[poseidonsvoice]

We haven't done an off-axis set.  But we did do an in-room ARTA measurement when looking for bass modes during setup.  Suffice it to say that the room response at the seated position looked like the on-axis response except for a downward sloping top octave.  Steve commented that it was the flattest room response he's ever measured with only 40Hz and 80Hz bass modes to tame (small room).  He also stated that he had to have 3 EQ adjustments for the TAD response above room modes, and none at all for Nimbus.

Here's the on-axis response.  The room response (power response) looked just like it except for the top octave sloping down due to room absorption of high frequencies.

Thanks. All small rooms have bass modes, and will be accentuated more or less depending on the LF response of the speaker in question (something easily solved with multiple subs ). Was the TAD measured in the same room as the Nimbus was? It is hard to extrapolate why there were additional EQ adjustments for the TAD versus the Nimbus without that data.  What interests me is >250 Hz, and Nimbus' horizontal directivity in the crossover region between the two midrange drivers and RAAL tweeter.

When you've done the off axis set, or if you do, please post. A contour plot would be great, but rarely is published or posted by manufacturers. The axial response you posted, unfortunately, doesn't help me.

Regards,
Anand.

[Pete Schumacher]

Thanks. All small rooms have bass modes, and will be accentuated more or less depending on the LF response of the speaker in question (something easily solved with multiple subs ). Was the TAD measured in the same room as the Nimbus was? It is hard to extrapolate why there were additional EQ adjustments for the TAD versus the Nimbus without that data.  What interests me is >250 Hz, and Nimbus' horizontal directivity in the crossover region between the two midrange drivers and RAAL tweeter.

When you've done the off axis set, or if you do, please post. A contour plot would be great, but rarely is published or posted by manufacturers. The axial response you posted, unfortunately, doesn't help me.

Regards,
Anand.

I do believe that Steve was in a similar room last year with the TAD, roughly the same size and layout.  The fact that Steve needed to EQ the TAD to smooth its in-room response, and not the Nimbus, is a direct reflection on how well the Nimbus delivers acoustic energy to the listening room.  The Nimbus room response from ARTA (which is an integrated response of both on and off axis summation) stayed smooth and flat.  The TAD did not.

Not sure when we'll do an off axis set.  But I am curious why you really need to see it.  Is Nimbus something you'd consider owning if the off axis plots reflect what ARTA showed us?

[roscoeiii]

I know we start running into room effects below 200 Hz, but I'd be curious to see that plot too.

[rbbert]

How is it that the Nimbus is significantly less expensive than the Joule?  It seems like a lot more speaker, both in terms of performance and (likely) cost to build?

[TF1216]

How is it that the Nimbus is significantly less expensive than the Joule?  It seems like a lot more speaker, both in terms of performance and (likely) cost to build?

The AudioTechnology drivers in the Joule! Those babies come at a hefty price.

[Ric Schultz]

Also the Joule comes standard with Amorphous core trannies, better caps and better coils.  So a similarly done Nimbus would be more expensive than the Joule.  This is one reason I asked what parts were used in the show pair....question still not answered....just curious.  I mean, if the standard parts sound this good then look out world!  I just don't see any other option for boxed speakers than Vapor!  They use the best crossover parts, wires and connectors, simple crossovers, the best drivers, super well made super dead boxes and they sell them for half or less than anyone else would do.  If I wanted a box speaker this is where my trip would end.

[Pete Schumacher]

The other factor in the price of Joule vs. Nimbus is the type of construction.  Sundog, Cirrus, Arcus, and Joule all use the stacked ply technique which requires much more finishing time to prep the surfaces for final veneer.  Aurora and Nimbus both use pre-tensioned curved panels that have an exterior surface which requires far less time to prepare for final finish.  All our enclosures feature the inversion layer which dramatically reduces transmitted sound, but with Nimbus and Aurora, that layer is affixed to the interior walls.  With the stacked ply construction, there is an internal chamber that hosts the layer.  The stacked ply is simply more expensive to build.

This particular Nimbus features a standard RAAL 70-20XR, Wavecor paper cone 6" mids, and the Acoustic Elegance TD15H.  The only "upgrade" to the design is the use of a Jensen cap for the tweeter high pass.  Using the same driver compliment as Joule (15" Audiotech woofer, Audiotech SDKAM mids, and amorphous core RAAL) would push the price to well over $10K.  As incredible as the standard version sounds, such an upgraded version would certainly offer the ultimate in resolution to go along with the effortless dynamics.

