[Daygloworange]

The only people with credibility are end users like the average Joe here on AC.  People who pay money for a product and are satisfied with their purchase are of far more value than all the elephant turd published by countless self appointed authorities with dubious agendas.

I heard the Usher's at RMAF and was very impressed by what I heard, so I guess I agree with the reviewers. The midrange on them was really, really good. Imaging was exceptional as well. Plenty of bass from such a small design. I didn't even know the crossovers were redesigned by Danny till I read it on one of the posters they had in the room advertising the BE 718's.

I have learned from the past that the only opinion that matters the most is my own.

In my opinion, they sound worthy of note.

Everybody and their dog is a professional reviewer.  And every month there are new winners and new accolades.  Blah, blah, blah - who gives a crap?

There was a time I'd buy gear based on a favorable review or a number of favorable reviews without first hearing in my home on my system.

And how many times have you gone to see a movie that was raved about, only to think it was the worst thing you'd ever seen?

I'd never buy a piece of gear without listening to it first.

Just because buying based on a review didn't work out for you, isn't a reason to post in a manufacturers forum, in a thread about the positive reviews for his latest work that the accolades are without merit. I seem to remember you were pretty darn impressed after hearing Danny's OB 5's (and the ones you heard don't have the updated crossover). Why wouldn't it follow that Danny's work on the Usher's be good as well?

Do you realize that Danny redid the original crossover that was designed by Dr. Joseph D'Appolito for that speaker?

 Windchaser, without even hearing the BE 718's, your beef is about reviewers. There are plenty of threads outside of this circle to complain about that.

Cheers

[EDS_]

What amount of pp tube power would be enough for these babies?  Danny.....anyone?

[Danny Richie]

They worked really well with my 50 watt Dodd mono-blocks. I'd use at least that much power with them.

[Bill Baker]

I know of a few people driving them with 50'ish watt tube amps with very good results. I think that's the magical minimum power to bring out their potential.

[cujobob]

Danny, congrats on the review!

Wind Chaser, while I agree with some of what you say...I don't believe reviewers are ALL that bad and don't think this is the proper place to vent those thoughts.

[Wind Chaser]

don't think this is the proper place to vent those thoughts.

No argument, you are quite right.  It was poor judgment to place those comments here, however true they maybe and passionate I am in that regard.

In my view, the greatest manufacturers are those succeed because they have outstanding products that sell themselves without having to pay for advertising or consent to have a formal review published in some rag.  There are a few such companies, partly because audio is a dog eat dog business that takes no prisoners.

[lonewolfny42]

Have you guys heard these?

But of course.....twice in fact....once at Stereophile-HE '07 NYC....then RMAF '07.
In the Usher room (both times)...with Stan, Carter, Rusty, Joe, and Atul.

Both were large rooms...and they easily filled the rooms with excellent sounds.
Good speaker...with a good crossover.

Danny....your a busy guy....keep up the good work.


                                           Chris



....with Joe Skubinski - JPS Labs (photo by Captain Humble)

[GregC]

The BE-718's were amongst my favorite speakers that I heard at the RMAF this year, especially at their price point.  I did not know that Danny had designed the crossovers.

[JLM]

Reviews (published or otherwise) are only guideposts, you can choose to trust that they lead you the "right way" or not.  A few years back Talon speakers were all the rage.  Perhaps Be tweeters or the other latest darlings will also go the way of the Doodoo.

Few reviewers dare do a critical review, as no one else will submit another product to them.  OTOH most reviewers feel that its a waste of time to publish a review of a poor product.  Perhaps it would be more useful to see a list of what they didn't review/publish and briefly (one sentence/paragraph) as to why.

[Hank]

Wind Chaser, thank you for admitting you were wrong in posting on this thread.  I, like others, agree that there's some shady goings on in audio.  I see that mostly with the snake oil type products - cable elevation wood blocks, and other esoterica.

A local guy who has done 'net reviews came to my house last evening to review the RAW RAV-6 towers that I designed the cabinet for.  Al at RAW sells the kit, Danny designed the crossover.  I made no under-the-table deal with him - he had heard them at a local Lone Star Bottleheads meet and asked if he could take a serious listen to them.  I didn't have to coax him or entice him - as a matter of fact, he brought a bottle of wine as a thanks for letting him come over and take a couple hours of my time (no, we didn't open the wine).  He had very good comments about the speakers and will write a review.  If it is very favorable, does that mean he's on the take?  NO!  If he points out any weakness, does that mean the design is bad and should be avoided?  NO!  BTW, I demoed a large ensemble by playing part of one of my Austin Symphonic Band CD's and he was impressed to the point of buying the CD from me.

This concept that word of mouth is the best advertising is a concept I embrace and endorse, BUT it, like everything, has a flaw:  an unheard of guy designing cabs or crossovers or drivers has a very difficult time getting off the ground relying only on word of mouth, so I can understand some small operations advertising in a few select mags - I don't criticise them for that.  I DO have a problem with full-page color ads full of Marketing hype from overpriced audio component/accessory companies that overcharge.

Ahhhh...I feel better now.

[95bcwh]

Word of mouth has the exact same flaw as ravishing reviews in the magazine.

Word of mouth still does not replace your own ears. I have auditioned many equipments based on word of mouth, and the success rate of finding what I like is just the same as following magazine reviews. When I attended RMAF07 in October, one guy (whose music taste I respected) came to me and rave about a speakers; I went to listen and it sounded good in its own way; later I went down to the bar, another guy came to me and asked me if I have listened to that same pair of speaker, he said that's the worst sound of the show!!!!!

So people can trash magazine reviews as much as you like. The fact is, word of mouth is not a "better alternative" to magazine reviews. As far as manufacturers are concerned, magazine reviews is a better "word of mouth" to reach more people.

This concept that word of mouth is the best advertising is a concept I embrace and endorse, BUT it, like everything, has a flaw:  an unheard of guy designing cabs or crossovers or drivers has a very difficult time getting off the ground relying only on word of mouth

[pecker]

 Dr. Joseph D’Appolito, Usher’s long-serving technical consultant, provides crossover tuning here in the ’States. Next, Texas-based Danny Richie, chief designer at consulting firm GR Research, hotrods the standard Be-718 for the U.S. market. Danny reengineers the entire crossover, selects premium U.S. crossover parts, adjusts the speaker’s baffle step compensation and improves vertical off-axis dispersion.

I don't understand this part. Isn't this like saying "we didn't like the results of D'Appolito's efforts, so we gave it to someone else to fix"? Why even advertise such a thing?

[RAW]

Wind Chaser (John)
So you liking them OB2X you picked up from me which Danny designed

[Loftprojection]

I could only wish... 

Hey, any chance of a kit for this one? 

Danny, with all the talk generated about the "reviews" you finally never answered this most interesting question at the beginning of the thread!!!

It was probably asked a bit as a joke but seriously, are you considering making a kit for an ultimate monitor now that you've been proclaimed the master of big speaker!   

[Danny Richie]

I thought I did, but it looks like I responded to the wrong quote. I guess I better go back and edit it.

For one, those drivers are not made commercially available, and secondly, I could never offer a kit that knocks off the work I did for a client. You'll have to spend the bucks and buy it.

[TRADERXFAN]

For the record, I was joking!

I am curious though - how does the Be tweeter compare to the Neos?