RBH Sound Owner's Thread

[trane251]

Very interesting… I wonder if the veneer they used on these prototypes is a standard finish or a pricey upgrade. Also, interested to see what they do to update the 8300. Seems like it would be hard for the Scanspeak 9500 to cross over to an 8in mid driver - if they went that route.

 

[gene]

Very interesting… I wonder if the veneer they used on these prototypes is a standard finish or a pricey upgrade. Also, interested to see what they do to update the 8300. Seems like it would be hard for the Scanspeak 9500 to cross over to an 8in mid driver - if they went that route.

The 8in middriver is only in their new modular tower that features the AMT. There won't be a Scan Speaker tweeter upgrade for that product.

 

[trane251]

I was just speculating since the new SV-6500 uses 6.5in drivers throughout if the SV-8500 would use all 8in drivers. But I know that hasn't been worked out yet. Maybe it will use the AMT too?!

 

[trane251]

Also should have said I was referring to the SV/R versions...

 

[gene]

I was just speculating since the new SV-6500 uses 6.5in drivers throughout if the SV-8500 would use all 8in drivers. But I know that hasn't been worked out yet. Maybe it will use the AMT too?!

No the larger SV tower will prob be just like the 6500 on top but with 3 8"s for the bass section.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I was just speculating since the new SV-6500 uses 6.5in drivers throughout if the SV-8500 would use all 8in drivers. But I know that hasn't been worked out yet. Maybe it will use the AMT too?!

The question is, will it be the SV-8500 or SV-8300?

My guess is that only the $10K flagship tower gets the 8" midrange, whereas the "$5K SV-8300" will get the 6.5" midrange and 8" woofers.

Here is the funny thing. Even their flagship $50K 8T tower has 6.5" midrange, not 8" midrange.

So their $50K tower has 6.5" midrange, but their $10K tower has 8" midrange.

I think the odds of the "SV-8x00" tower having 8" midrange isn't good since their $50K tower doesn't even have 8" midrange.

But who knows, except for Shane Rich himself (who is out with the Flu)?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

No the larger SV tower will prob be just like the 6500 on top but with 3 8"s for the bass section.

Exactly what I'm thinking too - probably be the SV-8300, which will be very much like the SX-8300.

Since RBH still carry the Classic series, I'm guessing the SX series will still be carried, but the SV series will be the new series?

So for guys who own the SX-6300, there may be an itch to get the SV-6500, SV-8300 (if it is even offered), or the SX-8300.

Because I think the similarities are too great between the "SV-8300" and SX-8300, I don't think there will be a "SV-8300". I could be wrong, but that's my hunch.

 

[gene]

The question is, will it be the SV-8500 or SV-8300?

My guess is that only the $10K flagship tower gets the 8" midrange, whereas the "$5K SV-8300" will get the 6.5" midrange and 8" woofers.

Here is the funny thing. Even their flagship $50K 8T tower has 6.5" midrange, not 8" midrange.

So their $50K tower has 6.5" midrange, but their $10K tower has 8" midrange.

I think the odds of the "SV-8x00" tower having 8" midrange isn't good since their $50K tower doesn't even have 8" midrange.

But who knows, except for Shane Rich himself (who is out with the Flu)?

The 8T has (4) 6in mids while their new modular SV tower has (3) 8" mids. Roughly the same cone area but totally different design and purpose. The 8T's have wider dispersion than the new modular tower with AMT. Both have similar output capabilities from my understanding but the 8T's do it with more finesse.

 

[gene]

Exactly what I'm thinking too - probably be the SV-8300, which will be very much like the SX-8300.

I think it will be called an SV-8500 tower though.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The 8T has (4) 6in mids while their new modular SV tower has (3) 8" mids. Roughly the same cone area but totally different design and purpose. The 8T's have wider dispersion than the new modular tower with AMT. Both have similar output capabilities from my understanding but the 8T's do it with more finesse.

Oh, good, I'm glad my SX-T2/R also has 4 x 6.5" midrange drivers.

So is the dynamics and efficiency of the single AMT equivalent to the 3 tweeters on the T2/R?

 

[GranteedEV]

Oh, good, I'm glad my SX-T2/R also has 4 x 6.5" midrange drivers.

So is the dynamics and efficiency of the single AMT equivalent to the 3 tweeters on the T2?

I dunno about any of that, but going by spec alone, three of those SS9500s give you 25.5 cm^2 radiating surface area with .4mm of excursion.

One of these AMTs will give you about 39cm^2 of surface area. So if it can handle about 0.26mm of excursion, you've got equivalent displacement. But that doesn't really mean much because to cross over to an 8" aluminum cone, I'd expect the crossover is half an octave to an octave lower, and excursion demands rise similarily.

Only thing we can do is wait for those monsters to start popping up and see how they perform in the real world.

 

[ematthews]

Yes, actually I listened to the RBH T2 towers BEFORE I bought the Salon2, 802D2, KEF 201/2, Linkwitz Orion, Phil3, etc.

At that time, which I think is about 5 years ago, I thought the RBH T2 were the best sounding speakers I've ever heard - better than Salon2, 802D, KEF, Linkwitz, etc. But at that time, RBH had not come out with the SX-series. I thought the old classic series were just too square and not something I would want in my house.

SQ is salient, but aesthetic is also just as important to me.

The SX series have nice curved cabinets, which is exactly what I was looking for. But by the time they were released and by the time I found out about the SX series, I had already bought about 12 pairs of speakers and subwoofers.

