Emit-R and Emit -K

[Harvey/ Ga]

What is the difference between the Emit-R and Emit-K tweeters??

The Emits in my RS-5000 seem to be very similar to the K's, with a flange about 3 3/4 in. instead of 4 in. The Emit tweeter body in back will fit into the 2 1/2 inch hole of my Celestion 66.

The Emits match the crossover (5KHz) of the Celestion tweeter, but it needs the flange size of 4 inches.

The Celestion HF 2000 tweeters are quite pricey at over $100 plus shipping, mostly from the UK, so I'm seriously thinking about the Emits available on E-bay.

 

[Tedrick]

EMIT-r has a round diaphragm, supposedly to improve vertical dispersion, and was the last version of the EMIT design from Infinity. The EMIT-k was one of the later updates of the original rectangular EMIT that updated to use the stronger neodymium magnets. The 'k' stood for Kappa, since it was introduced with the first Kappa speakers.

Incidentially, the round EMIT design lives on in the speakers from Genesis Technologies that are being produced today.

 

[nailzgun]

Incidentially, the round EMIT design lives on in the speakers from Genesis Technologies that are being produced today.

It also is generally hailed as the greatest of tweeters. Both in company hyperbole and from Stereophile and other reviewers.

 

[Tedrick]

I've had the pleasure of hearing a pair of Genesis V's...top to bottom, the sound was spectacular...powerful and dynamic, yet delicate, detailed, and airy. One of my Top 5 listening experiences, and I can see myself owning a pair some day.

 

[Manuel64]

I have speakers that used Emits and Emit-R's. Both are excellent sounding tweeters, but I prefer the Emit-R, mostly because I think it has slightly better dispersion.

 

[SuperKris]

its hard to judge 2 diffrent tweeters in 2 diffrent speakers. But from what i heard i like most infinitys with clasic emits or emit-k better than speakers with the emit -r. But i doubt its the type of emit that really makes the diffrence when comparing.

I wonder why al the latest IRS series did not had EMIT-R on them. only on the back emit-r was used in a few models. But most cheaper series do have emit-r. Makes me wonder if the emit R is just a cheaper type of emit with less preformance. Im pretty sure those EMIT-R's are much, much cheaper to make. Also the voicecoil is much smaler than the normal emit and i would not be suprised if its moving parts are more heavy.

I kinda feel the emit-r is the cheap version with less preformance.

 

[Ken Boyd]

If I recall the early EMIT's and EMIMs used Samarium Cobalt magnets. The Samarium Cobalt magnets were pretty expensive to make an the raw materials were getting hard to come by so the later EMIT's used a different type of magnets, ones that were cheaper to come by and might not have been as good as the early ones. I can't be sure of this but I thought I read something in line to that.

 

[cdfac]

i'm pretty sure the R version has lower power handling, as well as the likely different dispersion pattern already mentioned.

the switch to Neodymium magnets was supposedly done because they are stronger, although that could always be marketing spin to distract people from the real reason (which might very well have been economic in nature).

 

[Tedrick]

its hard to judge 2 diffrent tweeters in 2 diffrent speakers. But from what i heard i like most infinitys with clasic emits or emit-k better than speakers with the emit -r. But i doubt its the type of emit that really makes the diffrence when comparing.

I wonder why al the latest IRS series did not had EMIT-R on them. only on the back emit-r was used in a few models. But most cheaper series do have emit-r. Makes me wonder if the emit R is just a cheaper type of emit with less preformance. Im pretty sure those EMIT-R's are much, much cheaper to make. Also the voicecoil is much smaler than the normal emit and i would not be suprised if its moving parts are more heavy.

I kinda feel the emit-r is the cheap version with less preformance.

The Kappa 6.2i ($1,250), 7.2i ($1,600), 8.2i ($2,200), and 9.2i ($5,000) all used the EMIT-r. Not exactly what I'd call cheap, especially in 1992 dollars. It's been said that one of the reasons Infinity stopped using EMIT's once H-K bought out the company was the prohibitive cost of production.

It is possible that the EMIT-r was not fully sorted out when Arnie Nudell first rolled it out in 1992. But clearly, he refined it to the point that Genesis Technologies is still using the same basic design in their speakers today, including the TOTL Genesis 1.2, which costs upwards of $230,000.

 

[Manuel64]

In my opinion, the type of sound produced by all Infinity Emits, is similar. They all have that detailed, bright metalic sound. I don't find the tonal qualities to be much different from the earliest ones that I've heard(QB) to the later Emit-R. I think the Emit-R's slightly better dispersion is mostly due to it's round shape.

Interestingly, my father's Legacy Focus speakers, also use ribbon tweeters. In my opinion, I like Infinity's Emits better. The Focus's ribbons don't sound as detailed and are less bright, compared to Emits. In fact, I like my Crescendo 3009's better than my father's Focuses. The only thing the Focus does better is the low bass, and even there, I like the more balanced sound that my Crescendo's give me. Not bad, considering that the 3009's were $2400 for a pair, while the Focus's cost my father over $5000.

