My Experience with RBH's SV-831R

[Danzilla31]

Okay THAT was WEIRD.

Sat down to do some listening

Ran a check calibration level just to make sure my channels were all okay just got new front 3's after all

The left surround on the wall had very low output

So I'm thinking Damn I either have a messed up speaker or a messed up amp channel. Powered off and unplugged everything switched both speakers on the wall left and right surrounds to determine if it was the speaker

And when I checked the channels again every thing worked fine.

Any suggestions before I fire up some movies anything else I should check first guys before I get into some good listening?

 

[ryanosaur]

This ain't your first rodeo! Make sure everything is level matched and distances are set properly... sit back, pop a brew and enjoy!

 

[shadyJ]

Okay THAT was WEIRD.

Sat down to do some listening

Ran a check calibration level just to make sure my channels were all okay just got new front 3's after all

The left surround on the wall had very low output

So I'm thinking Damn I either have a messed up speaker or a messed up amp channel. Powered off and unplugged everything switched both speakers on the wall left and right surrounds to determine if it was the speaker

And when I checked the channels again every thing worked fine.

Any suggestions before I fire up some movies anything else I should check first guys before I get into some good listening?

Unless the problem becomes recurring, there is nothing you can do to deduce it in the meantime, so my suggestion is to turn off the lights and enjoy something appropriate for this sacred Easter holiday. My suggestion is Psycho Goreman.

 

[afterlife2]

Okay THAT was WEIRD.

Sat down to do some listening

Ran a check calibration level just to make sure my channels were all okay just got new front 3's after all

The left surround on the wall had very low output

So I'm thinking Damn I either have a messed up speaker or a messed up amp channel. Powered off and unplugged everything switched both speakers on the wall left and right surrounds to determine if it was the speaker

And when I checked the channels again every thing worked fine.

Any suggestions before I fire up some movies anything else I should check first guys before I get into some good listening?

Haha I had the problem with the JBL's come to find out it was the wiring. I change the wires and bam got the imaging I long wanted.

 

[lovinthehd]

Okay THAT was WEIRD.

Sat down to do some listening

Ran a check calibration level just to make sure my channels were all okay just got new front 3's after all

The left surround on the wall had very low output

So I'm thinking Damn I either have a messed up speaker or a messed up amp channel. Powered off and unplugged everything switched both speakers on the wall left and right surrounds to determine if it was the speaker

And when I checked the channels again every thing worked fine.

Any suggestions before I fire up some movies anything else I should check first guys before I get into some good listening?

It's like trying to find the missing socks from the laundry?

 

[Gmoney]

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Yep! You Definitely got Andrew beat!! All Andrew @AcuDefTechGuy got is a bunch of pillows for his family and friends to sit on in his HT room. Very sweet HT room!!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

switched both speakers on the wall left and right surrounds to determine if it was the speaker. And when I checked the channels again every thing worked fine.

Could have been something loose. I’ve had some loose jumpers or cables before.

A client of mine also had some loose jumpers when he moved speakers around.

When you switched the speakers, you probably fixed the cabling.

 

[Danzilla31]

Okay so a summary of what I've enjoyed so far

 

[Danzilla31]

These speakers are amazing.

The highs are just no contest as good as the JBL's are that tweeter on the RBH is amazing.

Imaging is amazing but the JBLs are good at that as well.

What these speakers do so well is dissapearing it literally feels and sounds like there are no boxes just instruments and voices placed through out the room.

The midrange is just out of the world on these. The best midrange I've ever heard. The JBLs was good but not this good. I never would have known it if I couldn't compare them

They are quick detailed and dynamic the JBL's were too but these just have more of it.

A lot more

They are cleaner then the JBL's zero distortion at all. No matter what volume level I put them at

That's the biggest notice of them all everything sounds so clean and clear with separation in every detail.

The tweeters have way more air then the JBL and are more detailed even then that compression driver but they are not bright or harsh they are so so detailed though I almost thought they were bright but then I realized they were just so dang detailed I can hear everything

I heard details in songs I've never heard before

Music is just where they shine I have to say heads up in movies you hear the improvements but it's closer then you'd think. The JBL 590's really do nice on movies

But in music these beauties the RBH completely pull away. I'd say the JBL can do 80% of what these can do in movies but only like 65% in music

One thing that always drove me crazy with the JBL is female voices in the lower ranges. Every know and then like in Ursine Vulpine and Annacas version of Chris Isaac wicked game her voice in the middle of the song would become nasally slightly and honkey. Enough to become annoying it would only happen in certain female voices in certain songs in deeper voices. I've heard the same issue with them in other rooms so I know it's the speaker not the room

The RBH don't have this issue at all voices just float in the room perfectly center and are so so lifelike and detailed no nasal no brightness or honking ever.

