[rebbi]

I was originally on the Breeze tour, curious to compare the Breeze to my Reference 3A De Capo's. But having built a 300B based SET amp (the Audio Note Kit 1) and looking at the efficiency ratings on the Vapor lineup, it seems I should pull my name from the list with this new amp on tap. It is a glorious sounding amp, in another league entirely from my old Manley push-pull gear, but I don't think Vapor is currently selling a speaker that it'll drive effectively at 8 wpc into 8 ohms. Or am I mistaken?   

Also, it seems the Breeze Tour has stalled for the time being.

[Pete Schumacher]

Yes, the tour has taken a stall.  There are so many other projects and builds underway that it's tough to make the time to get everything organized for another leg.

To the point about using a 300B SET to power the Breeze, depending on listening habits, that's probably on the very low end of usable.  If the material wasn't too demanding I'm sure they'd perform admirably, but in a typical room at a typical listening distance, the best you could really hope for in terms of average SPL would be somewhere in the high 80s before the amp starts clipping constantly.  Breeze is only in the mid 80s sensitivity wise, which means that 1W will only get you around 86dB or so with a pair playing at a 3m listening distance.  If the signal has a crest factor of 5:1, pretty typical for average recordings, then you're looking at no more than 2W delivered before the onset of clipping.  If the music is more demanding with a 10:1 crest factor, you're only getting 1W RMS before the onset of clipping during peaks.

That's why we came out with models like Arcus, Derecho, Nimbus, because they offer a LOT more output for the watt allowing something like a 300B to drive them with jaw dropping results and dynamics to grin over.

[rebbi]

Okay, so who on the forum has $6500 they're not using so I can get myself a pair of Arcus'? I'll let you come over and listen, I promise. Make you dinner, even. Heck, I'll even listen to country music with you if that's what you're into.

Or maybe I could be first on the list for the Arcus Tour. Whaddaya say, Pete?

[Pete Schumacher]

Okay, so who on the forum has $6500 they're not using so I can get myself a pair of Arcus'? I'll let you come over and listen, I promise. Make you dinner, even. Heck, I'll even listen to country music with you if that's what you're into.

Or maybe I could be first on the list for the Arcus Tour. Whaddaya say, Pete?

We have a couple of Arcus cabs ready to go.  While the Breeze cabinets are about 85 pounds for the pair as they're shipped, that might be the weight of a single Arcus.  The newer cabinets are absolutely bunker-like in their construction.  We have custom stands knowing the toll they're going to put on whatever stands are used.  I don't think people would like to be responsible for packing and shipping those 4 boxes after 2 weeks of listening.  They'd probably figure out way to delay sending them while trying to convince the wife that it would be easier to just buy them than to waste any more money sending them around.   

Arcus and Derecho will make that 300B feel like it's an 805A-T, and make an 805 feel like a 200W class A Pass Labs.

[rebbi]

We have a couple of Arcus cabs ready to go.  While the Breeze cabinets are about 85 pounds for the pair as they're shipped, that might be the weight of a single Arcus.  The newer cabinets are absolutely bunker-like in their construction.  We have custom stands knowing the toll they're going to put on whatever stands are used.  I don't think people would like to be responsible for packing and shipping those 4 boxes after 2 weeks of listening.  They'd probably figure out way to delay sending them while trying to convince the wife that it would be easier to just buy them than to waste any more money sending them around.   

Arcus and Derecho will make that 300B feel like it's an 805A-T, and make an 805 feel like a 200W class A Pass Labs.

Well, you know, I was grasping at straws here. Seriously, I hope I get to hear a pair one day. As for stands, I have a pair of the original, sand-filled, all iron Osiris stands. They're fairly indestructible, although I'm not sure the top plate is big enough for the Arcus.

By the way, if anyone's interested, here's my blog of the process of building my Audio Note Kit 1 300B SET.  I'm hoping to expand the blog over time and review more equipment.

[csmgolf]

Rebbi, where do you live. I own a pair of Arcus and would be willing to have you over for a listen. They are terrific speakers. I am in North Central Ohio. Cheers, Cris.

[rebbi]

Rebbi, where do you live. I own a pair of Arcus and would be willing to have you over for a listen. They are terrific speakers. I am in North Central Ohio. Cheers, Cris.

Cris, that's awfully nice of you. I'm in Austin, Texas, unfortunately, so not even close.   

What kind of amp are you using with your Arcus?

[csmgolf]

I am using an LSA Statement hybrid integrated with the latest Exemplar mods to the preamp section. It sure matches up well with the Arcus.

[rebbi]

I am using an LSA Statement hybrid integrated with the latest Exemplar mods to the preamp section. It sure matches up well with the Arcus.

I know something of that amp. (I owed LSA 1 Statement speakers for awhile.) It's quite a beefy hybrid integrated from the specs and the reviews are great. Enjoy the combination!

[Vapor Audio]

The Arcus is a speaker that we keep thinking of changing, or filling the price slot with something else, because it's not a great seller, 4 pair so far.  But haven't and probably won't any time soon because it's so darn good!  It's not the best at any one thing, but can seriously do anything.  Of all our lineup it can get louder than them all, but can also do intimate small scale performances.  It can run off a 300B SET (I've used them extensively with a pair borrowed from a local friend), or can soak up every bit of what my BMC CS2 has to offer.  They're transparent, resolving, but with fantastic lower-midrange warmth and fullness.  They're forigiving but still lively and engaging. 

