Hi,

I finally broke down and chose the RS6 after 3 weeks of auditioning different speakers. I'm further impressed by them when I played them at home. The bass is tight and excellent, with quite a slam - the kind of bass you can feel when the music has it, even though I only played at moderate volume ~75 db. They replace my 14 yr old JBL that have a 10" woofer each. I'm amazed that a couple of 6" woofers on the RS6 can perform so well. This is quite an engineering accomplishment.

Now the midrange, it is very good. I can hear the words sung by the choir - crystal clear, like I hear them on the Sonus Faber floorstanders. Well I'm not saying that MA is equal to the Sonus Faber but that MA can perform well in this area. You see, I am not afraid to audition speakers I cannot afford but I regard the Sonus Faber as a sort of reference since I don't have real life performances to use as a reference. Well actually the Sonus Faber sound transparent but it's not a fair comparison since the Sonus were driven by Macintosh power amplifiers, while my humble MA are driven by a Denon receiver that costs $400. It is not that the MA is not transparent but that the Sonus sound more transparent but that's beyond many people's budget, or what many people are willing to spend for music reproduction.

Now in the high treble area, the MA sounds airy without sibilance, with the treble at -2 to compensate for the lack of "burn in" or "break in".

Overall the speakers sound smooth, crystal clear and neutral. As MA stated, they are "as close as it gets" (to real performance).

Thanks for the review Nick. Did you get a chance to hear the RS8s? I've heard people prefering the 6s, but wanted your opinion, if you had one.

Welcome to the MA club! I recommend playing with the speaker positioning - slight toe-in, nothing big in between the speakers and some distance from the walls. The MAs image very well and positioning helps get the best out of them.

Do you have the MA SLCR as well? I have the LCR and Silver 5i for mains and sound great!

Thanks for the review Nick. Did you get a chance to hear the RS8s? I've heard people prefering the 6s, but wanted your opinion, if you had one.

To be honest with you, the RS8 sounds fuller and the bass is clearer but I was not willing to pay 50% more for the RS8's bass. If I needed the bass, I can just turn on my sub. I think for most of my music, I can do without the sub, and that's why I chose the RS6. But if you listened to pipe organ music 50% of the time, then you would want the extra bass of the RS8. Also, in a small to medium size room, the RS6's are good enough. I like the lower tweeter and midrange heights of RS6 in a carpeted room since it is better acoustically in my opinion.

The RS8's playing Nora Jones, sound fuller than the RS6's. An RS8 has 2 woofers. The manual does not publish the xover point but I am guessing it is near 300 hz give or take 100 hz. The lowest female voice is a tad under 200 hz, and that may explain why the RS8's sound fuller. You would have to listen to them for yourself to see if that's worth the extra 500 dollars.

Welcome to the MA club! I recommend playing with the speaker positioning - slight toe-in, nothing big in between the speakers and some distance from the walls. The MAs image very well and positioning helps get the best out of them.

Do you have the MA SLCR as well? I have the LCR and Silver 5i for mains and sound great!

I have them positioned with a slight toe-in, different distances from the rear wall and front wall.

For music, I just have a pair of RS6. For HT, I can switch to the "A" speakers - all Boston Acoustics CR series bookshelf speakers for fronts, center, rear and surrounds, plus my 11 year old JBL PS120 acoustic suspension sub.

Hi,

I finally broke down and chose the RS6 after 3 weeks of auditioning different speakers. I'm further impressed by them when I played them at home. The bass is tight and excellent, with quite a slam - the kind of bass you can feel when the music has it, even though I only played at moderate volume ~75 db. They replace my 14 yr old JBL that have a 10" woofer each. I'm amazed that a couple of 6" woofers on the RS6 can perform so well. This is quite an engineering accomplishment.

Now the midrange, it is very good. I can hear the words sung by the choir - crystal clear, like I hear them on the Sonus Faber floorstanders. Well I'm not saying that MA is equal to the Sonus Faber but that MA can perform well in this area. You see, I am not afraid to audition speakers I cannot afford but I regard the Sonus Faber as a sort of reference since I don't have real life performances to use as a reference. Well actually the Sonus Faber sound transparent but it's not a fair comparison since the Sonus were driven by Macintosh power amplifiers, while my humble MA are driven by a Denon receiver that costs $400. It is not that the MA is not transparent but that the Sonus sound more transparent but that's beyond many people's budget, or what many people are willing to spend for music reproduction.

