New Volti Rival

[pzannucci]

Sadly, for the price I would like something more balanced and smooth.  It looks like more work needs to be done on the crossover.  Considering these are basically home brew and he has created a business out of it with takers at that price, that's a good thing.  

 

[jorjen]

4 hours ago, pzannucci said:

Sadly, for the price I would like something more balanced and smooth.  It looks like more work needs to be done on the crossover.  Considering these are basically home brew and he has created a business out of it with takers at that price, that's a good thing.  

 

Home brew? What does that mean in this instance? And you have heard them and feel they are not "balanced and smooth"?

 

[pzannucci]

6 minutes ago, jorjen said:

Home brew? What does that mean in this instance? And you have heard them and feel they are not "balanced and smooth"?

 

I can look at the plots that were done and tell.  I build my own speakers and I know what balanced mids are going to look like.

[pzannucci]

BTW, if you like that type of sound, go for it.  I just think, as with speakers such as B&W which a lot of people like and many times measure sadly, they should measure much more balanced when you are paying that much money but to each their own.  My personal philosophy and not everyone likes balanced.

[jorjen]

9 minutes ago, pzannucci said:

I can look at the plots that were done and tell.  I build my own speakers and I know what balanced mids are going to look like.

Oh, um, ok.

[derrickdj1]

5 hours ago, pzannucci said:

Sadly, for the price I would like something more balanced and smooth.  It looks like more work needs to be done on the crossover.  Considering these are basically home brew and he has created a business out of it with takers at that price, that's a good thing.  

 

It looks like more work needs to done on the finish.

[jorjen]

What? No one else is going to shite on Greg and/or his products? You guys are too much man!

Also, I am not one of them, however there ARE gentleman on this forum whom I have considerable reason to trust and respect that actually own the Rival and I am fairly certain they would beg to differ with all of you.

Is the price point somewhat high? Maybe, maybe not. Who is to say, but that certainly is not our call. If you are crapping on them just because they do not have a Klipsch badge on them then that is BS too.

I find the sanctimonious holier than thou attitude on this forum hard to tolerate anymore. Would any of you like to see these kinds of comments directed at you or your product if you were in Greg's shoes? I highly doubt it. Show some frickin' respect! 

This from a guy who bought his first pair of Klipsch 43 years ago this month and who has never owned any other brand and never will.

[Schu]

Greg is a master craftsman... does that make him a musical genius?

[jimjimbo]

On 7/14/2016 at 11:15 AM, dtel's wife said:

I'm continually amazed how people come to this forum and diss Klipsch!

Christy, Christy, Christy......welcome to the internet.  You're not really surprised, are you?

[dtel's wife]

I think if you want to discuss Volti it would best not be done here. Learn from history folks. 

[pzannucci]

Jorjen,

 

I hope the measurements in the article are used as a benefit to the design or additional tweaks since the information that JA provided isn't the easiest to measure.  I applaud him for going out and doing what he enjoys and making a business out of it.

 

I find the craftsmanship is excellent.  I personally would work on the crossover to smooth it out though for that price range.  

 

From my perspective,  I don't think that stock Klipsch are the end all either (I'll probably be banned).  

 

I do understand that when products have to reach a price point and target market you have to make sacrifices unless you are getting very high in price.  That's why I think Klipsch speakers are a fantastic base for tweaking as their high efficiency allows for more crossover work and tweaking to bring out the best of the stock Klipsch components.  If not for the tweaking, half of the folks on this forum wouldn't be here.

 

[dtel]

On 5/28/2017 at 8:08 PM, jorjen said:

What? No one else is going to shite on Greg and/or his products? You guys are too much man!

I was going to but I think he's covered in it already.

 

I got into this years ago with him, I don't know the man personally, but I do remember it has not been all that long since he wanted to convert his mechanic's shop looking building into his speaker workshop, where he kept his mwm's a little before he got out of the home building gig. I think he does great looking woodworking, as far as knowledge of designing and testing speakers, much less so, if any. I remember him asking many questions from members here about drivers and crossovers because he did not understand much of the technical side at all. I am not going to drag others he got info from, I have talked with some of them already.

 

But them magically he knew so much he was putting down parts and designs PWK used, Now he is an expert, the time in between was pretty short to become a master. I questioned his claims at one time considering he didn't even use free downloadable software to test his changes and designs. it must be great to be that gifted.

 

I have looked for all the old post to prove this but much of the forum was lost at one part as far as searching goes. I DO NOT have it in for him but also will NOT let him drag he BS here and claim magical advancements. 

If needed I will go find all the threads to prove all of this, anyway i am sure some do remember.

 

The truth does not change.

[DizRotus]

Greg Roberts is an excellent woodworker.  Hi audio engineering talent is much less developed.

[Audio Flynn]

25 minutes ago, DizRotus said:

Greg Roberts is an excellent woodworker.  Hi audio engineering talent is much less developed.

