Yet another Royd thread...

edited February 2012 in Loudspeakers
Hello.
Recently I've found a nice pair of Royd RR1s in pretty cherry wood finish, perfect condition (like... really, it's PERFECT), included slip stands, original drive units. The seller wants 500 pounds for them, but seeing as a few RR2s and RR3s went even under that, I prefer to ask people who actually know things and prices of these than just deciding myself. 

Unfortunately, I've never heard them and I won't before buying, because I'm from Poland and these will be transported safely by my friend, but I'll be using them in 4,2m*3,8m room (quite small) with NVA P50sa/A60 amps, so that might give you an idea if they are a good choice or not.

Thanks for any help

Comments

  • They are a good choice, and will go well with your amps.

    I do agree that £500 is a bit steep for them, I am sure I have seen them go for half of that in the past. Equally, the RR3s and RR2s that went cheap were well under-priced.

    Are you aware of the set of RR1 on eBay UK right now? I have linked to them in the 'eBay watch' thread.
  • Yeah. I'd go along with £500 being too much. I spent £530 on my RR3s a couple of years back, which is probably about right. The RR1s should therefore be cheaper.

    The A60 should drive the RR1s fine, but an upgrade to A70s or A80s when you have the cash will help get the best from the Royds.
  • edited February 2012
    Yeah, whenever I will have the money, I will upgrade them.
    That guy told me that he was offered 450 pounds for his speakers and he refused to sell, so 500 is lowest he would go, if I pay cash on collection. Also, the drive units he owns are original, and these on ebay seem not to be original...  Also waiting for Royd RR2 or RR3 pair to appear for sale anywhere can take like... ages.
    How much - do you think - I should pay maximum for these speakers? Do you know anyone who has RR2s or RR3s for sale?

    Also - the seller claims that he has heard RR2s and RR3s as well, and in his opinion RR1s were the best of all 3. Maybe he is just trying to rise up the price... I don't know, thats why I'm looking for your help. 
    Thx

    EDIT: Just noticed that the Royds I want to buy are the ones from first page of ebay watch - cherry wood finish that auction was finished earlier.
  • It's very difficult to advise you. The price is always what you and the seller end up at. 

    How much do you want them? And how long would you prepared to wait for another pair of Revelations? They are rare and seldom come up for sale.

    One final question you should ask yourself. Why should you believe the seller's assertion that the RR1s sound better than 2s and 3s? He has 1s to sell...

    I can't even answer from my POV. I've only heard my 3s. I might even prefer the 1s. I just don't know!

    Sorry I can't be of more help.
  • Anethetise,
    It's just some equation of how much you want you them multiplied by how much disposable income you've got isn't it?
    But I sense white line fever in your post...Just don't do anything you'll regret. Either way!
    Never heard any royd RR's so don't know how much I'd want them.
  • The thing is, people have a strange idea of worth, notwithstanding the original value. The Revelation range had the RR1 as the base model, then the RR2 with the RR3 at the top. Yet most people view the RR2 as most valuable because it is the largest speaker with the most drivers.

    I only ever saw three RR3s for sale: £450 (without stands), £525 & £530. I saw RR2s make over £700. I have seen RR1s for as little as £300.

    There is nice guy on Chews called Mervyn, I'm pretty sure he runs RR1s, or he did at least. It might be worth sending him a message to find out what his cost him.

    You pay whatever you think they are worth, but if it were my money I would but a pair of Minstrels and wait patiently for a set from the Revelation range.
  • OK guys, thanks for your replies. That's very helpful. I guess I'll wait for RR3's to appear then and pass on that 500 pounds offer. Meanwhile I'll try to snipe some Minstrels or maybe these Sapphires that are listed on ebay right now.
    Thanks again :)
  • No worries friend, hope you're not too disappointed!

    If you buy these RR1s on eBay, they could maybe be delivered to someone on Chews to await your friend collecting them?
  • Thank you for your kindness, but my friends are living in England, in Ledbury and it's fine with them to collect them. They are going to Poland in May so I still have time to find something :)
    Also, yesterday I wrote message to these RR1 seller on ebay - these are original units, the colour difference of drive units is made by a shade. So they might be worth hunting...
    Thanks again
  • Sounds good to go then, lets hope the price isn't too high.

    All the spare Royd drivers are gone now, at least for the Revelations. A store in Hampshire called Phonography bought them all, but I understand they have all gone. Each model had different amounts of doping on the driver, so have to be correctly matched.

    I learned this when I overdrove my RR3 once, and had to replace the driver.
  • Oh damn... over 7 days on auction left and the price is 215 pounds already. I am quite sure they will double :S
  • Hi Anesthetise

    As Alan said I have a set of RR1's which I got several years ago for £275 but that was before Royd fever set in ! Soundwise they are like grown up Minstrels with more panache and a very refined sound, They love NVA amps but you need to drive them a bit to get the best out of them.

    Pricewise as mentioned above it is a case of supply and demand. They are rare hence the inflated prices. £500 for me is too high but then it depends how much you really want RR1's. Personally I think £350-400 is probably about right but I have a pair already !

    If you have not tried Royds before it might be worth getting a set of Minstrels to hear the 'house sound'. They are fantastic value for money imho and not that far behind RR1's.

