Po-tay-toe, po-ta-to
Oz the EMP and RBH versions of the TK towers were identical in terms of performance. Only slight cosmetic differences (including the color of the cones) existed to keep the products separate through different sales channels.
While it may be true the TKs perform "better" than the new Impression speakers, the TKs were a hard sale b/c they were cosmetically challenged. I am looking forward to reading peoples opinions that have heard both towers side by side. Unfortunately I've never had that opportunity.
According to Shane (or it might have been Darren), they use different drivers. I've worked with TK's for a few years but not the EMP's for any length of time, though my dealer pricing definitely indicates a different build also. I get a few here and there but do not normally offer products that can be bought online.
Aesthetics: I think the 'hard sell' was a US thing also, they sold quite well in Canada (comparatively) and are still in demand now. I only have three pairs, which are spoken for, and people looking for any others we can bring in, though I do prefer the black to the rosewood vinyl wrap (which I think just looks too cheap). The bases were also a bit of an issue, if removed more than once or twice for moving, they don't seem to hold up and the inserts come loose.
The odd thing is, I've seen EMP's that had a noticably polypro cone, smooth carbon black (like their A-Series architectural products) and not textured fibreglass at all, like the TK's. The models shown on the EMP site use the gold fibreglass cones as the RBH did and the online ads show something inbetween. Looks like someone had a sale on cones when they were putting them together.
But hey, these aren't the Layton, USA built Signature Series afterall.
I'd still stick with the RBH TK's over the EMP in any case except budget, just like their 'EW' series on-walls, the difference to RBH is night and day and not comparable at all there, though quite different build all around too. I actually wonder why they released the EW's, they didn't sell and can be bought at ridiculously low prices now as they are trying to clear them all out.
I really like the look of the new EMP's but it seems EMP has become a testing ground for entry level RBH lines or RBH wannabes. RBH does very well in the upper end of the spectrum, but they seem to have issues making a cheap speaker that still offers a good financial return to RBH. It appears that they are either WAY too good for the selling price or too cheap to brand as their own and thus turn into online blowout products.
It's too bad, I know they all work very hard at it!
