Good looks.

I've had these speakers for a year and a half and have only just got them to sound sweet.
When I went active with 3 x Linn LK140 amps with internal cross-overs, the overall sound became more dynamic, but something always bugged me with my system - violins sometimes shrill and edgy, vocals a bit 'in your face', lack of 'musicality'. For nearly a year I thought it was the increased resolution showing up weaknesses elsewhere. Recently after getting a SACD player I made a concerted effort to track the problem down.
Final solution - insert a 2 ohm 5 watt resistor in series with each tweeter and wind the trebble crossover gain up a couple of positions to compensate for the insertion loss.
I hear music again. Clean precise cymbals, musical guitar strings, lovely piano harmonics, improved imaging, and those fragile, easily corrupted violins - return to paradise.
If you have a similar setup, I highly recommend you try it.
Email me if you want more detail.
Recent purchase - a Linn Seismic sub-woofer. Set the crossover frequency down at 60Hz and the gain right back at 1 or 2. Next to the above fix, and SACD, best addition I have made.

Really good. Better than a BBQ'd heffer on Saturday nite.

Stunning sound. Beautifully styled and fabricated.

None that I've discovered.

Everything that comes to my mind has already been said on this board, so I just wish to clarify the generally very positive feedback.
I was lucky to buy a brand new pair of black-ash 5140's for £900 UKP due to my dealer having surplus stock following the introduction of Linn's replacement model (Espek), and I snapped them up in order to replace my aging passive Keilidhs.
If you're looking for the front end of a quality hifi *and* A/V system, with absolutely no compromise either way, then these speakers are for you. I've heard them in both applications, as my stepfather also has a pair combined with the 5103 processor, Klout amplification, 5120 centre and 5110 rears.
I definately intend to get some more power-amps and active crossovers having heard a head-to-head comparisons of passive/active Linn systems.

My system:

Meridian 506 CD player
Linn Kairn pre-amp
Linn 5105 dual-mono power amp
Linn 5140 stereo speakers

Similar Products Used:

Numerous Linn products.

If you like the 'Linn sound,' you'll love these speakers; always tunefull and great rhythem/pace. The bass is tight, fast, and deep (considering the price/size).

Not the last word in micro-dynamics/inner detail, sound-staging is so-so at best.... I should have spung for the American Chery finish, even though the $200 for it is a total rip-off.

I generally agree with (most) the other postings on this page; these speakers are winners! I was a little concerned when replacing my (active) Keilidhs with the 5140s: the Keilidhs cabinets were obviously more ridged and their front baffles were made out of high-density polymer rather than MDF—as are the 5140s. I need not have worried; the 5140s blew them away in every respect—even in passive configuration.

Although I love the speakers, as other posters have noted, the imaging is somewhat lacking and, I would add, those not already taken by Linn’s somewhat distinctive sound may be less than enthusiastic about these speakers. My next move is to actively cross them over, however, as Linn does not make 5140 X-over cards for my (older) LK100 amp, I will have to save for a new amp to boot L.

When shopping, I considered the Ariels but, although these were GREAT speakers, they were 1. more pricey and, 2. didn’t allow for an upgrade path as do the Linns. The Thiel CS 1.5 sounded like crap, though at about $1000 less than the Linns; The Meridians sounded even worse—and for several kilobucks more (though they are self-amped). Although I liked some aspects of the Martin Logans, I found the had off from the electrostat panel to the dynamic woofer to be quite audible and annoying (I admit that, though I brought the others home for a demo. or listened to them in more than one system/room, I only listened to these in the store so your mileage may vary given a different set up).

Bottom line: stacked up against some of the best of the best in this price range, if I were spending my own money, I’d buy the Linns again and be happy. If I were using someone else’s money, I might go for the Ariel 7Bs however….

My system:

Linn Majik intigrated amp;
Linn LK100 pwr. amp;
Linn AV 5140 speakers (Black Ash);
California Audio Labs CL-20 DVD player;
All cables are Linn and Synergistic Research.

Similar Products Used:

Linn Keilidh and Tukan; Meridian DSP 5000; Theil CS 1.5; Martin Logan SL-3 and Aerius i; Ariel Acoustics 7B and 6; and others only briefly e.g. B&W; Maggie; Vandersteen; etc.

i didn't care for the linn speakers. there was something odd about them that i could never put my finger on. they just didn't sing.
the kabers are a much better buy but you have to go active with them or they don't quite match up. of course, going active means big $$$$.

lastly, if you bought a pair of 5140's and wanted to eventually get the other linn av speakers for a home theatre, you are essentially screwed. linn can't even match the cherry finishes of the different speakers. pathetic.

I was not impressed with the Linn AV 5140, especially at its rather lofty price.
My general impression was that they were basically getting the music right, but in a very flat, uninvolving way. Particularly, I thought they failed to present any kind of convincing image or soundstage. It could be the setup, but the store had obviously taken great care in their positioning (precise markings on the carpet) and room treatment. Good quality electronics (by Classe) were used.

