Great Speakers! Great Price!

Wind Chaser · « **on:** 23 Oct 2007, 05:10 pm »

While in Alberta the other week, I took the time to stop by Rocket Ronny's and heard his OB-5's. Even though he only had a NAD integrated amp to power them with a weak source playing MP3's, it didn't take much imagination realize what the potential of these speakers might be with better ancillary. Given the circumstances, I was pretty impressed. Anyone living in the SF Bay area has a terrific opportunity to scoop up a fantastic speaker for peanuts. Seriously, I can't believe 16 days have passed with over 900 hits as of this writing and nobody has scooped these up. Somebody is going to cash in and be all smiles.

If the O-3's sound anything at all like OB-5's, then they are the deal of the century.

Nice work Danny Boy!

BTW, who is the "G" in GR Research?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Oct 2007, 10:29 pm »

GR Research was originally the partnership of Danny Richie and Jeff Glowacki.

We dissolved the partnership aspect back in 1998 or something.

I carried on with GR Research and loudspeaker design.

Jeff went on to form Sonic Craft and began designing some of the best capacitors in the industry.

And thanks, I am glad to hear you enjoyed the speakers.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 12:57 am »

Weak source ?????

What are you doing here anyway. Go back to bed.

The source is not week at all. It is killer. A Metric Halo 2882 or ULN2. Whatever is plugged in at the time.

I just picked up a Sony Play Station 1. God only knows why? Perhaps to alleviate Wind Chaser's ranting about the thing. Will plug it in tonight to see if it even works.

We used a Nad as I had sold my McAlister SE-44 and am waiting for the McAlsiter PP-150 to arrive. The Nad kind of choked on the OBs I have to say.

I was playing him some MP3's that were orchestral sample instruments. I think they sound amazingly good for what they are.

I guess Wind Chaser actually liked the speakers. I was not entirely sure about that. Wait till he hears it with the PP-150 and my weak source.

Rocket_never quite sure about Wind Chaser_Ronny although he is a good friend.

Daygloworange · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 01:39 am »

Ronny,

You really should look at getting the parts to upgrade the crossover. The refinement Danny made to the crossover after we sent him the prototype OB-7 box, really improves the already great midrange.

You can thank me later.

Cheers

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 01:52 am »

Thanks Day.

Danny says I have to replace all the mid crossover parts. I did not want to spend the time or cash now, but maybe later. What was it again that you said was the improvement?

Got the Playstation up and running on the Nad and some Paradign Atoms. I have to say I am very impressed for a $35.00 player, or a $1,000.00 player for that matter. I see great potential. When the PP-150 gets here I will get a better idea. It does sound analog-ish for sure. Looks like the buzz is true.

Rocket_Ronny

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 03:56 am »

Danny,

I didn't know Jeff G. was your former partner...he's a good guy, I hope your parting was amicable

Your website mentions the OB5's don't need a lot of wattage to operate...will they effectively work with as little as 10 (tube) watts in a 12 x 15 x 8-12' room? No need for exceptional loudness here...but fullness would be nice

Perhaps I'm asking for too much

The fella' on Audiogon is only about 45 minutes from me and my current speakers could use some updating

John/TCG

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 07:01 am »

John/TCG,

If nothing at all, go listen to them but be sure to bring your check book. If I am not mistaken, Ron thinks the sensitivity is over stated, but he likes to listen LOUD. So you might want to take your amp along for the ride while you're at it just to be sure of the synergyand power requirements. Chances are you'll like them so much that if you need to change your amp, you'll do it with pleasure, even if the wife doesn't agree. Nice speakers indeed.

John

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 12:23 pm »

They look really slim, too (small drivers)...a pre-requisite for me as I don't have a lot of room across on the only wall (short wall - about 12' wide - but 'obstacles' mean I only have about 6' across from each speaker) I have available to me.

I have 50 watt tube amps, too (they sound more powerful than that, for sure)....but I think I like my 10 watt (6V6) integrateds better, overall.

It took me long enough to arrive at satiety about my amplification choices...I'm not looking forward to prowling for new amps again. So, I'm hoping these maybe will work with what I have now.

Maybe the owner has some ready info on power handling...guess it can't hurt to honestly and actually ask him

Thanks, John/Wind Chaser

Daygloworange · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 12:36 pm »

Quote from: Rocket_Ronny on 24 Oct 2007, 01:52 am

Thanks Day.

Danny says I have to replace all the mid crossover parts. I did not want to spend the time or cash now, but maybe later. What was it again that you said was the improvement?

IIRC, the change is that there was a notch filter in the network due to fact the original OB-5 had a back and top. The model with the entirely open MTM section doesn't need the notch filter.

The difference is that the mids sound fuller and rounder. Just a little more meat on the bone. It's not a big change, but, it does refine it quite a bit. Highly recommended.

Quote

Your website mentions the OB5's don't need a lot of wattage to operate...will they effectively work with as little as 10 (tube) watts in a 12 x 15 x 8-12' room? No need for exceptional loudness here...but fullness would be nice Perhaps I'm asking for too much

John,

I've run the OB 5's with a little Trends TA 10.0 chip amp that's 8 watts per channel, being driven directly by my modded SB3 that only puts out 1 volt output. It's more than loud enough for most tastes. My listening room is about the size you describe.

