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Joseph Audio - RM25XL
R.R.P. FROM $5,800.00
Positive Feedback Review
Manufacturer's Website
Just arrived from my fantastic distributor for my review
and general impressions... Wow!
"Hey James, I'm going to send you some new Loudspeakers for
you to have a listen to...ok?", he said. I replied, "Sure, I'm willing to listen
to anything new". Whatever, I thought. Not expecting to hear any sonic
revelation or industry changing benchmark from just casually looking at their
specifications and pictures on the manufacturer's website. Was I wrong
here.
These are the most amazing loudspeaker I have heard under
$10K. They beat everything in their price range. Sonus Faber, B&W, Tannoy and
Usher. They just sound right. What people are saying about these around the
World really is true.
Hard to believe from such an unassuming and relatively
standard looking tower Loudspeaker design. As I said previously, before I had
listened to them I was not expecting anything revolutionary from what I was used
to from hearing and being familiar with their competitors. This was a mistake on
my part. Let this be a lesson to the wise, never judge a book by it's cover.
This maybe doubly true for loudspeakers. It has become
obvious that a lot of engineering time and R&D has gone into their development.
This costly development is the exception and in contrast rather than just
a common directional course of throwing expensive drivers into an enclosure and
letting a computer program calculate the correct internal dimension, port
length, crossover points and design. Many upon many man hours of testing has
gone into these Loudspeakers, that is how Joseph Audio has succeeded where so
many others have failed. No computer program can by-pass painstakingly tough and
frustrating trial and error development. But this is what yields the greatest
results. For this level of performance to be delivered in such a moderate price
range deserves even more credit to be given to Joseph Audio.
Not only do they sound dynamic, open, sweet and transparent
with an extended soundstage but their price they are one of the undiscovered
bargains in Hi-Fi today. The music just comes alive in an eerie way. The bass is
incredibly tight and controlled. REL subwoofer type tight and hard hitting. No
roll off or sponginess.
For this reason they have made my Recommended Components
list.
More to come soon...
What is different with these regular looking tower
loudspeakers from Joseph Audio...?
Just wait till you hear them and the question will become
crystal clear.
Sonatex Dome Tweeters - These latest generation dual
section dome tweeters offer sweet smooth extended highs, without any of the
"oil-can" resonances found in metal domes.
Metal Cone Woofers - Aluminum cones are extremely rigid,
resulting in very clear dynamic sound free from the common midrange resonances
that mar the performance of conventional plastic or paper cones.
Bi-Wireable input terminals are provided.
The base plate is removable and the enclosure can be
partially sand filled.
Not that I have done this as they already sound great to me
just the way they are shipped.
The loudspeaker's port is integrated into
the enclosure rear bottom section. Ingenious.
A "Best Sound" Winner You Can Actually
Afford To Call Your Own -- The RM25XL Is the First US$4399 Speaker To Be Voted
into the Top Five!
When the votes were counted at HiFi 98, the RM25si not only placed on the "Best
Sound At Show" list, but also became the first $4399 speakers ever to place
within the Top Five! Proof positive that you shouldn't just compare the RM25XL
to other $4-5000 speakers! Compare them instead to the most ambitious models you
can find. Many of the world’s most demanding audiophiles did just that at HiFi
98, and the results speak for themselves. Dual Metal cone woofers flank a
chamber back sonatex dome tweeter. The upper woofer actively reinforces the
deepest bass, while the lower woofer continues playing up through the midrange.
“The first thing that struck me upon listening to the Joseph Audio RM25XL
Special Edition loudspeaker was its overwhelming neutrality and sense of
balance.” - John Acton , Positive Feedback
•Metal cone woofers - Aluminum cones are extremely rigid, resulting in very
clear dynamic sound free from the common midrange resonances that mar the
performance of conventional plastic or paper cones. This woofer is equipped with
an extended pole piece that acts as a "phase plug" extending the usable
dispersion of the woofer at the top end of its range, and displacing any
resonances that could form inside the cavity of a conventional dustcap.
“The RM25XL's bass performance sublimely juxtaposed extension and control. There
was absolutely no overhang, bloat or unnatural emphasis in the upper or mid-bass
regions, but when called upon to do so, the Joseph Audio speaker could shock
with its ability to plumb the deeps.” - John Acton, Positive Feedback
•Sonatex dome tweeter - These latest generation dual section dome tweeters offer
sweet smooth extended highs, without any of the "oil-can" resonances found in
metal domes. The result is a natural sounding treble range that reveals all the
detail and beauty of the music.
“The new tweeter in the Joseph Audio RM25XL was responsible for some of the
airiest and most transparent highs I've heard from any speaker in my listening
room. “ - John Acton, Positive Feedback
•Asymmetrical Infinite Slope crossover - the patented Infinite Slope Crossover
carefully controls the interactions between the drivers, reducing the acoustical
wave interference and greatly broadening the listening window.
“There was an unquantifiable and almost ineffable level of musical involvement
and immediacy that transcended the speaker's already outstanding technical
performance. This gestalt musicality consistently drew me into recording after
recording, immersing me utterly and completely in the performance. At its price,
the RM25XL represents an outstanding loudspeaker and an unqualified bargain.
Recommended without reservation. “ - John Acton, Positive Feedback
• Sand fillable Silent Box enclosure
SPECIFICATIONS:
Sensitivity: 88 dB SPL, with 2.83 volts RMS
@ 1 meter, 4 pi (anechoic).
Sensitivity combined with impedance indicates how much amplifier power is
required for the loudspeaker to play at satisfying volume levels. When comparing
this spec to low impedance (4 ohm) designs, you must add 3 dB to the figure,
since 4 ohm loads draw twice the current from the amplifier, providing the
illusion of greater sensitivity, while placing more stress on the amplifier’s
power supply. The moderate sensitivity of the RM25XL indicates that even smaller
amplifiers can achieve realistic levels in all but the largest rooms.
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 6 ohms minimum.
System impedance indicates whether the speaker presents a "hard" or "easy" load
on the amplifier. True 8 ohm speakers are less amplifier and cable sensitive,
and partner well with a broader range of amplifiers, including tube designs.
Crossover: 2-way Patented Asymmetrical Infinite Slope Crossover at 2 kHz.
Additional filtering on upper woofer to enhance midrange focus.
Constructed of specially selected components, woofer and tweeter crossover
circuits are physically independent. Provision for bi-amping or bi-wiring. Each
network is tested and calibrated to a high degree of precision, resulting in a
virtually perfect match to the original design prototype.
The steep filter slopes ensure good acoustical behaviour in the crossover
regions, with a minimum of acoustical interference, along with low distortion
and wide dynamic range. Driver acoustic responses are in-phase throughout the
crossover region.
Frequency Response:
The RM25XL delivers a very smooth and even response over a very broad listening
window. Unlike conventional low order crossover designs, the speaker retains its
sonic balance over a wide angle both vertically and horizontally. This results
in a higher level of fidelity than a simple on axis measurement can reveal.
Listening window response: within 2dB from 32 Hz to 20 kHz.
Dimensions and weight: 46" (1168.4 mm) H x 8.5" (215.9 mm) W x 11.5 " (292.1 mm)
D.
Shipping weight approx 70 lbs. (31.75 kg) Each
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