I just called a guy that has a pair for a small price. I looked at orion's and these babies were MSRP $2100 with $660 used price.

They have a emit tweeter and emim mid or mids? With a 12" woofer, oak cabs that are 4-1/2" tall :scratch2:

Anyone living with a pair of these or have owned a pair?

The guy was leaving for the evening, so I setup a looksee for Monday.

I'm a little excited to go have a peek :yes:

How do they sound ?

oh buddy, never heard them before but good luck Scott! :thmbsp:

Very nice speakers, from what I can tell. You've found yourself a good lead.

http://www.infinity-classics.de/infinity/models/Reference-series-1+b-2-10+A+B-1981-86/Reference-Standard-2.5/body_rs_2_5.html

Be aware that these older Infinities are prone to several particular faults with their drivers, outside of the foam surrounds on the woofers. This model uses two EMIMs (midranges) and two EMITs (tweeters). These are planar, or quasi-ribbon, drivers that have a habit of burning up when fed with improper power. Never fear, though, as the traces on the diaphragms can be repaired with an automotive rear window defogger repair kit.

- JP

Thanks JP, Greg

I'm pretty stoked, at the price this guys is willing to part with them, I can't go wrong :D

That and a non AKer Buddy of mine is into Infinities big time :thmbsp:

If he can't fix them, he probably has parts :yes:

Time will tell, I've been hot on the trail and well you know how these things go... Sorry my brother wanted them and I didn't know or some such ...

Keep your fingers crossed for me :thmbsp:

good luck Army. looking forward to your comments on how they sound.

Inquiring minds want to know ... did you get them?

- JP

Inquiring minds want to know ... did you get them?

- JP


Damn you are good :yes: I just got home with them :D

Still in the van, got side tracked with a broken bolt on the brake caliper in my sons girlfriends car :worried:

These things are huge and heavy, all I could do to put them in the van.

First pair of speakers I've seen with solid oak cabs. The guy said the mids went out (all four) at once. Curious there is a fuse on top :scratch2: Maybe I'll get lucky and its just a fuse. Time will tell...

Overall they look to be in very good shape, dusty but definitely restorable :thmbsp:

Well the boys got the new bolt tracked down, time for super Dad to finish up knuckle skinning.

Can't wait to see what I have here, just not going to happen tonight I'm guessing :smoke:

good luck scott! :thmbsp:

Damn you are good :yes:
Hehe, but of course!

Very nice, big and heavy with planar drivers, what is there not to love? At ~117 lbs a piece, I can see how you were having troubles loading them up, but I'm sure it was worth it. That 12" Watkins is an incredible bass driver, as I've learned with my Q2s. You'll certainly like it nearly as well as the planars once you get everything working.

Odd how both midranges supposedly stopped working at the same time. That makes me wonder if something upstream stopped working correctly, or the amp sent out a death surge.

I've been looking at the schematic (http://www.infinity-classics.de/infinity/manuals/RS_2.5_technical_sheet.pdf) and at the manual and can say that the fuse on top is for the tweeters only. However, I wonder if maybe the previous owner removed the biamp jumpers and didn't realize it. Hey, it can happen.

The troubleshooting section for the midranges from the manual can be found here (http://www.infinity-classics.de/infinity/models/Reference-series-1+b-2-10+A+B-1981-86/Reference-Standard-2.5/RS_2.5_Manual_09.gif).

Happy fixing.
- JP

Ifen ya dont want those I may know someone willing to take those off your hands :)

117lbs each wow now I know why they made me grunt...


I just had to take a break from the car repairs, carted them in the house. They are just as tall as my AR-9LS and weigh one pound less.

Curiosity was killing me, and low and behold both fuses are blown...

Could it be that simple :scratch2:

Tune in later, I'm dying to power these monsters just to see if the tweeters and mids play...

Outta time :o

Ifen ya dont want those I may know someone willing to take those off your hands :)
Would you be talking about me? :thmbsp:

- JP

Ifen ya dont want those I may know someone willing to take those off your hands :)


:lmao:

Doubtful, I wanna play with these :yes:

Scott

I have heard those and in my experience you will need to feed them and often. Meaning they are fickle as hell about what powers them and will come back for 3rds and 4th..

Scott

I have heard those and in my experience you will need to feed them and often. Meaning they are fickle as hell about what powers them and will come back for 3rds and 4th..
:yes:

I second that comment. My Quantum 2s suck the life out of a ~200 wpc amp just when they start rocking; those Watkins woofers must've been designed by the big amp suppliers.

To that end, your RS 2.5s are rated as having a minimum, a minimum, recommended wattage of 100 wpc! No SETs with these. :no: But, it's oh so worth it with these.

- JP

Well I'm covered in grease, the boy broke off another bolt :dammit:

Just got it out...

I hooked up a little 60wpc kenny just to see or hear what plays.

