Paul, you do you, you do PS Audio. Make a new reference whenever you want, and now you have developed a new one, I’m thinking that I could take those old ones off you, and I’ll even do it for free! I love what you do, and I love that you enjoy doing it, and you are unique in wanting to share your passion and insight.
He'll take a $100,000 speaker off Paul's hands....and for free! Nice try, but there's a better chance that one of these UFO pilots, probably from hundreds of light years away, are here to play some checkers.
it takes FOREVER to develop a reference speaker. i found some old speaker on the street. it takes me over 10 months. everyday listen to the sound and think about it. how can i improve it. you make it sound too easy.
Very few things are: Absolutely Free {except some Frank Zappa albums!} Here, unless you live right across the street, I'll bet that the shipping would be a, "Pip!"
Paul mentioned that they measured 15% distortion on the midrange called EMIMs. I would guess that the distortion was at the low end of the drivers range, where maybe it was a little outside it's scope, and maybe could have been crossed over a little higher. Many years ago there was a guy by the last name of Grasz or something like that, who did EMIM modifications. He was great and they were know as the Grasz Mod. I didn't hear anything from Paul that ever indicated he ever planned on getting rid of the IRS. This is a perfect example of rumors or wishful thinking being birthed in one persons head and then spreading like wildfire. You'll have to buy your own IRS.
Came here to say that. But the FR30's are twin turbo and you know what happens when you run too much boost? You end up with "inspection windows" on both sides of the block.
Sorry to hear this, hope you have fully recovered or at least over the worst of the symptoms. Whilst the stats are low (at least in the UK) I certainly don’t think it will go away, unfortunately for us not in our lifetimes. Apologies for the cynical tone but we have certainly come out of the worst of it, hopefully we won’t see a return like it was in the beginning or any successor. All we can do is our best to stay safe. Ramble over!
I am probably one of the few, and you might say lucky ones to have owned a pair of IRSV's - the issue wasn't so much how they sounded but how the 'source' sounded - a speaker can be too revealing - I can't quite remember all the equipment I used with them but I know I used them with Audio Research SP9 running into 4 Mark Levinson's Mono's - (had to build them into two chimney breasts to help dissipate the heat), I had at some point a Krell CD transport and separate DAC definitely a Michell Syncro Reference, as I still have that, and later on some McIntosh Monos - they were of course superb - but amazingly you can tire of a sound and I did - I sold them around fifteen yrs ago for not much - and some of the components needed refreshing anyway - good to have had them but I don't miss them - also the room they were in is now a swimming pool.
@@johnstuckaiii Hi there - I am afraid I went to the dark side - I use Bang And Olufsen Beolab 50's - I had the 90's on loan from B+O Cheltenham - thanks guys - but the 50's were very very nearly as good - much more useable system - does some neat tricks - all wireless - and it it streams from room to room where we have some other B+O bits and bobs and it all hooks up to the screen with the soundbar and the neat data hub hidden into a wall - the apps a doddle too - but don't diss them till you hear them though..
Well ... About a year ago, the pair that Paul mentions in, "99% True," were for sale, Western Australia, for, "only," about $70,000. Perhaps they could ship! A lot closer to you than, say, sending to America ~
That's so disappointing that I will never get to hear those massive speakers in the tour like I had hoped to. This makes me feel very disappointed about wanting to come do the tour anymore. That was one of my big caveats of wanting to do the torr of PS audio yo in the first place
The Infinity IRSVs are like a much beloved, tricked out '57 Chevy Bel Air. The Aspen FR30s are are like a C8 Corvette Z06. And later, an Aspen FR50/Corvette Zora?
It is possible to improve on anything. How Much of an improvement can be made depends on a lot of factors. Most people don't have the space for an IRSV system. Even FR 30s would be a tight fit in any space I ever did or ever will occupy. And that isn't considering the cost, which likewise would be too big.
Paul had the point side-by-side still be unfair.. one reason the IRS power by 6000 watt bass x 2 the fr30 you can take them home they would have advanced..
