SB Acoustics Ara Be / TX

[Alberto11]

Hello everyone,

this is my first post here. I just wanted to ask if anyone has ever heard this kit, maybe even the normal version. If so, could you describe how you liked it? I know it's very subjective but I've heard good things (although couldn't find much about them) about this speaker and I'm thinking about getting them. Especially the new variant with the Textreme drivers seems to be very interesting at around 2000$. Can anyone say something about them?

 

[RickS]

Welcome to ASR!

Suggest you try the out the search, but will give you a head start and suggest you look here...

Semi-DIY system, your thoughts, please.

I'm composing an audio system in my head and would like to hear your thoughts. Current equipment: JDS Labs Atom, Drop 400i headphones, Drop Sennheiser 650 clone headphones, Topping D10 (plus, DT880's and a Bravo Audio tube hybrid headphone amp at work) . I...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Heinrich]

Hello everyone,

this is my first post here. I just wanted to ask if anyone has ever heard this kit, maybe even the normal version. If so, could you describe how you liked it? I know it's very subjective but I've heard good things (although couldn't find much about them) about this speaker and I'm thinking about getting them. Especially the new variant with the Textreme drivers seems to be very interesting at around 2000$. Can anyone say something about them?

I‘m a bit like Beethoven, the composer who‘s gone deaf with age, so that he, when still doing his arts judged it by the notes, not the sound.

The Ara sports everything an eager DIYer dreams of, exotic materials, a mythological name, a reclined, hence very difficult to make enclosure, not the least no returns and no independent documentation on performance. A promise to yourself in your own responsibility. In this case at quite elevated expenses.

With a little bit of experience you may get along buying KEF R3 Meta, dismantle them, re-finish with paint or any other, put together again, and enjoy the proven design.

 

[Alberto11]

I‘m a bit like Beethoven, the composer who‘s gone deaf with age, so that he, when still doing his arts judged it by the notes, not the sound.

The Ara sports everything an eager DIYer dreams of, exotic materials, a mythological name, a reclined, hence very difficult to make enclosure, not the least no returns and no independent documentation on performance. A promise to yourself in your own responsibility. In this case at quite elevated expenses.

With a little bit of experience you may get along buying KEF R3 Meta, dismantle them, re-finish with paint or any other, put together again, and enjoy the proven design.

Good analogies ^^ I get your point, I'm just thinking that I read really really good things on the Textreme drivers themself. I would get the already finished cabinet as it looks beautiful imo. Sure I couldn't return them, but if for whatever reason they would not suit me I think I could still just sell them without a big loss.
All in all I just really dig the looks and just the price of the drivers are super high, which for whatever reason I somehow correlate with performance although this of course does not have to be true. But the Textreme drivers are definitely very well received, they seem to be very high end so in my head I think they have to sound good xD just want to somehow more "confirm" it with users who have heard them.

 

[Heinrich]

… more "confirm" it with users who have heard them.

I‘ve heard so much hearsay during my DIY career, today I won‘t rely on it no more. Objectively, I‘m afraid, the exceptional material does not live up to expectations. Not the least because SB/A set new standards with their standard line ;-)

 

[Doenerkunde]

The normal version of the SB Acoustics Ara Kit has been reviewed by a german DIY magazine with mixed results: the crossover point is pretty high at 4khz, the crossover slopes are asymmetrical, there is too little energy around the crossover region and the drivers are not entirely in phase above the crossover point. The author stated that there is a sense of somewhat alluring "fake depth" to them, as singers appear to be far behind the speakers.

 

[kemmler3D]

if for whatever reason they would not suit me I think I could still just sell them without a big loss.

If the money matters to you at all, I would research this assumption in your area or wherever you intend to sell them in that case.

From what I've seen on the secondary market (and that's pretty much where I get all my gear) there are a few brands that retain maybe 75% of MSRP (Genelec mostly), the biggest known brands (JBL, B&W, Topping) are between 40-60% and everything else is much lower or much less predictable. DIY has the worst resale value of any category of audio equipment other than "as-is / for parts".

 

[Penelinfi]

I put together a "tuned by ear" DIY retrofit; I'll bet it doesn't measure perfect, but it's still enjoyable. I don't think it's always necessary for everyone to go and buy a KEF because it's the cheapest that measures well etc.

Of course, you should sit on the decision for a little while to see if it's just an in the moment want or not. In the end, aesthetics also do matter, as well as whether you enjoy using specific drivers to listen to music; i.e. tech specs.

 

[Heinrich]

I don't think it's always necessary for everyone to go and buy a KEF because ...

Let's go Revel then ;-)

Would you dare to dismantle, paint, reassemble and expect to sell "without a big loss"? A full DIY is much less trustworthy to many people for very good reason. Speaking of DIY, is measurment equippment and skill in handling it at hand? This kit is 2500++ ... for a tiny bookself, and the price ist justified by being "satory" (some Indonesian cult). TeXtreme as the new diamond / beryll, like aluminium was two decades ago, the reinvented paper in between?

The kit is marketed as 'open plan', no documentation on why and for what for, no measurements, nothing, just telling. Good luck.

I've read some raving reviews, and w/o dropping names, these are the typical nonsense.

