Submariner
Active Member
Anybody familiar with the Monitor Audio RS-6 tower speakers? I'm driving with a Sansui AU-9900A amp and I listen to Jazz, classic rock and modern rock Vinyl, CDs and MP3.
Monitor Audio RS-6
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sump pump
Active Member
I have the Monitor Audio Silver 6's (last generation, replaced by the RS-6) - they are very detailed, good soundstage and depth......they are not going to produce huge amounts of bass, just clean bass to around 38-40khz.......I enjoy them 
also, I am patiently trying to team them up with a tube amp, as that was my plan when I purchased them............they sound very good with my Adcom 535II powering them in the mean time........
also, I am patiently trying to team them up with a tube amp, as that was my plan when I purchased them............they sound very good with my Adcom 535II powering them in the mean time........
absolon
Super Member
Don't know your RS-6s, but I've just moved in a pair of older, teak veneered MA-16 bookshelfs and am very impressed. Extremely well constructed, very clean PCB based crossover for a 2 way, drivers aren't impressive to look at but great, balanced and open sound. Put the Mission 760i they replaced to shame. Currently using them in my office with an sx-950 for mostly jazz and classical.
I assume your's would be in the same vein.
I assume your's would be in the same vein.
I know I am picking this up a year after the thread was started, but for anyone contemplating the Monitor Audio RS-6, there is a great review by Robert Reina (with a nice technical analysis by John Atkinson) in the March 2006 issue of Stereophile , and another critique at Goodsound.com (ditto).
The RS-6 has an uncanny ability to produce bass that is natural and extended...but get them out from the walls a bit! These reviews do a better job than I could of describing their openness, and they can seem a bit bright during break in. If you have a very "live" room, you might find them too bright, but that would likely be true of any accurate speaker (the acoustics being the problem). In my wall to wall carpeted room, they work quite well. More to the point for AK, I've tried them with a Sansui AU-717, Yamaha CA-1000 and Kenwood KA-8100. The speakers sound great with all of them, although the Sui (maybe due to a recap by Mr Terry DeWick) seems to be the front runner. I have yet to try them with a Marantz 2325 and a Yamaha CR-2040, but that should be fun. Speakers are very subjective, of course, but so far these have me pretty well amazed.
The RS-6 has an uncanny ability to produce bass that is natural and extended...but get them out from the walls a bit! These reviews do a better job than I could of describing their openness, and they can seem a bit bright during break in. If you have a very "live" room, you might find them too bright, but that would likely be true of any accurate speaker (the acoustics being the problem). In my wall to wall carpeted room, they work quite well. More to the point for AK, I've tried them with a Sansui AU-717, Yamaha CA-1000 and Kenwood KA-8100. The speakers sound great with all of them, although the Sui (maybe due to a recap by Mr Terry DeWick) seems to be the front runner. I have yet to try them with a Marantz 2325 and a Yamaha CR-2040, but that should be fun. Speakers are very subjective, of course, but so far these have me pretty well amazed.
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Wow Jgordon, I'll bet they sound fantastic with that Linn Sondek! What cartridge are you using? Have you tried the Bi-Wire setup? I was wondering if that could really make a difference.
A few RS-6 notes along the way:
The little hexagonal grill covers over the tweeters can be removed with "blue tack" (they are held in place magnetically). There are some threads claiming an improvement in the extreme high frequencies. Well, I can't hear a difference: they just sound fabulous either way. That dome looks EXPENSIVE to replace so I think I'll keep my coverlets in place.
One really nice touch is the locking collars on the spiked feet. You can really tighten everything up, theoretically reducing resonance. There are some sort of soft rubbery attachments on the feet if you have hardwood floors and want to avoid the spikes. Now all that stuff might be standard fare these days, but I am used to vintage speakers, so it's all new to me ; )
A few RS-6 notes along the way:
The little hexagonal grill covers over the tweeters can be removed with "blue tack" (they are held in place magnetically). There are some threads claiming an improvement in the extreme high frequencies. Well, I can't hear a difference: they just sound fabulous either way. That dome looks EXPENSIVE to replace so I think I'll keep my coverlets in place.