Even though both the FR30's and the IRSV's share ribbon technology albeit from different eras of that technology - - the other, more important difference, that of course is also a huge contributor to the "huge sound-field" Paul is speaking to, at least to me, is a fundamental in overall speaker design: point source vs line source - - so along with the "huge" sound Paul is pointing out comes the benefit of scaled up sound staging and imaging that a line source (the IRSV's) is designed to provide, that is, the individual images within that huge sound-field are more life like in "size".
While that's true, there's a tradeoff in imaging focus. Orchestral pieces are more fun with a line source of this size than listening to an instrumental soloist or vocalist, which tend to come off more realistically from a point source type design, and that includes lifelike imaging size (provided we're talking about something similarly perfectionist). No matter, these are wonderful given sufficient space.
IME, The GR Research NX-TREME (7 foot behemoth) at a fraction of the cost beats out both these speakers if a) you are a DIY type of guy and b) You have the room length/width/height to accommodate that speaker.
@@wa2368 I design and build loudspeakers, and in fact, during the pandemic when I stayed at home and had little else to do, built dual triple OB servo subs using Danny's drivers and Rythmik plate amps. I've never heard the NX-TREME, but would think the quality/price ratio should be highly attractive to DIYers. I'd personally want to use something other (and consequently much more expensive) than MDF because they're indeed large, so the resonance and damping characteristics of the material is bound to come into play. And they needs subs, but I'm guessing that part is obvious. Assuming you have a pair of those, I'm sure they're nice.
Well, Yes and No! (Should I become a politician?!} 1 ~ About a year ago, there was an ad, the IRS speakers in Australia, probably the ones Paul mentions in, "99% True," were for sale, $70k as I recall. A bargain! Ask to include shipping! And, about 50 other pair were manufactured! I recommended these for a Museum with a large Atrium, but did not hear back. 2 ~ Other Monster Systems? Please look here on RU-vid at the Videos for Ken Fritz' system. Completely over the top! &, Ken does have the PS Audio P30 ~
When Paul said they don't play the IRSV anymore at PS audio, one should understand that the FR30 can't stand the comparison. If not they would be happy to show people that they're new speakers are actually better.
My thoughts exactly. At the end of the day Paul is a salesman and to out gun your own product on your own turf just isn’t good for business. If the IRS really no longer have anything to offer in comparison to the FR30’s then I would sell them personally. They are probably still what he actually listens to on his own time.
@@shannonmiller5648 " then I would sell them personally. " - dude, those IRS V were MADE BY HIS FRIEND. You don't keep anything from your past your friends/family may have made?
@@TheDanEdwards Fair point but I’ve learned not to get overly sentimental about stuff over the years because it’s just stuff, but yeah I guess I’m a rare bird. I lost close to 300 years of family history including everything I owned personally in an unfortunate fire years ago. In some ways it was liberating as well as sobering because there’s nothing like a good forced purging of all your earthly possessions to make you realize what’s really important in life and stuff is just stuff. If he has no need for the speakers anymore why keep them because if he’s lucky he’ll always have the memories of their friendship. I figure if he truly thinks the FR30’s are better then let the IRS go to someone who might not agree with him and will give them the playtime they deserve. It’s only a pair of speakers. Having them or not will never change anything about the friendship they were lucky enough to share. People get to hung up on the importance of physical possessions when ultimately it’s really not important in the grand scheme of things. Can’t take any of it with us.
@ the guy who says you don't keep anything your deceased friends and family have made with their own hands. What???? Yeah, nothing like putting in the garbage all those pretty paintings Grandpa painted for you in the years before he died. Or pitching out those warm gloves, comforters and scarfs that Grandma lovingly spebt hours to make to keep you warm before she went cold forever. Hmmm?
