Danny Richie, GR Research, doesn't recommend a speaker he can't sell an "upgrade" kit for

[dfuller]

Indeed. The bulk of his business is selling crossover parts. Active speakers and DSP eliminate that so he fights the advancement.

Yep. I get the desire to tinker - god knows I've got enough half-finished projects in my basement - and there are for sure some less than optimal passive crossovers out there, but that's omitting the part where passive filter networks in and of themselves are a compromise. Amps don't like driving complex loads and IMO there is no way you could argue that a passive crossover filter network of any meaningful complexity isn't a complex load.

Besides, it isn't as though active crossovers need to be ultra-complex filter sets with massive magnitude correction - with decent drivers you can get to "pretty flat" with no corrective EQ at all.

 

[thewas]

Amps don't like driving complex loads and IMO there is no way you could argue that a passive crossover filter network of any meaningful complexity isn't a complex load.

Truth to be said though also pure loudspeaker drivers in their enclosures (or even free air) are complex loads although usually not as much as with passive crossovers. Of course this doesn't mean that if everything else is kept the same I also wouldn't prefer an active crossover, except in few special cases.

 

[RickS]

Another recent example...

His audio equipment must use crummy power supplies!

Some added context here as Danny was replying to a post regarding the Uberbuss product from Pi Audio Group. Here is claim from their website FAQs...

What makes UberBUSS dufferent from all the other power filters out there? The UberBUSS in non-inductive and has a Power Factor Correction Network that actually increases dynamic range, slam and macro and micro detail.

Upon going to the homepage, I found this...

P.I. audio group has ceased production of the BUSS-Line. They will be available from a different company soon!

No forwarding link is supplied. Sounds like a great business continuity approach. 

 

[dfuller]

Truth to be said though also pure loudspeaker drivers in their enclosures (or even free air) are complex loads although usually not as much as with passive crossovers. Of course this doesn't mean that if everything else is kept the same I also wouldn't prefer an active crossover, except in few special cases.

If band limited to the area far from Fs as tweeters and most mids are then it's a pretty simple load, mostly resistive. Woofers and their interaction with a reflex aligned enclosure are of course more complex.

 

[smowry]

When I exchange any messages with DR, I address him as General Richie. Note that in the Audio Industry, unlike the military, a general is one that generalizes.

On 28 March 2024, DR wrote in LinkedIn messaging, "The only Genelec speakers I have ever heard, sound like crap."

My reply was as follows.

"I am not afraid to be critical of KEF, B&W, or SEAS. However, I refuse to dismiss these companies as having no merit in their R&D and Product Development whatsoever. Only a general can do that. Note that in loudspeakers, a general is one who generalizes."

What if the ASR community including Amir addressed DR as General Richie? This could be done in the form of meaningful comments on his YouTube videos.

 

[amirm]

On 28 March 2024, DR wrote in LinkedIn messaging, "The only Genelec speakers I have ever heard, sound like crap."

The only really crap speaker I have heard was from DR: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...research-lgk-2-0-speaker-review-a-joke.34783/

"GR Research LGK 2.0 Listening Tests
I used my RME ADI-2 DAC as the source to drive a Topping PA5 which in turn powered the LGK 2.0. Listening setup was near-field.

By this time, I actually expected the speaker to sound good (based on spin data). Boy was that not the case. At any listening level above faint music, there would be this nasty warbling sound to vocals which would progressively get worse with volume. I am talking about way below the point where it crackles. The only time this was not super audible was if there was no bass at all. My female tracks are not bass heavy but the bit they had, caused this speaker distort so badly that it was unlistenable. I have tested over 200 speakers and never heard a speaker with such poor response.

By chance I had my desk lamp above it so could easily see the shadow of the driver below the cabinet. As soon as I would see any vibration in that shadow (due to the cone moving), the game was over. And again, this happened at very modest volumes with me sitting just 3 feet/1 meter away from the speaker!"

 

[tomtoo]

GR Research mhhh ? Who cares?

 

[smowry]

Well GDR's YouTube channel has 82,200 subscribers. While ASR's YouTube channel has 50,600 subscribers.

 

[amirm]

Well GDR's YouTube channel has 82,200 subscribers. While ASR's YouTube channel has 50,600 subscribers.

I haven't post a video in 14 months until recently. He must have posted tons. Youtube is his main outlet. Mine is this forum. We have 2 million visitors a month, dwarfing the traffic he gets on youtube.

That said, yes, a lot of people listen to him on youtube and hence the reason I am doing more videos (in general).

 

[smowry]

To claim that the ASR forum is outstanding is an understatement!

 

[Penelinfi]

The only really crap speaker I have heard was from DR: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...research-lgk-2-0-speaker-review-a-joke.34783/

"GR Research LGK 2.0 Listening Tests
I used my RME ADI-2 DAC as the source to drive a Topping PA5 which in turn powered the LGK 2.0. Listening setup was near-field.

By this time, I actually expected the speaker to sound good (based on spin data). Boy was that not the case. At any listening level above faint music, there would be this nasty warbling sound to vocals which would progressively get worse with volume. I am talking about way below the point where it crackles. The only time this was not super audible was if there was no bass at all. My female tracks are not bass heavy but the bit they had, caused this speaker distort so badly that it was unlistenable. I have tested over 200 speakers and never heard a speaker with such poor response.

By chance I had my desk lamp above it so could easily see the shadow of the driver below the cabinet. As soon as I would see any vibration in that shadow (due to the cone moving), the game was over. And again, this happened at very modest volumes with me sitting just 3 feet/1 meter away from the speaker!"

Shunyata crossover will fix it ;-)

I'd actually be interested in a comparison between the LGK2 and one of those Tang Band drivers from decades ago that has a similar look to it (was even used in a Logitech system) otoh there are so many variants of such drivers from TB

 

[Adaboy4z]

Danny has response video claiming Op amp swapping makes a huge difference and measurements don't matter...

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Danny has response video claiming Op amp swapping makes a huge difference and measurements don't matter...

Lots of talk about that in other threads.

 

[Ropeburn]

The only really crap speaker I have heard was from DR: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...research-lgk-2-0-speaker-review-a-joke.34783/

"GR Research LGK 2.0 Listening Tests
I used my RME ADI-2 DAC as the source to drive a Topping PA5 which in turn powered the LGK 2.0. Listening setup was near-field.

By this time, I actually expected the speaker to sound good (based on spin data). Boy was that not the case. At any listening level above faint music, there would be this nasty warbling sound to vocals which would progressively get worse with volume. I am talking about way below the point where it crackles. The only time this was not super audible was if there was no bass at all. My female tracks are not bass heavy but the bit they had, caused this speaker distort so badly that it was unlistenable. I have tested over 200 speakers and never heard a speaker with such poor response.

By chance I had my desk lamp above it so could easily see the shadow of the driver below the cabinet. As soon as I would see any vibration in that shadow (due to the cone moving), the game was over. And again, this happened at very modest volumes with me sitting just 3 feet/1 meter away from the speaker!"

Clearly you need better test signals.

 

[smowry]

I like the initials, GDR for General Danny Richie.

And then GR stands for the paradox of Generalized Research. He claims to do research but his conclusions are generalizations. Anyway you look at it, the guy is a general or one who generalizes.

 

[uwotm8]

at 02:00 exactly