RSIIb vs Genesis 3

[Brealytrent]

Hello all,

Since acquiring a pair of Kappa 7.1s back in June I've been bitten by the Arnie Nudell bug, and have two opportunities to purchase either a pair of Infinity RS IIb or Genesis 3 speakers, with them both being around the $1400 mark, OBO. The RS IIbs include the equalizer, but one of the woofers appears to have been replaced/rebuilt, as it's got a different dust cap and is more opaque than the others. The seller says they have an extra driver, and overall the speakers appear in good condition.

The Genesis 3 appears all original and in good condition. The seller says that there is a little splintering of the veneer at the base, but I cannot see that from the photos and isn't an issue to me. Now, I would immediately default to the newer Genesis 3s as these are the same price, and still have factory support to a degree - however they are a 9 hour drive away, which means they'd likely need to be shipped which would NOT be cheap (they weigh 145lbs each!) whereas the RSIIb are within driving distance.

I haven't heard either in person, so I guess I'm looking for thoughts and opinions on both! Or if there's someone with a truck or van willing to go on a drive up and down the East coast for me to help me on my quest for an upgrade...

 

[swechsler]

I agree that the Genesis 3s would be a much better purchase. Knowing approximately how much they'll cost to ship would help make the decision. Due to their weight, they'll need to go via freight (both UPS and Fedex max out at 150 lbs/package). However, see if you can get the seller to wrap and pallet the speakers, then contact Freightquote.com and see what they can do for you. They might have some suggestions even if the seller is unable to pallet them. FWIW, a couple of years ago I shipped a 900lb fully stacked pallet from NJ to Florida for about $400 (although it was uninsured, yours would be considerably lighter and presumably wouldn't be traveling as far). I dealt with a rep on the phone rather than using the website, and the guy I worked with was really helpful and went above and beyond to find me several different quotes. Don't use Fedex Freight, their prices are ridiculous, at least for a one-time shipper.

 

[Brealytrent]

I've been super busy this week so I haven't gotten a quote, however the owner of the RS IIb's lowered the asking price to $1100...they're starting to look tempting!

 

[jazzmans]

you can't post $ here, it'll get moved to dollars and sense.

 

[swechsler]

you can't post $ here, it'll get moved to dollars and sense.

Usually the admins will let it go if we're not specifically talking about valuing something.

 

[willie-aspen]

What amp do you plan on using and how big is your room?

The Stereophile review of the Genesis III is online and shows that they're a fairly tough load. Impedance drops to 1.2 ohms at 38 Hz and 2 ohms at 300 Hz. The RSIIb drops to 1.6 ohms at 9KHz. But, there's more energy in the bass than at 9K, so I would consider the IIIs to be tougher on the amp.

Both the review itself and the notes in the measurements section comment that the IIIs have a lot of bass and the reviewer had them 7 feet (!) away from the wall. I had the IIAs and they seem much more forgiving of boundaries. Especially with the EQ box. Either way, you're going to need a good-sized room with some placement flexibility to hear what these speakers can do.

 

[Brealytrent]

My room is a similar size to the one that the reviewer used, so bass may be a bit bloated. Then again, one could say the bass is bloated with the 7.1s as well but I enjoy a little extra bass. I am moving in about half a year though, so if I need a bigger room I'll just add that as a consideration when I start looking for a new home. As for amps, that's something I need to look into. I'm using a JVC JR-S501 stereo receiver right now which handles the 7.1s without any fuss, but I don't think it would appreciate the Genesis's. I think it's only rated down to 4 ohms and 180 watts. It would only be fitting that I get a PS Audio amp to compliment them!