Superampman
AK Member
No, they're just 'chicken'
StimpyWan
Addicted Member
Annie Nudell typically used Audio Research tube gear, when designing and voicing speakers. I suppose those impedance drops wouldn't matter there?
Oh yea, I vaguely remember Harry Pearson, of The Abolute Sound, hating the Kappa 9s. No amp he tried worked. The only way he could even listen to the speakers was by putting (KLEENEX) tissues over all the Semits and Emits!
damacman
Resident Psycho
Lol ... 100A/channel capable ...No, they're just 'chicken'
kjello
Super Member
kjello
Super Member
Thats very interesting.
I have a friend importing goods from US with container freight. He said I had to contact him if I were to trade something from the US.
He imports VP racefuel and race parts mainly.
How is the work going with those speakers?
MaxxVolume
Lunatic Member
A guy I know had a pair of K9s, driven by an Adcom 5802, seemed to work well for him. I know he had a problem with a previous amp (?? brand/model), it was unhappy with the 9s....
damacman
Resident Psycho
That would be the welding machine ?
Attachments
kjello
Super Member
The 5802 is a beast, 16 output transistors pr channel !
damacman
Resident Psycho
If have two of them. In all fairness, it would take 30A low impedance service per amp to achieve full performance.Amazing grunt in those
Superampman
AK Member
Crossovers are completely redone with very good parts. The L-pads are very clean with no need for service. I am in the process of refoaming the woofers with Rick Cobbs' foams. They were already done but with those thick, stiff grey ones SS sells. The polydomes are like new and there's a spare pair of Emits.
kjello
Super Member
What kind of dollar are we talking here if you want to sell those ?
These threads keep coming up... are the Polydomes interchangeable with ones like the ones in my RS-5b? I've been told those don't go bad nearly as quickly and mine came out of a thrift store with the woofer cones very yellow and no foam, and the mids are still fine, which seems to bear that out...
1 1/2" vs 3" voice coil.
The polydome from the Kappa Series 8.1, ie, would be the one to try.
muziekfreak
Active Member
Got lots of nudells including the rs1b and rsII ,r80, we, rs4 what not, just take it as a opinion
The kappa 9 , is a speaker that needs least 15 feet away from them at all times. To really enjoy their low end, by experimenting with them at around that distance they belch effortless low end. In extended these indeed pull lots of current. I have on video them pulling close to 10 amps on extended.
They do have a couple issues sound wise, they tend to sound very harsh (record pending) on syllables . The are very accentuated with these speakers. They are not forgiving on subpar recordings. It does however one thing you miss with most speakers.
Full range, you will not miss anything with these. Given that you can run them extended, and on the proper distance. If anything, these speakers by hardware do not feel compromised. It's often the lack of length in a room that, compromises its abilities.
The mid is very musical, I have heard them with a emim modification (polydomes and graphs replaced with emims and custom crossovers) aside from my rs1 having 14 emims ...
Wasn't as musical as the polygraph in combination with the polydome. These two drivers combined, create ample punch and richness in the mid. A snare snap sounds like one. As to where emims lack the dynamic fortitude to do it to that extend.
They are extremely detailed, small details are a bit more prominent, than with a conventional dome , cone arrangement speaker.
They do need a high current amplifier, not a perse wattage monsters just a very stable couple hundred watts will do it. Think hafler, ATI, outlaw,krell , what not. If you can accomodate these speakers in your space and power requirements?!
It's to me still today , one of the best nudells you can possibly get in the "affordable" realm. You will get a speaker. That sounds incredibly detailed, plenty of "quality" low end that leaves most speakers in its current price (1200-1600) class far behind.
I prefer my kappa 9 over my rs1b and rsII
Its audophile intended and still caters to the somewhat more warn tonality minded audio guys.
I call it a in-between floater, you want detail it will give it without fatique (again when driven properly) the poly dome and graph really have a somewhat veiled, yet nice warm tonality to it.
It caters to both worlds IMHO if you can accept the fact it will be merciless on the somewhat lesser recordings.
And as footnote , the looks of these Speakers are nothing short of incredible. They look imposing and just caters to a audioholics desires. Very pleasing piece of audio furniture.
The kappa 9 , is a speaker that needs least 15 feet away from them at all times. To really enjoy their low end, by experimenting with them at around that distance they belch effortless low end. In extended these indeed pull lots of current. I have on video them pulling close to 10 amps on extended.
They do have a couple issues sound wise, they tend to sound very harsh (record pending) on syllables . The are very accentuated with these speakers. They are not forgiving on subpar recordings. It does however one thing you miss with most speakers.
Full range, you will not miss anything with these. Given that you can run them extended, and on the proper distance. If anything, these speakers by hardware do not feel compromised. It's often the lack of length in a room that, compromises its abilities.
The mid is very musical, I have heard them with a emim modification (polydomes and graphs replaced with emims and custom crossovers) aside from my rs1 having 14 emims ...
Wasn't as musical as the polygraph in combination with the polydome. These two drivers combined, create ample punch and richness in the mid. A snare snap sounds like one. As to where emims lack the dynamic fortitude to do it to that extend.
They are extremely detailed, small details are a bit more prominent, than with a conventional dome , cone arrangement speaker.
They do need a high current amplifier, not a perse wattage monsters just a very stable couple hundred watts will do it. Think hafler, ATI, outlaw,krell , what not. If you can accomodate these speakers in your space and power requirements?!
