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crwilli 10-15-2014 04:35 PM

BETAS at RMAF 2014
 
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The PS Audio gang and their incredible electronics chose to use what I have learned were almost NOS 25 year old IRS BETAs in their room last week. And Arnie was there to set them up! What an opportunity I missed but with lots of coverage across the 'net, i didn't miss it entirely

After so much development and marketing of speakers they roll out 25 yr old technology to demonstrate their SOTA electronics.

Please excuse me if I gloat a little!

audioguy3107 10-15-2014 08:38 PM

That's really cool, I've never had a chance to hear a pair of Betas or Epsilons, bet it sounded great in addition to having that vintage feel.

- Buck

David S. 10-22-2014 10:55 AM

Used to listen to the Betas all the time at a dealer in Orlando. LOVED those things!

I'm betting Arnie had them really singing in that room. :)

2fastdriving 10-22-2014 02:38 PM

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I was there, and not very impressed, I think they could sound good, but they just didn't with that setup. The amps being used were PS Audio prototypes and I am thinking that is the cause. They kept tripping their power guard circuits. I was very disappointed. PS Audio in general has disappointed me at RMAF, this year and last year. I didn't think their rooms sounded good at all. Just one man's opinion.

crwilli 10-22-2014 05:28 PM

Marc, I have read other views that share your opinion. I know you said you think it was the Amplifiers but what was 'off' in your opinion? I am truly interested to understand more about how people today react to the Betas or even, how they compare to some of the speakers on the market today. Craig

2fastdriving 10-22-2014 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crwilli (Post 645605)
Marc, I have read other views that share your opinion. I know you said you think it was the Amplifiers but what was 'off' in your opinion? I am truly interested to understand more about how people today react to the Betas or even, how they compare to some of the speakers on the market today. Craig

Well the main problem is that the tone seemed a little bit "nasal" sounding. There were other aspects that sounded quite good. The highs sounded airy, there was good soundstaging. But it was turned down very low, which resulted in very little bass. I wanted to hear that bass! I asked them to turn it up and they got nervous. I was thinking "why would they have it so low, and why would they be nervous about turning it up?" I wasn't asking for them to blow the walls down.

So Paul turned it up a few notches. It was still not "loud". Just louder than before. About one minute later, the amp's protection circuit kicked in. Paul started to explain that the amp on the left was a prototype, but the one on the right wasn't- it was representative of what the final product would be. But it was the one on the right that tripped! He said that it had it's protection tuned to be on the cautious side because it was used as a test mule.

That confused the hell out of me...was it a prototype or not? Anyway, regardless, if it couldn't handle being turned up to even moderate levels, it should have been left home, and some other amp brought in. It just wasn't a good showing. :no:

crwilli 10-22-2014 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2fastdriving (Post 645608)
Well the main problem is that the tone seemed a little bit "nasal" sounding. There were other aspects that sounded quite good. The highs sounded airy, there was good soundstaging. But it was turned down very low, which resulted in very little bass. I wanted to hear that bass! I asked them to turn it up and they got nervous. I was thinking "why would they have it so low, and why would they be nervous about turning it up?" I wasn't asking for them to blow the walls down. So Paul turned it up a few notches. It was still not "loud". Just louder than before. About one minute later, the amp's protection circuit kicked in. Paul started to explain that the amp on the left was a prototype, but the one on the right wasn't- it was representative of what the final product would be. But it was the one on the right that tripped! He said that it had it's protection tuned to be on the cautious side because it was used as a test mule. That confused the hell out of me...was it a prototype or not? Anyway, regardless, if it couldn't handle being turned up to even moderate levels, it should have been left home, and some other amp brought in. It just wasn't a good showing. :no:

My Betas, in my system don't sound full at conversational levels. If I listened like that, I would need to use the tone controls of my preamp or by 'A Delicious One'... My MC452 on the upper panels is routinely pumping pretty hard, the MC352 on the woofer columns less so, at normal volumes. If you didn't hear the Betas 'at volume', you didn't hear the Betas. Thanks for the extra guidance! Sent from my iPad using A.Aficionado

Masterlu 10-22-2014 07:16 PM

IMO, they should have brought back-up amps knowing that these were prototypes.

Just my .02 cents. ;)

crwilli 10-22-2014 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masterlu (Post 645620)
IMO, they should have brought back-up amps knowing that these were prototypes. Just my .02 cents. ;)

I wasn't there but based on what I see reported, I agree with you - if nothing more than to preserve the dignity of the Betas! :). HA!

lwschwartz 10-23-2014 10:20 PM

When those Beta's left here, they sounded fine. I had seven sets at one time and that set was bought from a dealer and were new in the boxes. None the less, the woofers had been refoamed by Bill Legall at Miller Sound with the accelerometers checked. The woofer towers were rewired with dual strands of 11ga Cardas Litz wire just in case the original monster wire had oxidized. The original was not oxygen free. The mid/high panels and were checked and in great shape. The magnets had been replaced on the EMIM's and the drivers recalibrated for the proper gauss. Then they were connected to an MC602 for the mid/high panels and a pair of MC1201's for the woofer towers. I compared them to my IRS V's and the Beta's sounded very good and played quite well.

Having said that, I would suspect the amplifier prototypes could use a bit of work. Since the Beta's are 4ohm speakers, the amps may have some trouble at the higher listening level. The Mac amps didn't even get warm. The concept of a tube solid state hybrid amp sounds good, the MC2301's are an example of how good they can sound. I am sure that PS Audio is working on the improvements. Designing and building the hybrid amps is probably quite challenging to the engineers.

None the less, I agree with Ivan. For an event like RMAF, spares would have been nice. I would be willing to bet they take spares the next time.


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