GR Research X-LS Encore Kit Speaker Review

[amirm]

BTW, we got no break from Danny on buying the fancy parts which cost quite a fortune relative to the speaker.

 

[Edgar]

I have the voodoo version of the crossover which Rick was kind enough to build. I just haven't had time to spend on it to see what it does. It is on my TODO list though.

Did you get the tube connectors which bring this to another level? Make sure you get them and test them.

 

[amirm]

Did you get the tube connectors which bring this to another level? Make sure you get them and test them.

Tube connectors were out of stock at the time and outrageously priced. So we passed on that.

 

[Kustomize]

Tube connectors were out of stock at the time and outrageously priced. So we passed on that.

I believe after his next level tube connectors, you'd need Danny's next level ears to hear the difference he hears.

 

[McFly]

Was this speaker ever measured without, then with a 25mm/1inch roundover?

Just looking at dannys measurements vs Amirs that looks to me like the difference

 

[Califmike33]

Quite the salesman Danny is.

 

[Edgar]

Quite the salesman Danny is.

I think not anymore.
There was a time when I thought about buying his speakers.
Then I saw the infamous "we test speaker cables with a receiver" video. And I thought: Ok, one stupid video is allowed.
And then he had his series with just crazy videos. Since then I don't watch his videos anymore and will certainly never buy anything from him.

 

[Califmike33]

I also used to watch his videos and almost bought a upgrade kit. I wont watch his videos or ever buy from him, i mean come on he thinks he in the same league as Andrew Jones, ha ha ha.

 

[mhardy6647]

yeah, he seems to be getting ever weirder.
It is interesting to note that his recent gambits have been attracting scorn from both Tribe Objectivist High Fidelity and Tribe Subjectivist Audiophile!

 

[Doublej]

Tube connectors were out of stock at the time and outrageously priced. So we passed on that.

I think I can save you $50. Danny claims that they sound great because they are low mass and non-magnetic. Terminal blocks made of copper should meet the criteria. Similar to what Vandersteen does.

https://www.vandersteen.com/media/VCC2_BackPlate_0537_940x432_1.jpg

 

[Penelinfi]

That woofer reminds me of the woofer in some JPW speakers I was borrowing. Basically identical driver design but with a regular shape dustcap. Probably sounded very similar too including the bass bump.
Though these were a three way and sounded off with the driver integration. Maybe it was the sand cast resistors and cheesy inductors ;-)

 

[Billy Budapest]

15-20 years ago, I had a pair of these. I actually won them in a contest. My memory of them is that they sounded very good and had deep bass response for their size. At first, their high end sounded rolled off. However, I learned that speakers from the batch I received had defective tweeters. The manufacturer, AV123, sent me replacement tweeters that sounded great.

I did like the X-LS speakers a lot but I had too many speakers at the time. I think I wound up giving them to my brother. Because the speakers themselves were relatively large and heavy for two-ways (I’d call them “stand mounts” rather than “desktop” or “bookshelf” speakers), I recall the postage to send them was really high!

So anyway, I’d call these a success.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Maybe it was the sand cast resistors and cheesy inductors ;-)

Ha!

 

[Billy Budapest]

So anyway, I’d call these a success.

I have to take this comment back. 15-20 years ago, they might have been a success when they were selling for $199/pair.

Onix x-ls Bookshelf Loudspeaker Review

Not long ago, Gene offered me the opportunity to review a first production of a new loudspeaker system by AV123. I jumped at the opportunity as I’d seen their name pop up in a number of online forums

www.audioholics.com

Today, GR Research sells the X-LS Encore for a whopping $1,160 to $1,493/pair.

X-LS Encore (Pair) | GR-Research

gr-research.com

Yes, there has been inflation and production was moved from China to Texas, but a $1000 price increase?

WTF?

They may have been good—even great—at $199, but for $1,000+ I would not consider them. I’d buy a pair of LS50’s instead. Heck, I DID buy a pair of LS50’s.

 

[Dmitri]

The price of MDF in Texas has gotten so outta hand... ; )

 

[01svtL]

I doubt he will sell many of the completed pairs at that price. I think his bread and butter is probably the DIY kits, or possibly people sending in their speakers for "upgrades."

 

[beagleman]

What is the actual woofer used in these??

 

[bunkbail]

What is the actual woofer used in these??

It's this one https://gr-research.com/product/m130-woofer/

 

[chorus]

I have a pair of Encores with XO upgrades that sound better than most of the other 16 models of standmounts included in our August 27th SpeakerFest 2022 Event here
in the Phoenix area. I believe it was John Curl who is credited with the statement " Measurements are meant to confirm what our ears tell us". I tend to agree.

 

[Rick Sykora]

I have a pair of Encores with XO upgrades that sound better than most of the other 16 models of standmounts included in our August 27th SpeakerFest 2022 Event here
in the Phoenix area. I believe it was John Curl who is credited with the statement " Measurements are meant to confirm what our ears tell us". I tend to agree.

Was there a double blind test of the speakers?