Dedicated subs, including Rythmik and Funk, are great. But subjectively, I don't think they give me the same sound I get from the SX-1010 or SX-8300, which to me sounds more like bass from towers rather than subs. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's all in my head - kind of like how people think some amps sound differently to them. But the bass from the RBH 8300 and 1010 sounded more to my taste.

But anyway, you know how it is when you were growing up and you thought to yourself, "When I grow up, I want to be like ".......", I want to marry a woman who is like ".......", I want a house that is like "......", I want a car that is like "......", etc." ?

Well, I wanted a full-range tower speaker system that could deliver earthquake bass output, yet gives me that intimate tower bass. I don't want to have to buy additional subwoofers because my towers can't give me enough of that bass I want. My towers need to be able to give me all the bass I want. That is my personal IDEA of the perfect system.

Even if I had 11 KEF Blade towers costing $165K total, I would still need to buy ADDITIONAL subwoofers.

And I know a lot of people rave about this one tweeter or this one midrange, but I've heard enough of them to know for myself that it is mostly diminishing returns. Yes, they all sound different, but not significantly "better" IMO.

The overall total design of the speaker is a lot more important than any one tweeter or midrange.

I feel the same about the bass on my SX-6300/R's over the Ascends with a sub.. I prefer the bass sound right out of the tower itself. Just has a lot of punch to it. I think the perfect speaker for me would have been the 8300/R..... Maybe I sell both and go with the larger RBH Towers.

 

[slipperybidness]

I dunno about any of that, but going by spec alone, three of those SS9500s give you 25.5 cm^2 radiating surface area with .4mm of excursion.

One of these AMTs will give you about 39cm^2 of surface area. So if it can handle about 0.26mm of excursion, you've got equivalent displacement. But that doesn't really mean much because to cross over to an 8" aluminum cone, I'd expect the crossover is half an octave to an octave lower, and excursion demands rise similarily.

Only thing we can do is wait for those monsters to start popping up and see how they perform in the real world.

I don't think raw excursion numbers are useful on AMTs.

The literature claims that the folded material couples better to the impedance of the air, thus they are more efficient (require less excursion to get the same SPL as a dome tweet).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I feel the same about the bass on my SX-6300/R's over the Ascends with a sub.. I prefer the bass sound right out of the tower itself. Just has a lot of punch to it. I think the perfect speaker for me would have been the 8300/R..... Maybe I sell both and go with the larger RBH Towers.

Yeah, I think the bass of the 8300 & T2 are just awesome. If there is such a thing as bass-velocity, these RBH towers are lightning speedy, punchy, and snappy; very musical.

When the fellow who came to audition my Orion heard the T2s for the first time, he was in awe of the sound, especially the bass. It was unlike any subwoofer bass he'd ever heard.

It was the same way I felt when I first heard the T2 for the first time, and I still feel the same way every time my T2s are in action. I just love movies and TV shows with high bass energy.

Give it another 6-12 months before selling anything. But if you do sell the Ascend (AGAIN ) to get the SX-8300/R, just promise me that you would not repeat it the 3rd time.

You know what Einstein said about repeating the same thing over and over again.

If you do, make sure it is for the last time - at least for the next 10 years.

 

[gene]

Give it another 6-12 months before sell anything. But if you do sell the Ascend (AGAIN ) to get the SX-8300/R, just promise me that you would never buy another Ascend again.

Don't say that. Ascends makes some really nice stuff. I am dying to hear their towers with RAAL. David F knows what he's doing.

BTW part of the reason you love the bass of the RBH's is b/c their bass drivers aren't high mass, high L drivers. They are flat to like 200Hz. You are liking the stereo bass above 80Hz that is hard to get from a conventional sub/sat system. Stereo bass above 60Hz makes A LOT of sense and often missed these days.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Don't say that. Ascends makes some really nice stuff. I am dying to hear their towers with RAAL. David F knows what he's doing.

It probably didn't come out right as an inside joke. It's just that Eric would buy, sell, buy again, sell again.

He's worse than I am or was.

Absolutely. Ascends speakers are great.

But as great as the speakers are, I just don't think Eric should sell it again and then come right back and buy it again the 3rd time.

 

[NOISEJUNKIE]

Hello All,
kinda been out of the audio sect for a few years and have recently discovered RBH.Looking too get back into this awesome hobby and start out with a nice 3.1 set up,most likely stand mounts,center and sub.
I have a local RBH shop here in San Diego,Ca and will demo some there lines.Really looking at SX-61 or 61/R's as I saw the review on here looked promising.
I've had in the past BMW,Monitor Audio,KEF and and was wondering what to expect from RBH as you guy's seem to have more knowledge with there sound.I watch allot of movies and music so kinda a balance between the two.
Also saw these http://emptek.com/r55ti.phphttp://emptek.com/r55ti.php
I know there discontinued,but WOW they seem tempting at that price.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think the SX-61 and SX-61/R will sound as great as any great bookshelf out there.

The RBH Impression series are not discontinued.

http://rbhsound.com/r55ti.php

 

[NOISEJUNKIE]

I think the SX-61 and SX-61/R will sound as great as any great bookshelf out there.

The RBH Impression series are not discontinued.

http://rbhsound.com/r55ti.php

I thought the r55ti was older and not produced by RBH anymore,well that's good to here if there not.Might be hard to demo,I don't think anyone has them in a show room near me.
Probably still stick with bookshelf's unless I get hooked into a tower from a demo.

 

[jcparks]

If you live near the central coast you can come audition the R55ti at my house if you want.