[jtwrace]

What is the cost of the 12" Rythmik in a basic finish?

[jsalk]

What is the cost of the 12" Rythmik in a basic finish?

The base price for a 12" is $1295.  The 15" base price is $1495.  And a 15" with dual 15" passives has a base price of $1895.  Obviously we can't compete, price-wise, with Asian-built cabinets, but our cabinets are more massive and result in much cleaner performance.  Plus, we can match the finish on our speakers and/or customize the finish to your heart's content.

- Jim

[grantc79]

The base price for a 12" is $1295.  The 15" base price is $1495.  And a 15" with dual 15" passives has a base price of $1895.  Obviously we can't compete, price-wise with Asian-built cabinets, but our cabinets are more massive and result in much cleaner performance.  Plus, we can match the finish on our speakers and/or customize the finish to your heart's content.

- Jim

- Jim

How is the performance of the 15 vs the 15 with passives?

Will the 15 with passives give more output noticeably deeper?

[oneinthepipe]

I built (4) subs based upon Jeff B.'s design, each using (1) Dayton RSS390-4 15" sub with (2) CSS APR-15 passive radiators, damped with 1000 grams of weight, in a 4.9 cubic foot (I.D.) sealed cabinet constructed with 3/4" MDF under 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood, without any additional interior bracing, and driven by a Dayton 240 watt plate amp.  I am using a Velodyne SMS-1 crossed over @ 80hz with my HT2-TL. 

The subs go very low, and they are very musical.  I don't know how they would compare to Jim's Rythmic subs, and Jim's craftsmanship is unparalleled, but, nonetheless, the use of the subs provide a significant improvement in the clarity of the HT2-TL midrange, in my opinion, which I initially heard with Ogogilby's system and which motivated me to incorporate subwoofers in my system.  Whichever of Jim's subs you chose, I think that you will be thrilled with the results.

[jsalk]

How is the performance of the 15 vs the 15 with passives?

Will the 15 with passives give more output noticeably deeper?

floresjc talked about these in a few posts on the previous page.  A sealed sub rolls off very early regardless of the size of the driver.  The Ryhmik servo circuitry deals with this by increasing power to the driver when deep bass is required.  The amp basically forces the driver to play deeper than it normally would in a sealed cabinet.  This can take quite a bit of additional amplifier power. 

With dual passives, the system is tuned low to begin with and the driver plays deeper in normal operation.  So it takes quite a bit less amplifier power to produce deep bass and you have a lot more power in reserve. This would be somewhat similar to ported performance.  The difference is that there is no port noise (which can be substantial at the frequencies involved).  So there are three advantages - 1) bass extension similar to a ported cabinet; 2) no port noise; and, 3) more amplifier power available should it be needed.

- Jim

[grantc79]

floresjc talked about these in a few posts on the previous page.  A sealed sub rolls off very early regardless of the size of the driver.  The Ryhmik servo circuitry deals with this by increasing power to the driver when deep bass is required.  The amp basically forces the driver to play deeper than it normally would in a sealed cabinet.  This can take quite a bit of additional amplifier power. 

With dual passives, the system is tuned low to begin with and the driver plays deeper in normal operation.  So it takes quite a bit less amplifier power to produce deep bass and you have a lot more power in reserve. This would be somewhat similar to ported performance.  The difference is that there is no port noise (which can be substantial at the frequencies involved).  So there are three advantages - 1) bass extension similar to a ported cabinet; 2) no port noise; and, 3) more amplifier power available should it be needed.

- Jim

PM sent.

[JLM]

Jim,

How would the price/performance compare of a Rythmic 12 vs. the SongSub?

I'm thinking about a pair to double as speaker stands, so don't need massive output - but would like to go fairly deep.  Music is much more the priority, so quality is #1.  So which design (sealed, passive, ported, or servo) would you recommend?  And honestly most of your finishes would embarass my solid cherry furniture.   

BTW as I look at professional subs (matching to active studio monitors) I'm finding most are only rated to 25 or 28 Hz.  Wonder why?

[CMYKjill]

I love my 12" Rythmik sub ♥♥♥

[won ton on]

now that we have seen the inside of a rythmik sub how about inside shots of the ht2-tl's thanks

[jsalk]

Jim,

How would the price/performance compare of a Rythmic 12 vs. the SongSub?