Woofers and tweeters are firing, mids DOA!

Oh well, I'll have to get busy and see if I can bug out the problem later.

If and when I get these going I'll throw the Sansui G-22k at them. She hasn't let me down yet when it comes to power hungry speaks.

JP thanks for the links, they will come in handy, much appreciated :yes:

Good Night :banana:

yesterday i bought a pair of these beautys. they are wonderfull indeed. the first speaker who can beat my dm7. they sound better than the big quantums. i bought them for 600€ together with an infinity crossover and i already have someone who wants to buy them for 1000€. i don't think i ever sell these babys.

yesterday i bought a pair of these beautys. they are wonderfull indeed. the first speaker who can beat my dm7. they sound better than the big quantums. i bought them for 600€ together with an infinity crossover and i already have someone who wants to buy them for 1000€. i don't think i ever sell these babys.

Congratulations, I just purchased a pair last week. They need tons of power. I was warned and now I know. No damage but using a pro-amp with 450w@4ohms, the fan was going strong. After many suggestions I agree that bi-amping is the only way. P.S. I thought I already blew one if the emims......
it came unplugged:banana:. Praise Jesus, or whomever.!!!Power Hungry...enjoy

"WARNING"

I Just found out it's pretty easy to knock one of
these over. Not a pretty sight:no::no::no:

I also found my RS 2.5's to be very unstable and so am using a pair of steel outriggers mounted front to back which makes them rock solid.

Here's a link:

http://www.soundocity.com/products.html

"WARNING"

I Just found out it's pretty easy to knock one of
these over. Not a pretty sight:no::no::no:

Bummer, I hope the damage was minor.
As far as what they want for power can you imagine the RS 4.5s ? They really want juice I know....

Some of the most magic products ever made. I still run mine, after almost 25 years and after exposure (in sales [I was an IRS dealer at one time], service and people's living rooms) to hundreds, if not thousands of speakers of every brand, type and price.

Very, very difficult to drive correctly. But worth the effort!

Have you guys ever compared the RS2.5s or 4.5s to RSIIbs? How do they stack up with each other? The IIbs use the newer neo EMIMs, and two 10" poly cone woofers instead of Watkins, so I expect there may be some differences in sound.

yeah i was lucky to. i had them installed the evening i get them, it was late so i decide to let the grills of and clean them tomorrow. next day my girlfriend on the phone, one of my daugters bumpt the dustcap :(:(:(

i was lucky the vacuum cleaner could suck it back to normal :)
i think the rs 2.5 are the best sounding loudspeakers i ever heard. they are indeed power hungry but at 1 watt they are running smooth. they are a perfect match for my pioneer. this is my wall of sound i was searching :)

Have you guys ever compared the RS2.5s or 4.5s to RSIIbs? How do they stack up with each other? The IIbs use the newer neo EMIMs, and two 10" poly cone woofers instead of Watkins, so I expect there may be some differences in sound.

Wow this is an old thread :)

I have compared (and own) the RS 1.5, RS 2.5 and the RS 4.5 and the biggest difference is how big the soundstage is. The 1.5's sound an aweful lot like the 2.5's but don't image quite as well without the rear firing emit. The difference between the 2.5's and the 4.5's is that the 4.5's are much fuller sounding especially in the midrange. All three are keepers IMHO :thmbsp:

I'm still hoping a pair of RS IIb's fall into my lap :D

Have you guys ever compared the RS2.5s or 4.5s to RSIIbs? How do they stack up with each other? The IIbs use the newer neo EMIMs, and two 10" poly cone woofers instead of Watkins, so I expect there may be some differences in sound.

I haven't heard the RS2b's but Stereophile gave them the thumbs up when they reviewed the RS1b. They said that the RS-2b was a very underrated system that deserved much more attention.

Having said that the 10 inch drivers used in the RS-2b are a bit wimpish with small magnets compared to those used in the RS2.5 and 4.5's. Also the RS-2b requires an outboard equalizer to extend the bass response whereas the 2.5's and 4.5's do this in the passive crossover.

Having said that the 10 inch drivers used in the RS-2b are a bit wimpish with small magnets compared to those used in the RS2.5 and 4.5's. Also the RS-2b requires an outboard equalizer to extend the bass response whereas the 2.5's and 4.5's do this in the passive crossover.

You know I thought the same thing when I looked at the woofers after taking them out, but no less an Infinity authority than Bill Legall of Millersound says otherwise. I contacted him about possibly re-coning them since the cones are getting a yellowish tint to them, and his reply was that the yellowing cones do not indicate any problem other than aesthetics. Paint them flat black, with vinyl paint, but do not change them, whatever you do. He said that they have a sound, all their own, which cannot be properly duplicated, and that it is one of the very best designs ever!

So, maybe size doesn't always matter!

P.S.: I am NOT considering painting the cones, by the way...

