Bob Carver has built new Amazing Line Source Speakers~

[TNRabbit]

Here's the latest on the new line source speakers Bob Carver & James Sauter have been working on. Will be marketed under Bob Carver LLC:


This speaker will produce 121 dB SPL without distortion. Power handling is 2,000 watts rms without distortion. Sensitivity is 96 dB SPL @ 2.83 volts rms. It uses four vacuum tubes, four for the active crossover. There are three modes. Active crossover mode which requires two amplifiers for each speaker. Passive crossover mode which requires one amplifier for each speaker. Either mode may be used with or without a separate sub-woofer, yielding the third mode. It does not need a sub-woofer because it has so many drivers that the total air displacement is vast. All it needs is low frequency equalization for the woofers to make the system flat. That job is performed in the crossover box that comes with the speakers. The crossover box has the following controls: Low frequency Q, upper midrange level, high frequency level, and two switches used to set the system up mode-wise. It is very easy to use.

The imaging and tonal characteristics are similar to my Cinema Ribbons, the differences being that these speakers possess a majesty, a bigness, and a sound with sonic and emotional envelopment that normal speakers cannot. They are the best speakers I ever designed. Les Williams said they may well be the best speakers EVER! All based on the work so far.

Bob

These are the prototypes. Minor adjustments left, but they are 75% done--









The last pic above is the builder, James Sauter (Toy Maker on carveraudio) & The BobFather.

The stands are temporary; they will actually have feet something like this:









This is a shot in a mock-up plywood. Final will be extruded aluminum.



This is funny: a shot of the passive crossover components that were swapped out during test/voicing:

[SleeperSupra]

Wow!!!

[mhardy6647]

Be interesting to A/B them with Pipedreams; AKer Beemer has a pair of the latter; among the very best reproduced sound I've ever heard (with top-class program material, at any rate).

-- and I am not generally a big fan of line arrays --

Folks at another forum we know would be apoplectic to see the clip leads...

[Tom Brennan]

Those drivers look like the planar tweeters from Parts Express, not that it need be a bad thing. I wonder.

I am skeptical of the claim of 121db "without distortion".

[Bucky Badger]

Cool speakers and good pics. Love the clip leads.
Way to go Bob and James.

[js1138]

Expensive speaker wire...

[bowtie427ss]

I am skeptical of the claim of 121db "without distortion".

and a bit disappointed.

As far as i'm concerned statements like that destroy the credibility of any further claims made regarding those speakers.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Tom Brennan

Those drivers look like the planar tweeters from Parts Express, not that it need be a bad thing. I wonder.

I am skeptical of the claim of 121db "without distortion".

I'm sure there's some hyperbole in that statement. Most people understand that there's no such thing as a distortionless audio system.

[Arkay]

They might well be without AUDIBLE distortion...

Line arrays have many sonic advantages, when done right. These could be great speakers... I look forward to one day seeing and hearing them "in the fles-, uh, aluminum!"

[frankxbe]

link to parts express tweeters sure looks like Tom is onto something reviews are very good
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=275-085
link Dayton audio http://www.daytonaudio.com/lspeakers...rs_pt2c-8.html

[bowtie427ss]

Most people understand that there's no such thing as a distortionless audio system.

You and i are aware of the hyperbole, but indeed "most" people understand statements about performance made by "professionals" of Bob Carver's ilk to be truthful and factually supported.

I don't know how broadly published that statement will be, but it is sure to be the source of some debate and conjecture.

FWIW i have a good deal of respect for Mr Carver, and i'm confident that he knows there's no such thing as a distortionless speaker. But many folks will draw a different conclusion upon reading statements like that from well respected sources.

[js1138]

I'd bet that what is meant is there is no sharp rise in distortion before that level.

[js1138]

Originally Posted by frankxbe

link to parts express tweeters sure looks like Tom is onto something
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=275-085
link Dayton audio http://www.daytonaudio.com/lspeakers...rs_pt2c-8.html

That's a thousand bucks per channel just for tweets.

[stereocuuple]

121 db no distortion = hearing loss

[mhardy6647]

Originally Posted by js1138

That's a thousand bucks per channel just for tweets.

...which ain't bad until you figure the gross margin for a system mfgr. in.