[Hobbsmeerkat]

Got up early to make the long drive from my hotel in Denton, TX, to drive up with Killian to Iowa Park, to spend the day with Danny to see some "behind the scenes" & have a listen to the setup in his listening room.

Being a cool, drizzly Monday, it was a late start for Danny, but I took the time to explore the a bit & see what was lying around the shop, which included some speakers that were sent in for measurements and possible upgrades, ranging from $150-$1200, test baffles for models like the NX-Studios, Super minis, development drivers, both successes & failures (like Neo-10 replacements without any buffer layers, with my favorite being one with *some* felt, but only between the rows of magnets, not the diaphragm & magnets...  )







Playing music in the background is a pair of N-1s running on a cheap speaker amp & they honestly sound fantastic with a variety of music.



One of the speakers sent in for testing was a pair of Jamo C103 bookshelf speakers. We discovered a pretty unusual quirk while testing this speaker that Danny says he wants to talk about in a future video, and I don't wanna spoil the fun just yet~



Seeing the testing process for Clio Pocket was really interesting and seeing how even small changes makes big differences, and how much easier it is to test a bi-wire ready speaker. It gives me a lot info on how to update my testing in the future, even using REW.

Now something that caught my eye was the NX-Studio with a different front baffle & some proof-of-concept samples with an interesting design feature that looks oddly familiar... 



BUT, what was also REALLY cool about it, was it has a curved rear slope!
Really gets my brain thinking!


 
Not shown was a lower chamber designed to run a pair of M165-NQ drivers to help fill out the bottom end. (Tho, seeing he has pair of Triple 8" U-frame servo-sub stands... I feel like im being tempted... lol)

Now for the main course, the NX-Tremes:



These monsters are a commanding presence in the room, and the Triple servos behind them are no slouch either!

I've honestly never heard such an impressive level of effortlessness, clarity & detail, even at low volumes, Its honestly hard to explain without BEING there or having your own pair.



We ran a decent gambit of music that Danny had on hand as well as a little bit of the music I had brought, and boy you can tell when something is compressed (think loudness-war/dynamic compression) & lacks any real depth, decay or detail. It almost makes you loose a little appreciation for some of your long-time favorites, because they have nothing extra to bring to the table, but even my X-LS Encores have started doing that to me already, even with the base-level crossover & Tube Connectors

However, when a song is well recorded & dynamic you're in heaven!
Bass from the triple subs is unbeatable, fast & powerful with so much detail to find & love, especially with upright bass, where you can hear its body both in terms of detail, but also volume.



Speaking of singing: Danny isnt kidding when he says you can almost reach out and touch the singer.. 
Sitting at ear level with the tweeter sets the singer within feet of you. With your eyes closed you would swear they were in the room with you.

While I wish I could have had a little more time to listen to some more of the music I had brought, as well as the variety of speakers he has on hand (NX-Tremes, Oticas, Studios, Super Minis, & full upgraded kit X-LS) it was still an incredible experience, and really has me motivated to finish my pair of NX-Studios so i can take that next step forward. 

Thanks for reading!

[Vedder323]

Man I’m jealous. I miss hearing that rig and room! It’s exceptional!

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Man I’m jealous. I miss hearing that rig and room! It’s exceptional!

You & me both, Ron!

I'm really happy that Danny & Killian let me shadow them for a day, I'd definitely love to go back again someday in the future!

[RonP]

oh dang!

I didn't know visits were happening/allowed.

Nice one Hobbs!
 

[hawkeyejw]

Thanks for sharing Hobbs! Looks like it was a lot of fun.

[Tyson]

Hobbs, now you see why I'm such a big fanboy of the NX line (and the Super line).  They are at the very highest level of performance.  Literally among the very best speakers in the world. 

[mkrawcz]

Hobbs, now you see why I'm such a big fanboy of the NX line (and the Super line).  They are at the very highest level of performance.  Literally among the very best speakers in the world.

Yes, they have to be heard to understand.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Hobbs, now you see why I'm such a big fanboy of the NX line (and the Super line).  They are at the very highest level of performance.  Literally among the very best speakers in the world.

Oh for sure!
It really makes me wish I had the space for a set of NX-Oticas & a pair of dual 12" servo towers. Heck or even some Super Minis on the triple 8" servo subs.. I really wish I could have spent all day going thru each of them, so I could have a better comparison between the entire line up to be able to explain and also understand how a different number of woofers affect the scale, depth & even tone, but perhaps that can be arranged another day in the future.