We're having a listening session a week from Saturday.  Make your plans to stop by.  Joule White should also be up and playing.  I for one am looking forward to hearing them in close temporal proximity.  After hearing from a Lansche owner over the weekend that this Nimbus outperformed his $150,000 speakers in every category, I'm curious to find out how it stands next to the no-compromise Joule.

[Vapor Audio]

How is it that the Nimbus is significantly less expensive than the Joule?  It seems like a lot more speaker, both in terms of performance and (likely) cost to build?

Our pricing basically considers how much input cost we have in a speaker, and then how many hours labor it takes to produce.  From there a price is set considering only those factors.  That said, the Joule has more expensive drivers and components.  It also takes more time to produce because of the stacked ply construction.  And in subjective terms, the Joule is the better speaker in all areas except for bass dynamics.  As transparent, resolving, articulate, etc as the Nimbus is, the Joule line is better. 

We do have the Nimbus White using Accuton midrange drivers coming soon, and I recon that it will level the gap in midrange reproduction between Nimbus and Joule.  But then again, it will be $8895/pair because of increased input costs.  Still a bargain considering. 

Right now my favorite speaker in our lineup is the Joule White, but the Nimbus White will give it a run I'm sure. 

[Ric Schultz]

Ryan and Pete,
Thanks for your detailed description of the speakers.  I know you guys are busy and selling all you can make.....but if you made an all out Nimbus.....dual Accutons or dual ATs and did the whole shebang with Dueland caps, amorphous core, etc.....I think you would blow the roof off the big guys.  I mean, even at $15,000 plus you would have something they can't do at their $60,000 price point.  The Nimbus looks serious.....it is more like what guys with big bucks want.  They want something big and impressive.  Here's what I really want to see you guys do:  Two 15 inch woofers, 2 accuton/AT mids and amorphous core with all Duelands, etc....make it real sexy and even at $20,000 you would be selling the crap out of them.  Why would anyone buy a Wilson Alexia for $48,000 when you could have something like this for less than half price.....deeper more dynamic bass, simpler xover using the worlds best caps and coils.....Raal ribbon?  I want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, you would have to hire more people....he he....a good problem to have.

[Pete Schumacher]

Ryan and Pete,
Thanks for your detailed description of the speakers.  I know you guys are busy and selling all you can make.....but if you made an all out Nimbus.....dual Accutons or dual ATs and did the whole shebang with Dueland caps, amorphous core, etc.....I think you would blow the roof off the big guys.  I mean, even at $15,000 plus you would have something they can't do at their $60,000 price point.  The Nimbus looks serious.....it is more like what guys with big bucks want.  They want something big and impressive.  Here's what I really want to see you guys do:  Two 15 inch woofers, 2 accuton/AT mids and amorphous core with all Duelands, etc....make it real sexy and even at $20,000 you would be selling the crap out of them.  Why would anyone buy a Wilson Alexia for $48,000 when you could have something like this for less than half price.....deeper more dynamic bass, simpler xover using the worlds best caps and coils.....Raal ribbon?  I want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, you would have to hire more people....he he....a good problem to have.

Ric, if you want to commission that kind of a system, we'd be more than happy to call it the Nimbus, Schultz edition.

But believe me when I say this . . . there is no need for dual 15s, especially with these Acoustic Elegance woofers.  During the entire weekend, with the incredibly dynamic tracks we were playing, those woofers simply didn't move more than maybe a millimeter in either direction.  I heard multiple times from various listeners that they couldn't see the woofers moving, even with Marcus Miller tracks at loud volume.  But what the heck, if you want them, we'd be glad to load up a 500 pound cabinet for you!!   

