RFC Rhapsody 'speakers

DocfosterDocfoster
edited January 2014 in Loudspeakers
I was very struck by Paul's Tannoy driver based RFC Fidelos last year. Big Tannoys had not often been to my personal tastes on the odd occasion that I had heard them previously. Paul's Fidelos were more musical and airy than I was expecting.
I have been very interested in the recent development of his new, smaller, speaker design The Rhapsody.
Somewhere in the meantime, Paul was able to make some time to take some business from me and pimp my Goodmans ride. Again, results were impressive. The old Goodmans were completely reinvigorated.
It was interesting yesterday to see them all together...

image

I took the Goodwoods because I wanted a familiar point of reference against which to judge the Rhapsodies.

The Rhapsodies are breathtaking. Imaging is utterly convincing. Frequency repsonse sounds flat as a pancake from way down low to way up high. There is a wonderful smoothness too. They have the same eerie realism that for me characterises Paul's speakers. However the Rhapsodies are different beasts to the Fidelos. The Fildelos inevitably are to some degree coloured by the fun and games of their Tannoy driver. The Rhapsodies sound more like a purely Paul speaker. They are cleaner, more revealing, more out of the way. The music that comes out of them has so much to merit it and to make you want to keep listening. Simply mesmorising performance. They don't quite have the all mighty impact of the Fidelos, but overall, the Rhapsodies sound more musical and for me, even more listenable than their larger cousins. They have as much bass as anyone outside of a Jamaican dance hall would need, but that bass isn't pounded into your soul like the Fidelos do.

As for the comparison with the Goodwoods. Well, I was very pleased and relieved that my RFC/Goodmans were not shamed. In fact it was gratifying to feel that they sounded as if they were from the same stable. Clearly they were some way behind the Rhapsodies, but with similar qualities around imaging and a realistic and extended frequency response. Overall a highly pleasing and enticing sound.

I am really hoping that Paul will shift some of the Rhapsodies. They deserve to do well. Every moment that Paul has put into their design is evident is how just how musically they perform. To me they sounded remarkable.

Comments

  • PACPAC
    Good to see you again Ben and to listen to the Goodwoods!  You're right; they didn't embarrass themselves and I think it has a lot to do with their shiny new tweeters  :x

    Great curry, great evening topped ioff by great company...we'll have to make this a bi-annual event!
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    I must hear them sometime.

    Like Ben, I've never been convinced by big Tannoys, but Paul's were good, to my ears.
  • PACPAC
    If you liked the Tannoys but want something with pretty startling mid-range realism, the Rhapsodys may be for you David....the ultimate Jazz speaker too! (for much the same reason).  I'll be inviting another bake-off during the Spring for people who want to hear them against their own speakers for example.  I may hire a small venue for this or have it at home depending on interest.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Keep me posted.
  • sovereignsovereign
    If only my speakers fitted in my car...
  • PACPAC
    edited January 2014
    you mean that they wouldn't?

    just turn them on their sides on the parcel shelf like we used to do with our first cars and whatever speakers we could find :))

    ...or buy a Transit  
    :D
  • PACPAC
    There's an open invitation for anyone in the Bristol area who wants to hear them to visit them at a place near Portishead where they're currently under review for the rest of the week.  Let me know if interested and I'll provide details.
  • sovereignsovereign
    I just sold my pick up truck and bought a van , so now I have no excuse :-)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    I just sold my pick up truck and bought a van , so now I have no excuse :-)
    Wohoo!
  • jandl100jandl100
    I had a pair for a few days (review in preparation for Hifi Pig).

    They now come with grilles with anti-diffraction wadding - which is effective and makes the speakers look much better imo. And their own purpose-designed stands which look cool.

    And they sound very good, but you'll have to wait for me to finish writing up the review to get the full story.
    :!! ... but as a teaser ... boy, can they boogie! B-)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Tell me something I don't know Jerry! ;-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Yes, sir. I can boogie!
  • PACPAC
    Just to add to the intrigue, they have undergone firther trasnsformation since Jerry had them   :-B

    Crossovers have been made even more sophisticated to eliminate mid woofer cone resonance above crossover frequency.  You may think that this is pointless since its above the crossover point, but left unchecked (as with most designs) most mid woofers exhibit some form of acoustic lift at resonance which is also an area of high distortion.  In this case, the lift was measured as just 2.5dB (one side) and 3dB.

    This meant that the additive frequency amplitude of both the tweeter (not yet fully "rolled on") and the woofer (not yet fully "rolled off") peaked at a few dB above flat at around 3.1KHz.

    I have introduced a notch filter (out of the signal path as it sits shunted between positive and negative rails) which squashes this resonance and means a truly flat response above crossover with low distortion.

