RBH 641-SE any reviews or owner feedback?

[marcovgv]

I have been offered a set of these speakers that are about 5 years old. I have not heard them yet and plan to this weekend. Anybody that owns these and could give me their thoughts would be great!
The guy is a local dealer that is upgrading his own equipment. I bought some mc-6aw from him today for my outdoor area, and he offered me these.

 

[marcovgv]

so what you guys think this guy is offering me the a pair of 641-SE and a 441-SE for 800.00 is that a fair deal on 5 year old speaks ? or should i just go with a emp 5.0 system that includes the E5ti towers ?

 

[ozmedia]

Jump On The Deal

so what you guys think this guy is offering me the a pair of 641-SE and a 441-SE for 800.00 is that a fair deal on 5 year old speaks ? or should i just go with a emp 5.0 system that includes the E5ti towers ?

First off all, EMP anything is not really comparable to Signature Series. It seems that yuo are aware that RBH makes both products but the EMP is a more entry level oriented product for online sales.

The 641's are really sweet, the 441 is a great center (or L/C/R too) . At $800.00 you cannot go wrong, new or old, they are still current and will sound fantastic for many mroe years yet, a killer deal indeed. Definitely WELL below current dealer costs. Are they in custom veneer? They don't make the 641 in black anymore, if custom veneer, they are worth far more still. You are looking at about $3K list on those two. A SCREAMING deal for you.

By the way, what do you think of the MC-6AW's? The previous AWS-6 was a killer speaker even with polypro cones, but the new MC-6AW's have a nicer case, recessed knobs and they just THUMP out the sound! Desined with the same components as the MC-6C bookshelf they make.

Buy them, I would in a heartbeat.

 

[jamie2112]

X2 on the buy.I would jump on them quick.If you don't want them where are they located?I will take them.

 

[marcovgv]

wow sounds good. I am going to offer him 700 for all three..
they are in black, unfortunately not in a custom veneer! but..... I am an avid woodworker and have access to amazing veneers, so... I will just spice them up myself!

 

[marcovgv]

by the way he stated that the new cost on them is 1600-1700 for the towers

 

[gholt]

Great deal. I have the T2 SE. and yours should sound great as well. Let us know how they sould once you have them set up.

 

[ozmedia]

wow sounds good. I am going to offer him 700 for all three..
they are in black, unfortunately not in a custom veneer! but..... I am an avid woodworker and have access to amazing veneers, so... I will just spice them up myself!

Their black is such a nice, hardwood finish you won't mind them at all, they still look better than many other premium cabs, even RBH's MC sries cabinets are better than most other 'premium' cabinets.

The most recent list prioce from RBH, (sept.01/09) is $ 2,438.00 (Canadian) for the 641's but that's custom finish only, which is about $150.00 over the black cost. 641's aren't available NEW in black anymore though, just custom veneers.

The 441, is$612.00 (again Canadian list). So you are looking at around $3K list for less than $800.00.
Like I said, I'd jump on that really quick, and giggle like a schoolgirl all the way home!

 

[marcovgv]

Well I listened to the 641-se and 441-se yesterday and I fell in love with the speaker. The owner took his time and put the speakers through their aces for me playing a variety of music and even a dts dvd clip of master and commander. these things really are amazing. I am picking them up today and will be giggling like a school girl the whole way home.

I also ought the mc-6aw. He only had the m5aw outdoors to listen to but theyy sounded awsome and have a 5inch. I cant imagine hoe mine will soud since they are 6 inch aluminum. The m5aw were hands down the best sounding outdoor speaker I have ever heard. he played the two in a completely open back yard area and the sound was so rich and detailed. I think i am going to buy another two when funds allow.

 

[jamie2112]

Congrates it sounds as though like you liked um............

 

[marcovgv]

Now for the rears

I was thinking qty4 mc-615
or
qty2 66-se or 44-se

what do you guys think?
by the way I just finished setting up the speakers and they sound great.

 

[ozmedia]

match them

Now for the rears

I was thinking qty4 mc-615
or
qty2 66-se or 44-se

what do you guys think?
by the way I just finished setting up the speakers and they sound great.

I've seen quite a few mixes with Signatures and MC series, and while for rears (in-ceiling MC-615) they aren't that bad but the Signature bookshelves will be easier to match and balance in a theatre. If you do end up going with the MC in -ceilings, get the MC-615L with fixed 15 degree angle, a bit pricey and sold in singles, for sides (actually in ceiling just in front of the listening area and standard MC-615's for rears). In-ceilings come with a 25-year warranty too.

Personally though, given a choice, I'd go for the pair of 41-SE bookshelf rears for sure (Defo your best bet!), you probably won't need 61's they'll dominate and the 44/66 bipole/dipole are usually best as side surrounds in a 7.1 system.

