RM30C Supermax: a Revelation/Epiphany/whatever...

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Brian Cheney

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RM30C Supermax: a Revelation/Epiphany/whatever...
« on: 2 Sep 2006, 09:23 pm »
As previously announced Jim R (ribbonspeakers.net) ordered the first Supermax OXO RM30C yet produced, and this pair spent a few days in my soundroom--after 100hrs breakin at the factory--for xover tweeking and tuning to 1/100th of 1% tolerances, as I now do with all main speaker models we make.

You may recall Jim and I recently did a single blind A/B/C of the TRT caps against Auricaps and another high-end cap brand, and I was able to identify the TRT's blindfolded 100% of the time.  This led Jim, despite the gut-wrenching expense,  to order the TRT's with his speakers, but as the owner of a good sub, he specified the RM 30C Center version with no side-firing 10".  We installed the latest homemade 6.5" WCF 40oz actives with their spiffy metal phase plugs as a lagniappe.

I don't have any unused superlatives lying around, so I will leave it to Jim to post his impressions once he lives with his system for a while.  I will note that the RM 30C is  $3500pr in stock finishes, and the OXO (which is the heart of the Supermax upgrade) adds only $450.  If you have a sub, $3950 gets you state of the art sound.  If you don't, the 10" side-firing woofs are $380pr more, or $4330pr. Add Auricaps or TRT's, exotic finishes, and Bolder wire to take things to the limit.

After doing speaker design and manufacture for 30 years now nonstop, I am tickled that our art has advanced to this lofty level, and this at a time when the marketplace is awash with good-sounding competitors.  As Jim remarked to me this morning: "Now you can have dinner at home with a live band playing in the background!"

Sure sounds that way.
« Last Edit: 2 Sep 2006, 10:05 pm by Brian Cheney »

john1970

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Re: RM30C Supermax: a Revelation/Epiphany/whatever...
« Reply #1 on: 2 Sep 2006, 09:53 pm »
Brian,

Congrats on the new speakers.  Can't wait to have my RM40s upgraded to the MLS cabinets with the Supermax OXO.  Did the CDWGs for the RM40s ship on Aug. 23?

Thanks,

John

Brian Cheney

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Re: RM30C Supermax: a Revelation/Epiphany/whatever...
« Reply #2 on: 2 Sep 2006, 10:07 pm »
mls informs the CDWG's for RM 40's and 626 left his factory headed for Oakland Aug 29.

James Romeyn

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Re: RM30C Supermax: a Revelation/Epiphany/whatever...
« Reply #3 on: 2 Sep 2006, 10:54 pm »
My impressoins, are...well I don't really know where to start.  This is a completely different experience from any I've had before listening to reproduced sound.  I heard three songs & still can't get my head (or ears, or both) around what I heard.  The level is just so much higher, a different plane altogether, that my previous references are totally shattered.

Seamless doesn't begin to describe the presentation.  Beyond being absolutely seamless, the only other thing I can say right now is concerning dynamics: A completely new reference level for me.  As I've posted earlier, a friend has the approximately $20k export-only (not sold in USA) JBL "K2" (named after the mountain) horn system.  It's sensitivity is in the high-90 low-100 range.  It is very dynamic.  I like it more than the Avant Garde & every other horn systems I've sampled.  The dynamics of Brian's new speaker are more coherent & much more like live music, more seamless & natural (in fact the most effortless I've heard).  After hearing some music at normal levels we turned it down low.  It was just as dynamic but only as if we were standing farther back from the live music.  None of the nuance was diminished.  If you wanted to you could just listen intently even at very low volumes.       

Till some time has expired listening at home (must burn in a new integrated) that's all I can say for now.

Thanks to Brian & all his customers for enabling the construction of this speaker system.


john1970

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Re: RM30C Supermax: a Revelation/Epiphany/whatever...
« Reply #4 on: 3 Sep 2006, 02:16 pm »
Brian,

Any chance the RM40s CDWGs have a maple finish?  It would be amazing if the grill could match the MLS maple cabinets.  As an alternative a contrasting ebony CDWG on the MLS maple cabinets would also look very stunning IMO.

Thanks for the prompt reply,

John