MartinQ said:
I havn't decided on the woofer for the Abbey yet, but I am leaning towards the B&C. We were originally having trouble with the 12TBX100 and tried the Eminence, it seemed better. But when we got our first shipment it had the same problem as the 12TBX100. The B&C is the higher performance of the two, but a little more expensive.
Summa review... A musician’s perspective
I have been a drummer and percussionist for about 30 years. I began looking into DIY designs when it appeared there were no mainstream commercial offerings that achieved what I desired for my newly built studio. This room is a shared space used for music rehearsal, my wife’s dance classes, and recording studio. I wanted the accuracy and quality of a studio monitor and PA levels for music rehearsal when needed, in a single speaker. I have always thought if a speaker was good enough it would work as both and I don't care for the sound of most pro horns. I know this was a tall order and as I began reading about speaker design it was always a story of trade-offs to achieve the desired result.
I ran across Dr. Geddes information on waveguides and read this thread and others with great interest. I read several of his white papers even though some of the math made my head hurt.
When I realized I was going to be less than an hour from his place on a weekend trip I knew I wanted to hear these speakers. So I convinced my wife to stop by on the drive home.
I arrived at about 8:30am. Dr. Geddes was kind and inviting, even offering us a cup of coffee. I found out he had been at a big music festival in WI and didn’t get home till 1:00AM. This impressed me on two counts. Firstly welcoming us into his home after a late night, secondly it’s nice to learn he’s a true music lover as well as a scientist.
We went down to his home theater where we started listening to some familiar audio CD’s. The first thing that struck me was absolute pinpoint imaging. The clarity and accuracy was astonishing. Instruments sounded like instruments, not recordings. I have been many recording studios over the years and have never heard sound this accurate, not the big soffit mounted JBL’s or any near fields. Then he fired up the projector to play some concert DVD’s. Dr. Geddes was in the process of replacing projectors so the projector wasn’t ceiling mounted. This means my wife and I had to move from the usual sweet spot in the center of the couch. Guess what, the image stayed spot on. After noticing this I leaned even farther away from center towards the side wall. The image never collapsed. The levels were going up at this point. The amazing thing was everything remained so clear, the sound just got louder, sonic balance never changed, no compression whatsoever. We listened to some Cream and it sounded like Marshall stacks and Harke bass cabs were in the room. The bass was never boomy or muddy; it was like a bass player was right there. And the drums, oh my god, drums are the torture test for most speakers, good reproduction of sharp transients requires headroom. The kick drum was the most realistic I have ever heard. Actually all the drums sounded like a kit was in the room, cymbals were perfect with every overtone and nuance. Next Dr. Geddes put on an eagles live DVD. It had reached ear piercing levels by this time and Joe Walsh was wailing on his guitar like he is known to. As loud as the guitar was I could still clearly hear every other part with perfect stereo placement and detail. They don't appear to color anything. It would seem they are the final link in the idealistic wire plus gain theory I have heard touted as the perfect amp.
I wouldn’t have any problem recommending these for use in any studio, even for mastering. They are the most revealing speakers I have ever heard. I also wouldn’t have any problem recommending the very same speakers for use in any nightclub. I would think you could pair them with some high efficiency pro subs and they would kill every club systems I have ever heard.
I don’t know what else to say except I Have to have these!
Bruce K
My wife's impressions follow below:
From a Women’s view point:
First of all let me say that Dr. Geddes was a gracious host, inviting us into his home at 8AM after arriving home the previous night at 1AM.
I have worked in the music business for about 30 years and spent many a night in the studio with mix downs until I didn’t think I could hear anymore. I was blown away by these speakers. I felt like I was sitting in front of a live performance! Several songs, that I have heard a thousand times, was a new experience, hearing instrumentation that I never knew was there. So, as for sound…outstanding!!!! I agree with my husband that these speakers should become the industry standard.
Now, from the female viewpoint of aesthetics, because I also love interior design and my husband is always trying to find ways of designing the function, but also pleasing to the eye for me, I have to say that I love the design! They are so beautiful that I wouldn’t have a problem having them in my living room, or any room! They look like a beautiful piece of sculpture. In fact, there were a gorgeous pair of red ones in his living room that I would have loved to have in our music studio, but alas, they have already been spoken for.
We will be getting these speakers, as there is nothing on the market today that can even come close to their amazing sound. Thank you Dr. Geddes!
I have been a drummer and percussionist for about 30 years. I began looking into DIY designs when it appeared there were no mainstream commercial offerings that achieved what I desired for my newly built studio. This room is a shared space used for music rehearsal, my wife’s dance classes, and recording studio. I wanted the accuracy and quality of a studio monitor and PA levels for music rehearsal when needed, in a single speaker. I have always thought if a speaker was good enough it would work as both and I don't care for the sound of most pro horns. I know this was a tall order and as I began reading about speaker design it was always a story of trade-offs to achieve the desired result.
I ran across Dr. Geddes information on waveguides and read this thread and others with great interest. I read several of his white papers even though some of the math made my head hurt.
When I realized I was going to be less than an hour from his place on a weekend trip I knew I wanted to hear these speakers. So I convinced my wife to stop by on the drive home.
