The X-Factor

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shokunin

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The X-Factor
« on: 6 Dec 2004, 07:21 pm »
Well it's been a few weeks since I picked up my pair of RM/x's with TRT and Analysis Plus cabling and I thought I post my initial impressions.

Out of the get go, the finish on the RM/x are top notch, there were no quality control issues that I could see with the RM/x's, the paint finish is top notch with a smooth beautiful automotive black clear coat finish.  I personally picked up the pair and had inspected them before making the long drive back down to Southern Cal.   The suckers are HEAVY, but little ol me was able to single handedly get them out of the van, haul them across the garage, into the house, unbox them, put the bases on a prop them upright.  If I can do this I don't think most people wil have any problemsl.  :wink:

Compared to my RM40's the RM/x are definitely more difficult to setup properly.  They are still not fully tweaked as I'm expecting some more gear to arrive, plus I'm using some temporary cables etc, so I'm not going to do a full out adjustment until I get things settled in.  Once they do,  I'll have John Tweakmaster Casler come over for a session.  The reason I upgraded from the RM40's were due to my wanting of more bass fullness and impact.  Now full blame can't be given to the 40's as my room has some issues that I should have and still need to address.  That being said, I was never quite able to get BOTH deep bass extension and tight impactful midbass in MY room.  I got one or the other a mix that never ultimately satisfied me.  The RM/x with very little putty adjustment gave me the deep bass and impact that I was looking for, in addition, there seems a bit more clarity and cohesiveness to the image than the 40's even without making any changes to my room's acoustics.  I just picked up some room RTA software that will allow me to make some decisions on room treatment.

The RM/x's also have the usual putty, mid pot, tweeter, pot, but also tweeter pod angle, and side firing woofer being in or out.  I used to feel that the sweet spot on the Rm40's was very small, I now feel that at my current setup it's even smaller :!:.  It's probably due to my tweeker pod angle and toe-in, but damn, if I shift over six inches, the image shifts noticeably, but damn when you are in the sweet spot, it definitely is sweeeet.  I also feel the image is slightly higher than the 40's about a foot higher than what I was used to.  Again, I could be the toe in and pod angle.

The X's are also reveal any changes you make to your system.  As I swap cables, the change is noticeable and cables I used to have I can no longer tolerate them with the RM/x's.  Sigh...  

I'm currently running the RM/x full range with a pair of deHavilland Aries 845G monoblocks.  For slightly lower than normal listening levels the 36w deHavillands can power the RM/x's quite nicely, but the amp begins to distort at louder volumes.  Once my Ampzillas arrive I'll be able to bi-amp the RM/x's.  

My Analog rig sounds great with the RM/x's, my digital rig could use some help, the RM/x are revealing more good and bad things that will make me re-evaluate my equipment choices  :|

Hopefully, after the Holidays wind down I can host a So Cal Rage at my place.  We can give Mad Dog and MoMD some time to rest as they've hosted most of the session all year.

tkp

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Re: The X-Factor
« Reply #1 on: 6 Dec 2004, 08:00 pm »
Quote from: shokunin
Well it's been a few weeks since I picked up my pair of RM/x's with TRT and Analysis Plus cabling and I thought I post my initial impressions.

Out of the get go, the finish on the RM/x are top notch, there were no quality control issues that I could see with the RM/x's, the paint finish is top notch with a smooth beautiful automotive black clear coat finish.  I personally picked up the pair and had inspected them before making the long drive back down to Southern Cal.   The suckers are HEAVY, but little  ...


Shokunin,

If you call yourself little then I don't know what to call myself :-) (midget ?) because it took both my friend and I to drag them into his house and set them up.

Congrat !

Mad DOg

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Re: The X-Factor
« Reply #2 on: 6 Dec 2004, 08:25 pm »
Quote from: shokunin
The suckers are HEAVY, but little ol me was able to single handedly get them out of the van, haul them across the garage, into the house, unbox them, put the bases on a prop them upright. If I can do this I don't think most people wil have any problems!...

you sure you didn't get any help from your daughter? :wink:

if not, these audio sessions were getting boring anyways so it looks like the main event at the next So Cal Rage session could be an arm wrestling match featuring...