Now in the high treble area, the MA sounds airy without sibilance, with the treble at -2 to compensate for the lack of "burn in" or "break in".

Overall the speakers sound smooth, crystal clear and neutral. As MA stated, they are "as close as it gets" (to real performance).

The RS6's truly are a bargain at that price. Personally, I am also a fan of their sound. I am glad you are enjoying them as that is the most important thing. Have fun!

Along the same MA line here if I could...........

I'll be demo-ing some GS10's and GSLCR for my front compliment of speakers (LCR) this week. They will be in some combination or all one flavor of those mentioned.

Has anyone used the GS or GR 10's for a full compliment of front speakers as well as a full LCR of the GR or GS LCR speakers for front line audio?

The RS6's truly are a bargain at that price. Personally, I am also a fan of their sound. I am glad you are enjoying them as that is the most important thing. Have fun!

Surely I am having fun and enjoying music.

Welcome to the RS6 club, I bought mine last year and definitely have no regrets. For their price range, and I auditioned many speakers in the same price range, I found them to be the best :D

Have fun.

Welcome to the RS6 club, I bought mine last year and definitely have no regrets. For their price range, and I auditioned many speakers in the same price range, I found them to be the best :D

Have fun.

Thanks Kevin12586.

I just ordered the RS6s in cherry yesterday. Getting rid of my old NHT 1.5s, which have served me well. Hopefully I'll be able to contribute to this thread in the next few days.

Ok, I haven't spent a whole lot of time with them yet, but so far I really love these speakers. I am immediately struck by the balance of a huge, sweet soundstage, but yet the detail is amazing. The transients are what I'm really not used to-- everything is just so quick and crisp, both in the bass and midrange. I feel like I've been listening through molasses for years!

Like swwg, I am powering these with a midrange Denon receiver-- the 2803. I have a nice Velodyne sub (F1200R), but for the time being I've turned it off, so I can get a handle on just what the RS6s will do in the bass area. So far, I'm really impressed-- tight and clean.

Oh, and they're really beautiful too. The cherry finish is just gorgeous.

Hello all,

I just ordered the RS-6's (light oak). I'm a two-channel purist, and from the reviews I've read I think (and hope) that these will sound good according to my tastes, and will mate well with my tube amp.

I'm happy with my front end equipment. I have a Rega Jupiter CD player, A Cayin A-88T tube integrated amp, and Speltz's Anti-Cables for speaker cables (awesome cables). But the speaker department I've had some difficulty dialing in to what I will be happy with. The speakers I've had were:

Von Schweikert VR-1's - crisp sound but not much bass

Von Schweikert VR-2's - overpowering bass, not the best midrange

Currently Usher X-719's - excellent bass for a monitor, a bit recessed midrange and somewhat muddy highs

From what I've heard in reviews the RS-6's sound better than the 8's, at least for two channel music. The 6's look about the perfect size for what I'm looking for.

I'll keep you posted on my opinion on speaker when I receive them and have allowed them to burn in. Happy listening!

Hi,

Now the midrange, it is very good. I can hear the words sung by the choir - crystal clear, like I hear them on the Sonus Faber floorstanders. Well I'm not saying that MA is equal to the Sonus Faber but that MA can perform well in this area. You see, I am not afraid to audition speakers I cannot afford but I regard the Sonus Faber as a sort of reference since I don't have real life performances to use as a reference. Well actually the Sonus Faber sound transparent but it's not a fair comparison since the Sonus were driven by Macintosh power amplifiers, while my humble MA are driven by a Denon receiver that costs $400. It is not that the MA is not transparent but that the Sonus sound more transparent but that's beyond many people's budget, or what many people are willing to spend for music reproduction.



Great choice! While I own Paradigms, I just turned my friend onto the RS6's, the matching center and bookshelves for use as surrounds.

I actually like the MA series, from a sound quality perspective, BETTER than the Sonus Faber. Sure, Sonus Faber is Italian made, and composed of leather and exotic woods, but technically speaking, they are also rather colored. The Fabers are "voiced" to sound different, to make them stand out, but the MA's are actually more accurate.

Check out the frequency response graph on the RS6's from this Home Theater Mag review and notice how smooth and relatively flat they are.

http://hometheatermag.com/floorloudspeakers/1205monitor/index2.html

Now look at the frequency response of this Sonus Faber Domus speaker. They may sound distinctive because of that dip in the midrange and the peak upper midrange, but they have a ways to go to be considered accurate.

http://hometheatermag.com/floorloudspeakers/106sonus/index2.html

hifisponge,

You made an excellent point!