    Mervyn

     

     

  • Thanks for your reply, Mervyn, also very helpful. When I told the guy that 500 pounds is too much, he just stopped replying me, maybe looking for someone to overpay for them.
    Also, there are some Royd Sintras Mk1 on pink fish media for sale - are they worth their price? Just want some starter Royds for now, to hear how the infamous Royd sounds and match my P50/A60 amps until I find and snipe some RR3s maybe.
  • The Sintra's are mine - downsizing my speaker collection !

    If interested please pm me. Thanks.

  • PM sent. Thanks
  • That sounds like a great idea, all round.

    @anesthetise, you can take your time to find some RRs at the right price if you get on with the Sintras.
  • 465 pounds for the ones on ebay... I guess, guys, that I will try to make my seller go around that price, because I already know, that people wish to pay over 450 for them. One guy offered 455, the other overbid him to 465 (look at bids list). So that's a good reason to buy them and wait for RR3s, because I will always be able to sell them back for what I bought them for.
    On the other hand - they were 865 pounds when new, including stands. 465 pounds is just over half of that price for them, which isn't THAT bad really. Like... Most of second hand audio stuff go for around half price, and many say that these offer better performance than their value says.
    Compared to what they went for, Royd is getting popular because more people started exploring their speakers, which will make them maybe even more popular choice for that price in the future. RR1s is one of the 3 on the top, newest range and there will always be demand for them.

    So, concluding that long reflections, by buying Royds for that I will have a pair of nice speakers, that if I won't like I will be always able to sell them back for what I bought for, or very close to that. I'll give it a go and try them, while waiting for RR3s to appear, maybe I'll like RR1s more in the end and they will stay.
  • Good luck!

    Keep us posted about how you get on.
  • Hi There

    -Is there anyone knowing if Joe Akroyd is still alive and well or..???

    I have not heard anything for years..

    We were importing Royd to Sweden from 1993 until he closed the factory, I were the largest export-country for Royd, several years...

    If anyone needs info of Royd and their different models, perhaps I can help. We also have some parts left. 
    -I think accually I can get hold on a pair of Doublets we sold new, one owner, he is talking of channging speakers, but I m not sure..

    Well, fun to see Royd is still alive in different forums with fans still likes his speakers. 

    I really liked to talk with Joe about speaker design and his wife, Kathy, made me feel like a family-member. Even in Sweden, we have lots of fans, loving these speakers.

    Lasse
  • Thanks for your interjection. It will be of interest to many.
    I'm one of the few here who doesn't listen via Royds.
    I'm not 100%, but I think Mr. Akroyd died a couple of years back unfortunately. Apologies if I am mistaken in this.
  • There does seem to be some disagreement if Joe is alive or not.

    Lasse: Do you have any spare RR3 drivers in Sweden?
  • Hi Lasse! I'm currently maintaining the RoydAudio.com website, trying to provide as much info as I can. If you've got anything you'd like to contribute to the site, please do get in touch! As for Joe Akroyd, last I heard was he went into a quiet retirement down on South Coast near Lymington, after remaining parts/spares were sold to Phonography.
  • Hi Lasse! I'm currently maintaining the RoydAudio.com website, trying to provide as much info as I can. If you've got anything you'd like to contribute to the site, please do get in touch! As for Joe Akroyd, last I heard was he went into a quiet retirement down on South Coast near Lymington, after remaining parts/spares were sold to Phonography.
    That's the state of play, as I understand it also.
  • Ok
    Thanks for updating me
    -I will check but no RR-parts, I think I have 2 bas-units for Abbot, some tweeter for old Royds 7-litres, not shure which model..I can get pictures if anyone interested.

    I think it is still funny how much emotion Royd speakers get to listeners, and all feedback I get, even up to today, great speakers it was / it is...:-)

    Lasse

  • Arfa
    -I can get you a story, Joe made a SE-version of the RR1, because he had boxes from an earlier model, can´t remember the name, but it was 14 pairs totally, we bought 2 pairs to Sweden..

    It sounded a little bit different, 1 litre less, than RR1, but beautiful boxes it was, a classic Royd....That is what I call SE, or better limited edition, perhaps -Sorcerer SE I think it was..

  • I always thought my RR3s look similar to Sorcerers, I never heard them though. Very puzzling that the top of the Revelation line was the smallest speaker.

    Steve (Bourney) had Sorcerer SEs once IIRC, he liked them but preferred Sintra 2.
  • The Revelation series was created as a way to "sell" in Royd to the Canadian company that was aiming to buy Royd Loudspeakers. The plan was that Joe just needed to work with RD..

    I asked Kathy once, which speakers was her fav and emotionally most close to heart. -She said The Abbot, don´t remember her reasons, but it was an important speaker in my eyes too..

  • Interesting stuff.

    To my ears, the RR3s are the best small speaker I've ever heard. At any price.

    And they just keep getting better as I improve what's feeding them.
  • Hi Lasse! I'm currently maintaining the RoydAudio.com website, trying to provide as much info as I can. If you've got anything you'd like to contribute to the site, please do get in touch! As for Joe Akroyd, last I heard was he went into a quiet retirement down on South Coast near Lymington, after remaining parts/spares were sold to Phonography.
    That's the state of play, as I understand it also.
    It seems as though rumours of...exaggerated...etc.,...
  • Sorry

    My mistake, I ment RR3 when I said RR3, my memory is not what it should be,,,

    Anyone been to the factory in Telford, at that time ???
    -Fun, very fun experience


Sign In or Register to comment.