RBH Sound Signature SE/R System Review

[gene]

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/RBHSoundSignatureSERp1.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 94px" alt=[IMGP2065001] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/IMGP2065001_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>The RBH Signature SE/R speaker system is not for everyone.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>If you are not a critical music lover or home theater aficionado and you are simply looking for a speaker system to provide “sound” then this is NOT your product.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The RBH Sound combination of performance, build quality and excellent service all add up to a company and product line easy for us to recommend to our readers whom are serious about unparalleled audio performance.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Our only warning is that these speakers have the ability to raise your expectations of sound quality and may invoke audio elitism of anyone who owns them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; <EM>System reviewed: 61-SE/R, 661-SE/R, 44-SE.</EM></SPAN></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">[Read the Review]&nbsp; [Measurements &amp; Analysis]&nbsp;&nbsp; [Visit RBH Sound]</SPAN></SPAN></P>

 

[Sheep]

Very nice.

Do those enclosures contain any polyfill? I assume they do, but there wasn't any in the pictures.

SheepStar

 

[gene]

Do those enclosures contain any polyfill? I assume they do, but there wasn't any in the pictures.

Actually they have a combination of poly fill and dacron insulation. The pic you are viewing was of just the cabinet with nothing in it as noted in the review.

 

[Sheep]

Yeah, I just skimmed it. I have read through it now.

I have the same issue with my fronts fooling me into thinking my center channel is on. Those little C-1's throw a big soundstage.

SheepStar

 

[ned]

This article made me happy to have invested in my 61 and 661 LSE. The 661 was modified by Shane Rich with no ports for cabinetry use. I wished my 1266 came with the upgrade as well although I'm tempted to remove my 661 LSE driver/crossover and transfer them.

 

[gene]

I wished my 1266 came with the upgrade as well although I'm tempted to remove my 661 LSE driver/crossover and transfer them.

You can't do that b/c the crossover for the 1266 is different. You can however upgrade the 1266's to 1266 SE/R's. You should call RBH and find out what is involved. Best case scenario its as simple as swapping out the drivers. Worst case scenario you have to change out the crossover and drivers and shave out the opening for the tweeter a bit since its bigger.

 

[ned]

Thanks Gene for your advice. Any ideas on how I can cover the ports on my 1266 SE since they are back up aginst a wall? I called RBH and they don't have the foam cover for these models.

 

[gene]

Thanks Gene for your advice. Any ideas on how I can cover the ports on my 1266 SE since they are back up aginst a wall? I called RBH and they don't have the foam cover for these models.

The 1266s will still work well even if they are placed 5 or 6 inches off the backwall. Any chance you can push them off the wall a bit? Otherwise, you may have to resort to stuffing them with BIG socks

 

[MacManNM]

Wow, 5/5 stars for a speaker system that only costs ~$3500 and goes down to 45Hz!

Those drivers look curiously similar to the reference series from Dayton.

I would have thought they would have mounted the inductors on the crossovers a little different though.

 

[ned]

Not really, don't have much space. Do you mean regular cotton socks will do?

 

[gene]

Wow, 5/5 stars for a speaker system that only costs ~$3500 and goes down to 45Hz!

Actually its $4,177 for the system as configured and based on that price we have found them to be as good as the ratings indicate.

This isn't sound reinforcement or a disco. These arent white van speakers with multiple 10" woofers thrown into a cheesy particle board cabinet to yield impressive bass extension on paper. These speakers aren't meant to be full range. They are extremely linear and dynamic within their specified bandwidth and work exceedingly well when paired with bass management and a subwoofer system.

Those drivers look curiously similar to the reference series from Dayton.

Looks can be deceiving

I would have thought they would have mounted the inductors on the crossovers a little different though.

The inductors are at least 2" apart from each other. Coupling is not a significant issue.

 

[MacManNM]

LOL, that is pretty good.

 

[MacManNM]

Looks can be deceiving

Really? Sorry, but they are the same driver. The cones are anodized a different color. Must get the drivers from the same importer.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Close, but there are more bars on the RBH basket. I'd say it's a possibility the same plant in the far east is making them tough - engineered here and produced "there." Someone email RBH and find out. Put this rumor to rest.

 

[Sheep]

I like the silver cone more.

SheepStar

 

[MacManNM]

Close, but there are more bars on the RBH basket. I'd say it's a possibility the same plant in the far east is making them tough - engineered here and produced "there." Someone email RBH and find out. Put this rumor to rest.

Same design and all, I'd say they prob have the rights on the 6.5" thats why PE doesnt sell that exact driver.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Same design and all, I'd say they prob have the rights on the 6.5" thats why PE doesnt sell that exact driver.

Are you sure?

 

[gene]

Really? Sorry, but they are the same driver. The cones are anodized a different color. Must get the drivers from the same importer.

They ARE NOT THE SAME DRIVERS! RBH has designed their driver from the ground up. There is more to a driver than its basket. RBH has speced the cone material, shape, voice coil former, spider and surround. They do NOT outsource this driver and has been inhouse for their Status products for nearly a decade with interations over the years. There is no Rumor to uncover.

 

[craigsub]

RBH certainly has impressive facilities - 46,000 square feet for manufacturing alone. It appears they make their own drivers in house - Gene, am I reading that correctly ?

 

[gene]

It appears they make their own drivers in house - Gene, am I reading that correctly ?

They design their drivers in house and then have them produced over seas.