And you sir made an excellent choice. ;) You may be able to find speakers that have more extended bass response than the RS6's, but you won't find many that are more accurate within their frequency response range. Enjoy!

Check out the frequency response graph on the RS6's from this Home Theater Mag review and notice how smooth and relatively flat they are.

i'm interested in the RS6, as well.. but a couple of things about this FR graph unsettle me:

http://hometheatermag.com/images/archivesart/1205monitor.3.jpg


most importantly, that spike up at 20kHz.. that looks painful. stereophile's FR graph showed the same thing.

now, i'm sure i can no longer hear up to that range, but my 4 yr old son probably can, and i plan to be doing quite a bit of listening with him. i don't want to either damage his hearing or teach him to be annoyed by music he should like, because of this harsh peak that i can't even hear.

secondly, MA rates the bass down to 40Hz or so (@ -6dB, i think), but this graph shows a steep drop off starting at 60Hz... that seems pretty poor for even a small floorstander, especially one with a dedicated woofer.

of course, i'll audition these to make my own decision, but that 20kHz spike still concerns me.

Vic, I doubt many people can hear sound above 20 KHz, and if they can, they aren't as apparent as sounds below that region. I wouldn't worry about it unless your hearing is similar to that of a canine. :D Of course, go with your gut and audition before purchasing; one should always do this.

Yeah, I think very few people actually hear above the 17-18k range. I remember reading somewhere that MA improved the metal dome tweeter by pushing the frequency bump that they all have up-- higher, out of range of hearing. Most metal dome tweeters have that "bump" lower, where it is easily heard, and which causes them to be labeled as harsh.

I've spent about 4 months with my RS6s now, and I would not characterize them as harsh or bright at all. In fact, they sound sweet to my ears. (I'm coming from nearly 10 years with NHT 1.5s) Also, the bass extension is very impressive to me-- so much so that I don't miss it when I turn my sub off.

Vic, I doubt many people can hear sound above 20 KHz, and if they can, they aren't as apparent as sounds below that region. I wouldn't worry about it unless your hearing is similar to that of a canine. :D Of course, go with your gut and audition before purchasing; one should always do this.

reread my post.... i'm sure that I can't hear that high... but it's quite possible that my son can. and a 6dB spike is pretty dramatic.

let's say we're listening to music at 80-85dB. but the 20kHz is up at 86-91dB. it seems to me that that could potentially damage his hearing, and at the very least be quite irritating.

Oh, I forgot to add that I have a 3 year-old son who loves to listen to music with me. He even asks to listen to music on my system. I listen at realistic live-music levels-- not ear-bleeding, but not soft either.

reread my post.... i'm sure that I can't hear that high... but it's quite possible that my son can. and a 6dB spike is pretty dramatic.

let's say we're listening to music at 80-85dB. but the 20kHz is up at 86-91dB. it seems to me that that could potentially damage his hearing, and at the very least be quite irritating.
Yes....most of the younger crowd can definitely hear above 17khz.

There is actually a cellphone ringtone amongst high schoolers in that tone range. The kids can hear it, but not the teachers.

http://saunderslog.com/2006/06/12/the-mosquito-ring-tone-this-adult-can-hear-it/

I have kids that are 9 and 7. I used my computer speakers and tested the tones on them. While I can hear the 15khz tone, and have some kind of perception of the 17khz tone, my kids can hear it all and said "what the heck is that?" when I played them, and asked me to shut it off.

Also, to some, eventhough we can not hear tones that high, some perceive it and describe it as "more airy"....and some times in the long run, it gets irritating.

reread my post.... i'm sure that I can't hear that high... but it's quite possible that my son can. and a 6dB spike is pretty dramatic.

let's say we're listening to music at 80-85dB. but the 20kHz is up at 86-91dB. it seems to me that that could potentially damage his hearing, and at the very least be quite irritating.

It's good that you brought that up. The fundamental frequencies of musical instruments rarely get up there. Perhaps someone can fill in on the frequencies of electronic music.

Violin's highest fundamental frequency is a tad below 5kHz and the harmonics in the neighborhood of 20kHz is very low in amplitude. Cymbals fundamental frequency is in the neighborhood of 11kHz as far as I recall from memory and the harmonics at 19-22 kHz would be much lower in amplitude.

If you use a microphone, potentially the feedback could get up there but I have no experience with that.