I arrived at about 8:30am. Dr. Geddes was kind and inviting, even offering us a cup of coffee. I found out he had been at a big music festival in WI and didn’t get home till 1:00AM. This impressed me on two counts. Firstly welcoming us into his home after a late night, secondly it’s nice to learn he’s a true music lover as well as a scientist.
We went down to his home theater where we started listening to some familiar audio CD’s. The first thing that struck me was absolute pinpoint imaging. The clarity and accuracy was astonishing. Instruments sounded like instruments, not recordings. I have been many recording studios over the years and have never heard sound this accurate, not the big soffit mounted JBL’s or any near fields. Then he fired up the projector to play some concert DVD’s. Dr. Geddes was in the process of replacing projectors so the projector wasn’t ceiling mounted. This means my wife and I had to move from the usual sweet spot in the center of the couch. Guess what, the image stayed spot on. After noticing this I leaned even farther away from center towards the side wall. The image never collapsed. The levels were going up at this point. The amazing thing was everything remained so clear, the sound just got louder, sonic balance never changed, no compression whatsoever. We listened to some Cream and it sounded like Marshall stacks and Harke bass cabs were in the room. The bass was never boomy or muddy; it was like a bass player was right there. And the drums, oh my god, drums are the torture test for most speakers, good reproduction of sharp transients requires headroom. The kick drum was the most realistic I have ever heard. Actually all the drums sounded like a kit was in the room, cymbals were perfect with every overtone and nuance. Next Dr. Geddes put on an eagles live DVD. It had reached ear piercing levels by this time and Joe Walsh was wailing on his guitar like he is known to. As loud as the guitar was I could still clearly hear every other part with perfect stereo placement and detail. They don't appear to color anything. It would seem they are the final link in the idealistic wire plus gain theory I have heard touted as the perfect amp.
I wouldn’t have any problem recommending these for use in any studio, even for mastering. They are the most revealing speakers I have ever heard. I also wouldn’t have any problem recommending the very same speakers for use in any nightclub. I would think you could pair them with some high efficiency pro subs and they would kill every club systems I have ever heard.
I don’t know what else to say except I Have to have these!
Bruce K
My wife's impressions follow below:
From a Women’s view point:
First of all let me say that Dr. Geddes was a gracious host, inviting us into his home at 8AM after arriving home the previous night at 1AM.
I have worked in the music business for about 30 years and spent many a night in the studio with mix downs until I didn’t think I could hear anymore. I was blown away by these speakers. I felt like I was sitting in front of a live performance! Several songs, that I have heard a thousand times, was a new experience, hearing instrumentation that I never knew was there. So, as for sound…outstanding!!!! I agree with my husband that these speakers should become the industry standard.
Now, from the female viewpoint of aesthetics, because I also love interior design and my husband is always trying to find ways of designing the function, but also pleasing to the eye for me, I have to say that I love the design! They are so beautiful that I wouldn’t have a problem having them in my living room, or any room! They look like a beautiful piece of sculpture. In fact, there were a gorgeous pair of red ones in his living room that I would have loved to have in our music studio, but alas, they have already been spoken for.
We will be getting these speakers, as there is nothing on the market today that can even come close to their amazing sound. Thank you Dr. Geddes!
Enjoyed your post very much DrumDude, and interesting to read your comments from your vantage point as an experienced musician. I don't know what a Marshall stack or a Hartke bass cabinet really sound like, for example. That Cream dvd sounded awesome to me there in Earl's room, but I couldn't make the comparison to "how it should have sounded" that you could.
One of the things that struck me last time I was there was that even at very high levels, the sound never hurt my ears. It never got harsh or edgy or any of those things that always makes me cringe when someone goes heavy on the volume control.
And Mrs. Dude, thank you for taking the time as well! Your comments give a perspective that is all too rarely heard from in these forums, but which is of great interest to most of us. I expect that many of Earl's future customers will find your comments extremely valuable.
Duke
One of the things that struck me last time I was there was that even at very high levels, the sound never hurt my ears. It never got harsh or edgy or any of those things that always makes me cringe when someone goes heavy on the volume control.
And Mrs. Dude, thank you for taking the time as well! Your comments give a perspective that is all too rarely heard from in these forums, but which is of great interest to most of us. I expect that many of Earl's future customers will find your comments extremely valuable.
Duke
audiokinesis said:
A Marshall stack in the wrong hands can be a deadly weapon.
But seroiusly I have played everything from Metal to jazz, Alt rock, funk and world music. and Earl's speakers make instruments like instruments, whether delicate precussion as heard on Genesis to the sounds of a screaming rock guitar. and Vocals sounded so natural, even when the volume went up; there were never any frequencies masking others.
Re: delivery
It seems to me that shipping the drivers to the UK would easily eat up the savings as they are very heavy and weight is the big cost factor. A quick quote from FedEx says about $500 per pair, for everything, most of that for the drivers. About $250 for the cabinets alone and $160 for just the baffles. This are just approximate numbers.
Grumpy_Git said:
It seems to me that shipping the drivers to the UK would easily eat up the savings as they are very heavy and weight is the big cost factor. A quick quote from FedEx says about $500 per pair, for everything, most of that for the drivers. About $250 for the cabinets alone and $160 for just the baffles. This are just approximate numbers.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.