Status Acoustics Titus 8T Floorstanding Speaker System Review

A

admin

Audioholics Robot
Staff member
It isn't often that I review a product that fundamentally changes the way I listen and experience audio. Status Acoustics, the premier line of RBH Sound, has managed to do just that with their new flagship Titus 8T floorstanding loudspeaker system. The sound of this speaker system transcends their physical cabinets, which is grandiose and in your face when called to do so, yet delicate like the petals of a rose beckoning you to carefully listen, rewarding you with pure unadulterated audio perfection. If you're in the market to assemble a cost-no-object audiophile two-channel or multi-channel system, I can't imagine anyone not being completely satisfied with the new Status Acoustics Titus 8T speaker system. These are truly what I consider to be "speakers for life". Highly recommended!


Discuss "Status Acoustics Titus 8T Floorstanding Speaker System Review" here. Read the article.
 
monkish54

monkish54

Audioholic General
Gene,

Thanks for the review! :D The speaker is truly gorgeous.

The huge price tag makes me wonder...why would one (yourself included) want the 8T over the Salon 2 (22,000) or KEF Blade ($30,000)?
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
Gene,

Thanks for the review! :D The speaker is truly gorgeous.

The huge price tag makes me wonder...why would one (yourself included) want the 8T over the Salon 2 (22,000) or KEF Blade ($30,000)?
For one thing, A LOT more bass capability than either the Revel or the KEF.
 
monkish54

monkish54

Audioholic General
For one thing, A LOT more bass capability than either the Revel or the KEF.
The Revel has the surface area of a 14" woofer, the KEF has the surface area of an 18" woofer, and the Status 8T has the surface are of a 17.4" woofer.

Add to that the fact that the Revel and KEF's woofers are more than capable of playing VERY loudly with minimal exertion (since there are so many) it's not bass that's going to be gained here. If i added another 27 woofers..but listened at the same volume...I'd still be in the same place (as far as feeling the bass not distortion). The problem with one 8" (Philharmonic) is it has to work VERY hard and therefore SPL is limited. None of the speakers being discussed right now have that issue. They are more than capable of playing VERY loudly, moving LOTS of air, allowing you to seriously feel the bass.

If anything, the KEF wins in the bass department. 4 9" high power handling woofers. More surface area AND less (probably not a whole lot less...I'm not sure) distortion. :D
 
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D

Dennis Murphy

Audioholic General
I haven't heard these speakers, and wouldn't be surprised if they sounded as good as Gene says. But just on a technical note, the article makes a fairly big deal bout the use of Solen Poly Caps in the bass crossover--these are actually about the cheapest high-value poly's you can buy, and are used in many speakers that sell for a tiny fraction of the 8T's asking price. And the 5% tolerance isn't all that tight. That said, I doubt that throwing more money at the bass caps would make any difference in the basic sound.
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
Gene,

Thanks for the review! :D The speaker is truly gorgeous.

The huge price tag makes me wonder...why would one (yourself included) want the 8T over the Salon 2 (22,000) or KEF Blade ($30,000)?
The Revel Salon2 is a great speaker but it's not in the same league as the Status 8T. The Revel like most speakers have the same limitation of a conventional 3 or 4-way systems using only 1 midrange driver. After hearing a well executed truncated line array or multiple mid MTM array like the Status system, there is just no comparison in terms of realism and dynamic range IMO. The Status system also has superior bass extension and output. The speaker just sounds lifelike and effortless at any output level.

I haven't heard the Kef blade so I cannot comment other than when dealing with a truly flagship style tower speaker, surface area for bass and mids really makes a remarkable difference when trying to create the full dynamic spectrum and realism of music.
 
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Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
If anything, the KEF wins in the bass department. 4 9" high power handling woofers. More surface area AND less (probably not a whole lot less...I'm not sure) distortion. :D
Unlikely with that little dinky-butt cabinet...
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
The Revel like most speakers have the same limitation as most 3-way systems using only 1 midrange driver.
The Salon 2 uses two mid-range drivers, because it's a four-way design. But you are correct, there's only one of each.
 
monkish54

monkish54

Audioholic General
The Revel like most speakers have the same limitation as most 3-way systems using only 1 midrange driver.
The Salon 2 is a four way that utilizes a 1" beryllium tweeter, 4" midrange, 6.5" midbass, 3 8" woofers.


The Status system also has superior bass extension
The Salon 2 is -3db at 23hz :D

I haven't heard the Kef blade so I cannot comment other than when dealing with a truly flagship style tower speaker, surface area for bass
The KEF has more surface are for bass and more bass drivers.