@@sidesup8286 If that’s a reply to me then what in the actual 🤬 are you even talking about? How could anything I said be so grossly misconstrued and misinterpreted? I simply said that stuff is ultimately just stuff. Sure it’s nice to have keepsakes and family heirlooms but people put to high a value on stuff. No physical belongings ultimately have any bearing on what’s truly important in life which is the bonds you’ve shared, places you’ve been, the memories you’ve made, the experiences you’ve had along the way and perhaps where you’re going next. No amount of stuff in the world changes any of those things and those are the things you take with you when you leave this world. Not speakers or paintings from grandpa or anything else. Stuff ultimately has no real importance whatsoever. Call me crazy but it seems to me that anyone who isn’t a dense, shallow, self important piece of crap would gladly trade all the stuff in the world for the chance to make one more good memory with the important people they’ve lost in their lives. I like having nice stuff as much as anyone but I’m under no illusion that any of it really means anything. It’s not like I lost years of family history and everything I owned in a fire intentionally. I’m just saying that some good came out of it because it taught me to reevaluate what matters in life and to not assign so much value to stuff that is ultimately nothing more than that at the end of the day. I have lots of nice things but if someone gave me the opportunity to keep my memories and have so much as one more day with my mom or my brother for example then I’d let whomever could actually deliver on such an offer torch it all again without hesitation. I’ve even worked extremely hard to have the things I have. Doesn’t matter. I’d give it all up in second. There’s always more stuff we’re that came from. The memories are what I hold dear to my heart and that’s what everyone else should as well. Not the stuff they may have made or owned.
Well darnit. Thats off my bucket list 😢 I wanted to HEAR them not gawk! I should have visited Colorado during Covid? Shame no one will get to compare the IRS to the PSA flagships. The IRS now become a PS, as a static display. Sad paul cant even take them home😢😢
Yes, the PHYSICS of newer technology, better sounding, lower distortion flat panel ribbon tweeters and flat panel ribbon midranges do make a difference.
As you are probably aware, I love your videos and watch most, and occasionally comment. Today, you made a comment, in passing that needs a slight correction. Though the pandemic is over, COVID is not, and actually rising, with a 15% increase in COVID hospitalizations just last week. I certainly hope you and your family have gotten boosters. Though it ain't perfect, it helps in reducing hospitalizations and reduces the chance of long COVID by approximately 40%. I know you would never intentionally mislead your loving public, but your words matter. On an unrelated matter, have you or Jessica ever considered at Octave Records selling individual tracks? Especially now that you have your own 'radio' station.
Ok. You didnt mention the new genesis flagship. ? Why wasnt it discussed? Ill respect the past and I was friends with arnie..and i agree with your statements about the mids.. thats why i didnt build with them..
If any high-end speaker renders the timbre of the bowed classical double base Von Ditterdorf's double bass concerto like that of a ball-park Hammond organ with just one slider in play, it would be disqualifying.
Giant speakers like the IRS. Audiophiles move their any size speakers 3 or 4 feet from the wall behind them to get better soundstaging and less coloration from the wall behind the speakers. More spacious and less colored is the result; but with really tall speakers, the drivers at the top are not far from the ceiling. If speakers too close to the back wall, pick up coloration, wouldn't really tall speakers like that pick up coloration from the ceiling surface? I pretty much don't see any way they wouldn't. If you built a nearly floor to ceiling speaker and had the woofer at the top of the cabinet; could you use the ceiling for bass reinforcement instead of the more conventional woofer close to the floor? Would there be advantages; disadvantages to doing that? The one thing I always notice with expensive drivers is they get you to notice that drivers you thought sounded pretty good, they actually sound strained, after hearing the better drivers. Often times, you don't even hear flaws, until you hear something better.
The IRS speakers are line source, with 12 midrange units and something like 24 tweeter units ( more on the back). Each driver plays significantly quieter than a regular point source speaker ( like 1/12th or more ), and therefore drivers near boundaries like the ceiling wouldn't interact as much as you may think. Line source speakers also loose spl at half the rate as point source speakers ... again , letting them play quieter still for any given spl.