John Casler vs. Shokunin!!!

my money is on Shokunin!  :wink:

glad to hear you're having fun w/ your new speakers! can't wait to hear them! :cool:

ctviggen

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The X-Factor
« Reply #3 on: 6 Dec 2004, 09:11 pm »
I wonder if you added dual largers to the RM40s how close this setup would compare with the RM-Xs?  I think I'm gravitating this way, as I would like more bass and an ability to move the RM40s around (to bring them away from my RPTV) without sacrificing bass.

shokunin

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Re: The X-Factor
« Reply #4 on: 6 Dec 2004, 10:57 pm »
Quote from: Mad DOg
you sure you didn't get any help from your daughter? :wink:

if not, these audio sessions were getting boring anyways so it looks like the main event at the next So Cal Rage session could be an arm wrestling match featuring...

John Casler vs. Shokunin!!!

my money is on Shokunin!  :wink:

glad to hear you're having fun w/ your new speakers! can't wait to hear them! :cool:


Ha!!  Me and john arm wrestling.  I think John's bicep is the size of my neck ;).  Maybe we can watch John bench press the RM/x, we'll let him move the speakers from woofers firing in vs. out.

shokunin

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The X-Factor
« Reply #5 on: 6 Dec 2004, 11:02 pm »
Quote from: ctviggen
I wonder if you added dual largers to the RM40s how close this setup would compare with the RM-Xs?  I think I'm gravitating this way, as I would like more bass and an ability to move the RM40s around (to bring them away from my RPTV) without sacrificing bass.


I think you could get quite close to the RM/x when using dual largers.  In fact, I was going to go that route, when I started measuring out the size of the largers, there was no way my wife would let yet another 2 large black boxes in the living room.  THe Rm/x are larger than the RM40's but the footprint is only slightly larger.

The RM30's with dual 215 subs or the RM40's with dual largers in my guesstimate would be quite a contender to the RM/x.  However, the RM/x does have a tremendous sense of ease and musicality through it's six neo panels.  In my somewhat largish room that extends into the kitchen which would make my room larger than 30x28x9' the RM/x has enough energy to charge the room.

At Brian's Factory is saw John Caslers dream setup.... three to four columns of 5 to 6 stacked oak veneered larger sub cabinets.  I'd hate to be in there when another big earthquake hit..

Brian Cheney

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tweeter
« Reply #6 on: 6 Dec 2004, 11:02 pm »
Start by adjusting the tweeter pods so that the top of the pod is parallel to the floor.  This affords an approx, 40 degree angle of incidence of the trebles.  After you have adjusted the PR adjust pots and pod angle in VERY small increments.

zybar

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The X-Factor
« Reply #7 on: 6 Dec 2004, 11:18 pm »
Glenn,

How about some pictures?

George

shokunin

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The X-Factor
« Reply #8 on: 6 Dec 2004, 11:24 pm »
Quote from: zybar
Glenn,

How about some pictures?

George


Hey george,

I'll get some pics up, but I need to clean up the living room  :oops:   someone might mistake the tricycle, the barney toys, and the stuffed animals as room treatment  :D

ScottMayo

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The X-Factor
« Reply #9 on: 8 Dec 2004, 09:13 pm »
Quote from: shokunin
I'll get some pics up, but I need to clean up the living room  :oops:   someone might mistake the tricycle, the barney toys, and the stuffed animals as room treatment  :D


You know, a wall covered three-deep with stuffed animals might make a really decent acoustic treatment.

Of course, then we'll have audiophiles arguing Steiff vs. Gund, recycled polyester filling vs. virgin, and which way the animals should be facing for best absorption.

Great. Now I have an image of hundreds of Gund baby rhinos, glued to a wall and mooning a pair of RM/X speakers. Which is a pretty clear indication that my cold medication has worn off.