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RS II B - Placement

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I dont think the m506 is gonna cut it. I would definitely keep the volume knob down. you will also notice the heat coming from it when you exert it. the 506 will work in conjunction with a bottom amp (Bi AMP configuration) If you like the ONKYO look and sound you would probably need at least a M508 on the lows. Don't be intimidated by vintage infinities, when driven properly not much comes close to them, But they are to old for user mistakes as the parts for repair when available are expensive. read a lot and don't drive them loud untill proper amplification has been obtained. Congrats on the awesome speakers and welcome to the infinity forum. There is a lot of knowledge here.
 
very nice, but repeat advice be careful. Emits are still around, the mids hard to find. You need lots of clean power and an amp that handles 4 ohm and lower w/o any problem
 
There is a lot of info on this forum about the RSIIb and upgrades to the crossover, equalizer, driver diaphragms, etc. Just do a search - it's enough to keep you busy for a while!

Here are pictures of my RSIIbs with my homemade external crossover and upgraded midrange diaphragms from Apogee Acoustics:
 

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First, welcome to the vintage Infinity club. There are lots of very knowledgeable Infinity-freaks here, so hang around, ask lots of questions, and we'll try to lead you to audio bliss.

RE: placement, start with the speakers 3 feet out from the side and rear walls, with at least 7 feet between the center of each speaker. Move them closer or farther apart in 3-6 inch increments until you get the best imaging; then move them closer or further to the rear wall incrementally until you get the bass response that you like best.

RE: cables, for full-range applications, I find Audioquest solid-core copper cables to work well with vintage Infinity speakers. The treble is smooth and extended, and the bass is tight and powerful. For bi-wiring or biamping, I like AQ cables on the woofers and Nordost cables on the mids/tweets. The speed, air, and extension of the Nordost cables seems like a good match with the EMIM's/EMIT's.

RE: your amp, I agree with Sound Dragon and Jyesq...be very careful with the volume knob. From what I can find, the Onkyo is rated at 130 wpc @ 8 ohms, and only 170 wpc @ 4 ohms. I could find no 2 ohm rating or anything else to suggest it could safely handle low-impedance speakers, which strongly suggests that it may not be up to the task of fully driving the IIb's. You really need an amp of 200 wpc @ 8 ohms that will just about double down into 4 ohms, and is rated for a 2 ohm load. Such amps can be quite expensive, but with careful shopping there are some reasonably affordable options from the likes of Forte, Threshold, Adcom, Yamaha, Bryston, Classe, Nakamichi, and so on.

Welcome aboard, good luck, and enjoy the journey.
 
All,
Thank you for the welcome and all the great advice!

I am very surprised to hear that the Onkyo Grand Integra M 506 RS may not cut it. I was believing that it is very powerful and can power most speakers..
It's specs are :
Effective output (20Hz - 20kHz) ; 160W +160 W (4ohm) ; 120W +120 W (8ohm)
Dynamic power (1kHz) 180W +180 W (8ohm)

Please see the Specs here http://tinyurl.com/2corx2e

I will have these speakers in a 16 X 12 room, and will definitely not be listening at very high volumes. The other current option I have is my Kenwood KM 106 amp. And I can get another exact one from a friend, and perhaps Bi-amp.

Please help me understand and make the right choices.
 
Big Infinity's are NOT most speakers, amps need to be high current as well.... even my Huuuuuuuuuuuge 110lb. Sansui BA-5000 which is rated 300wpc @ 8,4, and 2 ohm can clip when using my RSIIb's at moderate volume levels during certain passages of music. Clipping will destroy your ribbon drivers.... and on that note make sure you have correct fuses. You will never realize the full potential of these awesome speakers without dropping some coin on a proper amp... or 2.
 
Tobster said:
All,
Thank you for the welcome and all the great advice!

I am very surprised to hear that the Onkyo Grand Integra M 506 RS may not cut it. I was believing that it is very powerful and can power most speakers..
It's specs are :
Effective output (20Hz - 20kHz) ; 160W +160 W (4ohm) ; 120W +120 W (8ohm)
Dynamic power (1kHz) 180W +180 W (8ohm)
Click to expand...
You have learned what many first-time owners of the larger vintage Infinity speakers learn, i.e. that these are not "average" speakers that can be driven with an "average" receiver or amp.

First, ignore dynamic power. Dynamic power rating is, in fact, a number that is provided primarily as a marketing ploy to convince buyers that the amp is "really powerful." It is not a continuous rating, it is a short-term (a few milliseconds at best) output rating into a static load. Dynamic power is a useless statistic that tells you nothing about how the amp will perform when driving a real dynamic load such as presented by a speaker.