Pretty kind.

 

I met him once. Woodworker and little else.

[dtel]

I really don't have anything against the man, it's not like I have it out for him, I don't, but this form is not the place for his business.

I know I am not the only one to remember how it all went down.

 

I love my klipsch, I know there are tons of other brands people feel the same way about, no problem. But we try not to let this become a place for people to put down what PWK designed and kept the company going with, especially when they are copying his designs for the most part.  To open a speaker company like this in the early 40's and keep it going this long in a little town like Hope is a amazing accomplishment in itself.  

Speakers are NOT a necessity, and he made it work through some tough times with a quality sound and product. There are always better parts that could be used, always, but when designing something  to sell to sustain a company you have to consider the cost to the consumer and balance cost to build with performance, and i think he did a pretty amazing job of that. 

[DizRotus]

Well put Elden.

[Arash]

On 7/14/2016 at 9:18 PM, Chris A said:

Greg's "Volti" products are significantly overpriced and derivative of Klipsch products, unfortunately.  All you're getting for all that money is cabinetry.  The horns and drivers he's selling you are also overpriced--since you can also buy them easily for less money.  Separate your concerns: I'd take my Klipsch down to a good cabinetmaker to get nicer looker boxes--if that were an issue for me.  Even Jubilees could be retrofitted by a cabinetmaker with a veneer face and sides and grill cloths...easily.

 

Danley's product mentioned above is still unique even though the controlling patent has expired (Sound Physics Labs).  Klipsch could probably build multiple-entry horn designs better than Danley--no doubt--but to date they haven't marketed any such products.

 

I can't agree more about cabinetry you mentioned. I'm into speaker business in my own country and I just tried myself to see if I can build something similar to Volti when it comes to woodworking. with all the limitation in Iran - no paper-backed veneer, no veneer glue, no vacuum press I just had to invent everything from scratch! - I did it and the result turned out to be liked by just everybody here. building a Bruce Edgar type of horn is piece a cake (check this out: link). and building a folded horn by mixing a Belle and LS with a curved side is not that big deal. I did it to prove this could be done and here is the result:

 

and now I have a more efficient way to laminate plywood to form curved panel and I can build a pair of these in less than two weeks actual working hours but I'm not gonna do this. I'm not gonna rip off someones ideas even if his idea is a rip off of Klipsch designs. but I guess we still can comment on the price right? I don't think putting together a Faital Pro 15PR400 with a BSM4592-Mid behind a wooden horn and a Faital Pro HF10AK behind an 18Sound XT120 elliptic horn and using a XOver from NRE and putting everything in folded cabinet Mark Kravchenko did in Hornresp is a big deal if you ask 4-5x of the real price. Maybe many of you are not aware of driver-making companies price lists. I do business with most of the European companies like Faital Pro, Beyma, B&C, BMS and some others but not mentioning the price details something like Vittora could be built for about 5000USD in my country with all the craftsmanship  and all the drivers Volti uses including labor cost and everything. how about a version with a single piece curved walls from right to left?

Rival is not an exception. it's a Cornscala with a little bit of cosmetics and high heels. You can still build a speaker using Eliptrac horn with a BMS driver and use some nice woofs and a tweeter like Faital Pro Hf108 or HF10AK and for about $2K you'll have a great speaker.

just my $0.02

[dtel]

You sure did a good job on that veneer, very fancy grain pattern. 

 

 

[pzannucci]

Arash,

Very nice.  I wish I had your shop to play in.

 

dtel,

Yes remember the days when there was a lot more technical information flying around these forums, particularly from ALK.  Also all the arguments that caused folks to leave. Good or bad.

 

The key to remember is measurements don't lie.  Become a master on what you can do and learn what you can't so you can improve.

[CECAA850]

On ‎5‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 1:24 PM, dtel said:

I was going to but I think he's covered in it already.

 

I got into this years ago with him, I don't know the man personally, but I do remember it has not been all that long since he wanted to convert his mechanic's shop looking building into his speaker workshop, where he kept his mwm's a little before he got out of the home building gig. I think he does great looking woodworking, as far as knowledge of designing and testing speakers, much less so, if any. I remember him asking many questions from members here about drivers and crossovers because he did not understand much of the technical side at all. I am not going to drag others he got info from, I have talked with some of them already.

 

But them magically he knew so much he was putting down parts and designs PWK used, Now he is an expert, the time in between was pretty short to become a master. I questioned his claims at one time considering he didn't even use free downloadable software to test his changes and designs. it must be great to be that gifted.

 

I have looked for all the old post to prove this but much of the forum was lost at one part as far as searching goes. I DO NOT have it in for him but also will NOT let him drag he BS here and claim magical advancements. 

If needed I will go find all the threads to prove all of this, anyway i am sure some do remember.

 

The truth does not change.

No need to dig anything up Elden.  Those that were here then remember.  There's nothing to prove.