify the small details of each composition and their tonal position with almost surgical precision. For lovers of warm, colorful sound, this is the worst possible configuration, at least in theory.

Equipment used in testing

»Sound source:
» Roon Labs on dedicated PC
»Power amplification:
» Luxman L-507Z
»Speakers: »Legacy Audio Calibre
»Cables: »Wires4Music on wiring:     » Horus Hybrid RCA interconnect
    »Evolution on speakers and mains
» Custom rack

One of my favorite exercises is to "play" with the components I receive with as clean a look as possible. Legacy Calibre has a very "masculine" aesthetic. Its sobriety, its hard, straight lines, its volume, its weight, its overall appearance is timeless. It is not affected by fads.

Trying out different music, I like to place my ear as close as possible to each transducer and discover what each one brings to a particular track. In the case of "Luka" by Suzanne Vega, the treble and midrange brought out the vocals and the smallest details of the song. Experimenting with the differences between each one and playing around with the distance between them, I could clearly perceive their fusion. As expected, the distance is shorter than with other monitors, which are more designed for home use. However, I was more surprised by the definition of their passives. The song starts with soft, dry, and spaced-out drum beats. While the upper woofer generates the overall "ambience" of the music, the passives make the drums sound clear and precise. I had to check this clarity and sharpness over and over again, as it seemed almost magical to me.

And since we're on the subject, I suggest a very interesting audio journey showing how the sound of the same instrument, the drum kit, has been reproduced in different ways over time.

The first sample is from Dire Straits, from the album of the same name, and the track "Six Blade Knife." The second is from Phil Collins' live album Serious Hits... Live, with the song "In the Air Tonight." And we'll finish with U2, with the song "Vertigo" from the album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. And yes, it's all drums...

I already told you about this magnificent work and its intoxicating atmosphere and music that takes you deep into the heart of the United States. Therefore, I won't repeat myself, except to say that the recording is quite "heavy" on the bass and low frequencies, which, depending on the configuration, can make it tiring to listen to. In this case, with the help of the Luxman L 507Z integrated amplifier, which will be my next review, although I already have it in my living room, its transparency has allowed me to enjoy all the nuances of this work. It is a radically different way of listening and a discovery, as has been said so many times before, but it is true. The stationary frequencies, which can block all the details in the room, are kept well away, and the clarity and crystallinity of the sound do the rest.

Legacy Calibre is a true professional monitor. With all its real features and none invented by marketing. Designed for environments where clarity and the ability to distinguish each and every track of the different instruments or voices is simply non-negotiable. In addition, they are closed-back, which means that the average person may be surprised or even uncomfortable when listening to them for the first time.

It is recommended for small spaces to get the most out of it, although it is not at all intimidating in larger rooms, as it is capable of delivering powerful sound without breaking a sweat. Its rigid structure does not transmit any vibration and the sound image it emits fills any room, with one peculiarity: unlike the FOCUS SE, in this case the sound diffusion focus remains clear, i.e., the speakers.

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