RBH Signature SV-61R Bookshelf Speaker Review

gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
When you asked for the best possible medium-sized bookshelf speaker, respected loudspeaker manufacturer RBH Sound delivered. You get a lightning-quick AMT tweeter, a premium 6.5" woofer with a chrome phase-plug, a rounded cabinet with an exquisite veneer, and RBH's highly-regarded engineering acumen. These are certainly promising ingredients for a loudspeaker, but how well do they add up in actuality? In our review of the RBH Sound SV-61R, we get our hands on RBH's best efforts for a medium-sized bookshelf speaker and see how well it performs not only in our laboratory testing but also with our favorite music.

SV-61R.jpg


Read: RBH Signature SV-61R Bookshelf Speaker Review
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Very nice. Excellent review.

Now let’s review the SV-831. :D
 
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rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
@shadyJ As always, this is another outstanding review. Thanks for your meticulous effort and for sharing your considerable experience to offer a highly informative review without fluff or bias. Your objectivity is beyond reproach.

These bookshelfs are indeed gorgeous. Like you, I would like to see RBH's flagship use a magnetic grille. At this price, I would also prefer rounded edges and countersunk mounting. But the aesthetics of the drivers and that glorious veneer make these speakers a pleasure to behold.

It seems RBH's solid reputation continues to be well-deserved.
 
B1-66ER

B1-66ER

Audioholic Intern
Beautiful speakers, but such low sensitivity for an AMT design. Curious.
 
D

Dennis Murphy

Audioholic General
Beautiful speakers, but such low sensitivity for an AMT design. Curious.
Tweeters are almost always more sensitive than the accompanying woofer. That's the only way to get decent bass extension (although the RBH's reach isn't very deep for a 6.5" woofer). I'm sure RBH didn't choose this particular AMT to achieve greater sensitivity--it's all about the quality of the sound, not the quantity.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
I would like to see RBH's flagship use a magnetic grille.
I've owned plenty of speakers and subs that used magnetic grilles.

I'm not sure what RBH's rationale is, but I am glad they don't use magnetic grilles.

First, I never remove the speaker grilles, except for when I first receive them to inspect.

Second, magnetic grilles make it way to easy for my annoying in-laws to remove the grilles and touch all the drivers with their damn dirty hands. :D

So I prefer my speaker grilles to stay on firmly.
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
Second, magnetic grilles make it way to easy for my annoying in-laws to remove the grilles and touch all the drivers with their damn dirty hands. :D
That's grounds for involuntary amputation in my homes. Touch a speaker, lose a finger. The last person I explained that to told me I looked just like the sort of person that would carry out that threat...
 
speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
Excellent write-up Shady! The RBH's look fantastic. But, I do not care for magnetic grilles myself. Prefer to leave the grilles on and not mess w/them. My B&W CM 1's and Taylo Reference monitors had them. Drove me bonkers......LOL!!!!! :):):)


Cheers,

Phil
 
rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
I like MB Quart did the grilles on their Vera line. They slip over the front baffles like a collar. See how the front of my speaker looks like it's molded and thrusts out from the cabinet?



There are no post holes, and the grilles can be attached to the rear of the speakers for easy storage for we who prefer not to use them. Wonder why nobody else does that?
 
G

grillmaster

Audiophyte
not sure why this time, but looking at that 7.5ft air height speaker measurement; why? sure you get measurements free of any room interaction. so what. Obviously no one will listen to them that way. I'd rather know how they sound in a room knowing full well the room - the reviewers and mine will change the performance of the speaker anyway, as will the amplification and the rest of our systems.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
not sure why this time, but looking at that 7.5ft air height speaker measurement; why? sure you get measurements free of any room interaction. so what. Obviously no one will listen to them that way. I'd rather know how they sound in a room knowing full well the room - the reviewers and mine will change the performance of the speaker anyway, as will the amplification and the rest of our systems.
The reason for the measurement method is because how the speakers sound in-room can be anticipated by quasi-anechoic measurements, but you can never really anticipate a quasi-anechoic response from an in-room response. In other words, every room is different and will affect the response differently, but the intrinsic response of the speaker will always be the same. In-room measurements wouldn't be useful to anyone aside of the room's owner.
 
R

RXP

Audioholic Intern
Really love the measurements of your speaker reviews.

We've got to the stage thanks to Audioholics, Soundstage and John Akinson at Stereophile of being able to order speakers without ever auditioning them. Fantastic!
 
V

VMPS-TIII

Audioholic General
How would you compare the RBH SV-61R sound against the B&W 606 bookshelf? I compared the B&W 606 to the 706 S2 and in my opinion I did not hear a $1200 difference. Is the RBH SV-61R a lot better sounding than the B&W 706 S2 in your opinion? Personally, It's hard to justify a $2,000 bookshelf when so many floor standing speakers sound so much better imho for less or the same price?
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
How would you compare the RBH SV-61R sound against the B&W 606 bookshelf? I compared the B&W 606 to the 706 S2 and in my opinion I did not hear a $1200 difference. Is the RBH SV-61R a lot better sounding than the B&W 706 S2 in your opinion? Personally, It's hard to justify a $2,000 bookshelf when so many floor standing speakers sound so much better imho for less or the same price?
I haven't heard 606, but I have heard the 603 tower speakers. The RBH SV-61R speakers would sound smoother and a bit more relaxed. I think the wider off-axis dispersion would give it a bigger soundstage as well. Whether that is worth the premium to you, I couldn't tell you, that is something you have to decide.
 
K

Kursun

Enthusiast
I can't believe that electrolytic capacitors are used in this over-priced speakers, and no mention of this is made in the review!
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I can't believe that electrolytic capacitors are used in this over-priced speakers, and no mention of this is made in the review!
You can't believe that? I can, because the crossover circuit is simply well-designed, as can be seen from the performance measurements, and if an electrolytic cap was chosen for the crossover, that is probably because it was the best part for the job.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
I can't believe that electrolytic capacitors are used in this over-priced speakers, and no mention of this is made in the review!
Are you a speaker engineer for a speaker company for the past 30 years and you think the RBH chief speaker engineer should have used different capacitors for this speaker since they will last longer and provide better measurements?
 
K

Kursun

Enthusiast
Are you a speaker engineer for a speaker company for the past 30 years and you think the RBH chief speaker engineer should have used different capacitors for this speaker since they will last longer and provide better measurements?
Yes I am a speaker designer.
If you don't know why electrolytic capacitors shouldn't be used than you don't know anything about audio.
Electrolytic capacitors shouldn't be used in signal paths in audio as they produce more distortion.
They should only used for power supply filtering purposes.

BTW electrolytic capacitors work in circuits as long as they have polarizing DC on them.
Without DC they have short llifespan.

Before answering any post,
First LEARN! LEARN! LEARN!
 

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