Emerald Physics CS2 loudspeakers at RMAF...WOW!!!

zybar · « **on:** 14 Oct 2007, 06:54 pm »

Over the last 24 hrs I have spent quite a lot of time in the Emerald Physics room at RMAF and to say I have been impressed would be an understatement!!

These speakers are an open baffle design with two 15" mid/woofer drivers and one 1" exit compression tweeter in a 12" waveguide. The crossover is done in the digital domain via DSP, as is some signal processing to provide a little assistance around 30Hz or so.

So what does all of that mean in terms of sound?

How about a distortion free sound that produced some of the best music at RMAF regardless of price!

The CS2's handled anything and everything four seasoned audiophiles could throw at it for over two hours yesterday afternoon. We tried different types of jazz, rock, blues, female vocals, male vocals, large scale orchestra, pipe organ, you name it...we tried it. The CS2 loudspeaker didn't blink, it just kept getting more and more engaging, practically begging us to feed it more and more music.

Lest anybody thinks that the CS2 is all about dynamics and spl's (which they provide in spades), I am happy to say that they were superb at providing texture, nuance, and detail that made listening to them an absolute joy.

Oh yeah, all of this was achieved without any room treatments in the room and without esoteric or super expensive supporting gear (full list will be provided later) in a small hotel room.

I went back to the Emerald Physics room this morning to make sure that it all wasn't some dream and that the speakers were as good as I thought they were. I am happy say that they were just as good as yesterday and none of my opinions were any different from the previous day.

So what's next?

Well, I bought a pair and should receive them in three weeks or so.

Stay tuned...

George

Bigfish · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 07:13 pm »

Hi George:

Congratulations! Did you purchase the CS2s with the Bass Module? We will be looking forward to hearing more about your new speakers.

Ken

PeteG · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 07:35 pm »

I told Mike G to go take a listen Friday I really liked them

, I did think a sub for the very bottom would have worked too.
Did you get the Behringer 2496 unit with it.

jermmd · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 07:47 pm »

MSRP?

Bigfish · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 08:02 pm »

Quote from: jermmd on 14 Oct 2007, 07:47 pm

MSRP?

This is the link to the website which includes pricing: http://www.emeraldphysics.com/

Ken

zybar · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 08:51 pm »

Quote from: jermmd on 14 Oct 2007, 07:47 pm

MSRP?

$3k.

George

zybar · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 08:53 pm »

Quote from: Bigfish on 14 Oct 2007, 07:13 pm

Hi George:

Congratulations! Did you purchase the CS2s with the Bass Module? We will be looking forward to hearing more about your new speakers.

Ken

I didn't get the added woofers for now.

Right now I will play with this model before deciding on anything else.

BTW, by using DSP, Emerald Physics was getting measured bass to 20Hz in the small hotel room with no bass bloat or overhang!!

George

Tweaker · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 09:08 pm »

Looking forward to your impressions after installed in your system. It looks like they're being driven by Bel Cantos at the show?

anubisgrau · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 09:13 pm »

yes pls write more on amplification used. i understand they need to be driven bi-amped via an active crossover, and that you need plenty of watts to keep the bass in control. how's about the tweeter - can it be driven with a flea amp such as altmann BYOB?

also why behringer, i thought they come with dbx DSP?

zybar · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 09:28 pm »

Quote from: anubisgrau on 14 Oct 2007, 09:13 pm

yes pls write more on amplification used. i understand they need to be driven bi-amped via an active crossover, and that you need plenty of watts to keep the bass in control. how's about the tweeter - can it be driven with a flea amp such as altmann BYOB?

also why behringer, i thought they come with dbx DSP?

I don't believe you needs plenty of watts to control the mid/woofers.

I will certainly try my Bella Extreme 100's (60 watts in Triode mode) on the mid/woofer drivers and see how it does.

A pair of the 100 watt stereo Bel Canto amps were used at RMAF.

George

Tweaker · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 09:57 pm »

Everything you wanted to know about Emerald Physics but were afraid to ask:
http://www.emeraldphysics.com/specs.htm
100dB sensitivity, bring out the flea amps!

anubisgrau · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 09:59 pm »

Quote from: Tweaker on 14 Oct 2007, 09:57 pm

Everything you wanted to know about Emerald Physics but were afraid to ask:
http://www.emeraldphysics.com/specs.htm
100dB sensitivity, bring out the flea amps!

c'mon, for these 2 eminence woofers i'm afraid flea amps won't do the task...