[surface area for] mids really makes a remarkable difference when trying to create the full dynamic spectrum and realism of music.
I can't argue with that! :D
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
The Revel has the surface area of a 14" woofer, the KEF has the surface area of an 18" woofer, and the Status 8T has the surface are of a 17.4" woofer.

Add to that the fact that the Revel and KEF's woofers are more than capable of playing VERY loudly with minimal exertion (since there are so many) it's not bass that's going to be gained here. If i added another 27 woofers..but listened at the same volume...I'd still be in the same place (as far as feeling the bass not distortion). The problem with one 8" (Philharmonic) is it has to work VERY hard and therefore SPL is limited. None of the speakers being discussed right now have that issue. They are more than capable of playing VERY loudly, moving LOTS of air, allowing you to seriously feel the bass.

If anything, the KEF wins in the bass department. 4 9" high power handling woofers. More surface area AND less (probably not a whole lot less...I'm not sure) distortion. :D
you can't just compare surface cone area of bass drivers without knowing driver Xmax and enclosure volume and vent area.
 
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Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
:eek: :eek: :eek:

Are we still talking about the Blade? :confused:
Absolutely. Look at the cabinet volume the RBH has for the woofers. It's like having two medium-sized subs in the system. The Blade seems to have relatively little cabinet volume by comparison.
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
The Salon 2 is -3db at 23hz
That's true. In fact, in-room my pair measures fully flat to 20Hz on my OmniMic. (Well, flat meaning that a 20Hz test tone is delivered at the same output level as an 80Hz test tone. In their current location the bass overall is hindered by room modes, hence I use a sub.) What I was discussing was the output level capability. In his review Gene mentioned extraordinary volume capabilities. The Salons are good, but I don't think they'll do 115db at 20Hz.
 
monkish54

monkish54

Audioholic General
you can't just compare surface cone area of bass drivers without knowing driver Xmax and enclosure volume.
I don't see exertion being a huge issue with either speaker as they both use so many bass drivers and are both fairly sensitive. You would have to listen ear bleeding levels to make the Salon 2, KEF Blade, or 8T sweat.

That said here's what I got for the KEF's drivers:

The 9" diaphragms are each driven by a massive 4 1/2" voice coil
The tiny, 125mm (5") midrange....driven by a 75mm (3") voice coil.
I will ask Mr. Oclee-Brown what the Xmax is of the bass and midrange drive units. :D
 
monkish54

monkish54

Audioholic General
Absolutely. Look at the cabinet volume the RBH has for the woofers. It's like having two medium-sized subs in the system. The Blade seems to have relatively little cabinet volume by comparison.
I thought you were saying the cabinet wasn't very well built. I was like :O.

The KEF Blade is -3db at 40hz. For a reference product it's an embarrassing extension figure.
 
GranteedEV

GranteedEV

Audioholic Ninja
The Salons are good, but I don't think they'll do 115db at 20Hz.
They're tuned around there, so it would boil down to vent cross section area, not driver excursion. I agree, I don't think the Salon2 vent has the requisite port area to do that without chuffing. The Status definitely seem to have more.
 
monkish54

monkish54

Audioholic General
The Salons are good, but I don't think they'll do 115db at 20Hz.
That is true. You would need ALOT of power to push them there.

That is definitely a plus in the 8T category, but is it worth the extra 30K?

The Blade can push a good 112db at 8ft. The 8T is definitely more dynamic than both, but it is also ALOT more expensive. Is 115db at 20hz worth $20,000 more than 112db at 40hz? :D
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
The Salon 2 is a four way that utilizes a 1" beryllium tweeter, 4" midrange, 6.5" midbass, 3 8" woofers.




The Salon 2 is -3db at 23hz :D



The KEF has more surface are for bass and more bass drivers.



I can't argue with that! :D
Yes a single 4" mid doesn't have near the surface area of four 6.5" mids.

-3dB at 23Hz at what output level? What is the slope of the rolloff below that?

What is the Xmax of the KEf bass drivers, what is the box volume?

Seriously please stick to the topic at hand on this thread which is of the Status speaker system I just reviewed.
 
monkish54

monkish54

Audioholic General
Yes a 4" mid doesn't have near the surface area of 4 6.5" mids.
No, no it does not! :D

What is the Xmax of the KEf bass drivers, what is the box volume?
I will find out. :D

Seriously please stick to the topic at hand on this thread which is of the Status speaker system I just reviewed.
I personally don't feel comparing two other speakers to the 8T is off-topic considering that is the speaker that was reviewed in this thread, but it is your forum so I will shut up. :D
 

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