Status Acoustics Titus 8T Loudspeaker System Q&A Interview

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admin

Audioholics Robot
Staff member
We were fortunate enough to have Shane Rich (Chief Engineer for RBH Sound / Status Acoustics) on site to help install their new Titus 8T Flagship speaker system in our Premier Audioholics Showcase Theater Room. After a long day of hauling these 345 pound behemoths up two flights of steps, and endless tweaking to find the ideal positioning, we sat down for a little Q&A session with the man responsible for the creation of these super speakers. It was 2am in the morning mind you, but Shane was up for the task of answering some of the questions on my mind to help gain a better understanding of this system. Shane is the fellow on the left of the 8T tower and I am on the right side. This photo was taken in the Audioholics Showcase Theater Room.


Discuss "Status Acoustics Titus 8T Loudspeaker System Q&A Interview" here. Read the article.
 
BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
Gene - Congrats on new Reference speakers, but I'm curious why he didn't mention Kimber cable wiring at all :(
 
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scott911

Full Audioholic
$2,600 worth of cables and terminals

"$2,600 worth of cables and terminals"

that's hard to swallow....

Popping off the German Pt terminals completely, and using a true-value wire nut between your own cable, and the internal lead wiring would work equally well, or maybe better.

but that's one of the ongoing arguments in higher end audio - what matters, what doesn't. Odd things that make us feel better about our products, and in turn, make us enjoy them more. ;)
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
I'd like to hear TLSGuys setup in comparison to the Titus 8T.

Jeff Bagby has a really great post over at PETT that involves a quote from Siegfried Linkwitz about the ability of current generation DIY. I'll have to find the post. *Here is the post

I find it a bit ironic that $2600 can be spent in cables but an active crossover setup is downplayed.

If I was going to spend that much it would be all active.
 
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ratso

ratso

Full Audioholic
big bux for cables and pass labs amps. how very stereophile of you guys :D
 
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templemaners

Senior Audioholic
I find it a bit ironic that $2600 can be spent in cables but an active crossover setup is downplayed.

If I was going to spend that much it would be all active.
+100. I would have thought the subwoofer section would be powered (or have the ability to be powered) seperate from the tweeters/midwoofers.
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
I'd like to hear TLSGuys setup in comparison to the Titus 8T.

Jeff Bagby has a really great post over at PETT that involves a quote from Siegfried Linkwitz about the ability of current generation DIY. I'll have to find the post. *Here is the post

I find it a bit ironic that $2600 can be spent in cables but an active crossover setup is downplayed.

If I was going to spend that much it would be all active.
If you heard how well integrated the drivers are in this system, you wouldn't worry about active crossovers. I've heard some great fully active systems but none matched what I'm hearing with these. I'm sure an active version of this speaker could be made (at a reduced cost no less given how expensive the crossover parts utilized in this design), but the really high-end two-channel crowd typically prefers passive designs that they can mate their own electronics to.

As for $2600 worth of cable and connectors, sure its expensive but when you're dealing with a product of this caliber, the buyer is looking for a solution with the finest materials even down to the connectors. I can tell you these WBT platinum connectors look amazing and really add a touch of class to the product.

I don't hear anyone knocking the wood trim finish of a Bentley automobile, well, at least not the owners anyways :)
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
+100. I would have thought the subwoofer section would be powered (or have the ability to be powered) seperate from the tweeters/midwoofers.
Uh, you can biamp and triamp this speaker and use the bass modules as powered subs if you like.
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
"$2,600 worth of cables and terminals"

that's hard to swallow....

Popping off the German Pt terminals completely, and using a true-value wire nut between your own cable, and the internal lead wiring would work equally well, or maybe better.

but that's one of the ongoing arguments in higher end audio - what matters, what doesn't. Odd things that make us feel better about our products, and in turn, make us enjoy them more. ;)
Frankly, I don't understand the Kimber Kable myself. There is *nothing* special about it.

From just a look and feel perspective I get the WBTs. These are $50K speakers. I wouldn't want hardware store stuff on my $50K speakers. WBTs are like jewelry.

The other thing to keep in mind is that $2600 number looks like it's calculated at MSRP. Cables and connectors are very high margin parts, and RBH probably gets a manufacturers discount and perhaps even marketing dollars for mentioning their names in his collateral. I'll bet that $2600 marketing number is more like a $500-$700 reality. It wouldn't be a large bet, but maybe $20. ;)
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
Frankly, I don't understand the Kimber Kable myself. There is *nothing* special about it.

From just a look and feel perspective I get the WBTs. These are $50K speakers. I wouldn't want hardware store stuff on my $50K speakers. WBTs are like jewelry.