    I have also increased slightly the L-Pad resistor value on the tweeter to decrease output by about 1dB.  Measurements were one thing but I felt they were a teeny bit lifted on HF so that is now cured.  They sound very natural indeed and drivers integrate very well (you can't tell where the woofer rolls off and the tweeter kicks in, even listening off axis).  I'm (finally) happy with them and inviting auditions.  I am happy for folk to take them away for a week to try as well.
  • jandl100jandl100
    Doh - so my review is out of date and I haven't even finished writing it! :((
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Start again, Jerry!  :-O
  • jandl100jandl100
    Fook that! [-X :))
  • PACPAC
    Had a few chaps in today, one auditioning the "new and improved" Rhapsodys.  A few jaws did a little bit of dropping  :))  The comment from one chap who was in to pick up some refurbished Snells was "They've improved beyond all recognition from when I last heard them" which was just after Jerry had finished with them, so fair to say that the final tinkering has had the desired effects.  I'll be pricing a pair up in a Rosewood veneer for one of todays listeners  :)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Well done Paul.
  • PACPAC
    edited April 2014
    Final XO production underway
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Cool!
  • ColinColin
    Well done Paul maybe one day I can hear them.  ;)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Final XO production underway
    *Final* Final...?
  • jandl100jandl100
    unlikely .... just one more tweak .... :-B
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    unlikely .... just one more tweak .... :-B
    Jerry, you know Paul like I do...!
    :-t
  • jandl100jandl100
    No, honestly, they are finished now. Definitely. That is it, they are perfect.
    1 week later - email arrives containing photos of the latest xover mods .... b-(
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    His perfectionism does him credit. :-)
  • PACPAC
    edited April 2014
    :-B  They are finished now Jerry.  I've committed to some decent pcbs being made for all production versions.  Whilst technically this allows for value changes, the basic layout of the circuit is finished. 
    Technically the slope filters were completed (and since un-altered) since your audition Jerry and the change was simply to allow for the addition of a new notch filter to refine the crossover for the upper cone breakup region of the mid woofer now that all other values are set.  Not everything is as cut and dry with crossover development as improvements can always be made but I am there now...honest!
    \m/
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    You sure?  :-\"
  • jandl100jandl100
    All kidding aside, I guess it's easier for a mass market producer in a way - at some point the design process has to stop and the manufacture gets under way.
    For the small business where product is effectively built to order, there is no need for such an approach.
    And we can see from Ben's comments at the start of this thread that you had an impressively capable product from when the speaker was 1st announced. =D>
    And I'm sure you would be happy to upgrade any previously sold to current spec.

  • PACPAC
    edited April 2014
    Part of the reason for deciding on a pcb Jerry is that it's much easier to upgrade components if a customer wished to use specific makes etc or to alter values at a later date.  The pcb specifications are such that it is a very high quality and substantial pcb (very little flex as it will be a decent thickness of board, decent amount of copper in the tracks, sufficient spacing between inductors etc). The downside for me, is that the initial tooling up and costs for the first few are quite high but that will be swallowed in the hope that the more are sold, the cheaper it will get to produce them.  It goes without saying that if I discover any future worthwhile upgrades, these will be offered free of charge to owners of all Rhapsodys.  I offer that for as long as a customer has the speakers be that 10 years or 30 years!


  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Thank Paul. A pleasure to hear the Rhapsodies again today after a couple of month of final developments.
    A great product there. As I've said before, they deserve to do well. :-)
    Incredible scale and dynamics on that orchestral stuff today. Eerie realism to that piano too.
  • ColinColin
    Part of the reason for deciding on a pcb Jerry is that it's much easier to upgrade components if a customer wished to use specific makes etc or to alter values at a later date.  The pcb specifications are such that it is a very high quality and substantial pcb (very little flex as it will be a decent thickness of board, decent amount of copper in the tracks, sufficient spacing between inductors etc). The downside for me, is that the initial tooling up and costs for the first few are quite high but that will be swallowed in the hope that the more are sold, the cheaper it will get to produce them.  It goes without saying that if I discover any future worthwhile upgrades, these will be offered free of charge to owners of all Rhapsodys.  I offer that for as long as a customer has the speakers be that 10 years or 30 years!


    At 60 I find soldering hard at times so Paul at 70+ will you?
    Good luck with the PCB it will be fantastic I am sure. will it be 2oZ or 4oZ PCB 2mm thick or thicker? like me a Dick.
  • PACPAC
    edited April 2014
    Hi Col

    not quite at 70 yet!  The pcb will definitely make things easier. It'll be 2.4mm min, single sided, about the size of an A4 sheet.

    Good to see you again Ben and glad you enjoyed the Rhapsodys.  It's been a very interesting and enjoyable journey getting them to the point they're now at.  Just got to get some bums on seats now and get them out for people to listen to.
  • PACPAC
    edited June 2014
    Some random shots taken of the PCB mounted crossovers now in the demo Rhapsody plus some odds and ends which will be going into the latest commissioned pair.
    A customer has ordered a pair finished in Walnut bveneer using solid Walnut stands.  Should look great when done.
    first off, (experimental) PCB




    image








    Part of the internal gubbins which will come together to build the latest customer set:




    image








    (Ahem...cough cough)..."Induct-Dance" (groan):




    image








    Gratuitous driver shot:




    image








    36 square feet of prime Walnut veneer 




    =P~

    image

    I'll post some photos during construction.

    I'll be exhibiting the Rhapsodys at this year's National Hifi Show at Whittlebury for anyone interested in a listen.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    That second looks like a promo pic for the "Rhapsody Kit-Version"... ;-)
  • PACPAC
    edited June 2014
    It does Ben but the cabinetry is a little too involved for most DIYers.  I could supply bare (completed) cabs and the kit but at the cost, it would almost be as well to buy the made up speakers.  It would save the difference in labour charges for me finishing them off, and anyone is free to ask for them in kit form if they fancied a pop themselves.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Paul, I know who the "go to" man is for speaker construction in Gloucestershire.
    And, it ain't me.
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