"Cool" speaker suggestions
Discussion
Sneaky Schnell said:
I believe Blueroom was set up by ex B&W engineers but could be wrong.
IIRC the story went that B&W noticed drive units disapearing from their skip, they discovered they were being taken by some students who were working on this design. Rather than reacting negatively they embraced the concept and ran with it. After a couple of years (I guess) they went their own way but carried on using B&W drivers (or very convincing copies if not). PoleDriver said:
slomax said:
I was just about to suggest these!
How about the Curvi speakers. Heard these in a store in warrington IRRC. Sounded awsome considering they only have one drive unit! Think they are circa £4k per pair.
If they're based on the design I think they are they will sound awesome, but £4K is a bit excessive!How about the Curvi speakers. Heard these in a store in warrington IRRC. Sounded awsome considering they only have one drive unit! Think they are circa £4k per pair.
Peter Empson said:
Sneaky Schnell said:
I believe Blueroom was set up by ex B&W engineers but could be wrong.
IIRC the story went that B&W noticed drive units disapearing from their skip, they discovered they were being taken by some students who were working on this design. Rather than reacting negatively they embraced the concept and ran with it. After a couple of years (I guess) they went their own way but carried on using B&W drivers (or very convincing copies if not). 
samuelellis said:
Looks to be a transmission line enclosure design - pretty clever way to handle the amount of space they need
I have some old TDL RTL2s that I think used the same thing...Thanks to everyone for posting...some of you are worse with budgets than Gordon Brown. And either have far more understanding wives/girlfriends than I do, or live alone
Will give it some more though with the options suggested...
PoleDriver said:
slomax said:
I was just about to suggest these!
How about the Curvi speakers. Heard these in a store in warrington IRRC. Sounded awsome considering they only have one drive unit! Think they are circa £4k per pair.
If they're based on the design I think they are they will sound awesome, but £4K is a bit excessive!How about the Curvi speakers. Heard these in a store in warrington IRRC. Sounded awsome considering they only have one drive unit! Think they are circa £4k per pair.
Apologies for going a bit OT here, but I wouldn't say the dealer was right in that a valve amplifier was absolutely necessary with a full range speaker (although it would be my preference) but you do really need an amplifier that works well at lower levels - they tend to be efficient speakers that neither want or require high power and will reveal limitations in many otherwise acceptable amplifiers.
There is a huge difference between 'full range' drivers and speakers, so I'd be tempted to try a few before writing them off completely. The benefits of a single point source (stereo imaging) and no crossover (speed and dynamics) are balanced by high intermodulation distortion (doppler effect as the high frequencies get modulated by the movement of the cone at low frequencies), often a rather peaky frequency response and a very small sweet spot (as they tend to beam upper frequencies). Lack of bass doesn't have to be a feature of full range speakers, but very often is due to the compromises made by the designers.
For me the main limitation is that whilst many sound very good with simple recordings they often fall apart when the music gets more complex (that's the IM distortion rearing its head), but there are some designs that can work well despite these limitations.
There is a huge difference between 'full range' drivers and speakers, so I'd be tempted to try a few before writing them off completely. The benefits of a single point source (stereo imaging) and no crossover (speed and dynamics) are balanced by high intermodulation distortion (doppler effect as the high frequencies get modulated by the movement of the cone at low frequencies), often a rather peaky frequency response and a very small sweet spot (as they tend to beam upper frequencies). Lack of bass doesn't have to be a feature of full range speakers, but very often is due to the compromises made by the designers.
For me the main limitation is that whilst many sound very good with simple recordings they often fall apart when the music gets more complex (that's the IM distortion rearing its head), but there are some designs that can work well despite these limitations.
Edited by Peter Empson on Thursday 10th March 09:52
samuelellis said:
Yep iirc the TDL's were all transmission line at one point in time, one of my favourite enclosures
Luckily for me my mrs thinks a speaker needs to look like a speaker so odes not mind the big floorstanding design of speakers, so I run bigfloorstanders
Tdl 3's in my place, 120 sheets from fleabay, look like new, sound wonderful.Luckily for me my mrs thinks a speaker needs to look like a speaker so odes not mind the big floorstanding design of speakers, so I run bigfloorstanders
swiveleyedgit said:
Tdl 3's in my place, 120 sheets from fleabay, look like new, sound wonderful.
Driven by what?Always interesting to know combinations.
Problem with transmission line stuff is it's always more expensive at the retail end than more simple stuff.
Resulting in the bass reflex design having become the norm.
Some years ago I read an article in, iirc, HiFI World, suggesting that most had become "conditioned" to the bass reflex sound and considered that to be "correct".
I suppose that's partly to do with room size, for most and the requirements of producing to a price.
So, other designs have tended to become the preserve of the higher end.
Not many mainstream open baffle, infinite baffle or horn designs.
More's the pity.
WhoseGeneration said:
Driven by what?
Always interesting to know combinations.
Problem with transmission line stuff is it's always more expensive at the retail end than more simple stuff.
Resulting in the bass reflex design having become the norm.
Some years ago I read an article in, iirc, HiFI World, suggesting that most had become "conditioned" to the bass reflex sound and considered that to be "correct".
I suppose that's partly to do with room size, for most and the requirements of producing to a price.
So, other designs have tended to become the preserve of the higher end.
Not many mainstream open baffle, infinite baffle or horn designs.
More's the pity.
Bridged mono RB971's, via an RC980BX pre. A total of 210 English pounds from fleabay. Analogue from a Planar 3/Denon dl 160, digital from an original Planet. Always a pleasure to watch the jaw drop on the younger generation when they hear the whole "spectrum" Always interesting to know combinations.
Problem with transmission line stuff is it's always more expensive at the retail end than more simple stuff.
Resulting in the bass reflex design having become the norm.
Some years ago I read an article in, iirc, HiFI World, suggesting that most had become "conditioned" to the bass reflex sound and considered that to be "correct".
I suppose that's partly to do with room size, for most and the requirements of producing to a price.
So, other designs have tended to become the preserve of the higher end.
Not many mainstream open baffle, infinite baffle or horn designs.
More's the pity.
swiveleyedgit said:
samuelellis said:
Yep iirc the TDL's were all transmission line at one point in time, one of my favourite enclosures
Luckily for me my mrs thinks a speaker needs to look like a speaker so odes not mind the big floorstanding design of speakers, so I run bigfloorstanders
Tdl 3's in my place, 120 sheets from fleabay, look like new, sound wonderful.Luckily for me my mrs thinks a speaker needs to look like a speaker so odes not mind the big floorstanding design of speakers, so I run bigfloorstanders
CRACKIE said:
120 sheets for a pair of RTL3s is robbery. Back in the late 90's I worked for the company that made the cabinets, then loaded, tested and packed the RTL range for TDL ~ great products. Few have understood Transmission Line theory better than late great mathematician John Wright who was TDLs founder, designer, chief cook and bottle washer. The RTL ( Reflex Transmission Line ) products were far closer to reflex than true transmission lines but John knew every trick in the bag so the TRL2s and RTL3s performcnce and bass in particular was great for their size / cost.
I agree it's silly money but there's plenty for sale around that price. I'd like to pay silly money for a pair of these next... 
...I'll go up to 50 quidMurph7355 said:
Maybe I should sack it off, get the RTLs sprayed up and figure out an amp that's nice and small....
Sounds like a plan.Remove drivers and crossover, maybe rout a radius on all edges, that will make them look less stark.
Then over to a professional sprayer, Nextel is a good finish.
Colour?, obviously the lighter the colour the less obtrusive they will appear.
WAF, "What colour do you think would blend with our room scheme?"
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