[jrebman]

For the first time, I did not make it to RMAF this year, so could any of you folks talk about some of the SD things you saw/heard?

How were the OB Lowthers, and the Lotus group's new OB for the Feastrex?

Thanks,

Jim

[ltr317]

Jim,

One of my favorite rooms this year was listening in the Lotus Group room.  Very engaging sound. 
I was expecting to meet you personally, but hope you can make it next year.

Paul Mah

[garyalex]

I heard these and liked them a lot:  http://acoustictechnologiesllc.com/Our_Products.html

I thought the performance was absolutely outstanding, especially considering that they use a 3" driver.  Not on the same level as the Lotus Group speakers Paul mentions, but still very good.

[jrebman]

Hi Paul,

Yes, sorry, there were a number of folks I was wanting to meet up with, but my  almost 17 year old cat got very sick and had to be put to sleep and the vet bills added up quickly, and my doc told me to avoid large crowds until I get my flu and pneumonia vaccines, so all in all, it ws best to just stay home and mope.

-- Jim

[ltr317]

Hi Paul,

Yes, sorry, there were a number of folks I was wanting to meet up with, but my  almost 17 year old cat got very sick and had to be put to sleep and the vet bills added up quickly, and my doc told me to avoid large crowds until I get my flu and pneumonia vaccines, so all in all, it ws best to just stay home and mope.

-- Jim

Jim,

Having had many cats in my past, I understand.  Hope to meet you next year.

Paul

[DaveC113]

Jim, sorry about your cat. I lost my dog this summer and it's hard to go through.

The Lotus guys nailed it with the Feastrex OB, and at ~$120k, it should be good. It used custom built digital x-overs to make it happen... they sounded like a big single driver and the integration of the woofers (around 200 Hz) was seamless. This was a huge improvement over the horn cabinets that the Feastrex drivers have used the past couple years and one of the best speakers I've ever demo'd. I was lucky enough to get the hot seat and play my own music, and it was GOOD!

The Omegas were there, but the room and setup didn't let you hear how good these speakers can be. The 6" monitors didn't have stands due to shipping issues, and were tilted upward sitting on the floor, and the 4.5" drivers sounded like they needed more break-in and better setup and room treatment. That's too bad, because these speakers are seriously good and wouldn't be embarrassed to be played back to back with the best speakers out there regardless of price.

There were some 3" towers and some 8" German single drivers that I'd rather not comment on. 

[vinyl_guy]

I heard these and liked them a lot:  http://acoustictechnologiesllc.com/Our_Products.html

I thought the performance was absolutely outstanding, especially considering that they use a 3" driver.  Not on the same level as the Lotus Group speakers Paul mentions, but still very good.

I agree with garyalex. I was impressed with the full range sound these speakers delivered. Very nice soundstage too. I did not make it to the Lotus room so I can't compare. At $2,450 for the pair I thought the Acoustic Technologies' speakers were reasonably priced for the sound they delivered.

Laura

[studiotech]

I heard these and liked them a lot:  http://acoustictechnologiesllc.com/Our_Products.html

I thought the performance was absolutely outstanding, especially considering that they use a 3" driver.  Not on the same level as the Lotus Group speakers Paul mentions, but still very good.

I agree with garyalex. I was impressed with the full range sound these speakers delivered. Very nice soundstage too. I did not make it to the Lotus room so I can't compare. At $2,450 for the pair I thought the Acoustic Technologies' speakers were reasonably priced for the sound they delivered.

Laura

Here ya go...you could build your own for much less....

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-842

Greg

[chrisby]

I heard these and liked them a lot:  http://acoustictechnologiesllc.com/Our_Products.html

I thought the performance was absolutely outstanding, especially considering that they use a 3" driver.  Not on the same level as the Lotus Group speakers Paul mentions, but still very good.

I agree with garyalex. I was impressed with the full range sound these speakers delivered. Very nice soundstage too. I did not make it to the Lotus room so I can't compare. At $2,450 for the pair I thought the Acoustic Technologies' speakers were reasonably priced for the sound they delivered.

Laura

Here ya go...you could build your own for much less....

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-842

Greg

Hey, I'm all for intuitive reverse engineering /shameless cloning of designs that appear simple, but as a famous former Manufacturer's Circle member might opine:

"just 'cause you might be able to buy the same driver, ain't no guarantee that you know fer sure what's going on inside the box - there's more to a speaker system than might be evident"

Of course, if Acoustic Technologies is willing to share their enclosure design and any special tricks with DIYers, then you could very likely replicate the performance.   

[twitch54]

I agree with garyalex. I was impressed with the full range sound these speakers delivered. Very nice soundstage too. I did not make it to the Lotus room so I can't compare. At $2,450 for the pair I thought the Acoustic Technologies' speakers were reasonably priced for the sound they delivered.

Laura

Laura, I too was impressed initally....but the longer I listened the less they impressed me, I guess the absence of any legitimate bass got to me. For my money I'd but a pair of used Maggie 1.6's add a sub and be happy !

