RBH Sound Drops Gauntlet with New SVTR Super Speaker

[gene]

Every once in a while there’s a review product that comes along that’s head and shoulders above the rest. RBH’s SVTR Signature Speaker falls into that category. Build quality is impeccable and its performance, formidable. Even at an asking price of $10,999, this system is an audiophile bargain. RBH's awe-inspiring SVTR Tower Speaker sports dual 12-inch woofers, three 8-inch midrange drivers, and a ribbon tweeter combine to deliver mind-blowing, anvil-like bass, razor-like imaging and astounding dynamics. RBH's SVTR Tower Speaker delivers reference-grade performance that has to be experienced to be believed. This is a speaker where you experience music, not just listen to it. In fact, the SVTR Tower Speaker may just be a permanent cure to audiophile upgrade-itis.

Read: RBH Sound SVTR Speaker Review
(note the pic here has an additional SV-1212NR subwoofer stacked on top) The SV-1212NR achieves our Extreme Bassaholic Room Size rating. Imagine having 4 of these in your theater system?!?

 

[TICA]

WOW, I can only imagine how they sound. Nice job RBH Sound.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I've been listening to these STV Towers of Power in my living room for about a year now.

They still sound as awesome as the day I got them.

I am glad they have such an accurate frequency response --- about +/- 2.5dB and extends all the way down to 20Hz flat.

I do not miss my Revel Salon2, B&W 802D2, Linkwitz Orion 3.2.1, Philharmonic 3, KEF Reference, or any other speakers I've ever owned.

And as far as sound quality of Diamond vs Beryllium vs Titanium vs Aluminum vs Magnesium vs Silk dome tweeters, it matters exactly zero percent to me. Just give me awesome sounding tweeters with high-power rating.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

"The subwoofer and monitor modules each have two pairs of binding post for a total of four per speaker. You’ll need a jumper speaker cable between the two units to drive them with a single amplifier. "

Here are the key differences between an SVTR Tower Reference Speaker and the a la carte configurations. If you make any a la carte configurations, there is no built-in crossover network between the SV-831R monitor and SV-1212x subwoofer...

If you opt to do things a la carte, you need to use your pre-pro to provide the crossover between the monitor and sub modules. There’s no internal crossover network between the two speakers. You're treating them as separate monitor and sub units.

So if you get the SVTR, then it has a built-in network between the SV-831R and SV-1212NR, which means you can use each modular tower as a single speaker/single-amp.

But if you get any other combinations (I got the SV-831R + SV1212N), then there is no built-in XO for a single-speaker configuration option. You would have to bi-amp each tower (like I'm doing now with an external amp).

However, as mentioned in the review, RBH can build the internal network for any options. I believe the price is about $600 per pair ($300 per unit) for the internal network.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

"The stated frequency response for a pair of the Reference Tower system is 20Hz-35kHz. As you'll see below, the SVTR's bottom end frequency response is deeper than the subwoofer's rating (22Hz-180Hz). That's not a typo. A representative from RBH told me that the series inductor in the woofer low pass filter affects the vent tuning frequency of the subwoofer. With the inductor in place, the tuning frequency is shifted down a few Hz compared to the subwoofer without the inductor, This accounts for the lower frequency response specification of the SVTR."

That is wild!

As a tower (with a jumper between the top cabinet SV-831 and lower cabinet SV-1212R), the bass actually goes lower than the subwoofer by itself?

 

[everettT]

"The stated frequency response for a pair of the Reference Tower system is 20Hz-35kHz. As you'll see below, the SVTR's bottom end frequency response is deeper than the subwoofer's rating (22Hz-180Hz). That's not a typo. A representative from RBH told me that the series inductor in the woofer low pass filter affects the vent tuning frequency of the subwoofer. With the inductor in place, the tuning frequency is shifted down a few Hz compared to the subwoofer without the inductor, This accounts for the lower frequency response specification of the SVTR."

That is wild!

As a tower (with a jumper between the top cabinet SV-831 and lower cabinet SV-1212R), the bass actually goes lower than the subwoofer by itself?

Crap, reconfiguring to come

 

[Cjamrr]

I don’t see RBH setting up a exhibit at Axpona in Schaumburg Renaissance Center in Illinois this April 12th-14th of 2019.
I was expecting to see them and listen to these awesome speakers I’ve been hearing about. Too bad, can’t find any RBH in the state.

 

[shadyJ]

It can be expensive to make an appearance at these shows. You have to fly out a bunch of staff, put them up in hotel rooms for a little while, ship a bunch of gear to and from, and also rent an exhibit. The base cost of a exhibitors room is $4k, and it goes up from there. Without doing anything fancy, RBH would be looking at probably around a $10k expenditure, just for a simple exhibit. Trade shows are a nice way to maintain a presence in the industry, but they aren't the only way, and there may be more cost effective uses of that sum of money. RBH would probably rather go to RMAF anyway, since RMAF isn't very far from Utah.

 

[Cjamrr]

I see why. I may to go to RMAF then.
I do love my Focal’s. However I would love to hear the Tower of Power.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

It can be expensive to make an appearance at these shows. You have to fly out a bunch of staff, put them up in hotel rooms for a little while, ship a bunch of gear to and from, and also rent an exhibit. The base cost of a exhibitors room is $4k, and it goes up from there. Without doing anything fancy, RBH would be looking at probably around a $10k expenditure, just for a simple exhibit. Trade shows are a nice way to maintain a presence in the industry, but they aren't the only way, and there may be more cost effective uses of that sum of money. RBH would probably rather go to RMAF anyway, since RMAF isn't very far from Utah.

That's how we wind up with $1500 fuses and power cords. The people with the most money to spend are addicted to the expense itself, instead of the product that was purchased. This leads to a class of product where all the money goes into marketing, not R&D or materials.

RBH would probably sell more if they tripled the price and did the show circuit. Weird but true.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

I read the review last week- those are steal for what you're getting.

 

[shadyJ]

That's how we wind up with $1500 fuses and power cords. The people with the most money to spend are addicted to the expense itself, instead of the product that was purchased. This leads to a class of product where all the money goes into marketing, not R&D or materials.

I would say that is partly true of trade shows, but you still see a lot of value oriented audio there. It's not all pseudoscience bling. However, those audio enthusiasts who just want to concentrate on value oriented audio gear have places like Audioholics to fill those needs!

 

[CoryW]

Every once in a while there’s a review product that comes along that’s head and shoulders above the rest. RBH’s SVTR Signature Speaker falls into that category. Build quality is impeccable and its performance, formidable. Even at an asking price of $10,999, this system is an audiophile bargain. RBH's awe-inspiring SVTR Tower Speaker sports dual 12-inch woofers, three 8-inch midrange drivers, and a ribbon tweeter combine to deliver mind-blowing, anvil-like bass, razor-like imaging and astounding dynamics. RBH's SVTR Tower Speaker delivers reference-grade performance that has to be experienced to be believed. This is a speaker where you experience music, not just listen to it. In fact, the SVTR Tower Speaker may just be a permanent cure to audiophile upgrade-itis.

Read: RBH Sound SVTR Speaker Review
(note the pic here has an additional SV-1212NR subwoofer stacked on top) The SV-1212NR achieves our Extreme Bassaholic Room Size rating. Imagine having 4 of these in your theater system?!?

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What a bummer that I’m stuck with my dumb old T series. Man do they know how to move some air with style.