I have just recently purchased the Linn 5140 speakers with the 5120 center, and I am extremely pleased with the results. I have sampled many type of speakers in this price range and it came down to the Hales Rev 3's and the Linn's. In a comparison contrast of the two, I was unable to discern any real audible distinction between the two. This may because I was using the Yamaha DSP-A1 Receiver and this may have been the weakest link the audio chain. But this is not to say that the end results are not pleasing, on the contrary. So my finial decision came down to the cosmetic factor (wife factor). The Linn 51 series in my opinion is one of the sharpest looking speakers in cherry finish than any that I have seen in the 3k price range.
Bottom line: The 5140 sound excellent now (under base conditions) and allow you to be upgraded at a later date for opium performance, when you hit the lotto.

My System:

2- Sony CDP-CX90ES CD Players in series w/ Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Yamaha DSP-A1 Receiver w/ Nordost Super Flatline Speaker BiWire
Denon DVD3000 DVD Player w/ Nordost MoonGlo and Ultralink S-VHS interconnects
Pair Linn 5140 Cherry (Main)
Linn 5120 Cherry (Center)
Pair Cerwin Vega (Rear)

I auditioned several lines before I heard the Linns, they were simply amazing. Nothing came close in the 3K price range. I looked at B&W, Aerial, Paradigm. If you enjoy good music and movies this speaker accomadates. I just recently picked up a Sunfire Cinema Grand and have the Linns Bi-amped and tri-wired off the 5 channel amp the other channel I use for my center. These speakers love good, clean power. In this configuration the speakers came to life, excellent bass response, and imaging that will blow your mind. I would recommend these to anyone seriously considering a new speaker purchase. I wish I could afford to buy another pair for the rears. Not to mention these speakers are absolutely beautiful. Cherry finish and made in Scotland.
Equipment:

Pre-amp:Sunfire Theater Grand
Amp:Sunfire Cinema Grand
Amp:Carver TFM-15
Transport:Rega Planet
DVD:Pioneer DV-414
Sub:Boston VR500
Center: Boston VR12
Rear: Infinity Reference 6
Wire: Audio Magic, Audio Quest
Theta Jitter Reducer

I'm very pleased with my recent purchase of Linn AV5140, 5120, and 5110. Haven't had time to replace my sats with the 5110, but here is my impression of the 5140s.
The Linns replace my old B&W DM330s (which I like very much) and the music that comes out of them just makes me want to listen to more. Just sit and soak it in. Instruments are much more life like, sound stage is larger, bass more well defined. Add to that, they are gorgeous speakers (I have the Cherry finish) that mate well with the rest of the room accrutraments.

Are they the best speakers I listened to? Probably not. On my speaker quest, I listened to Totem Arros, ML SL3 and Aeries, Snell, Wharfdale, Paradigm Reference Studio 60, B&W CD1&7, B&W 803, Thiel MCS1, Sonus Farber Concerto, Monitor Audio 703 PCM, Vienna Mozart, etc. I found the SL3 to sound the most crystal clear, exploding sound stage, and really, really life-like. Just loved them. That was in their very small sweet spot positioned properly, though, and I can't do justice to them in my home. The next was Theil MSC1. Similar characteristics as the SL3, but at $2500 each speaker, not in my budget. Monitor 703 were closest in the Linn price range (voices sounded so sweet). So, with all my constraints, the Linn's came out on top, and have done so superbly. To me, they sound better in my home, even though I don't have all those fancy electronics, than they did in the dealer showroom. They work very well close to the wall (mine are about 12"-14" out).

I'm running the Linns with
- Marantz MA500 amps for L/C/R
- Denon 3200 as pre/pro, and amp for rears
- Toshiba 3007 as source for both DVDs and CDs.
- Monster cable for speaker wire, AudioQuest Turquoise interconnects
- room is 16'x20'

Granted, it's not the highest end stuff, but I'm happy.
The Linns set up as an Activ system are astounding, but then so is the cost.