[Vapor Audio]

Ryan and Pete,
Thanks for your detailed description of the speakers.  I know you guys are busy and selling all you can make.....but if you made an all out Nimbus.....dual Accutons or dual ATs and did the whole shebang with Dueland caps, amorphous core, etc.....I think you would blow the roof off the big guys.  I mean, even at $15,000 plus you would have something they can't do at their $60,000 price point.  The Nimbus looks serious.....it is more like what guys with big bucks want.  They want something big and impressive.  Here's what I really want to see you guys do:  Two 15 inch woofers, 2 accuton/AT mids and amorphous core with all Duelands, etc....make it real sexy and even at $20,000 you would be selling the crap out of them.  Why would anyone buy a Wilson Alexia for $48,000 when you could have something like this for less than half price.....deeper more dynamic bass, simpler xover using the worlds best caps and coils.....Raal ribbon?  I want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, you would have to hire more people....he he....a good problem to have.

Hey Ric, Pete and I honestly think we're blowing the doors off the bug guys now    The problem isn't producing something that beats their performance for far less money, we've been doing that since day 1.  The problem is convincing the "big money" guys to even look in our direction.  Heck, most of the show coverage writers don't even bother to come by our room.  One testimonial that stood out from the weekend was an industry guy who owns a pair of the big Lansche's at around $110K/pair, his words were the Nimbus is better top to bottom ... and that was from hearing them in a utility closet sized room. 

2 15" woofers probably won't happen, that would make the cabinet at least 10cu/ft and simply impossible for us to move.  The Nimbus is about 7 cu/ft total including the midrange chamber, and at our limit of what we can handle.  But we already have plans for the next iteration of Nimbus using dual Accuton midrange drivers.  And as is always the case with anything we build, you can have it built with whatever caps, wire, inductors, etc that you want.  I myself would love to build a max'd out Nimbus White!

We do also have plans for a true flagship design, it's already underway and is called "Perfect Storm".  It's a stacked ply construction, 15" woofer on bottom, dual Accuton C173 midranges, and the big RAAL tweeter.  We're employing everything we've learned into that design, and will come standard with the best parts.  Perfect Storm will be $16-$18K, and I have no doubt that it will be something that could go toe-to-toe with any speaker at any price. 

[jtwrace]

We do also have plans for a true flagship design, it's already underway and is called "Perfect Storm".  It's a stacked ply construction, 15" woofer on bottom, dual Accuton C173 midranges, and the big RAAL tweeter.  We're employing everything we've learned into that design, and will come standard with the best parts.  Perfect Storm will be $16-$18K, and I have no doubt that it will be something that could go toe-to-toe with any speaker at any price.

RMAF 2013?

[Vapor Audio]

RMAF 2013?

Right now I'm thinking we'll bring Nimbus White (the Accuton version) to RMAF.  Problem is there are no big rooms available, and doesn't look like any will be available either.  I'd really like to show the Nimbus is a 'properly' sized room.

[jtwrace]

Is Nimbus something you'd consider owning if the off axis plots reflect what ARTA showed us?

Sure.

[jhm731]

Why would anyone buy a Wilson Alexia for $48,000 when you could have something like this for less than half price.....deeper more dynamic bass, simpler xover using the worlds best caps and coils.....Raal ribbon? 

I guess a lot of people. Last I heard there's at least a three month waiting time on the Alexias.

One of the top recording studio in the US, Puget Sound Studios, just install a pair of Alexias.

[Pete Schumacher]

I guess a lot of people. Last I heard there's at least a three month waiting time on the Alexias.

One of the top recording studio in the US, Puget Sound Studios, just install a pair of Alexias.

It's simple . . . they haven't heard Nimbus. 

[roscoeiii]

It's simple . . . they haven't heard Nimbus. 

And people have different tastes in speakers.

Exhibit A: Zu Speakers. Some really love 'em (Gopher, I am looking at you here), others not so much. Bit of a polarizing sound.

[TF1216]

You guys need to quit with the teasing 

Have you tried this Accuton yet? http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-5-midrange/accuton-cell-c90-6-724-5-ceramic-midrange/

[Pete Schumacher]

You guys need to quit with the teasing 

Have you tried this Accuton yet? http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-5-midrange/accuton-cell-c90-6-724-5-ceramic-midrange/

Not tried that one yet.  Wish I could see how to properly mount that little guy.  I do like the concept of having the backside completely open to the enclosure though.  Specs look pretty good too, low distortion and all that. 

[TF1216]

Not tried that one yet.  Wish I could see how to properly mount that little guy.  I do like the concept of having the backside completely open to the enclosure though.  Specs look pretty good too, low distortion and all that.

It appears to have lower distortion than even the C173 with the cutouts.