I have posted the basics. If you are so inclined, you can search the Internet for more info on the frequencies of sound.

By the way, does it concern you that some amps are flat to 30kHz?

Anyway, yeah you should go by your own perception so that you can live with them.

Violin's highest fundamental frequency is a tad below 5kHz and the harmonics in the neighborhood of 20kHz is very low in amplitude. Cymbals fundamental frequency is in the neighborhood of 11kHz as far as I recall from memory and the harmonics at 19-22 kHz would be much lower in amplitude.

Very true, but do you want the harmonics accurate, emphasized, or even de-emphasized in amplitude?

It's good that you brought that up. The fundamental frequencies of musical instruments rarely get up there. Perhaps someone can fill in on the frequencies of electronic music.

Violin's highest fundamental frequency is a tad below 5kHz and the harmonics in the neighborhood of 20kHz is very low in amplitude. Cymbals fundamental frequency is in the neighborhood of 11kHz as far as I recall from memory and the harmonics at 19-22 kHz would be much lower in amplitude.

ok, well that certainly assuages my main concern. if harmonics and transients are really the only things reproduced at that frequency, then it's probably not an issue.

there's a hifi shop a few blocks away from me that carries these, so i'll be checking them out soon.

if anyone cares, i'm also thinking of trying out a pair of Ohm MicroWalsh Talls for about the same price. i like the idea of owning speakers that were built right across the river.

It's good that you brought that up. The fundamental frequencies of musical instruments rarely get up there. Perhaps someone can fill in on the frequencies of electronic music.

Violin's highest fundamental frequency is a tad below 5kHz and the harmonics in the neighborhood of 20kHz is very low in amplitude. Cymbals fundamental frequency is in the neighborhood of 11kHz as far as I recall from memory and the harmonics at 19-22 kHz would be much lower in amplitude.

If you use a microphone, potentially the feedback could get up there but I have no experience with that.

I have posted the basics. If you are so inclined, you can search the Internet for more info on the frequencies of sound.

By the way, does it concern you that some amps are flat to 30kHz?

Anyway, yeah you should go by your own perception so that you can live with them.

swwg has hit the nail on the head here. There are no fundamental musical tones in the range of that 20 KHz spike and even the harmonics are going to be so far down in level that at worst the spike would only flatten the response. Besides, a 20 KHz tone is so high that it sounds more like air than a tone. Even those young people that can hear 20 KHz are doing so with much less sensitivity than a midrange tone. The human ear is most sensitive in the 3-4 KHz range much less so by the time you reach 20 KHz.

Here's a diagram:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html

As far as the bass response of the RS6, that roll off is a little better than average for speaker with only two 6.5 inch drivers.

Very true, but do you want the harmonics accurate, emphasized, or even de-emphasized in amplitude?

I thank the Lord I don't have the so called golden ears. As I am typing, my RS6s are playing "Cry Me a River" with trumpet and piano accompaniment and the music sounds silky smooth. What more do I want? Perhaps you have the "golden ears". If that is the case, you can buy flatter speakers like the Energy C-1 which I have and they are silky smooth when powered by an old HK AVR20.

I thank the Lord I don't have the so called golden ears. As I am typing, my RS6s are playing "Cry Me a River" with trumpet and piano accompaniment and the music sounds silky smooth. What more do I want? Perhaps you have the "golden ears". If that is the case, you can buy flatter speakers like the Energy C-1 which I have and they are silky smooth when powered by an old HK AVR20.
Agreed....it is what matters to you. I simply asked if your would like accurate hamonics as well as fundamentals. :rolleyes:

If you read my post in this thread, you will see that I do not have golden ears.

Agreed....it is what matters to you. I simply asked if your would like accurate hamonics as well as fundamentals. :rolleyes:

If you read my post in this thread, you will see that I do not have golden ears.

Okay I did not mean to annoy you. :D I sure would like a flat FR like this one:

http://www.soundstagemagazine.com/measurements/revel_concerta_f12/frequency_on1530.gif

I sometimes wonder how that would sound in comparison to the RS6. However, since the harmonics are outside my hearing range, I chose the RS6 over the B&W 603 S3, or the Vienna Acoustics Mozart, based on reviews and listening to them in person. I did not have the option to audition the Revel Concerta F12. Given the opportunity to listen to the F12, I would not be surprised if I picked them.

Like it has been posted before, it is not all about FR.

Glad you found what you wanted spend your money on. That's what it is all about.

Sure, FR isn't everything, but it does play a large role (as long as we are talking about the FR from all angles, not just on-axis).