4 star for absolute sound and musicality, 5 stars for meeting all my constraints (though they did stretch my budget quite a bit)

When I first purchased the 5140s I ran then with adcom/rotel preamp/amp combo. Which souned pretty good. When I upgraded to the arkam 10p and really pushed these speakers, I finally realized their potential. for 3K you cannot get a better well rounded speaker.

QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION ..SOUND

NONE

I USE AV5140 FOR MUSIC AND VIDEO ...I THINK IT`S THE BEST SPEAKERS FOR CINEMA THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD .. THE SOUND IS SO NATURAL ...AN EXAMPLE OF THAT = A DOOR IS SLAMMING IN THE FILM .. THE SOUND WAS COMMING FROM THE RIGHT SPEAKER AND ALL
PEOPLES IN MY ROOM TURN THEIR HEAD IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DOOR OF MY ROOM THINKING SOMEBODY WAS ENTERING ..
AND YOU MUST HEAR WHEN ITS A STORM IN THE FILM ..
OR IF YOU ALREADY SEE THE FILM (THE ARRIVAL) WHERE CHARLIE
SHEEN IS TAKING A BATH ..ALL MY FRIEND WAS THINKING SOMEBODY
FORGET TO CLOSE THE TAP .
FOR THE MUSIC ..ITS THE SAME .. YOU MUST HEAR SEAN PHILIPS
PLAYING GUITAR ..ITS LIKE HE IS IN THE ROOM

I THINK LINN IS MAKING GREAT STUFF AND NOT JUST PLAYING
WELL BUT FOR LIFE TIME CONSTRUCTION ..

Similar Products Used:

LINN KEILIDH KABER PEL ... MISSION 753 B&W MATRIX 802 ET 803 AND MANY OTHERS ..

Capability to handle both music and movies with ease, option to upgrade to active

tough to get one on top of the big screen as a center channel

I have been using the 5140's as main speakers in my home theater system for a little over 2 years powered by an Aragon 8008BB. (Teamed with 5120's center/surrounds and 5150 sub). I had been generally pleased but wanted a little more "ML or Thiel-like" imaging. My dealer, Pro Audio in Millburn, NJ, has been telling me what a difference going active would make. Just finished the process last night and all I can say is "WOW"! The Aragons seem to be a good match for the 5140 since they are powerful in both wattage and current, as well as musical; with a low end that suprises.
Now, with the 8008bb, a 8008x3 and an 8008x5, the 5140's and 5120's present such a large 3 demensional soundstage that it's hard to believe they are the same speakers. They seem to reveal every nuance on the recording and I now hear details that I missed before.
When the recording gets more demanding the sound of the 5140's keeps expanding getting as big as necesasry with no sense of compressing the sound or dynamics. Voices and piano (such as Diana Krall, David Benoit) sound remarkable.
Movie explosions and sound effects are different than before with a clarity and proportion that fill the large room with waves of lushness. They even made me think I had an additional pair of surrounds right by my couch, not on the rear wall. Must be those active crossovers having an impact too.
Not to be minimized, the spousal acceptance factor of the cherry finish scored too.
In the price range without the active upgrade the 5140's more than hold their own. Take them active and you are in another realm! Both ways, at either price point, these speakers are winners.

clarity, lack of colour, speed, imaging

need plenty of current

I purchased second hand 5140's in perfect condition. Triamped with 3 x Myryad T-60: very impressive. I know the T-60's are not in the same league as the speakers, nor the rest of my gear (Cambridge Audio Discmagic, Meridian 203 dac, Musical fidelity X-Pre & X-PSU, home made solid pure silver interconnects, QED Silver Anniversary speaker cable) but I decided to go ahead and buy a component I would not have to change in 2 years time. Very clean sound, no obvious colouration. Acoustic guitar and vocals extremely good. Seperation of musical strands amazingly good. Later purchased Linn Tunbox & Aktiv cards (removed crossovers in speakers myself). Take it from me, this made a rediculous improvement even with my kit. Line level crossover is much clearer and cleaner. It is hard to pin down characteristics of the sound, but it seems as if everything was very slightly more distant and blurred before the change.