I have never heard any of the Genesis speakers, but I have seen one of their better models that featured three Emit-R's for the highs. Up close, I could not see a difference between those Emit-R's and the ones that I have seen on Crescendos and Kappa II's. That was back in the 90's, and since then, I believe that they have been upgraded, but still are basically the same design.

 

[Ken Boyd]

I can't be sure of this info but something in the back of my memory I thought I read something about the reason for changing to the new types of magnets was based on not being able to get the raw materials for the orginal Samarium Cobalt magnets because the area which they mined the materials was in political unfriendly climate, like civil wars and dangerous conditions making the source of the materials no longer cost affective or realible. the Samarium Cobalt magnets are not as powerful as a Neodymium magnets, but the Samarium Cobalt magnets have greater properties regarding cooling than the Neodymium magnets don't know if that is a factor or not. I had thought that the Samarium Cobalt magnets were the strongest natural rare earth magnet known but when I looked it up on the net sources said they were not as strong as the Neodymium magnets.

 

[MrLegit]

I have had nothing but bad experience with frying Emit-R tweeters and would have to agree with Chris that they are of substatially less power than its cousin the Emit-K.
The rounded diaghram will disperse its sound waves much differently.
That is why the Emit-K and its horizontal dispersion gives you beautiful imaging and airiness.
The Emit-R's all round dispersion,will give you a lower spl,at the same position as an Emit-K,therefore maybe,resulting in the amount of herbs that people are driving into it.
That could be another reason-"over driven".

 

[chasmo]

Just to add my 2 cents...

I know this is an older thread, but I just ran across it and had to add my 2c.
I've had several of the Infinity Emits, going all the way back to the chrome-plated ones used in the Quantum series in the mid-1970's (those tweeters were made for Infinity by Peerless).

I've found that the original (rectangular or round faceplate) Emits, which used the Samarium Cobalt magnets were pretty decent; however, the later Emit-K (rectangular or round faceplate) had Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets and used a more rugged Kapton film. These had a bit higher sensitivity and the diapragms seemed to last longer (they were better in my experience).

The classic Emit/k design used two sets of magnets, in front of and behind the diapragm (push-pull), while the Emit-R was a single-ended design with magnet behind the spiral-traced diapragm (less linear).

FWIW, I believe the distortion would be lower with the push-pull design.

-Chas

 

[uvafan420]

Has any "testing" been done to prove any of this? If not, it is all mere speculation. I have had emit-r and emit-k and never have fried either of the two kinds. Distortion fry's a tweeter faster than anything.

But to point out a clear fact (and not speculation), does the new Genesis 1.2 use rectangular or rounded tweeters? It seems you would want your best design (from over the years of building speakers) to be in your "flagship" speaker. At least Arnie would...

 

[okeeteekid]

How do you guys think the high energy emits stack up to the older emits?

 

[uvafan420]

How do you guys think the high energy emits stack up to the older emits?

In this case, high energy vs emit k; the high energy is clearly a better tweeter. Not because of any shape (circle or a rectangle, both rectangle in this case) but by being able to play at even lower frequencies. Being able to do this naturally creates better dispersion.

 

[Listnnthdark]

230.000 ?? Yikes !!

Am I bad for LOVING the fact that my little kappa 6.1s use the same tweeter as the $ 230.000 Genesis 1.2 ?? { if so , color be bad }
I am under no illusion that i have the same sound but :
Along with everything noted . DETAIL { they have clarified many a lyric and left me thinking . " I have heard that piece of music hundreds of times but never noticed {that} before !! " on MANY occasions .
Along with the beauty and delicacy of the emit r the liitle kappas also on occasion leave me slack jawed by thier bass extention , and wide open 3 dimensionality .
my .002 THANKS TO TEDRICK FOR THE PRICE QUOTE !
and THANKS TO MR NUDELL !! for the emit r ..{ and everything else }

 

[MKRUPKA]

EmitR's

If memory serves me correctly the EmitR could be magnetically sheilded, allowing placement next to a tube television. The original Emits couldn't be sheilded eliminating their application for home theater use. Michael

 

[GlobalWarming]

Time after time.....................People who come to my place and listen to my Infinity Kappa 7.1 (front ported), are flabbergasted by the clarity of the vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, trumpets and others. More than three of these people have been playing the piano since childhood, or play some other instrument; some of them professionally; one is also a professional singer.

One common remark is: "Feels as if the singer and the instruments being played are right here"......

Bu I still wonder how much better, if any, that earlier Emit can be in comparison to my Emits R...............I have the feeling that I might be dissapointed when I finally get to hear one.

Let me also clarify that my system is quite simple and that there are A LOT better systems here than mine...........

But the sound I get?

Thank you Mr. Nudell!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sold on Infinities................

 

[Listnnthdark]

I have heard the original Kappa 6 with slotted emits Along with several others of that period .{ original emits} Hearing the K6 { many moons ago } is the reason I chose the 6.1 . It seems you have to spend 400.00 + for a pair of Kappa 6s in good condition . I got the 6.1 in near perfect condition for 200 . I would not hazdard a comparison based on a 20 year old acoustic memory . But all of the qualitys I heard in the 6 are there in spades w the 6.1 .