That spike may be a limitation of the measurement method. i.e., not real...

i consider myself to have pretty great ears (im a teenager), from "self listening" tests on my akg headphones i can hear around 20khz. I dont go to concerts and dont put myself in listening environments that could hurt my ears

my RS6 definitely dont feel harsh to me, maybe with miles davis albums and a tenor sax blaring its heart out, but definitely not music i listen to everyday (sting, seal, tears for fears, queen, etc).

Cool; glad you like them.

reread my post.... i'm sure that I can't hear that high... but it's quite possible that my son can. and a 6dB spike is pretty dramatic.

let's say we're listening to music at 80-85dB. but the 20kHz is up at 86-91dB. it seems to me that that could potentially damage his hearing, and at the very least be quite irritating.

I did read and re-read your post. Please re-read mine! Again, MOST people cannot hear frequencies above 20KHz, so there should be no issues. However, if somehow your son can hear frequencies that high, yes it would be irritating.
It's good that you brought that up. The fundamental frequencies of musical instruments rarely get up there. Perhaps someone can fill in on the frequencies of electronic music.

Violin's highest fundamental frequency is a tad below 5kHz and the harmonics in the neighborhood of 20kHz is very low in amplitude. Cymbals fundamental frequency is in the neighborhood of 11kHz as far as I recall from memory and the harmonics at 19-22 kHz would be much lower in amplitude.

If you use a microphone, potentially the feedback could get up there but I have no experience with that.

I have posted the basics. If you are so inclined, you can search the Internet for more info on the frequencies of sound.

By the way, does it concern you that some amps are flat to 30kHz?

Anyway, yeah you should go by your own perception so that you can live with them.
Sure, FR isn't everything, but it does play a large role (as long as we are talking about the FR from all angles, not just on-axis).
Sure does. However, I have have heard speakers with very flat FR's, but they used bad drivers and were poorly designed. So yes, FR is certainly not the all telling factor as Curtis said.

i consider myself to have pretty great ears (im a teenager), from "self listening" tests on my akg headphones i can hear around 20khz. I dont go to concerts and dont put myself in listening environments that could hurt my ears

my RS6 definitely dont feel harsh to me, maybe with miles davis albums and a tenor sax blaring its heart out, but definitely not music i listen to everyday (sting, seal, tears for fears, queen, etc).

I did read and re-read your post. Please re-read mine! Again, MOST people cannot hear frequencies above 20KHz, so there should be no issues. However, if somehow your son can hear frequencies that high, yes it would be irritating.

ok... here's your original post:

Vic, I doubt many people can hear sound above 20 KHz, and if they can, they aren't as apparent as sounds below that region. I wouldn't worry about it unless your hearing is similar to that of a canine. Of course, go with your gut and audition before purchasing; one should always do this.

one by one:

your first assertion is incorrect: when i was 16, i could hear at 20kHz. some people can measure up to 22kHz-23kHz, although that's rare.

your second assertion sarcastically brushed me off "unless my hearing is similar to that of a canine." i stated clearly i wasn't concerned about myself, but my son, which you didn't acknowledge as having comprehended, and which is completely legitimate, as a sustained 90dB+ exposure to 20kHz can certainly be dangerous to him, and it's quite probable that he can hear up to that frequency.

fortunately, others posted reasonable responses with actual information i could use, rather than a facetious brush off.

:rolleyes:

/unsubscribes from thread... gimmee a break.

VicAjax: I really wouldn't worry about it. I doubt that spike is real. Typically things like that occur from the speaker enviroment and placement, or a limitation of the measuring equipment or software. A poor method can introduce all these things. And that spike is (just) outside the normal range, so the ones doing the measurement probably weren't concerned about correcting it.

VicAjax: I really wouldn't worry about it. I doubt that spike is real. Typically things like that occur from the speaker enviroment and placement, or a limitation of the measuring equipment or software. A poor method can introduce all these things. And that spike is (just) outside the normal range, so the ones doing the measurement probably weren't concerned about correcting it.

i'm not worried about it anymore, actually... the fact that only harmonics dwell at frequencies that high pretty much ended the issue for me.

however, stereophile measured the exact same spike, so i doubt it's a measurement anomaly.

Similar method of measurement probably.

Anyway it's good you changed your mind, the RS6 seems like a fine speaker.