Cons only 2. These are very sensitive BUT they are 4 ohms and I'm not sure my Anthem MCA 525 can truly handle them.

I've always been skeptical of they're rated output per channel (the anthem not the speakers) at all channels driven. I think they are just getting pushed in music listening is where I hear it the most distortion loudness it's the only time I had any issue with them they with what I think is distortion increasing when they're shouldn't be. I get to about 5 clicks on the volume above where Is have the 590's and they sound amazing and at the levels the 590 can do but go back to the original volume the 590's had and they just start to have that slight loudness or harshness feeling to them where I feel like pulling back the volume a bit. Where The 525 could drive the 590's very well but seems to struggle to push these. Now granted they are a bit more sensitive so I can get there without going as loud on the 590's but still it's there and I think it's the amp I think with its 4 ohms the SV831-R are getting that amp to run out of steam a little bit. But since I need less volume it's not an issue

But eventually I think I'll need to get a beefier amp.

2nd con they're so Damn heavy they're just tough to play with positioning I've got them dialed in pretty well but really could tweak them a little better I can hear it where the center voice is in movies sometimes the image isn't locked in every once in a while Where it should be I also think they need to go up an inch or two more with the stands I'm building the tweeter could use a touch more elevation it's placed much lower on the speaker then the 590's were

But I dont want to keep moving them around until I build my custom stands for them to dang heavy

But these are minor issues and they are related to placement issues or equipment issues they're not issues with the speakers themselves.

 

[Danzilla31]

Oh drums gunshots kicks in the chest feeling no comparison the RBH all day snare drums kick drums

All day long so lifelike on the RBH

Piano notes cymbals high notes same thing just perfect on these things

 

[Danzilla31]

In conclusion I feel these are my speakers for life.

RBH is a GREAT company located here in the USA I believe and apologize if I'm wrong but everything is built here in the USA.

Another thing I feel great about supporting

Theyre products are just the best I've ever heard. And are made they're top of the line for the enthusiast in mind

They are just so good and what you get for the price just it's hard to beat them for they're overall value love these soeakers look forward to getting them dialed all the way in they are mine for life not going anywhere

So glad I cam be giving RBH some love because they deserve all the hype they can get

 

[Danzilla31]

And one final note it's not really fair to compare the 590's to these. The budget and what bar could be set for these RBH was obviously much higher then what they had for the JBL

It's amazing what the 590's can do for they're price point especially on sale

 

[shadyJ]

I am not entirely clear on what you think about your speakers: are you trying to tell us that you like them?

 

[Danzilla31]

Oh one more thing these are very neutral very they ate not forgiving of crap recordings you put crap in your going to notice

Both JBL and Klipsch speakers I've had had a way of making any source material sound good almost always

But these 831R's no way you put in crap your going to notice it

 

[Danzilla31]

I am not entirely clear on what you think about your speakers: are you trying to tell us that you like them?

Hah hah I sound like that annoying friend who just got a girlfriend and can't stop talking about her I know

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

...detailed and dynamic..cleaner... zero distortion at all. No matter what volume level I put them at...everything sounds so clean and clear with separation in every detail...

The tweeters...more detailed...they were just so dang detailed I can hear everything...

I heard details in songs I've never heard before...

The RBH...so lifelike and detailed...no nasal no brightness or honking ever...

I think I wrote pretty much the same thing about 10 years ago when I first heard the older RBH T2/R towers for the first time during the time I was auditioning the Revel Salon2, B&W 8002D2, Linkwitz Orion 3.2.1, and KEF Reference.

I was able to hear more DETAILS from the RBH T2/R than from all the other speakers. But as I wrote at that time, those old T2/R were kind of ugly.

But the SV-831/SV1212NR are very good looking now.

 

[Kleinst]

And one final note it's not really fair to compare the 590's to these. The budget and what bar could be set for these RBH was obviously much higher then what they had for the JBL

It's amazing what the 590's can do for they're price point especially on sale

Glad you pointed that out. I was taking this as good news for you and those willing to invest in a speaker of this quality and know that it can be a lifetime speaker (should be). But also good news for those like me that have a much smaller room and see no way I should presently upgrade from the 590s (Based on the amount of time I spend in that room which is just an hour a day or so at most). I can see that there is incrementally but also knowing the 590s give 80% of what you have there is a win for both sides if that makes sense. Plus if we win the lottery or find the dream craigslist posting we can strike confidently.