I think they're the most fun speaker in our line.  You can critically listen if you want and they'll reward you for doing so, but they beg to be flogged and reward even more when you do that!  Early on in their development Bob in STL came down with a friend and I had them in the main room.  We started off slow, showing their nuance and refinement ... that didn't last long.  Quickly it turned into an SPL fest that lasted a couple hours.  Bottom line is they'll do whatever you want with whatever material you want, and never complain.  They're chameleons. 

I know they're expensive, and people don't want to spend that much on 'monitors', but they're beasts honestly.  The cabinets weigh more than most manufacturers midsize floorstanders, and of course it's a 10" woofer.  The newest iteration has a slot port in front which increases the overall height to about 28", and with the filled stands are over 150 pounds.  It's a culmination of not cutting any corners that makes them come together like they do.  And they offer a real honest-to-goodness 92+db sensitivity, not a made up sensitivity spec meant to trick people into thinking they're something they're not.

And we do have some Arcus that could ship very quickly!

[rebbi]

Pete,
The Arcus sounds fabulous and I'd love to hear it in my system. I don't think it's overpriced for what it is. I mean, Joseph Audio Pulsars are around $7000, Harbeth makes monitors that cost more than that and Raidho, gosh, they've got monitors that run over $10, I think. The problem is that I need to fund any new purchases through the sale of my current gear, so that makes the Arcus about $5000 over my limit.   

You might say I have Tesla S taste and a used Toyota Prius budget.   

By the way, I have learned something about exaggerated efficiency specs in the process of building my amp. The Reference 3A De Capo, while a wonderful speaker, is advertised at 92 db efficient. But if you look at the National Research Council measurements of the latest model, they're an average of 86.7 db - they're only at 92 across a narrow slice of the frequency response band. And their impedance dips as low as 6 ohms from their stated 8 ohms.   

Even though the Arcus is out of my league, in principle I hope the Arcus stays in the lineup for the sake of folks who need something very efficient. This is the amp I built, by the way. Wipes the floor with the Manley Mahi's I sold to fund it:

[cymbop]

Pete, how might the Nimbus Black fare with Rebbi's 8 watts of SET?  How about 25 watts of EL-34 power from something like a Decware Zen Torii?

[csmgolf]

Arcus will do every thing Ryan and Pete say. Don't be under the impression that because they will play incredibly loud without strain, that they are not capable of finesse when called for. They do finesse as well or better than 90-95 percent of speakers out there. Their midbass/ lower mid range is as good as it gets, without qualification, IMO. I am personally not aware of any monitor that can play as effortlessly loud as these can. It may exist, I just have never heard of it. If you want a speaker that won't fall apart irrespective of volume, these are it. As Ryan states, they are just as capable for critical listening of Larry Carlton as they are for belting out Black Label Society. Sure, they are a bit pricey, but they are completely unique in their capabilities and are certainly worthy of their place in the line up.

[Pete Schumacher]

Pete,
The Arcus sounds fabulous and I'd love to hear it in my system. I don't think it's overpriced for what it is. I mean, Joseph Audio Pulsars are around $7000, Harbeth makes monitors that cost more than that and Raidho, gosh, they've got monitors that run over $10, I think. The problem is that I need to fund any new purchases through the sale of my current gear, so that makes the Arcus about $5000 over my limit.   

You might say I have Tesla S taste and a used Toyota Prius budget.   

By the way, I have learned something about exaggerated efficiency specs in the process of building my amp. The Reference 3A De Capo, while a wonderful speaker, is advertised at 92 db efficient. But if you look at the National Research Council measurements of the latest model, they're an average of 86.7 db - they're only at 92 across a narrow slice of the frequency response band. And their impedance dips as low as 6 ohms from their stated 8 ohms.   

Even though the Arcus is out of my league, in principle I hope the Arcus stays in the lineup for the sake of folks who need something very efficient. This is the amp I built, by the way. Wipes the floor with the Manley Mahi's I sold to fund it:

Gorgeous build rebbi, just fantastic.  You should be proud of such a stellar effort!

And stay tuned rebbi, I think Ryan may have some news for you that will make you grin.   

[rebbi]

Pete,

Many thanks for the kind words. Ryan and I are in touch!

[Pete Schumacher]

I'll be delivering the Breeze to a local member this weekend who's going to be trying them with his 300B SET.  Perhaps he'll do a write up after he's had a few hours with them.

[rebbi]

I'd certainly be interested to hear what he thinks.

[vintage9594]

I will post this weekend on how they sound with my 300b amp.  It's a AES SE-1 300b and when I get it back from my local shop(check up and needed to pull a ding out of transformer cover) tomorrow or Monday I will give you some feedback.

[rebbi]

So how did the Breeze do with your SET?

[vintage9594]

Sorry for the late response....hooked it up and basically kind of lifeless.  Just not enough power to get the Breeze going.  I use that amp specifically with older JBL studio monitors that are more than efficient enough for the 7w set amp.