VicAjax: I really wouldn't worry about it. I doubt that spike is real. Typically things like that occur from the speaker enviroment and placement, or a limitation of the measuring equipment or software. A poor method can introduce all these things. And that spike is (just) outside the normal range, so the ones doing the measurement probably weren't concerned about correcting it.

That spike IS real. It is common for a metal dome tweeter to have this type of peak (it is not peculiar to MA) and it is the result of the resonance of the metal the tweeter is made from.

Heres a B&W speaker that has a metal dome tweet and the same type of spike.

http://www.stereophile.com/images/archivesart/DM603fig4.jpg

and another from KEF

http://stereophile.com/images/archivesart/206KEFfig3.jpg

That spike IS real. It is common for a metal dome tweeter to have this type of peak (it is not peculiar to MA) and it is the result of the resonance of the metal the tweeter is made from.

I have been told that before by a speaker designer/engineer as well, and saw a measurement taken(realtime) which showed the very same thing on yet another brand of speaker that used a metal dome tweeter.

Metal domes are a little ragged over 20k, but that is pretty large. Now that I think of it my Scanspeak 9800s spike like that above 20k. I guess if you don't have a dog it doesn't matter :)

Most metal domes spike over 20khz. Though we cannot hear over 20khz, the resonance causes IMD, which are basically interactions with the original signal that we can hear. These peaks are the major cause of listening fatigue because we are hearing that distortion.

The point of Monitor Audio releasing the GS line with the new tweeter reaching out to 45 khz is that if the breakup can occur further away from audibility then the resonance of the metal also stays out of the audible spectrum. This is very easy to pick out when comparing the RS and GS line especially at high volume levels.

This is also the main reason why many high-end speakers use exotic materials like B&W diamond, and Focal berrylium. They can play well into 50 khz before breaking up and thus avoid the distortions that we can hear.

ok... here's your original post:



one by one:

your first assertion is incorrect: when i was 16, i could hear at 20kHz. some people can measure up to 22kHz-23kHz, although that's rare.

your second assertion sarcastically brushed me off "unless my hearing is similar to that of a canine." i stated clearly i wasn't concerned about myself, but my son, which you didn't acknowledge as having comprehended, and which is completely legitimate, as a sustained 90dB+ exposure to 20kHz can certainly be dangerous to him, and it's quite probable that he can hear up to that frequency.

fortunately, others posted reasonable responses with actual information i could use, rather than a facetious brush off.

:rolleyes:

I didn't mean to "brush you off." The canine thing was a poor attempt at humor, I guess. You are certainly a rarity, because most people can't hear up to 23 KHz, not even when they were 16 as you were.

I immediately stated that the spike shouldn't be an issue, but perhaps I should have explained things better. If I was not helpful, sorry. There is no need to be rude.

I didn't mean to "brush you off." The canine thing was a poor attempt at humor, I guess. You are certainly a rarity, because most people can't hear up to 23 KHz, not even when they were 16 as you were.

I immediately stated that the spike shouldn't be an issue, but perhaps I should have explained things better. If I was not helpful, sorry. There is no need to be rude.

no hard feelings... sorry if i came off as rude, just a knee-jerk reaction. :)

as for 23kHz... i wish! i topped off at 20kHz according to the audiologist, but i'm sure it dropped off fast once i started playing in a band.

A band? Cool. I have always wondered how well quality musicians headphones work to minimize permanent hearing loss.

Most metal domes spike over 20khz. Though we cannot hear over 20khz, the resonance causes IMD, which are basically interactions with the original signal that we can hear. These peaks are the major cause of listening fatigue because we are hearing that distortion.

The point of Monitor Audio releasing the GS line with the new tweeter reaching out to 45 khz is that if the breakup can occur further away from audibility then the resonance of the metal also stays out of the audible spectrum. This is very easy to pick out when comparing the RS and GS line especially at high volume levels.

This is also the main reason why many high-end speakers use exotic materials like B&W diamond, and Focal berrylium. They can play well into 50 khz before breaking up and thus avoid the distortions that we can hear.


Audioarchitect: Good explanation :)

In any case I think ribbon tweeters might be a good alternative to those people that find metal tweeters "harsh" or "excessively brittle".

I like my MAs because they're pretty accurate when they play a trumpet, a triangle and some other metallic instruments even at high volumes :cool:

Now I'm still waiting to audition those new GS speakers :(

A band? Cool. I have always wondered how well quality musicians headphones work to minimize permanent hearing loss.