They sure are pretty and clearly a quality product! And with a larger theater room like that, It makes sense to have that kind of monster. I feel a Monolith 7 or Class D amp in your future it sounds like

 

[KEW]

These speakers are amazing.

The highs are just no contest as good as the JBL's are that tweeter on the RBH is amazing.

Imaging is amazing but the JBLs are good at that as well.

What these speakers do so well is dissapearing it literally feels and sounds like there are no boxes just instruments and voices placed through out the room.

The midrange is just out of the world on these. The best midrange I've ever heard. The JBLs was good but not this good. I never would have known it if I couldn't compare them

They are quick detailed and dynamic the JBL's were too but these just have more of it.

A lot more

They are cleaner then the JBL's zero distortion at all. No matter what volume level I put them at

That's the biggest notice of them all everything sounds so clean and clear with separation in every detail.

The tweeters have way more air then the JBL and are more detailed even then that compression driver but they are not bright or harsh they are so so detailed though I almost thought they were bright but then I realized they were just so dang detailed I can hear everything

I heard details in songs I've never heard before

Music is just where they shine I have to say heads up in movies you hear the improvements but it's closer then you'd think. The JBL 590's really do nice on movies

But in music these beauties the RBH completely pull away. I'd say the JBL can do 80% of what these can do in movies but only like 65% in music

One thing that always drove me crazy with the JBL is female voices in the lower ranges. Every know and then like in Ursine Vulpine and Annacas version of Chris Isaac wicked game her voice in the middle of the song would become nasally slightly and honkey. Enough to become annoying it would only happen in certain female voices in certain songs in deeper voices. I've heard the same issue with them in other rooms so I know it's the speaker not the room

The RBH don't have this issue at all voices just float in the room perfectly center and are so so lifelike and detailed no nasal no brightness or honking ever.

Cons only 2. These are very sensitive BUT they are 4 ohms and I'm not sure my Anthem MCA 525 can truly handle them.

I've always been skeptical of they're rated output per channel (the anthem not the speakers) at all channels driven. I think they are just getting pushed in music listening is where I hear it the most distortion loudness it's the only time I had any issue with them they with what I think is distortion increasing when they're shouldn't be. I get to about 5 clicks on the volume above where Is have the 590's and they sound amazing and at the levels the 590 can do but go back to the original volume the 590's had and they just start to have that slight loudness or harshness feeling to them where I feel like pulling back the volume a bit. Where The 525 could drive the 590's very well but seems to struggle to push these. Now granted they are a bit more sensitive so I can get there without going as loud on the 590's but still it's there and I think it's the amp I think with its 4 ohms the SV831-R are getting that amp to run out of steam a little bit. But since I need less volume it's not an issue

But eventually I think I'll need to get a beefier amp.

2nd con they're so Damn heavy they're just tough to play with positioning I've got them dialed in pretty well but really could tweak them a little better I can hear it where the center voice is in movies sometimes the image isn't locked in every once in a while Where it should be I also think they need to go up an inch or two more with the stands I'm building the tweeter could use a touch more elevation it's placed much lower on the speaker then the 590's were

But I dont want to keep moving them around until I build my custom stands for them to dang heavy

But these are minor issues and they are related to placement issues or equipment issues they're not issues with the speakers themselves.

Congrats!
Those are great speakers!
I have a pair of the earlier T1/R's I like the general sound of it, but the soft dome Scanspeak tweeter just could not keep up with a good ribbon (or Be or Ceramic). Your model solves that!

 

[Pogre]

In conclusion I feel these are my speakers for life.

RBH is a GREAT company located here in the USA I believe and apologize if I'm wrong but everything is built here in the USA.

Another thing I feel great about supporting

Theyre products are just the best I've ever heard. And are made they're top of the line for the enthusiast in mind

They are just so good and what you get for the price just it's hard to beat them for they're overall value love these soeakers look forward to getting them dialed all the way in they are mine for life not going anywhere

So glad I cam be giving RBH some love because they deserve all the hype they can get

Those are ribbon tweeters, right? I know what you mean. Those ribbons are next level. Glad to hear you love them so much! I've been looking at those really hard and they look amazing. Excellent build quality, beautiful finish, very powerful and super detailed.

Hmm... I could always sell my truck...

 

[afterlife2]

Those are ribbon tweeters, right? I know what you mean. Those ribbons are next level. Glad to hear you love them so much! I've been looking at those really hard and they look amazing. Excellent build quality, beautiful finish, very powerful and super detailed.

Hmm... I could always sell my truck...

Do it! Now.