Monitor Audio RS6

[JohnMichael]

Oh my on-again off-again enjoyment of the RS6's. Well we are on again. An odd thing about my apartment is the windows are not centered in the wall. There is more space between the left wall and the windows than there is between the windows and right wall. When I put my new stand in the room I centered it with the windows. The speakers I placed with the same distance to the side walls. This gave the look of the right speaker being too close to the stand.

Well one day for visual effects I decided to move the right speaker closer to the right sidewall. Now the speakers and stand looked nicer together. I dropped in a cd and holy sh!t there was some bass. Not boomy or flabby bass but deep and controlled bass I did not think the speakers could produce. Imaging was more focused and soundstage deeper and more layered. Both speakers received the same amount of toe-in.

I have been listening to the speakers now for a week and a half and I am still impressed. I thought I had tried about every combination of placement but once I varied the distance of speakers from the sidewalls it all came together. I now agree with the Stereophile review of the RS6's.

[frenchmon]

Those speakers must be really really fussy about placement.

[JohnMichael]

I think in small rooms speakers with good bass are always fussy to set-up. My room is 12x15 and the 12 foot wall is where the speakers are placed. So I am not sure if it is the speakers or my room. Or maybe I am fussy. On the other hand decor is important. Oh I am fussy.

[atomicAdam]

I thought you were gonna say you finally decided to sell those poor SOBs of speakers. Remind me to tell you about 'our' experience in the Monitor Audio Room at CES. Awkward

[JohnMichael]

I thought you were gonna say you finally decided to sell those poor SOBs of speakers. Remind me to tell you about 'our' experience in the Monitor Audio Room at CES. Awkward

I look forward to hearing that story.

[JohnMichael]

I have always listened to my speakers sans grill but with the new dog I replaced the covers on the RS 6's. He runs around shaking hell out of his toys and I was worried he would hit a driver with his toy. Interesting difference in sound. I will report back if I like the change but I am still enjoying the MA RS 6's since positioning them asymetrical in the room.

[frenchmon]

Yes..I like what you have discribed of theOML1's ....I listen to mostly Jazz. Acoustic Jazz, old school R&b and some classical now and then. Thanks...I dont think MF makes the OML1's speaker any more. But I would suspect its the very same as the LSA1. Thanks, I would not be afraid of a LSA1 purchase now if a great possibility arose having some understanding of the character.

[JohnMichael]

Yes..I like what you have discribed of theOML1's ....I listen to mostly Jazz. Acoustic Jazz, old school R&b and some classical now and then. Thanks...I dont think MF makes the OML1's speaker any more. But I would suspect its the very same as the LSA1. Thanks, I would not be afraid of a LSA1 purchase now if a great possibility arose having some understanding of the character.

I would like to hear the LSA1's and VR1's side by side with the OML1's. They all look like they use the same drivers but the crossovers are reported to be tweaked by the different companies. The VR1 looks like it is only single wired where the other two are bi-wired. The OML1 is the only speaker in the group with a sloping front baffle. They all three have the same narrow port in the same place. Interesting

[frenchmon]

I would like to hear the LSA1's and VR1's side by side with the OML1's. They all look like they use the same drivers but the crossovers are reported to be tweaked by the different companies. The VR1 looks like it is only single wired where the other two are bi-wired. The OML1 is the only speaker in the group with a sloping front baffle. They all three have the same narrow port in the same place. Interesting

I know the other two, but not the VR1's. Who makes them?

[JohnMichael]

I know the other two, but not the VR1's. Who makes them?

http://www.vonschweikert.com/interface/vr1_main.htm

[frenchmon]

http://www.vonschweikert.com/interface/vr1_main.htm

Thanks sir...I will be moving up in speakers and I would love to move up in the Canton line maybe the Canton Ergo, or if I can find a deal, the Karat or Vento line. But it can be a challenge finding a dealer in the states let alone in St. Louis where I can hear them. The Vonschweikart VR-1...is that a discontinued speaker? If they are a clone to your stand mount speakers I am interested and will put them on my list as a possible reference speaker.

[harley .guy07]

Yeah I would be looking for new speakers if I were you because it seems that you have just as many off times as on times and that is not a good thing for a person to have with their system. It will just make you hate listening to it eventually. I was like that with my Paradigms before I modified them when I owned them, they were just too damn bright and fatiguing. My Dynaudio's aren't fatiguing and give me the detail I like with out being too strong in the highs and making my ears bleed. I have very sensitive high frequency hearing so to much high end makes my cringe.

[TheHills44060]

Use the Monitor Audio's for firewood and enjoy those OML's Mr. JM!

[JohnMichael]

Use the Monitor Audio's for firewood and enjoy those OML's Mr. JM!

Or better yet I have a nephew who is having a birthday soon.

[JohnMichael]

Today is the first chance I have had to listen to vinyl since switching back to the OML 1's from the RS6's. I thought the power supply upgrade was an improvement but I am really hearing how good it is today. The resonances of the RS6 cabinets blocked much of the detail and now that I am listening to the OML's I am very happy.