One really nice touch is the locking collars on the spiked feet. You can really tighten everything up, theoretically reducing resonance. There are some sort of soft rubbery attachments on the feet if you have hardwood floors and want to avoid the spikes. Now all that stuff might be standard fare these days, but I am used to vintage speakers, so it's all new to me ; )
More out-takes on life with the MA RS-6's:
After a long listening session, I tried toeing the speakers in a bit, and this enhanced the imaging (which I honestly didn't think could get much better).
Also, like any good speaker, these things will show up a bad recording.
Once the spike feet were leveled, the bass really tightened up. I can't imagine anyone needing a subwoofer with this speaker. Maybe in some rooms, but these little guys have prodigious bass capabilities.
Oh: my wife actually loves the way they look! Now that is important, and I think it helps that they are fairly small for towers.
After a long listening session, I tried toeing the speakers in a bit, and this enhanced the imaging (which I honestly didn't think could get much better).
Also, like any good speaker, these things will show up a bad recording.
Once the spike feet were leveled, the bass really tightened up. I can't imagine anyone needing a subwoofer with this speaker. Maybe in some rooms, but these little guys have prodigious bass capabilities.
Oh: my wife actually loves the way they look! Now that is important, and I think it helps that they are fairly small for towers.
jgordon
Super Member
I'd agree with all of the above. I'm consistently impressed with the speakers. I've put them in a pretty terrible layout (on either side of a large protrusion (l shaped studio, they sit on either side of the inner "L")) and they still perform beautifully.
I'm running an Audio Technica 150MLX - great combination with the linn. Extraordinarily clear, solid bass, clear highs.
I'd heard the grill can be removed - agree with the assessment that it is probably safer to leave in place until I can guarantee their safety.
I'm running an Audio Technica 150MLX - great combination with the linn. Extraordinarily clear, solid bass, clear highs.
I'd heard the grill can be removed - agree with the assessment that it is probably safer to leave in place until I can guarantee their safety.
modge
Super Member
Yes Iv removed the grills to improve the highs which it does, not a vast amount. But it still is a improvement
At the dealer's suggestion, I tried Bi-Wiring these RS6's and they actually sound even better to my ear! The concept of bi-wiring seems like snake oil to me, but here's the thing: Coltrane and Adderly's sax solos sound more real on the Kind of Blue album, and I listen to that album a couple of times per week. They just seem to have more weight in the mix. I did not use any exotic wire, just Monster XP (quite inexpensive) on the highs and some decent 12 Guage on the lows. Is there something about the design of these speakers that lends itself to bi-wiring? Is it the glass of wine I had with dinner? Opinions wanted!
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jgordon
Super Member
Theoretically, allowing the amp to do the crossover work should result in a better, cleaner sound. I've been hesitant to bi-wire them just because I'm running an Onkyo receiver instead of some super amp setup, so it didn't seem worth the effort. I'm also running approximately 25 feet of cable to each speaker, again because of the terrible layout of my apartment. When I get the speakers closer to the amp, I'll experiment a bit. If this is how they sound when they're disadvantaged, I'd love to hear them set up right and bi-wired.
FYI - I pulled the screens off the tweeter cones and it's true - they're magnetic. I didn't leave them off long enough to get a good listen, but I like the fact that MA designed them that way.
FYI - I pulled the screens off the tweeter cones and it's true - they're magnetic. I didn't leave them off long enough to get a good listen, but I like the fact that MA designed them that way.
Has anyone tried the included foam port blockers? Since these speakers have a port on the font and back, I guess I'll experiment. It seems a little strange to "change" the low Q of a speaker that is theoretically quite accurate, but I guess this is to make up for room and placement anomalies. I wonder if the foam completely blocks the port, or just lessens it's output a bit. My RS6's are about eleven inches out from the walls, and some say twice that is best, but I guess it varies by room. Anyway, I'll post my "plugged" and "unplugged" impressions on the chance it helps someone else with RS6 setup. I should also note that they sound terrific, I am just having fun trying different placements to see how the imaging is affected.