It's to me still today , one of the best nudells you can possibly get in the "affordable" realm. You will get a speaker. That sounds incredibly detailed, plenty of "quality" low end that leaves most speakers in its current price (1200-1600) class far behind.
I prefer my kappa 9 over my rs1b and rsII
Its audophile intended and still caters to the somewhat more warn tonality minded audio guys.
I call it a in-between floater, you want detail it will give it without fatique (again when driven properly) the poly dome and graph really have a somewhat veiled, yet nice warm tonality to it.
It caters to both worlds IMHO if you can accept the fact it will be merciless on the somewhat lesser recordings.
And as footnote , the looks of these Speakers are nothing short of incredible. They look imposing and just caters to a audioholics desires. Very pleasing piece of audio furniture.
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Kevinbigdog
Member
Poly domes absolutely do dent
Old topic but relevant ...
Have had 3 sets and still have 1 which is about to be sold for a good sum.
Pros:
* Foot print they do not take much space, being as shallow as they are.
*It's as good as it gets from the nudell era of speakers, it has lots of dynamic overhead, especially when driven and set up well.
*Very little compromise in the high, typically emits exceed by far the performance of human hearing by. A large margin. It's very capable of throwing micro detailing at you.
*To me, personally one of the best looking speakers even today. You walk into a room with a set playing , you have to smirk and sit down to enjoy them. They must definitely invoke that *clap your hands together , rubbing* feeling.
I added that as a advantage, as to me that's also a very important aspect often overlooked. It sets the mood and mind to a good session.
Cons: You can switch them to "normal mode" but extended mode is preferred. It's even for today's standards a ampkiller. And even if your amp can handle them ? 0.8ohm dips , we measured current pulls in excess of 7amps. It will wear your amp out , not question about that.
In normal mode, you will sacrifice low end but nothing you cannot supplement with a good pair of subs. These days, plenty of even budget subs that are very able to work with the kappas.
Polydomes , can be restored a few options are millersound and ava rebuilds them to spec. There is also a drop in replacement made by Midwest speakers. And honestly I have them all 3, I prefer the Midwest. It's a way better driver build wise , than the original polydomes. And they have a version 2 by now I use in my kappa 6. Fantastic , fabric dome black looks so good too.
Miller and ava charge $250 set (ex shipping)
Midwest cost $200 set
Emits , when driven right never had the issues some here reported. They do "fatique" older emims even worse. The diaphragms tend to wrinkle , and sag so it's wise to just replace them. Again AVA provides the diaphragms for $50 a set. I always have sets on hand , well worth it !
They do demand space , and for sure a amplifier choice that meshes well with its demands. It's not so much about wattages. It's really current overhead. It doesn't have to be a exotic amp, but something with lots of uf power banks reserve will drive them nicely.
A incredible speaker even today, specs really on par with anything I sold consider higher end. It also caters well to experimentation. For instance (allegedly) nudell prefered to run them with tube on the mid-top end and a very good solid state on the bottom end.
They will reveal lots of flaws in any system and especially formats. But the flip side of them, they are geared towards definition. They will also reveal a stellar recording , like it's nobodies business .
This is just for whomever cares to get a set . There are by now options to deal with the drivers ..
Have had 3 sets and still have 1 which is about to be sold for a good sum.
Pros:
* Foot print they do not take much space, being as shallow as they are.
*It's as good as it gets from the nudell era of speakers, it has lots of dynamic overhead, especially when driven and set up well.
*Very little compromise in the high, typically emits exceed by far the performance of human hearing by. A large margin. It's very capable of throwing micro detailing at you.
*To me, personally one of the best looking speakers even today. You walk into a room with a set playing , you have to smirk and sit down to enjoy them. They must definitely invoke that *clap your hands together , rubbing* feeling.
I added that as a advantage, as to me that's also a very important aspect often overlooked. It sets the mood and mind to a good session.
Cons: You can switch them to "normal mode" but extended mode is preferred. It's even for today's standards a ampkiller. And even if your amp can handle them ? 0.8ohm dips , we measured current pulls in excess of 7amps. It will wear your amp out , not question about that.
In normal mode, you will sacrifice low end but nothing you cannot supplement with a good pair of subs. These days, plenty of even budget subs that are very able to work with the kappas.
Polydomes , can be restored a few options are millersound and ava rebuilds them to spec. There is also a drop in replacement made by Midwest speakers. And honestly I have them all 3, I prefer the Midwest. It's a way better driver build wise , than the original polydomes. And they have a version 2 by now I use in my kappa 6. Fantastic , fabric dome black looks so good too.
Miller and ava charge $250 set (ex shipping)
Midwest cost $200 set
Emits , when driven right never had the issues some here reported. They do "fatique" older emims even worse. The diaphragms tend to wrinkle , and sag so it's wise to just replace them. Again AVA provides the diaphragms for $50 a set. I always have sets on hand , well worth it !
They do demand space , and for sure a amplifier choice that meshes well with its demands. It's not so much about wattages. It's really current overhead. It doesn't have to be a exotic amp, but something with lots of uf power banks reserve will drive them nicely.
A incredible speaker even today, specs really on par with anything I sold consider higher end. It also caters well to experimentation. For instance (allegedly) nudell prefered to run them with tube on the mid-top end and a very good solid state on the bottom end.
They will reveal lots of flaws in any system and especially formats. But the flip side of them, they are geared towards definition. They will also reveal a stellar recording , like it's nobodies business .
This is just for whomever cares to get a set . There are by now options to deal with the drivers ..