The salesperson was keen to point out that I was tapping my foot along with the music, seemingly claiming that the speakers had good pace and rhythm. But I also tap my foot along to the clock radio, so I'm not sure how helpful this observation was.

Other speakers I was able to compare included Vandersteens, Hales, and Martin-Logan, all of which were more to my taste.

To me, then: not bad, but not great either.

I bought a pair of these speakers over a year ago after listening to almost everything on the planet in this price range. I especially liked the 'balance' of these speakers and their ability to reproduce a variety of music and sound great with everything. I also like the fact that they have a matching center channel, surrounds, and sub for home theater, and also have a personality that works with either music or videos. AND they're kid friendly and home friendly since they sound great near the walls and at either low or high volumes, plus the drivers are up high and protected by grills so I don't have to worry about poking fingers!! :-)
The reviewer of these speakers in Stereophile liked his B&W 804's better, but I just don't see this. The 804's have this tubbiness in the bass that sounds congested to me - the 805's don't have this, but then they don't have much bass either! I also liked the ML's and a pair of Cabasse speakers I heard too, but not as much as the Linn's. My only complaint about the 5140's is a slight leanness in the sound, but after mating them with a Classe CA100 it went away and I got the warmth I was looking for - this is an awesome pair!

Also, I don't get the complaint below about matching the Cherry finishes. I've seen lots of these speakers as well as a few center channels, and the cherry finishes on all were essentially identical.

Its interesting to hear people's reaction to the AV5140's. Seems like people either love them or hate them. Put me in the love em category.
I'm running the AV's with an all Audio Research system. The bass is tight and solid, down to about 30Hz. The midrange is very clean and detailed, reproducing female voices with stunning realism. They present a wide and deep soundstage, with lots of space around the instruments. The Linns have a forward charachter which can be very unforgiving of bright or grainy electronics (this may be the reason some people are put off by them). On the other hand, they reveal things in the music that I had not heard in other speakers. The Linns sound great with tubes, which really bring out their best features. I've compared to Vandersteen, B&W, Martin-Logan and couldn't be happier with my decision to go with the Linns.

I was originally planning to buy a pair of PSB Stratus Gold's (hmmm..of course it would be a PAIR. I would have looked pretty silly buying just one speaker) when I stumbled across the Linn AV5140s. the store I heard them in had them set up as part of a home theater system with the AV5140s sitting on either side of a TV and a smaller Linn speaker used as the center channel speaker lying on the TV.
I started off by listening to "Winter" by Tori Amos and my first reaction was one of irritation. Obviously the salesman had left the center channel speaker on because the singer's voice seemed to have materialized in the middle of the room exactly where the center channel speaker sat. Mumbling about dumb maneuvers, I walked over to the center speaker to make sure I was right before I told the salemsan he had screwed up the demo. Funny thing. There was nothing coming through the center speaker. When I walked back to my chair, there was Tori Amos' voice again magically re-appearing in the center of the room. It was just about then that I got hooked on these speakers.

There is a precision to these speakers that is simply phenomenal. I have to agree with the comment that "there was something odd about them that I couldn't put my finger on." I find the sound very musical and involving but with a clarity and imaging that is a little spooky. After I bought a pair, I began running through my entire CD collection because everything I played allowed me to listen to my music in an entirely different way. Some CD's I had liked now sound very mediocre because these speakers are mercilessly accurate. Other CD's that I thought were Ok, now knock me over because I feel I can hear them for the first time.

A few caveats. I am using a Pioneer Amp which is not great and a cd player of indifferent quality. I have decided to take the plunge and buy a Linn amp and Pre-amp to get the most out of these speakers ( all contributions gratefully accepted). I am reliably told that an all Linn system makes these speakers really shine. The speaker also allow you to use three separate amps...my ultimate goal.

But for now listening to these speakers is a joy.

I auditioned the Linns with the following gear. A marantz CD63-SE running the analog out directly to a pair of Marantz MA-500 monoblocks. I was blown away by the amazing sound that I was hearing from the relatively mid-fi source and amp used. My budget was $3k and that's all I coud afford. I must say if I were to do it all over again I wouldn't do anything different. I feel that the 5140's are capable of revealing as much detail as ANY source/amp combo can produce. As I saved my money I stumbled across a Lexicon DC-1 (base model) for a great price. With the digital out running to those wonderful Bur-Brown 20 bit DACs the Linns really came to life. The bottom end tightened up. The mid range warmed up, and the top end smoothed out. Amazing what good DACs can do. It's always been my goal to have an audiophile home theater so I recently a sub to the mix. I would love the Linn sub but at $4950 I don't think so. I decided on the RBH DVS-1010 with their accompanying 200W amp. This filled in the bottom end beautifully. The 1010's have a pair of aluminum cone 10" drivers. Very quick and accurate. They will slam if asked also. Anyway... the 5140's are great speakers on their own right. Add some really good gear in front of them and they can go as far as you ask them to. I can't even imagine what a full active pair sound like. Definetly 5 stars....