The other thing to keep in mind is that $2600 number looks like it's calculated at MSRP. Cables and connectors are very high margin parts, and RBH probably gets a manufacturers discount and perhaps even marketing dollars for mentioning their names in his collateral. I'll bet that $2600 marketing number is more like a $500-$700 reality. It wouldn't be a large bet, but maybe $20. ;)
Kimber product isn't cheap but its well built, measures very well and they make no snake oil claims about their stuff. It seems this thread is quickly declining to "why don't they use cheaper materials since the expensive stuff doesn't matter". If you're seriously considering this product, I am sure you can order it with standard cabling and connectors at a reduced cost. But even with a $2600 cost reduction, this product is still likely out of the reach of the typical keyboard commando on the forums that prefers to criticize a product they've never heard.
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
If you heard how well integrated the drivers are in this system, you wouldn't worry about active crossovers. I've heard some great fully active systems but none matched what I'm hearing with these. I'm sure an active version of this speaker could be made (at a reduced cost no less given how expensive the crossover parts utilized in this design), but the really high-end two-channel crowd typically prefers passive designs that they can mate their own electronics to.
I think with the high end crowd that can go either way. An active setup allows for better room integration hands down. Passive X-overs are convenient but are generally speaking a one size fits all.

I could see Class A amps on the tweeters and mids and Class D on the subs (which can be done with how they are currently configured). It's a very diverse space at that cost tier.


As for $2600 worth of cable and connectors, sure its expensive but when you're dealing with a product of this caliber, the buyer is looking for a solution with the finest materials even down to the connectors. I can tell you these WBT platinum connectors look amazing and really add a touch of class to the product.

I don't hear anyone knocking the wood trim finish of a Bentley automobile, well, at least not the owners anyways :)
Agreed. I am certainly not their target audience since I stopped purchasing commercial designs 7/8 years ago. My Statements will last me a while until I get a dedicated room built downstairs and go to a custom design from the ground up. Just had a member from AVS over and listen. He doesn't think his $15K L/R Aerial Acoustics have anything on them.

Boy what I could do with about 10-12K in drivers and amplification :D Scanspeak, Seas, and Accuton would make it on the short list.
 
BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
Kimber product isn't cheap but its well built, measures very well and they make no snake oil claims about their stuff.
Palladian PowerKords represent the finest power cable available. The critics have been unanimous in their praise of the cable's transparency, detail, articulate bass, dynamic contrasts, musical ease and flow and freedom from grain.
This is about Power cord... nuff said

I'm not claiming these cables make the speaker better or worse, but it certainly seems like this product was used due to marketing , rather than technical reasons...
 
ratso

ratso

Full Audioholic
as one of the people that took the thread in that direction, i apologize :eek:

actually, i like looking at zillion dollar gear and although infeasible, it would be nice to see things like this reviewed from a source i could actually trust.
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
It seems this thread is quickly declining to "why don't they use cheaper materials since the expensive stuff doesn't matter".
That isn't what I said. I understood the selection of WBTs. (And, FWIW, I own WBT banana plugs.) Kimber markets 8TC to sell for $460 for a 10' pair. I'm sorry, but it is difficult to take that sort of product seriously.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
100% statement piece.

I'd expect nothing less than Kimber Kable or Audioquest.

I'm sure they will sound great.

Some folks will love the aesthetics, some will not. They're not my taste because I prefer that R2D2/ South Park Kenny aesthetics. :D But Some may love the Titus 8T aesthetics.

I would love to see a spectral decay on the cabinet to see how great it is.

I'm sure we would all love to see extremely detailed measurements like 60 degrees off-axis and all.

Sorry, okay......so no quad-amping and active XO like the Orion, but what about $3K Diamond tweeters and such?:D

Those Beryllium domes are about $500 each?

Beryllium is great. Salon2/ Studio2 use them. Paradigm Signature 6 & 8 also. And Focal 1028Be. Many others.


http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/hard-dome-tweeter-page-6/
 
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scott911

Full Audioholic
bad day Gene?

Bad day Gene?


"huh? .... Please re-read."

"Uh, you can.... "

"typical keyboard commando .... that prefers to criticize a product they've never heard.​


How many non-keyboard commandos are reading the site, and clicking the google ads I wonder?
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
People with the pockets to get this speaker (which dear lord would I ever love to have an hour in front of it :) ) are not going to compromise anything.

They probably have $150K room it's going into.

I personally don't think any SQ promises are being made. Simply stating that they are using Kimber. I don't see performance claims being made.

As hinted previously by Gene, I hope that they offer a more affordable solution in the RBH line. Cost reduced through some normal copper IC's. Probably PCB'd X-Overs, low cost but well built binding posts etc, A lower tier of driver that is still stellar on clean output etc...

It's nice to see a no holds barred speaker. Even my Statements are a cost consideration. Their driver selection is one based on $ to Performance. The 8T's are not. They are simply performance first and cost's second.

To say this speaker has got the juices flowing in what I would do with a dedicated room is an understatement.
 
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