The OB-5 is a 3 way speaker that has an f3 of 40 Hz, but seems to extend more in room. It often feels like there is a sub playing.

Cheers

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 12:45 pm »

Thanks for the pointers, DGODenny

Seems like I need to PM this fella' on A-gon. The veneer is kinda' ugly, tho...but, as my busy office too, the room isn't going to be featured in 'Houses Beautiful' anytime soon

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 02:07 pm »

10 watts is not enough unless you listen below 85 db.

I sold my 22 watt McAlister SE 44 because of occasional clipping issues.

You could always bi-amp with 2 10 watters.

When I compare what the OB-5s give you, one would have to spend 5-10 grand to get comparable sound I think.

Worth going and having a listen.

Rocket_real happy OB 5 camper_Ronny

Daygloworange · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 01:09 am »

Quote from: Rocket_Ronny on 24 Oct 2007, 02:07 pm

10 watts is not enough unless you listen below 85 db.

I haven't measured it with an SPL meter, but I'm sure in my room (which is similar in size to TCG's) the OB 5's with the little Trends TA 10.1 hit 90+ db despite the 1 volt output of the modded SB 3.

The OB 5's are rated at 91 db sensitivity.

At our TAAS Amp Comparo, we had a number of amps being driven directly (sans pre-amp) by the modded SB 3, and we measured between amps with an SPL meter 8 feet back from the centerline of the baffles in a 35000 cubic ft room and easily got 95 db from all but one amp (an SET integrated).

You can read the details of the Comparo here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=34570.90

Cheers

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 03:22 am »

I may just have to check these out...with checkbook and 2 mono integrateds (they don't weigh but 10 lbs each - likely less) in hand....

The owner wrote me back tonite...haven't read it yet...

Thanks all, John

ldandha · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 03:34 am »

John, you're welcome to come over my house in east bay if you're interested in hearing them.

Raj

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 03:43 am »

John,

I'll bet you a turntable you'll really, really like them - a lot. If I lived anywhere near SF that would have been a done deal!

John

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 04:01 am »

Quote from: ldandha on 25 Oct 2007, 03:34 am

John, you're welcome to come over my house in east bay if you're interested in hearing them.

Raj

Raj - hi! I'll email you back tomorrow with concise thoughts...I'm pooped tonite. Cool that you are a member here at AC, too. You have to check in at NORCal Circle every once in a while

JLM · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 09:59 am »

I tried running an easy 89 dB/w/m speaker load via a Red Wine Audio Clarity (one of the little modded digital amps) and it sounded very good (I'm not a headbanger). But swapping out to 30 wpc (one of those cheap Teac L700P amps that were the craze a couple of years back) or 40 watt Channel Island Audio VMB-1 monoblocks (chip amps, no longer in production) made a very significant improvement.

The Teac or CIA amps turned the speakers from polite dinner guests into NFL linebackers in tuxedos. Now the amps had a "commanding grip" on the speakers for greatly improved dynamics. Going with the monoblocks improved imaging focus (objects became smaller, but better defined) which also improved resolution. BTW all three amps I'm referring to are solid state and with mods were all in the same price range ($500 - 1000). YMMV

I've always recommended that speaker + amp should be able to reach at least 105 dB in your room and found out that I should have taken my own advice.

(But the battery/digital amp thing intrigued me.)

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 12:23 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 25 Oct 2007, 09:59 am

I tried running an easy 89 dB/w/m speaker load via a Red Wine Audio Clarity (one of the little modded digital amps) and it sounded very good (I'm not a headbanger). But swapping out to 30 wpc (one of those cheap Teac L700P amps that were the craze a couple of years back) or 40 watt Channel Island Audio VMB-1 monoblocks (chip amps, no longer in production) made a very significant improvement.

The ONLY way a stock Teac L700P will sound better than a Clari-T is if you demand / need more power than what the Clari-T can yield.

Quote

I've always recommended that speaker + amp should be able to reach at least 105 dB in your room and found out that I should have taken my own advice.

No matter how much clean power you through at them, there are many fine speakers that cannot produce 105 db without severe dynamic compression / distortion. Not a headbanger, eh?

John

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 03:08 am »

Quote from: Daygloworange on 24 Oct 2007, 12:36 pm

Quote from: Rocket_Ronny on 24 Oct 2007, 01:52 am

IIRC, the change is that there was a notch filter in the network due to fact the original OB-5 had a back and top. The model with the entirely open MTM section doesn't need the notch filter.

The difference is that the mids sound fuller and rounder. Just a little more meat on the bone. It's not a big change, but, it does refine it quite a bit. Highly recommended.

Perhaps Danny could mention how the frequency response was adjusted, like what fequencies and how many dbs. Then guys like us who are fortunate enough to have digital e.q. can just twidle a few knobs and fix it.

Thanks,

Rocket_twidle de dum_Ronny

Danny Richie · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 01:44 pm »

Quote

Perhaps Danny could mention how the frequency response was adjusted, like what fequencies and how many dbs. Then guys like us who are fortunate enough to have digital e.q. can just twidle a few knobs and fix it.

Removing the top and back panel made the area of correction (a slightly elevated range) less of an issue so I went about correcting it in a different way. The response stayed the same.