 

[Alberto11]

The normal version of the SB Acoustics Ara Kit has been reviewed by a german DIY magazine with mixed results: the crossover point is pretty high at 4khz, the crossover slopes are asymmetrical, there is too little energy around the crossover region and the drivers are not entirely in phase above the crossover point. The author stated that there is a sense of somewhat alluring "fake depth" to them, as singers appear to be far behind the speakers.
View attachment 444481

Do you know which source it was or can you give me some link?

 

[Alberto11]

Let's go Revel then ;-)

Would you dare to dismantle, paint, reassemble and expect to sell "without a big loss"? A full DIY is much less trustworthy to many people for very good reason. Speaking of DIY, is measurment equippment and skill in handling it at hand? This kit is 2500++ ... for a tiny bookself, and the price ist justified by being "satory" (some Indonesian cult). TeXtreme as the new diamond / beryll, like aluminium was two decades ago, the reinvented paper in between?

The kit is marketed as 'open plan', no documentation on why and for what for, no measurements, nothing, just telling. Good luck.

I've read some raving reviews, and w/o dropping names, these are the typical nonsense.

Fair point, I might think about it a bit more then I thought, especially if I would be even able to sell it without directly losing half of it.

 

[Doenerkunde]

The SB Acoustics Ara Tex Be have recently been measured by a german diy Magazine:

Lautsprechershop ARA Textreme Beryllium

Es gibt seit ein paar Jahren einen Trend im Selbstbau, den manch einer etwas misstrauisch beäugen wird, der aber inzwischen durchaus ernstzunehmenden Umsatz ausmacht: Selbstbau fast ohne Selbstbau.

www.hifitest.de

 

[ssashton]

The SB Acoustics Ara Tex Be have recently been measured by a german diy Magazine:

View attachment 482950

Lautsprechershop ARA Textreme Beryllium

Es gibt seit ein paar Jahren einen Trend im Selbstbau, den manch einer etwas misstrauisch beäugen wird, der aber inzwischen durchaus ernstzunehmenden Umsatz ausmacht: Selbstbau fast ohne Selbstbau.

www.hifitest.de

Just in case anyone is like me and automatically assumes the right hand end of yhe graph is 20khz... note this one goes to 40khz. So not as bright as my first impression.

 

[outfaced]

araTX with custom (almost 1 order) Xover, hooked on a purifi eigentakt amp and a good r2r dac vs 8351B (similar of the shelf price for the both systems)

gen's are setting the accent on the mids
ara's on the lower and middle highs
listen to both attention is drawn in a different parts of the music ... very difficult to compare
listen them separately for longer time both are almost equally enjoyable ... but gen's after all are for me better

+ for ara's - have not so full bass but is faster (perhaps because the amp ... purifi eigentakt is a beast compared to the amp in the gen's)

vocals especially fmale are better on the gens - fuller with better fundament
in general - ara's making the vocals thinner and more forward. Still with good texture and similar details tough.

gen's have details, but without anything to sticking out ... so somebody will say boring and kind of dull
ara's are forward and more direct, but have to point out, still in a controlled manner ... more "lively" in a hifi terms

highs above 5-6khz are very similar ... despite the very different drivers.

all acoustic instruments beside drums are better reproduced on the gen's. Its difficult to describe, because is not about the details. Is just more believable and real ... piano, strings, brass...
with drums ... both are far from the real thing ... but both have kind of own interpertation, that is afetr all pleasing

soundstage is wider on the gens and they fill the room with less effort on lower levels

details are similar. ara didn't masked something that the gen's reveal. Only in complex music with a lot of energy in the highs ara is on the edge to lose control and to smear. But this was extremely rear and wouldn't say that it was a well mixed track in a first place.
ara's can mislead to deliver more details, because the emphasis on the highs, but the same details i can find with the gen's, just presented with different dynamic

after all, interesting comparison
meassurments form the listening position in 3m in a bit treated room, but nothing special
ara's - without corrections (green)
gen's - glm correction applied

 

[Maxim-ICOM]

The SB Acoustics Ara Tex Be have recently been measured by a german diy Magazine:

View attachment 482950

Lautsprechershop ARA Textreme Beryllium

Es gibt seit ein paar Jahren einen Trend im Selbstbau, den manch einer etwas misstrauisch beäugen wird, der aber inzwischen durchaus ernstzunehmenden Umsatz ausmacht: Selbstbau fast ohne Selbstbau.

www.hifitest.de

It is some "custom" and different design with MW16TX-4 and TW29B 4Ohm tweeter - non-neo magnet.
In original design SB use MW16TX-4 with TW29TXN-B-8 - 8Ohm tweeter neo magnet

Original ARA Tx also a kind of 1st order crososver with lot of LCR correction networks.

There is another custom version with MW16TX-4 and TW29BN (4Ohm, neo magnet) with far better crossover ARA Tx Be by StereoArt
Crossover is "closed design" but quite simple - 3 capacitors, 2 coils and 3 resistors only.
You may see there measurements and comparison to paper MW16P-4 + TW29BN and TW29R silk version there.

Paper midwoofer have typical problem at 1.5K, TX driver does not have it, this area quite important, as it is very near to crossover point 1.8K, TX allows to make better phase transition from woofer to tweeter. TX woofers are same light as paper, but but TX sound more dynamic and realistic in ARA projects TX/Be vs Paper/Be.

 

[Maxim-ICOM]

soundstage is wider on the gens and they fill the room with less effort on lower levels

Then something wrong the custom crossosver for ARA Tx