[twitch54]

I guess while not technically 'single driver' I did enjoy the new Zu 'essence'.

[studiotech]

I heard these and liked them a lot:  http://acoustictechnologiesllc.com/Our_Products.html

I thought the performance was absolutely outstanding, especially considering that they use a 3" driver.  Not on the same level as the Lotus Group speakers Paul mentions, but still very good.

I agree with garyalex. I was impressed with the full range sound these speakers delivered. Very nice soundstage too. I did not make it to the Lotus room so I can't compare. At $2,450 for the pair I thought the Acoustic Technologies' speakers were reasonably priced for the sound they delivered.

Laura

Here ya go...you could build your own for much less....

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-842

Greg

Hey, I'm all for intuitive reverse engineering /shameless cloning of designs that appear simple, but as a famous former Manufacturer's Circle member might opine:

"just 'cause you might be able to buy the same driver, ain't no guarantee that you know fer sure what's going on inside the box - there's more to a speaker system than might be evident"

Of course, if Acoustic Technologies is willing to share their enclosure design and any special tricks with DIYers, then you could very likely replicate the performance.   

I would be more likely to agree with your point of view IF this was an actual speaker SYSTEM, but there are no other drivers to integrate with a crossover.  They MAY be using some sort of a filter to tame the resonance peak up high, but even that is a big IF.  There's no magic going on with the cabinet either I guess, they were not producing any REAL bass to speak of.  Even if there was something special going on, physics says that you can't get much bass out of a 3" anyway.  My point was not really that you could just whip one up as easy as that, but more that I feel that the price they are asking is a little out of line considering the parts used.  Even the wookmanship on the cabinet was nothing spectacular....the driver was not even flush mounted.  Just my opinion that a little 3" driver in a box does not make a great value for close to $3000.  Now, a couple of these babies in an array as wide range mids is a VERY interesting idea.  The idea is to use them in an optimized situation, not a compromised one.  I actually have a few at my house right now......

Greg

[chrisby]

I heard these and liked them a lot:  http://acoustictechnologiesllc.com/Our_Products.html

I thought the performance was absolutely outstanding, especially considering that they use a 3" driver.  Not on the same level as the Lotus Group speakers Paul mentions, but still very good.

I agree with garyalex. I was impressed with the full range sound these speakers delivered. Very nice soundstage too. I did not make it to the Lotus room so I can't compare. At $2,450 for the pair I thought the Acoustic Technologies' speakers were reasonably priced for the sound they delivered.

Laura

Here ya go...you could build your own for much less....

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-842

Greg

Hey, I'm all for intuitive reverse engineering /shameless cloning of designs that appear simple, but as a famous former Manufacturer's Circle member might opine:

"just 'cause you might be able to buy the same driver, ain't no guarantee that you know fer sure what's going on inside the box - there's more to a speaker system than might be evident"

Of course, if Acoustic Technologies is willing to share their enclosure design and any special tricks with DIYers, then you could very likely replicate the performance.   

I would be more likely to agree with your point of view IF this was an actual speaker SYSTEM, but there are no other drivers to integrate with a crossover.  They MAY be using some sort of a filter to tame the resonance peak up high, but even that is a big IF.  There's no magic going on with the cabinet either I guess, they were not producing any REAL bass to speak of.  Even if there was something special going on, physics says that you can't get much bass out of a 3" anyway.  My point was not really that you could just whip one up as easy as that, but more that I feel that the price they are asking is a little out of line considering the parts used.  Even the wookmanship on the cabinet was nothing spectacular....the driver was not even flush mounted.  Just my opinion that a little 3" driver in a box does not make a great value for close to $3000.  Now, a couple of these babies in an array as wide range mids is a VERY interesting idea.  The idea is to use them in an optimized situation, not a compromised one.  I actually have a few at my house right now......

Greg

Greg, there's certainly no argument with your several valid points,  I was just trying to point out at that many folks would consider the enclosure itself to be an integral part of a speaker "system", even if employing a single "full-range" driver with no correction or EQ filtering, and further that quality of workmanship on the visible exterior is no indication that there isn't some complexity going on inside.  Of course the laws of physics can't be completely ignored.

My jest at "intuitive reverse engineering" meant simply that (in audio as in life) when we assume, guess, or suspect that we know what's going on, we have as much chance of misunderstanding things as does the designer of the product under review.  The fact that it can "work" for reasons that neither of us completely comprehend is often serendipitous, and not necessarily scalar.     


Having said that, I couldn't agree more that a DIY speaker system can equal or surpass commercial products, often at fractions of the cost, and even when using what we assume to be equivalent drivers.  I include myself in that category, having built a few pairs myself of which I'm not ashamed of the sound or construction quality.  We don't have the same level of overhead burdens to contend with, and if we do end up selling small volumes, it's generally at lower profit margins than the multi-level retail product distribution model with which many of are most familiar.