New Samson Rubicon ribbon tweeter monitors

[garytube]

Just wondering if anyone has or has heard the New Samson Rubicons with the ribbon high frequency drivers? I haven't found much info on these yet. The Samson website also has limited info on these as well- I couldn't find specs anywhere on their site. Hmmm.....

[ssscientist]

I've been wondering about those too...

Maybe if we conspire to keep bumping this post to the top of the forum we'll get an answer.

[COOLCAT]

yeh me too..

[jeffree]

Interesting that Samson's advertising the heck out of these monitors and that no one's seen them. Good hype.

I'm curious, too, especially since their regular line has gotten some surprisingly solid reviews.

J.

[ssscientist]

*** bump ***

[DREAMLABS]

SAMSON RUBICON 5a, RUBICON 6a


ACTIVE RIBBON STUDIO MONITORS


Traditionally, ribbon transducers (such as microphones) have been extremely expensive, which is why ribbon monitors have been extremely rare. Samson is going against that grain with its new Rubicon 5a ($329, pair) and Rubicon 6a ($429, pair) active ribbon studio monitors. The inexpensive new Rubicons feature 2-inch velocity ribbon transducers for high frequencies, embodied in a biamped active design. Ribbon drivers are supposed to possess no resonant color at all. The Rubicon 5a features 50W amps driving the low end with 5-inch inverted cones, with 25W amps going to the high frequencies. The 6a units push 75W through 6.5-inch cones, with the same 25W going to the ribbon. The cabinets for both models are made of shelf-ported wood, and analog inputs are provided on balanced ¼-inch and XLR jacks. The Rubicons are also equipped with four-segment high-frequency lift controls for custom dialing-in for the highs.

Here's what they look like:

http://www.soundtech.co.uk/images/so..._rubicon6a.jpg

[ssscientist]

Yeah, yeah.

We've all read the ads and don't need them quoted again.

What I (at least) am looking for is a neutral, at least semi-professional opinion on these monitors.
Ideally this assessment would include;
1) Balance
2) Character
3) Fatigue factor over a normal work day
4) Bass extension/response
5) General impressions - build quality, etc
6) Suitability for genres, from solo acoustic to grindcore

And not necessarily in that order...

[garytube]

Well, it looks like one of us might have to be the guinea pig (did I spell that right?), and plunk down some hard earned cash to see what these are all about. I'm still saving up though.......

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by garytube

guinea pig

That's the way I would spell it.

Maybe we've been misled by them advertising a product that NOT EVEN ON THE MARKET YET! Can you imagine? I thought there were laws against doing stuff like that!

[garytube]

My guess is they must be brand spankin' new on the market. Some places are already selling them though. I saw them in the new AMS catalog for $429.99 (for the 6.5"s). I'm looking at the catalog right now and it doesn't specify if its 429.99 each or for a pair. My gut instinct tells me its per pair.

[ssscientist]

Just because they have them in the catalog doesn't mean they've got them in stock...

[ssscientist]

Burp. Oh, sorry. I meant 'bump'.

[COOLCAT]

I LOVE MY NEW SAMSON RIBBON TWEETERS AND I HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD THEM YET!!!!!

THEIR BETTER THAN ANYTHING UNDER $10,000 !!!!!!!

YOU CAN HEAR THE FREQUENCYS ABOVE 60Khz and BELOW 1HZ!!!!!!

FHK !!! I CAN'T WAIT TO ACTUALLY HEAR THEM!!..THEIR SO FHKNG AWESOME!!!! WHHWHOOOOOOOHHOOOOOOO!!!!! TOUCHDOWN!!!!


seriously, as with all ribbon type electronics, it is extremely important
your drunk friends don't poke the ribbons with their fingers.

burp.

[fernandoesmaron]

did talk with an dealer ( a friend of a friend ) here in germany who sell them and asked him about those.

He didn´t recommend them but the event tr6

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by COOLCAT

THEIR SO FHKNG AWESOME!!WHHWHOOOOOOOHHOOOOOOO!!!!! TOUCHDOWN!!!!

Now what kind of snarky post is it if you're afraid to type fucking? You must be the nice guy of the HR sarcastic community!

[VicB]

I just got a pair of active r5a's in this week. I like them

I am into Blues, Rock, and Country genres. I have only done some fast test mixing so far, and they have the flat responce I was looking for. I am not a teckie and not going to be able to talk all the jargon of monitor talk that some of you guys can do, but am just a guitar player that has just one test I do on a monitoring system for its worth.

My opinion/test is formed by how many times I have to make my rounds from my computer, then to my home stereo to see if sounds same, then to car to see if sounds same, then back to computer to make adjustments. The first mix out, it played same on home stereo and car stereo, as what I heard coming through them at original mix time. ..and that makes it worth every penny of my $329 I spent on them. With a 5" cone on the r5a's, they are not going to impress a hiphopper that wants to double them for a street party (grin) ..but if you are looking for accuracy in that price range, and recording across the whole EQ spectrum, I dont think anyone would be dissapointed in trying these out for a small to medium home studio setup.

As always though, buy with a money back option, just because I or anyone else says they are good or bad, only YOU can make that decision when applied to what you are wanting to accomplish.

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by VicB

My opinion/test is formed by how many times I have to make my rounds from my computer, then to my home stereo to see if sounds same, then to car to see if sounds same, then back to computer to make adjustments.

That's exactly the kind of opinion/test I value most. The jargon of monitor talk doesn't impress me either - they can keep their frequency specs and dispersion quotients. It's the sound and juice and travel-ability of the mixes that really matter.

And welcome to the board.

[COOLCAT]

yeah if they transfer good to your outside world...touchdown!

the rest is just fun gearhead stuff and gearlust.

i was reading an article some guy did a gold-record on fhkng-snarky
RadioShack optimus 7's... Lord Algeae or someone.

the ribbon my physics friend says offers faster response..higher freq...
good hi freq response.

then i had another beer and don't remember much else he said
..something about X2-yz squared in the lobe
potential of photonic dispersion against the ears triangula spatial
fanzine..

[xrap03]

this past weekend i went to a local music store, and some guy was testing the 5in woofer model, and i tell you, at a high volume level, they still sound pretty clear. the highs, were crisp and clean. but the bass was nowhere to be found. maybe it was the song he was listening to. maybe the guy that was showing him those monitors, gave him demo cd or something. it was just pure instruments. anyway, thats what i did last weekend

[jeffree]

If anyone's interested, the current SOS has the first review I've seen. Very solid.

J.

[timboZ]

The latest TapeOp also has a review of them.

[Track Rat]

VicB, I like your revue sir. Being a mid-bottom feeder myself, I'm always intesrested in cheap stuff that's actually usefull. What else could you compare these to charecter wise as a point of reference. I can REALLY appriciate the studio to home stereo to car to studio comment.

[fernandoesmaron]

conclusion of the sos review is really good. One of 4 budged monitors which paul white recommends.

@ amazona.de is also an online-review of them in german and they find not much differences between both rubicons and adam p11. Rubicons are coming very close to them. They are surprized and prefer rubicon 6a, cause the bass response is better and the price difference to r5a isn´t much. r5a needs an sub.