Have you guys ever compared the RS2.5s or 4.5s to RSIIbs? How do they stack up with each other? The IIbs use the newer neo EMIMs, and two 10" poly cone woofers instead of Watkins, so I expect there may be some differences in sound.

I have all three. The RS-IIB is, IMO, probably the single best compromise speaker in the Infinity line-up. Sound that is remarkably similar to the RS-1, in a much friendlier sized package.

Before I make any comparison, let me say that all three speakers are outstanding. I think anyone could be happy with any of the three, so my comments aren't intended to be critical of any of them. That said, there are differences at the margin.

Comparing the three - the RS-IIB definitely wins out over the 2.5 in almost every aspect. The 2.5 was one of the first Infinities I got, and I really love it. Nevertheless, the RS-IIB has better imaging, a much better melding of the bass to the midrange, and the speakers just seem to disappear better.

The RS-IIB vs. the 4.5 is tougher. The 4.5 definitely wins in the bass output department. Properly positioned in the room (which is harder to do than you might think), the 4.5 is probably better than the RS-IIB, with an overall better soundstage, but frankly it's pretty close. The RS-IIB, though, is much, much simpler to place than the 4.5.

If I were stuck on a desert island with only one of them, I'd go for the RS-IIB, but frankly, unless you are directly comparing them head to head, I think most people would be more than happy with any of them.

David

Thanks for the info, David. Hopefully, when I'm done with my RSIIbs (outboard x-overs with Mundorf caps and Northcreek/Solen inductors, Cardas litz wiring, bass cabinet bracing and sealing, new diaphragms, t-nuts for woofer mounting, re-capped LF equalizer, etc.) they will be elevated even higher in performance. The box, equalizer and crossovers are completed, now waiting on the new diaphragms from our friend Graz in Australia...:naughty:

Thanks for the info, David. Hopefully, when I'm done with my RSIIbs (outboard x-overs with Mundorf caps and Northcreek/Solen inductors, Cardas litz wiring, bass cabinet bracing and sealing, new diaphragms, t-nuts for woofer mounting, re-capped LF equalizer, etc.) they will be elevated even higher in performance. The box, equalizer and crossovers are completed, now waiting on the new diaphragms from our friend Graz in Australia...:naughty:

I've been vicariously enjoying your progress on the crossovers. Very, very impressive effort, I will love to hear your impressions once everything is completed.

David

I'll be soldering in the final ground wires on the outboard crossovers this weekend, then I'll post some pics. Even with the large size of the x-over cabinets, placement of those 10 inductors was a bit tricky, and minimizing pickup of EMI by adjacent inductors and wires took a while, but I think I've got it now.

The litz wire also makes the process about 10X as time consuming, since getting the dozens of tiny strands per wire all stripped and tinned is tedious, to say the least.

I'm still hoping a pair of RS IIb's fall into my lap :D

I hope you're wearing a steel cup at the time! ;)

Thanks for the info, David. Hopefully, when I'm done with my RSIIbs (outboard x-overs with Mundorf caps and Northcreek/Solen inductors, Cardas litz wiring, bass cabinet bracing and sealing, new diaphragms, t-nuts for woofer mounting, re-capped LF equalizer, etc.) they will be elevated even higher in performance. The box, equalizer and crossovers are completed, now waiting on the new diaphragms from our friend Graz in Australia...:naughty:

What type of cap are you replacing the 70uF in the lower midrange with ??

The 70uF is getting a Solen PP, with a .33uF Mundorf Supreme bypass. Too big to go all Mundorf, the 22uF is their biggest value, and 3+ of those would be HUGE and very expensive - not worth it for 150 - 800Hz only.

The 200uF in the woofer shunt circuit is also a Solen PP, as is the 25uF in the low midrange shunt circuit. All the rest are Mundorf Supreme.

Can someone explain exactly what the "mode" switch for bi-amp or single amp, on the RS2.5 does. When bi-amping don't I just have to remove the bars at the terminals.???

The biamp switch lowers the crossover frequency of the EMIMs. Do not use this mode unless you are using an outboard crossover that's at least 12dB/octave.

Similar to David - I own 2.5's, 4.5's and had IIb's running with the 2.5's. In a home theater setup but the ft. pair were always bi-amp'd. Amps made more of a difference for the 4.5's than the others in their sound. My opinion - the IIb's excelled in jazz, classical, almost loud enough while the 2.5's and 4.5's were more robust in their presentation. As mentioned though - placement and power was critical for the 2's and 4's while the IIb's performed with almost anything. Simple redneck comment - 2.5's and 4.5's big bad ass sound, IIb's -refined and easy going. One exception though - play a cd/album with a lead sax in it on the 4.5's and tell me then which is better..... with that being said I am now looking for a pair of IIb's to pair up with some tube amps I have for a second system (Ted???).