Very balanced, non-fatiguing sound. Excellent midrange, especially with vocals and string instruments; can easily play insanely loudly.

Sensitive to upstream components; very current-hungry. Good, but not world-class, imaging and soundstaging.

Waited quite a while to post this, to allow time for the dust to settle from numerous system changes made during the past 18 months. Started with Linn Tukans and a Pass Labs Aleph 3 amplifier; beautiful, but of course not full-range, sound. Hoping to add bass, but retain the basic character of the Tukans, (eventually) switched to the AV5140s. The midrange was there, but the Aleph 3 (50 watts into 4 ohms) simply wasn't up to the task (very audible clipping at 80% volume). Next was the Electrocompaniet AW60 amp (110 watts); better, power-wise, but still not the solution. Then came the Bryston 3B-ST, simultaneously paired with a Sim P-5003 preamp, and voila! Transparent, dynamic sound, with plenty of oomph. (The current "final" system iteration includes a Linn Ikemi CD player, with a Linn Klout replacing the Bryston.)

To make a long story longer, the AV5140s responded in kind each step of the way. A rep from another high-end manufacturer indicated that, in his experience, the AV5140s were more current, rather than power, hungry, and my amplifier experiences have borne this out. Supplying adequate current, combined with a good source and transparent preamplification, brings out the best in the 5140s. They retain the excellent Linn midrange, but can also rock 'em and sock 'em on home theater. In my room, they've also been sensitive to room placement - farther out from the walls, and closer together, than Linn recommends have worked better. They have a very well-balanced, musical, and engaging sound. They don't do all of the audiophile tricks (disappearing as sources; deep soundstaging; etc.) as well as some of the heavy hitters, but, what the hell, they only cost $3200 new, and they will engage you! Definitely recommended.

Similar Products Used:

Personally owned: Linn Tukan and Keilidh; extended listening elsewhere: Wilson WATT/Puppy 5 and 6; Proac Future One; Sonus Faber Amati Homage; Rogers LS3/5a.

Yep it is a good speaker.....period.

Takes some time to break in.

Well, what a bunch of opinions below. I'm not sure what someone could do with them. Anyway, no question, this is a good speaker. Is it better than that speaker and those speakers? I've listened to, and continue to listen to many and without any reservation I can tell you that nobody can answer that correctly. You must do the listening (and I suggest not listening to what other people tell you).

In normal passive mode these speakers are very good and will out perform the electronics that most people have. In active mode they are better and will out perform the electronics that most people have.

For those that require silly buzz words....yes, the soundstage is wide and deep. Yep, they do indeed image and disappear with appropriate source material. Musicality is certainly there as is speed, detail, bass.....sorry, it's late and I can't think of the other buzz words.

Bottom line: As I said, these are very good speakers. Go listen and judge for yourself. I did and bought these. Yes, I did listen to the ones your thinking about buying.

The AV5140 is an attempt to develop a forgiving Linn speaker which appeals to audiophiles and traditional Linn purest. It succeeds at this mission by offering the listener traditional audiophile values while preserving the typical dynamic Linn toe-tapping sound. I use the speaker with a complete stack of high end Linn sources and electronics. The imaging is clearly better than what has been stated by some listeners since in my room the depth is incredible and the height of the image can extend to 8'+. The bass is clear and very extended, remember there is little attempt to produce bass which isn't there.
Power handling is great. Fatigue will not be generated by the speakers but something else. The speaker should appeal to listeners who really want great sound and are not activist --- tweek happy audiophiles. In other words music lovers.

I do have a second complete audiophile system set-up with tubes and ML speakers and the Linns are much more realistic and integrated in performance.