They do make a signature in-wall for rears, but you'd have to rip some large holes in the back wall for the boxes and then patch it all over to cover all but the front baffle (SI-740/SI-760).

 

[mperfct]

I did SI-760 L/C/R and MC6-DB for the surrounds, and they work well together. RBH recommended that as well, and said there should be any problems using a different flavor of RBH for the surrounds.

 

[ozmedia]

I did SI-760 L/C/R and MC6-DB for the surrounds, and they work well together. RBH recommended that as well, and said there should be any problems using a different flavor of RBH for the surrounds.

I'd sell you any combination you wished to pay for also. I am also merely talking from personal experience, figuring out a lot of different RBH combo's for home theatres I find that MC-6DB's just don't sound that much different than MC-6's for rears. They were only designed/added to the MC series, to work as surrounds when 7.1 systems with B/D wall speakers started getting more popular.

As I explained before, both ways will work though, whether mixed with MC's or with Signature bookshelf models, Sigs will always give you optimum sound though as they do use a different, proprietary cone and a silk dome tweeter.
You can't pretend for half a second that the MC-6 or 6DB is as perfectly matched as an 41-SE or 61-SE they use different drivers. The 41-SE is actually quite a bit less expensive than a pair of 6-D/B's and is better matched.

Unfortunately, the 6DB's just haven't sold well compared to other bi-dipole products on the market, due to the recessed tweets that pretty much turn it into an MC-6 with an extra tweeter instead of a true bi/di pole.

Not to knock them but I don't see RBH sticking with them for much longer, but you never know, it's no tlike they are bad or anything, just not really any different from MC-6's besides being a lot more expensive.

CAN you use them for rears? Why not? As long as you do't mind spending the extra cash. Will you actually notice a difference to the MC-6? I highly doubt it, unless you convince yourself you do.

In the last 50 or so MC packages our clients have installed, not one has used 6DB's, just too expensive for what they are (which is REALLY odd for RBH as they are usually the best value for money around).

In short, like I said before, "given a choice" the 41's will dance circles around the MC-6DB's and for less money (up to $200 less). I didn't say there weren't options, but I offered my opinion having heard them set up in both combinations, I do this daily too.

Less money, better product, it's a no brainer really.

 

[gene]

If I may chime in here, in my family room system, I am running the following speakers:

• Status Acoustics Decimos (similar to 61-SE/R but with improved cabinets)
• 661-SE/R center channel
• 44-SE side channels
• MC-615 in-ceiling back surrounds

In a wide open room like mine, the 44-SE's work extremely well with the MC-615 in-ceiling speakers. I really love the expansive sound I am hearing and I am finding that bipole/dipole side surrounds do go very well with in-ceiling back channels. Food for thought as I didn't use identical models or series for all speakers from the same company but still achieved excellent results.

 

[mperfct]

Supreme Overlord...wow. I never noticed your title. Just when I thought a slumlord was cool...

 

[gene]

Supreme Overlord...wow. I never noticed your title. Just when I thought a slumlord was cool...

yea I figured it was time for a change

 

[ozmedia]

• Status Acoustics Decimos (similar to 61-SE/R but with improved cabinets)
• 661-SE/R center channel
• 44-SE side channels
• MC-615 in-ceiling back surrounds

I am finding that bipole/dipole side surrounds do go very well with in-ceiling back channels.

Toll and chime away!

(Myself, I just can't stop the ringing of my funeral bell)

You noted that you did use the 6-DB's for side surrounds though and 615's for rears (which is VERY common with that mix, even though most people don't even bother with the DB's and just use MC-615-L's for surrounds).

I'd defintitely put 615's as a rear, in-ceiling solution if there's no space for cabs in the rears (have put that package together many times, especially to fit budgets). I find they are most commonly used for great rooms where there is no rear wall at all.

But I think you have to remember also that not everyone pays the same price for MC6-DB's that you do. They are pretty expensive rears for most people, especially compared to the MC-6 or 615's for $100.00 - $150.00 less and most people would never be able to tell the difference between them and the normal MC-6's anyway. The 6DB's just do not sell though, there are just too many other options from RBH to make them viable for most consumers, especially at a higher price.

I think the original poster here, who is also considering 6DB's for rears will find they are a lot more expensive and other options will be just as good while offering a lower cost. (or save some real coin and do the berillium 41's, you got me going with those now but I don't work with their EMP brand at all).

Now if you want to talk about the new SI-744 surrounds, that's a completely different animal all together! Thought about cutting much bigger holes in your side walls yet? (where's the drooling emoticon?)

P.S. Yeah yeah, we all know you have Decimo's.....(now where's that green with envy emoticon?)