In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) are lifesavers for pro musicians nowadays. Shure, Sensaphonic, Ultimate Ears, Westone and Etymotic Research all make excellent IEMs that can attenuate up to 35dB of ambient noise.

i own a pair of Ety ER-4P myself... best music investment i've ever made.

Great thread.
Will the RS6 go well with a Denon 2307/2807.?

Great thread.
Will the RS6 go well with a Denon 2307/2807.?

Of course they will , though better driven by an outboard dedicated powerful amp.

Yet , this Denon would be a sweet corresbonding match to those incredible floorstanders. :)

Wow, just found this thread and tried that 17khz tone. Was surprised I could hear it quite badly. In fact it made me wince!

hi, i have the monitor audio 8i's for the front and for the rear i have the 3i's (silver), i am thinking of getting a center, i cant get the matching 10i or 12i, my options are kind of the rslcr, grlcr, gslcr.
any recomendations, also is there a huge differance in sound quality from the gr to the gs center channel.

I am considering purchasing the RS6, but had two questions:

1.) I have a Velodyne DD-10 sub, so do I get much difference in bass if I chose the RS8 over the RS6 for music listening?

2.) The Gold series appears to be a little older design. Am I gaining much if I choose to go with the similar sized Gold model [think the GS20]?

Am driving with an Carver THM-45, with north of 300 WPC, so power is not an issue.

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

I auditioned both RS6 and GR20 (older Gold Series model) at Cosmophnic Sound in NYC and the RS6 sounded better to me with a fuller more spacial sound.
I was going to purchase a RS8 but nobody had them on the floor (bcs the RS6s are so more popular).

I was this close to getting them (excellent quality/size/price ratio), but then I listened to a ASW Genius 300 (although 3x price) and it was a lot better (really live/clear soundstage) than both so ended going with it.

If I didn't hear the ASW, I would have gone with the RS8s though because of the added bass since I don't have a sub in my apartment.

I attach a FRQ of the Genius 300 for comparison.

I auditioned both RS6 and GR20 (older Gold Series model) at Cosmophnic Sound in NYC and the RS6 sounded better to me with a fuller more spacial sound.
I was going to purchase a RS8 but nobody had them on the floor (bcs the RS6s are so more popular).

I was this close to getting them (excellent quality/size/price ratio), but then I listened to a ASW Genius 300 (although 3x price) and it was a lot better (really live/clear soundstage) than both so ended going with it.

If I didn't hear the ASW, I would have gone with the RS8s though because of the added bass since I don't have a sub in my apartment.

I attach a FRQ of the Genius 300 for comparison.

Wow, that's a huge bass hump.

It doesn't sound to me as such - to me the bass reproduction is clean and deep.

As a comparison I listened to Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales" on the HD650 and the ASW and found the sound to be comparable in clarity with a little less "depth" in the bass - of course, the HD650s did sound a bit better :) ... still the ASW held its own... but then again I am probably being subjective about them since I like the way they sound.

Also, if I am correct the bass hump is built in in most floorstanding speakers by manufacturers.

Yes, that sort of bass hump is built in by many manufactureres. I guess they are assuming one won't have a nice subwoofer to cross over to. Either way, that bass hump can be leveled out some with parametric equalization. I just listened to some Paradigm Studio 100's over the weekend and the bass was fantastic except that it would sometimes make me strain to hear the very subtle details of my audition track(s). I finally found some measurements for them this morning on Stereophile's website, and sure enough, they have a slight bass elevation. Figures... Still, they sounded quite good, almost as if there was a subwoofer running somewhere in the room; this was not so, however. I can see why you like the Genius 300's. Enjoy!

I auditioned both RS6 and GR20 (older Gold Series model) at Cosmophnic Sound in NYC and the RS6 sounded better to me with a fuller more spacial sound.
I was going to purchase a RS8 but nobody had them on the floor (bcs the RS6s are so more popular).

I was this close to getting them (excellent quality/size/price ratio), but then I listened to a ASW Genius 300 (although 3x price) and it was a lot better (really live/clear soundstage) than both so ended going with it.

If I didn't hear the ASW, I would have gone with the RS8s though because of the added bass since I don't have a sub in my apartment.

I attach a FRQ of the Genius 300 for comparison.

Technically the GS speakers are more nuetral across the frequency range than the RS line, but as you demonstrated, not everyone likes a nuetral balance. However, you can get a fuller low-end out of the GS's simply by placing them closer to the wall behind them.