Down to about 25Hz or so, they would perform about the same.  Below that, the 12" Rythmik would have an advantage in that the servo amp will force the 12" driver to play lower than it normally would.

I'm thinking about a pair to double as speaker stands, so don't need massive output - but would like to go fairly deep.  Music is much more the priority, so quality is #1.  So which design (sealed, passive, ported, or servo) would you recommend?  And honestly most of your finishes would embarass my solid cherry furniture.   

BTW as I look at professional subs (matching to active studio monitors) I'm finding most are only rated to 25 or 28 Hz.  Wonder why?

Because they are being honest.

If you look at almost any ad for a home theater subwoofer these days, you will see specs rated to 20 Hz or below (why would anyone want a sub that couldn't at least play to 20Hz).  What you don't see is how many db is it down at 20Hz.  Most speaker specifications are rated at xxHz to xxHz +/- 3db.  The lower figure is normally called the F3 of the speaker - the point at which the bass falls off 3db. 

While some sub manufacturers don't disclose it, many are using a specification of F10 (the point at which bass falls off 10db) to describe their sub's performance.  Their justification is that the "in-room" response will get you somewhere near this figure.  But for consumers who are used to FR being quoted in terms of an F3, this is quite misleading.

The fact is, most consumer subs don't get anywhere near 20Hz at -3db (F3).  Yet many manufacturers have no problem using the F10 of their subs in advertising.  It makes them sound much more capable than they really are.  Buyer beware!

- Jim

[DBeistel]

Jim,

Do the above prices include the 600w plate amp?

[jsalk]

Jim,

Do the above prices include the 600w plate amp?

Yes.

- Jim

[JLM]

Why hush my mouth Jim, are you suggesting that marketers might be lying to us or that audiophiles might be more gullible than professional studio folks?   

I'm impressed when reading reviews of studio monitors as the reviewers/users speak of tuning (correcting for the particular setup) bass/treble by ear to +/- 1 or 2 dB, and when you see time and again the ruler flat frequency response of those monitors.     And most actually mention acclimating to the idiosyncrasies of each monitor.   

[GhostintheToast]

Love my 15" downfiring Rhythmik!  It took me a while to find the right setup and room location but now it's just like Jim describes, you don't know it's on except the bass extension is superior.  It blends perfectly with my TL2s.  I have never once felt like it wouldn't give me enough bass or was working too hard and losing musicality.  Check out my pics if you want to see it. 

The one thing that REALLY helped improve my soud was corner bass traps.  Man did those make a huge difference in bass quality and authority in my room.  I ended up putting 6" deep traps in my two 'forward' corners of my living room, with 4" half-width traps behind them.  The material was Owens Corning 705.

Sidebar here - I had a crazy experience with traps.  Man this is strange, murky purchasing territory.  I actually ordered bags and corner mounts from a company called Ready Acoustics.  They were not cheap.  I paid, they just never came.  A month a a half went by, no contact from them.  I finally call and they're all offish about it.  Long story short, I have it out with the owner on the phone who turned out to be a character.  I cancel the order, have to order a stop-payment from my bank of course, then just buy some 705 and cloth locally and wrap them myself w/ long staples holding them together.  Perfect.  Cheap.  I'd recommend this route.


EDIT - BTW Jim the color of my speakers has definitely 'calmed' over time.  I'm not sure if it's just a factor of working with bamboo, but they are all now a bit deeper color and certainly less bright.  (they were very bright on arrival)  Now they are a perfect orange-red cherry tone. 

[Gzerro]

Love my 15" downfiring Rhythmik!

Check out my pics if you want to see it. 

The bamboo looks really nice!

Congrats.

[GhostintheToast]

Same to you brau, is that walnut?  Very sleek!  Currently listening to this thing at some needed authoritaey to:
Mr. Little Jeans - The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)


Wether it's music or movies, this Rhythmik-Salk delivers bigtime.

[Gzerro]

Same to you brau, is that walnut?  Very sleek!  Currently listening to this thing at some needed authoritaey to:
Mr. Little Jeans - The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)


Wether it's music or movies, this Rhythmik-Salk delivers bigtime.

It is the standard straight mahogany finish, died to match my AV cabinet. The subs came out  closer to a walnut color, my STs are a little more reddish and lighter. Same veneer, just ordered at different times.

I will have to check out Mr. Little Jeans...



I am really loving these subs