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Speaker plugs:
I tried 'em in place when I had the speakers fairly close to the walls, and they took a definite "tubbiness" out of the bass (just have one pair and used em on rear ports). I was able to get the speakers about 14" out from the wall, and the plugs are not necessary. It will vary from room to room, naturally, but basses and kick drums sound very "real" at about that distance out for me.
I tried some quick A-B tests with and without Bi-Wiring using a Sansui AU-717. Well, still no "exotic' speaker wire, but the bi-wiring seems to improve several things, and most importantly, makes them sound a fuller in the midrange (saxaphones seem a little "bigger" for example). Anyway, if you have Monitor Audio RS6's (and a decent room), try the bi-wired setup with some simple lamp cord and let us know what you think...
I tried 'em in place when I had the speakers fairly close to the walls, and they took a definite "tubbiness" out of the bass (just have one pair and used em on rear ports). I was able to get the speakers about 14" out from the wall, and the plugs are not necessary. It will vary from room to room, naturally, but basses and kick drums sound very "real" at about that distance out for me.
I tried some quick A-B tests with and without Bi-Wiring using a Sansui AU-717. Well, still no "exotic' speaker wire, but the bi-wiring seems to improve several things, and most importantly, makes them sound a fuller in the midrange (saxaphones seem a little "bigger" for example). Anyway, if you have Monitor Audio RS6's (and a decent room), try the bi-wired setup with some simple lamp cord and let us know what you think...
Local MA dealer says not to worry about the plugs unless the bass seems "boomy", and that this is more likely with "floor over crawlspace" (less likely in a finished basement like ours, with concrete slab foundation and carpet). Anyway, unless I put them too close to the walls, the bass is healthy but very tight with great instrument detail. I have heard some drum nuances on several CD's that I never "noticed" before...and often it is low freq info. Ditto for upright bass. The resonant sounds of stringed instruments are outstanding.
One final note: I had to move the RS-6's a few inches closer together (maybe three or four inches each) while we were re-arranging furniture. I forgot to move them back! The next day I was feeling like the "Imaging" had somewhat collapsed...then I remembered, and the fix was easy (I put 'em back and re-leveled them). I had myself worried there! But the interesting thing was that the imaging really depends so much on proper placement.
Regarding the foam plugs: I did try them in the rear ports, and lost a little low end extension for no apparent gain, so the dealer appears to be on target: use them as room acoustics dictate or for one speaker if it has to be placed in a corner (room boundaries exponentially increase bass). Anyway, I am learning a lot.
One final note: I had to move the RS-6's a few inches closer together (maybe three or four inches each) while we were re-arranging furniture. I forgot to move them back! The next day I was feeling like the "Imaging" had somewhat collapsed...then I remembered, and the fix was easy (I put 'em back and re-leveled them). I had myself worried there! But the interesting thing was that the imaging really depends so much on proper placement.
Regarding the foam plugs: I did try them in the rear ports, and lost a little low end extension for no apparent gain, so the dealer appears to be on target: use them as room acoustics dictate or for one speaker if it has to be placed in a corner (room boundaries exponentially increase bass). Anyway, I am learning a lot.
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uofmtiger
Addicted Member
I got a pair of RS6 speakers yesterday.
My Denon 3808ci has a mode for bi-wiring, but I will not be able to give that a shot (at this point) because I run a HT setup from the same receiver. With my current setup, all multichannel audio will go to my NHT SB2s/NHT SC1 speakers and all of the two channel audio will go to the RS6 speakers.
I got the speakers setup last night and I am in the process of breaking them in. I hope my dogs like listening to my Directv XM Watercolor channel over the next couple of weeks while I am at work.
Another note is that I may only be able to pull them out from the wall by 7-12 inches. After they break in, I will experiment with the port blockers.
My Denon 3808ci has a mode for bi-wiring, but I will not be able to give that a shot (at this point) because I run a HT setup from the same receiver. With my current setup, all multichannel audio will go to my NHT SB2s/NHT SC1 speakers and all of the two channel audio will go to the RS6 speakers. I got the speakers setup last night and I am in the process of breaking them in. I hope my dogs like listening to my Directv XM Watercolor channel over the next couple of weeks while I am at work.
Another note is that I may only be able to pull them out from the wall by 7-12 inches. After they break in, I will experiment with the port blockers.