I don't know where you got the FR graph for the ASW, but that looks suspiciously like an in-room measurement. The dip in the response at about 300Hz is typical of a floorstanding speaker and is caused by what is called "floor bounce", which is where some of the upper bass / lower midrange is cancled by the reflected sound off of the floor.

I also demo'ed the RS6 and the GR20 and got the exact opposite impressions. Shows you how much speaker performance is subjective! I felt the RS lacked midrange clarity and felt it was hiding compared to the bass/treble. The GR brought that midrange forward, and in-so, you lose some of that "depth" created from a recessed middle. I can see the preference to the RS6 though, depending on the type of music.
GOod luck in your choices.

Been using my RS6 with my Denon 2307 for 6 months now and absolutely love them.
In my 5.1 layout , the sound is better than i have ever experienced before.
Bi-amped ,the RS6 on their own handle mp3 & flac especially , beautifully.
Happy camper here.

I was looking at Def Tech BP7006 and Klipsch rf-62 when I stumbled into a HiFi shop and he played the rs6 for me. I was blown away. the rs6 put the def. tech. and Klipsch to shame.

Does any one have any experience with these through a Yamaha rxv-1500 (or something similar)? What about through tube amps? I'm looking to build a SET tube amp that will put out about 8-10 watts.

Also... I'm still looking around. Could someone recommend a similar speaker in the same price range?

*Bump...Does anyone else have listening impressions or input around the MA RS6's? I'm doing some research and am hoping to get out to audition these soon.

I'll be comparing them to others in the price range like the Paradigm Monitor 7. I'm also interested in how these compare to some of the ID speakers from AV123 and Aperion in this range.

Thanks!

I've got RS6's and I'll be comparing them directly to AV123's X-statiks next weekend.

Excellent. I'll look forward to your thoughts...

I've been running my pair (+ center) for about a month now, and have nothing but positive things to say about it. It does well with Jazz, Classical, and even Rock, plus being dynamic enough for Home Theater duty. Does everything well, if not 1 thing exceptionally.

I haven't compared them to anything but the MA Bronze series (Silver is much better) and an expensive pair of Vienna towers, which were better but at almost 3x the price.

I've got RS6's and I'll be comparing them directly to AV123's X-statiks next weekend.

I've been curious to read an x-statik review/listening impression, so I look forward to this, too.

I've got RS6's and I'll be comparing them directly to AV123's X-statiks next weekend.

Any updates?

Just got 'em yesterday.. giving them some time to break in. Don't worry.. haven't forgotten. :)

I have statiks you have to give them time to break-in. More time the smoother and better they get.

I've got RS6's and I'll be comparing them directly to AV123's X-statiks next weekend.


well they are TOTALLY different animals...

Both are great in their own way though. I would only put the x-statiks in a bigger room since they are Open Baffle... I've personally heard them in a small room...not a good combo..lol

I've been curious to read an x-statik review/listening impression, so I look forward to this, too.

why dont you check out the av123forum.com? They have more than enough listening impressions;)

sorry about the thread bump -

i have the RS6 at home and have been having trouble finding the right positioning for them in my room. i feel the soundstage is either too wide or if toed in too much too narrow. the effect when it feels too wide is, at least in my room, not having a sharp and punchy bass or having vocals and snar drums off center.

can i get a recommendation for placement of the speakers in a room of this size.

16ft long
10ft wide
7ft high

speakers are placed along the 10ft wall, about 3.5 ft out from the wall and ~30 inches from the side walls.

sitting is at far end of smaller wall, center of speakers, about 2.5~3ft out from the wall.

Toe in has been from an inch to several inches. I've just never found the sweet spot, and it seems i'm having to totally reposition the speakers depending on the CD playing at the time.

Suggestions?

Thanks,
-adam

just read the thread, came up in my research on the RS6
very good info

a couple of things:
I would be suprised if ANY commericial media (LP, CD, SACD, etc.) had ANY spectral energy >16khz, 18khz at tops, but I doubt it...
a CD can theoretically record to 44.1/2 ~ 22 khz, but a filter is used to 'lose' the harmonics of the sampling freq, ie, steep attenuation >21khz, so with roll-off any content at 20khz may be way down, but then again, I bet there is none recorded...

the freq response for the graphs were done with a signal generator, not recorded music...
although I agree live music may have harmonics ~20 khz, I'm sure a FFT (fast fourier transform) would show <1% of the total energy at that freq
2nd, 3rd an 4th order harmonics greatly diminished in magnitude...

just ordered the RS6's, can't wait for them to arrive...