That said, I'm still really thankful to Danny and Killian for the experience, & allowing me to hear such an incredible system. 

[Peter J]

That's a NOVA swoop on the NX Studio... patent pending. Cool looking, huh?

[Hobbsmeerkat]

That's a NOVA swoop on the NX Studio... patent pending. Cool looking, huh?

Yeah! I'm digging it, it also looks a lot easier to assemble than the current design I've been working with, esp for the Studio Center concept.

[Hopeful]

Do you have to have the subs with the Extremes? 

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Do you have to have the subs with the Extremes? 

Absolutely one of the limitations of OB is that you need more or larger drivers to play down lower.
And how far down your speakers reach is partially room dependant.
iirc, the NX-tremes can usually play down to ~70hz so you'll need a sub for everything below that, wether you go with a pair of sealed subs, or a pair of dual/triple towers.

[Danny Richie]

I really enjoyed the visit and now I can put a face with the posts that you've made.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I really enjoyed the visit and now I can put a face with the posts that you've made.

Likewise, I really appreciate you allowing me to spend the day & allowing me to take a peek behind the curtain! It was a really fun & insightful experience! 

[Scott60]

So, is the NX-Studio being further developed, or is the one shown in the OP an early prototype?

[Hobbsmeerkat]

So, is the NX-Studio being further developed, or is the one shown in the OP an early prototype?

I actually didn't get a chance to ask Danny about it, since he was busy with the phone, emails, & website most of the day.

But I am curious about the the concepts that are going into it, cuz it is cool to see, but I wonder if its a way to allow the Studios to be laid on their sides, (as recording studios sometimes will, but allow the tweeter to remain upright) which was the reason I used in my proof of concept for a Studio Center or Studio MTM towers, without needing to CNC cut multiple baffles out of thick MDF, it can just be rotated as needed.

(I know it's totally selfish of me to say, but I'd love to have one of the prototypes/concepts that were laying on top of if.. )

[Scott60]

Hobbs,

I like the idea of the modular tweeter insert. It would make it easy to test different tweeters without modifying or rebuilding the main cabinet. I don't think it's possible to rotate the insert in the prototype as it would need flats on four sides.

I would also like to understand the theory of the parabolic baffle (it appears to be derived from a parabola). I expect the straight panels in the kits are a concession to cost and ease of construction.

- Scott

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Hobbs,

I like the idea of the modular tweeter insert. It would make it easy to test different tweeters without modifying or rebuilding the main cabinet. I don't think it's possible to rotate the insert in the prototype as it would need flats on four sides.

I would also like to understand the theory of the parabolic baffle (it appears to be derived from a parabola). I expect the straight panels in the kits are a concession to cost and ease of construction.

- Scott

Correct, not this version specifically, but i believe that one of the concepts that were sat on top had a version that was more square and similar to my 3D printed design, which would allow it to be easily tested or rotated as desired.



I'm definitely curious about the design choices and how it affects the sound. But I definitely agree that there are plenty of cost/construction points that need to be considered as well.

[Peter J]

To address some of the conjecture on the NX Studio prototype pictured.

The concept is about a modular waveguide to facilitate versatility in design and implementation.  It evidently flopped in frequency response testing. A second concept sample was made and while better, still had response problems.

The curved shelf was purely because I could dream it up and thought it would be interesting. As far as I know, it had no sonic benefit or drawback.

The project is in limbo for the time being.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

To address some of the conjecture on the NX Studio prototype pictured.

The concept is about a modular waveguide to facilitate versatility in design and implementation.  It evidently flopped in frequency response testing. A second concept sample was made and while better, still had response problems.

The curved shelf was purely because I could dream it up and thought it would be interesting. As far as I know, it had no sonic benefit or drawback.

The project is in limbo for the time being.

Thanks for the info, Peter! I'm definitely curious where the the response issues from with the waveguide cuz I really do like the concept and would love to explore it some more. I know Danny has mentioned a few times that getting the waveguide just right is crucial, since even small changes in its shape can create unexpected issues in response.

I definitely plan to revisit my designs to allow for faster prints & better fitment of both the neo3 & waveguide within my test baffle.