Now, looking at the Onkyo's specs, it is rated at 120 (or 130) wpc. If this amp were up to the task of driving difficult speakers, it should just about double its output into 4 ohms, and roughly double again into 2 ohms. If the 4 ohm power rating was 200 wpc or more, and there was a 2 ohm rating of maybe 350 wpc, I'd say this Onkyo might be capable. However, its 4 ohm rating is only 50% higher than the 8 ohm rating, and there is no 2 ohm output given. That suggests that the power transformer and output capacitors are not robust enough to deliver the increased current that a speaker with low resistance can demand, especially when the volume is turned up. That's not to say the amp won't try to output that kind of power, it will try. But when it tries, it will run out of steam and start to clip the audio signal. Clipping into EMIM's and EMIT's is a recipe for disaster. In addition, clipping in the amp will cause it to overheat, and may eventually damage or even destroy the amp.

RE: recommended amps, there's a short list in my earlier post above. There is also a ton of info here in the Infinity forums on the subject of amps and vintage Infinity speakers. What vintage Infinity owners often find is that they end up spending as much or more on amplification as they did on the speakers. I recommend that you spend some time with the search function, get yourself familiar with what these speakers need, and then ask some specific questions so we can better help you enjoy and get the most from these very special speakers.
 
I also discovered these vintage infinities like lots of clean power.

Started with a little pro amp, a crown ct-210.

Not even close, stepped up to a crown ct-410, better, but would still clip at moderate volumes in certain passages,

Went to a crown ct-1600.

This finally has enough muscle to properly drive these. Iirc ~800wpc @ 4 ohms. Still gets warm enough for the fans to regularly cycle.

In short, don't skimp on the amp!

:music:
 
I always thought these speakers were bi-ampable. If they are, why don't you use the Kenwood on the highs and the Onkyo for the lows, until you can get something stouter? The amp only seeing mid and high duty would be less likely to clip, thus less likely to destroy your hard to replace EMITs and ENIMs.

I see no reason for matching amps, (I mean model matching, not level matching), unless you are amplifying one speaker with each amp, instead of lows with one and highs with the other. Of course, this is all moot if they aren't bi-ampable.
 
Tedrick said:
RE: recommended amps, there's a short list in my earlier post above. There is also a ton of info here in the Infinity forums on the subject of amps and vintage Infinity speakers. What vintage Infinity owners often find is that they end up spending as much or more on amplification as they did on the speakers. I recommend that you spend some time with the search function, get yourself familiar with what these speakers need, and then ask some specific questions so we can better help you enjoy and get the most from these very special speakers.
Click to expand...

There's also many examples of what Infinity owner's are using in the "What amp drives you Infinitys" thread in this forum. Get a taste for what people are using and then commence to hunting. Good luck.
 
Great idea. These are bi-ampable.
The M500t is pretty stout.
I really like the Onkyo M506 RS Amp due to it's Awesome Vu meters and magnificent looks. (M 500t has vu meters too but do not compare with the M506 RS)

I am thinking of bi-amping- powering the highs and mids with the Carver M500t and the lower end with the Onkyo M506 RS.

Would that be a good move?

Any risks?

Thanks
Tobster
 
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Well you're definately safer running them bi-amped. Any strain on the bottom end amp won't affect the top end. I had a 500t hooked into both the top and bottom end of my RSII's. It did the job on the bottom and the Carver faux-tube sound (as some characterize it) worked well on the mids & tweets. It should be a nice combination.
 
Rs11b

Tobster said:
All,
Thank you for the welcome and all the great advice!

I am very surprised to hear that the Onkyo Grand Integra M 506 RS may not cut it. I was believing that it is very powerful and can power most speakers..
It's specs are :
Effective output (20Hz - 20kHz) ; 160W +160 W (4ohm) ; 120W +120 W (8ohm)
Dynamic power (1kHz) 180W +180 W (8ohm)

Please see the Specs here http://tinyurl.com/2corx2e

I will have these speakers in a 16 X 12 room, and will definitely not be listening at very high volumes. The other current option I have is my Kenwood KM 106 amp. And I can get another exact one from a friend, and perhaps Bi-amp.

Please help me understand and make the right choices.
Click to expand...
i have been using a Moscode 300 for many years with no problems. it is rated 150 watts at 8 ohms and 200 at 4 ohms. i sometimes play at high volumes but mostly moderate.my drivers are original and function well.
 
Tobster said:
Great idea. These are bi-ampable.
The M500t is pretty stout.
I really like the Onkyo M506 RS Amp due to it's Awesome Vu meters and magnificent looks. (M 500t has vu meters too but do not compare with the M506 RS)

I am thinking of bi-amping- powering the highs and mids with the Carver M500t and the lower end with the Onkyo M506 RS.

Would that be a good move?

Any risks?

Thanks
Tobster
Click to expand...

If you want to use the onkyo use it for the mid tweet not the bass.
The carver has a better chance of dealing with the the lows.
 
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