[RGA]

Speakers are somewhat personal but if you can I would go with something larger than the likes of a dulcet from what I can see from the picture of your room. A well rounded bigger more dynamic speaker tends to sound like it breathes easier. The De Capo - but I preferred the sound of the older model - the newer one has a bit of a midrange suckout that is audible - and the tweeter ends up being more noticeable as a result.

A used set of Audio Note J's beside the window up against the wall would be one option (always is with me so won't disappoint from expectations. Against the wall you'll get down to 30-35hz. Corner would be better.

Alternatively, I would look into Sonist loudspeakers - they have a ribbon tweeter and a nice non irritating treble band. Integration isn't bang on (never is with very different driver technology in these hybrid systems - but better than usual) and they're modestly priced.

I don't know what you listen to but if you can't go near wall or corner and looks are important - and you never ever plan to go to SET or low powered amps - and you value something that can hit very hard and play rock that seems like an actual band is in your room and not completely absurdly priced the Gallo 3.5 (not the 3.1) and you may have to look used to afford it - is a terrific heartpounding speaker with first rate bass response. Very clean sound - Personally I think this is the SS lover's dream loudspeaker for that uber powerful presentation. And apparently it is not too terrible for low powered amps either - so.

[JohnMichael]

Today I played a Nina Simone collection that I had played on the RS6's but had not heard on the OML1's in too long a time. Today's discovery was that the OML1's do funk much better. As Nina and band were getting funky I found myself really grooving to the music. The RS6's do not get funky.

[YBArcam]

I really liked the RS5, and wish MA made an RX5. I would consider buying a pair. The RS had a little too much high frequency energy for me. The new RX series really tames that, but having 2 woofers per speaker isn't something that I am looking for. Too much for the room I think, plus a more complex design can lead to sound compromises. I prefer one woofer/one tweeter setup in a small floorstander, at least for the room I have.

I think I am of the mind that a room will accept a certain size of speaker as it's ideal fit. If a bookshelf like the MoFi's sound great in your room, should you expect a much larger speaker like the RS6 to sound as good? JM, do you think that what might sound like cabinet resonances that obscure details, is actually just too much speaker for your room?

I think I've had the most luck in my room with relatively large bookshelf speakers (PMC TB2i, Tannoy Mercury F2). But small 2-way floorstanders work well too. I fear that introducing larger bookshelves or floorstanders simply would not work.

[Jack in Wilmington]

What size is your room? My room is 15' x 11' which isn't large and I had floorstanders with 2 8" woofers each and it was too much for the room. I went to a large standmount (Usher X-719's) and I wasn't getting the full range that I was looking for. Then I went back to floorstanders but with 2 6" woofers and that was the right compromise. The bass is there, tight and well defined. Not boomy like the dual 8" woofers. Keep us in the loop on what works for your room. I know a lot of the guys here have worked hard to tame a not perfect room.

[JohnMichael]

I really liked the RS5, and wish MA made an RX5. I would consider buying a pair. The RS had a little too much high frequency energy for me. The new RX series really tames that, but having 2 woofers per speaker isn't something that I am looking for. Too much for the room I think, plus a more complex design can lead to sound compromises. I prefer one woofer/one tweeter setup in a small floorstander, at least for the room I have.

I think I am of the mind that a room will accept a certain size of speaker as it's ideal fit. If a bookshelf like the MoFi's sound great in your room, should you expect a much larger speaker like the RS6 to sound as good? JM, do you think that what might sound like cabinet resonances that obscure details, is actually just too much speaker for your room?

I think I've had the most luck in my room with relatively large bookshelf speakers (PMC TB2i, Tannoy Mercury F2). But small 2-way floorstanders work well too. I fear that introducing larger bookshelves or floorstanders simply would not work.

I think since the midrange was where a lot of the detail was lost it was cabinet resonances. My room is 12 ft x 15 ft with the speakers against the 12 ft wall. The living room is open to the dining area which is another 12 ft x 8 ft space.

[JohnMichael]

The Monitor Audio RS6's are on their way out. As I posted in another thread I purchased stands for the OML1's that have allowed them to truly sing. The stands are more rigid than previous stands and couple the speaker to the floor better. Now the sound is more detailed and a little fuller in the upper bass and are more defined in the mid bass and what low bass they can reproduce. The tweeter is at a level where it sounds sweeter and more instrumental textures.

I think now I am truly hearing all the best from the OML1's. I am glad I bought the new stands instead of new loudspeakers. The OML1's I now know are incredible and I only spent a little money to find that out.

[ZisheseLiex]

great experience, dude! thanks for this great post wow... it's very wonderful report.

[JohnMichael]

great experience, dude! thanks for this great post wow... it's very wonderful report.

Wow dude, thanks I look forward to your next post.

[frenchmon]

Glad you like the stands and the improvement in sound. I can say the same for my Cantons with those same stands.

That sort explains why when I took the Cantons to Peabodys and had the shoot out with his Dynaudio books shelves, why the Cantons sitting on top of another pair of speakers did not produce much bass. But when I got them back to my home and sat them back on the Sanus SF 26 stands the bass was full again. Thanks for the tip JM.

[Poultrygeist]

300B's would do wonders for your MA's.