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:28 pm »

Quote from: anubisgrau on 14 Oct 2007, 09:59 pm

Quote from: Tweaker on 14 Oct 2007, 09:57 pm
Everything you wanted to know about Emerald Physics but were afraid to ask:
http://www.emeraldphysics.com/specs.htm
100dB sensitivity, bring out the flea amps!

c'mon, for these 2 eminence woofers i'm afraid flea amps won't do the task...

These speakers are biamping type. You need to provide 2 stereo amps minimum. One them can be a flea. The other ought to be brute SS type.

TomS · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:28 pm »

I was with the troops in the Emerald Physics room too yesterday for a LONG time. We just kept throwing discs at them of all flavors and they were just totally composed regardless of the music. No room treatments at all either. I actually had to go out and buy some pipe organ music at one of the booths so I could throw that in before leaving for dinner. They handled that too, no sweat, with just as fast and detailed bass as all of the other material. I can only imagine what the second set of bass panels would do (and intend to find out). The designer said they don't go deeper, just add even more impact - whoa! These are the REAL DEAL folks. More to come...

Tom

TomS · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:29 pm »

They were using a stereo pair of Bel Canto ice amps vertically biamped playing to seriously loud levels without issues. Not sure which ones though.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:32 pm »

Quote

c'mon, for these 2 eminence woofers i'm afraid flea amps won't do the task...

This will depend more on the impedance graph more-so than efficiency. If they maintain a steady, flat impedance, low wattage tube amps should be okay but like anything audio, the more power/current you throw at it the more dynamically 'real' it becomes. I was driving my Usher Audio D2 speakers (98dB - TAD 4001 compression driver and twin 15 bass drivers) with 1.5 watt Welborne Labs 45 mono blocs and they did a very nice job.
I would sacrifice a dB or 2 of efficiency for a flat impedance plot anyday if using low wattage tube amps.

Just my 2 cents.

zybar · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:41 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio on 14 Oct 2007, 10:32 pm

Quote
c'mon, for these 2 eminence woofers i'm afraid flea amps won't do the task...

This will depend more on the impedance graph more-so than efficiency. If they maintain a steady, flat impedance, low wattage tube amps should be okay but like anything audio, the more power/current you throw at it the more dynamically 'real' it becomes. I was driving my Usher Audio D2 speakers (98dB - TAD 4001 compression driver and twin 15 bass drivers) with 1.5 watt Welborne Labs 45 mono blocs and they did a very nice job.
I would sacrifice a dB or 2 of efficiency for a flat impedance plot anyday if using low wattage tube amps.

Just my 2 cents.

Bill,

Any thoughts on using your Bella Extreme 3205 for the tweeters and my Bella Extreme 100's for the mid/woofs?

George

Bill Baker · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:48 pm »

Quote

Bill,

Any thoughts on using your Bella Extreme 3205 for the tweeters and my Bella Extreme 100's for the mid/woofs?

That would definitely work if you think the additional power would be required. We could build the 3205 power amp with a gain control in it to be able to match the output of the two sets of drivers.

You could even try the combination in reverse with the Bella 100's handling the mid/upper frequencies

and the 3205 down below.

anubisgrau · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:52 pm »

i've never heard the OB panels in a "real room"... any thoughts on

a) what is a minimum room size for a speaker like CS2? mine is 5m x 4.5m...
b) how far you need to put them from a back wall?

zybar · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 10:59 pm »

Quote from: zybar on 14 Oct 2007, 10:41 pm

Quote from: Response Audio on 14 Oct 2007, 10:32 pm
Quote
c'mon, for these 2 eminence woofers i'm afraid flea amps won't do the task...

This will depend more on the impedance graph more-so than efficiency. If they maintain a steady, flat impedance, low wattage tube amps should be okay but like anything audio, the more power/current you throw at it the more dynamically 'real' it becomes. I was driving my Usher Audio D2 speakers (98dB - TAD 4001 compression driver and twin 15 bass drivers) with 1.5 watt Welborne Labs 45 mono blocs and they did a very nice job.
I would sacrifice a dB or 2 of efficiency for a flat impedance plot anyday if using low wattage tube amps.

Just my 2 cents.

Bill,

Any thoughts on using your Bella Extreme 3205 for the tweeters and my Bella Extreme 100's for the mid/woofs?

George

Bill,

I'll give you a call tomorrow.

George