RBH Sound 8300-SE/R Measurements and Analysis
Measurements were conducted in-room using the antiquated but accurate LMS measurement tool.
Figure 1: RBH 8300 SE/R Summed Nearfield Response
Trying to remove the room from the equation as much as possible, we conducted a summed nearfield response of the 8300 SE/Rs. The woofers and port were measured nearfield and summed at 200Hz with the 1 meter tweeter response to produce this curve. As you can see, the 8300 SE/R’s exhibit excellent frequency response linearity with a -3dB point in the low 20Hz range.
Figure 2: RBH 8300 SE/R 1 meter in-room response
Blue: on-axis; purple: 15 deg off-axis; green: 30 deg off-axis
The on/off axis response of the 8300 SE/R’s is very uniform indicating no weird cabinet diffraction issues or crossover anomalies. As you can see the midrange response of the 8300 SE/Rs is extremely linear both on/ off axis and the overall response seems smoothest 15 degrees off axis.
Figure 3: RBH 8300 SE/R Impedance/Phase response
As expected, the 8300 SE/Rs have an impedance minimum right around 20Hz which is close to their tuning frequency. These speakers dip down to 4 ohms at around 500Hz which is fine for most amplifiers, especially given the high efficiency of their design. Phase response is kept within a +30/-45 degree window which is very good. These speakers are best powered with quality amplification to truly shine and we recommend not skimping on power with these babies as they can certainly handle it.
gene;660312
Good like finding a 200uF poly cap that is of reasonable size and cost that can fit in the crossover. Bypassing electrolytics is a great compromise to this problem as most manufacturers tend to do. They placed two 400uF 100V caps in series which halves the total capacitance, but doubles the working voltage to accommodate high power amps without blowing up. The bypass cap is a very high end Solen which again isn't clear in the photo.
The choke on the woofer is a 6 mH low DCR and has a power rating of 500 Watts with low saturation so again you simply apply a absolute that all iron cores must be bad.
For midrange drivers and tweeters I tend to agree but using them for bass drivers where the values often get large are an understandble application. A choke this value in an air core would be much larger and have more resistive losses thus you would lose damping which is critical for the bass frequencies. So if the steel core isn't distorting or saturating, then why change it to something costlier, larger and potentially less performing?
He was implying that a passive crossover this low is a no-no, period. That you should either go active or cross much higher in a 3-way.
Every listening session I have heard on these speakers is far from sloppy bass.
Yes, but your perception of sloppy bass may be a bit different from TLS guy, who finds that only critically damped transmission lines etc can really reproduce real life instruments of classical music. You seem to prefer a bit more punch...or dare-I-say-it.. bass coloration compared to the "dry bass" he prefers and certainly seem to have a different taste in music...
My T30-LSE towers for example utilize no passive crossover at all in the bass drivers and this is from the same company. It all depends on the product design and how well the system plays as a whole. Every design is different and you have to do what is right for that particular application.
His complaint was about the application itself... a very low crossed passive crossover.
Looks like they're afraid to get a fair review
I kind'o always wanted statement speakers, and the RBH Sound Signature Reference 8300-SE/R looks like a quite fair bet
Adam;662182
Looks like AcuDefTechGuy has a pair of the BP7000SCs. Maybe he'd be willing to lend them to the cause.
majorloser;662184
Just send Gene yours since DefTec won't.
R----------I-----------G------------H-----------T.
Yeah, that would be right after I get some flagship RBH or B&W 800Ds.
gene;662177
yes I even called their Marketing Manager to offer him to enter his product in Tom's floorstading speaker faceoff and he declined saying nobody wins in a faceoff but the speaker that got 1st place. He also said we tend to nit pick too much about product performance and rely too much on how things measure.
I’m sorry Gene, but are you sure you didn’t call the Bose marketing department?
That sounds like a line right out of their play book!
Sorry AcuDefTechGuy!