what are "kabuki speakers"???
- Thread starter jpciii
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Quote from Don McR in a past post
"Kabuki speakers were designed to be low cost and emphisize visual marketing over acoustic engineering. They were generally characterized by 15" or larger woofers, 4 and 5 way networks, and 6 to 10 drivers crammed into a ridiculously small box that seldom weighed more than 50lbs."
"Kabuki speakers were designed to be low cost and emphisize visual marketing over acoustic engineering. They were generally characterized by 15" or larger woofers, 4 and 5 way networks, and 6 to 10 drivers crammed into a ridiculously small box that seldom weighed more than 50lbs."
jpciii
I like pizza
So is that it? Speakers with lots of drivers = kabuki? Why do people dislike them so much? My father-in-law has a mint pair of Pioneer CS-99a, and they sound great (IMO) with his Marantz 2226 playing Jazz and Classical (thats all he will allow in his house, lol). The only issue I hear with them is that the bass is a little loud and not very deep. Good for acoustic instruments, not so good for a modern recording with an electric or synth bass. I haven't done an A/B comparison with another speaker though, so maybe my opinion would change...
I have maintained, vociferously, that the 60s and 70s Pioneer CS series are NOT kabuki. Those were well built with excellent, heavy cabinetry and used very fine, cast-frame drivers.
While I have issues with Sansui and Kenwood speaker systems from that same time period, those are mainly with their being 'voiced' for the Japanese home market, and not for American ears.
Most true kabuki came from the 80s and on to today. They are lightweight, and usually will use trim-rings to give the visual of having cast-frames. These are to be avoided like the plague.
One aesthetic test of a speaker system is the 'knuckle-rap' test: the box should give a heavy, dead 'thud.' No sharp, hollow ringing sound.
While I have issues with Sansui and Kenwood speaker systems from that same time period, those are mainly with their being 'voiced' for the Japanese home market, and not for American ears.
Most true kabuki came from the 80s and on to today. They are lightweight, and usually will use trim-rings to give the visual of having cast-frames. These are to be avoided like the plague.
One aesthetic test of a speaker system is the 'knuckle-rap' test: the box should give a heavy, dead 'thud.' No sharp, hollow ringing sound.
Bully,
Good clarification. I am not personally familiar with the Pioneer speakers being discussed so cannot comment but I sure know what you speak of regarding the other crap with dress rings and 1/2 inch particle board, not braced, hot glued cabinets, oh wait, sometimes it is only the vinyl veneer holding them together! They even use solder without flux to attach the wires to the drivers (cold slobber joints). The big box stores cannot restock such product fast enough.
Good clarification. I am not personally familiar with the Pioneer speakers being discussed so cannot comment but I sure know what you speak of regarding the other crap with dress rings and 1/2 inch particle board, not braced, hot glued cabinets, oh wait, sometimes it is only the vinyl veneer holding them together! They even use solder without flux to attach the wires to the drivers (cold slobber joints). The big box stores cannot restock such product fast enough.
Don McR
Well-Known Member
From my perspective, the speakers that defined the Kabuki genre had their heyday in the late 60's to mid 70's. There always have been and always will be inexpensive speakers that attempt to mimick quality construction through obviously fake visual cues. However, in my mind, the Kabukis were unique in the sheer number of drivers and cross-overs.
It was a game played by the major Japanese consumer electronics companies that you can track through their older catalogs. Each year it seemed, the woofer would gain by one inch in diameter, there would be another cross-over tacked on, and thus, ever more drivers. The export market was the largest for these companies so they were constrained by shipping costs. As a result, the speakers from the end of the Kabuki era were the most comical. A bass driver as large as 18" along with as many as eight other horns, supertweets and lord knows what else would be crammed into a box not much bigger than a standard bookshelf speaker. To keep the shipping weight down, the box would be incredibly thin with no bracing.
Pioneer was not immune to this phenomenon. While the CS99 may have been a good speaker, they still made some unadulterated crap. The CS901 referenced in the following thread is my favorite example:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3671&highlight=cs901
I have never heard this system, but I don't have to. The engineering is so compromised that I would bet money that it sounds horrible. The coaxial tweeter firing at your toes is a lovely example.
As I have mentioned many times, these systems are not representative of what these same companies were capable of when engineering and accoustics became the primary loudspeaker design criteria. The Pioneer HPM 100, Yamaha NS1000 and Technics SB7000 proved that these companies could produce speakers that made appologies to no one. When these speakers came out around 1975, it thankfully ended the reign of the Kabuki speakers as being the top-of-the-line from Japanese companies.
It was a game played by the major Japanese consumer electronics companies that you can track through their older catalogs. Each year it seemed, the woofer would gain by one inch in diameter, there would be another cross-over tacked on, and thus, ever more drivers. The export market was the largest for these companies so they were constrained by shipping costs. As a result, the speakers from the end of the Kabuki era were the most comical. A bass driver as large as 18" along with as many as eight other horns, supertweets and lord knows what else would be crammed into a box not much bigger than a standard bookshelf speaker. To keep the shipping weight down, the box would be incredibly thin with no bracing.
Pioneer was not immune to this phenomenon. While the CS99 may have been a good speaker, they still made some unadulterated crap. The CS901 referenced in the following thread is my favorite example:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3671&highlight=cs901
I have never heard this system, but I don't have to. The engineering is so compromised that I would bet money that it sounds horrible. The coaxial tweeter firing at your toes is a lovely example.
As I have mentioned many times, these systems are not representative of what these same companies were capable of when engineering and accoustics became the primary loudspeaker design criteria. The Pioneer HPM 100, Yamaha NS1000 and Technics SB7000 proved that these companies could produce speakers that made appologies to no one. When these speakers came out around 1975, it thankfully ended the reign of the Kabuki speakers as being the top-of-the-line from Japanese companies.
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So, by definition, would these Polk SDA 1A's be considered "kabuki" speakers:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&category=14993&sspagename=STRK:MEBWA:IT&rd=1
Retro
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&category=14993&sspagename=STRK:MEBWA:IT&rd=1
Retro
VinylHanger
Navigaret ex ironia
That is also why Rob's tower of carpet pulsating, heart beat changing, hair waving speaks aren't Kabuki. Though, if I put them in my living room, my wife might say something that sounds like it...... Get those Kafuki things outta my living room 
VinylHanger
Navigaret ex ironia
Seriously though, I saw a pair of Pilot towers that had a ton of drivers, but were pretty heavy, any idea on those?