@fast. And the drivers split up the volume between them. But still, I have needed acoustic absorbers on the ceiling, a foot forward of the drivers to tame early reflections from the ceiling, and the top drivers were 7 feet from the ceiling instead of 7 inches. Hard to imagine that not being at least a fairly serious problem. Foam things on your ceiling, highly visible to a crowd or a camera is not the most attractive thing. That might be it.
What exactly is world class speaker? IRSV was his reference and now he built something "better" so it became his new reference. Simple as that. Everybody has different ears and preference... There is not single component or speakers that would be loved by everybody.
@@radimvavrecka3481- Actually, a single set of ultra-high-end stereo speakers WOULD be loved by everybody-UNTIL you did an A/B comparison. No side-by-side comparison? Everybody would love them.
A textbook perfect floor to ceiling line source dipole. Yes, the stock crossover was meh, but the Achilles Heel is likely the mids operating down to the sub ... those twelve EMIM mids would surely encounter their limits in their bottom octave. BUT, comparing the IRS V to their current point source ... FR30, would be night and day simply due to propagation differences. They interact with the room entirely differently. Dipoles have huge inherent advantages; - they excite much less room distortion - their dimensionality capability is un-matched The FR30 has superior motor tech, top to bottom. Yet in a point source, ... thus, elevated floor and ceiling involvement. Vis-à-vis the IRS, I suspect a standout attribute is the FR30's overall bass capability. Inductance control eliciting speed, and elevated mid-bass performance that's vital for bass delineation, ... punch, clarity and texture. Four 8", equals a 16" ... yet spread the signal across four motors thus essentially quartering compression. Plus four LF drivers can yield 12dB greater than a single driver. Operating those hq motors in a P.R. alignment supplements their -3dB freq, absent port noise. Overall, a strong performer with nice balance of tradeoffs.
So if you won't sell those IRV Vs, how about you give 'em to me? I won't even say "thanks" or feel any level of gratitude so you won't feel like you've been paid anything.
Every time this guy makes the claim that those speakers weigh "1.2 tons"; I ask where the extra 900lbs came from, but he never answers the question. Until he responds, I call BS.
The original speakers weigh 1200#. The replaced woofers could add 600# to 800#, the replaced amplifiers could add another 200# for each of the two woofer towers, plus some weight for the two new crossover boxes. So it could end up close to 2400#
There is no way that the FR30s sound better than the IRSVs..just not possible. More convenient? Certainly. More well rounded? Certainly. Flatter? Sure. Better? No.
As I noted in an earlier submission ... the IRS's EMIM mids, cover down to the subwoofer crossover ... ~75hz, maybe as high as 100hz or so. So, those 12 EMIM diaphragms cannot convey the power capability and low compression as the FR30's four 8"s, down in their bottom octave. In the critical midbass power region, it would seem the (4)8"s would perform much better. Also, the FR30 low freqs propagate as a pressure source, not a velocity source like the dipole EMIMs. Big picture, the FR30 likely outperforms the IRS from ~70hz, to ~200hz or so. The bottom octave or two of the EMIM drivers.
Is that the optimal placement for each bank of large woofers. If I am in the sweet spot. It appears that I would not even be able to see each bank of woofers. How is that chest pounding mid bass going to get to my ears? Does it have to curve around the mains before it reaches my ears? I don't understand In my mind all of the woofers need to have a completely clear path to my ears. Nothing else makes sense to me. Or is it that because of the sheer magnitude of the system, It requires a custom room to show all of it's capabilities.
I had a subwoofer aiming it's sound directly at a wall inches away from it. Bass will disperse no matter what. Now if he had the mid/tweeter panels behind a large object; that would be different.
@@sidesup8286 The mid bass is comprised (in this system) The midrange drivers work in conjunction with both walls of woofers to create the Mid bass frequency band. Crossed over at 100hz as per Paul. The only logical implementation is to have both on the same plane, not woofers 4 foot behind the midrange drivers, creating arrival time issues in my mind. So I'm still confused.
@Lex.When I used a subwoofer, I had it inches from the wall that was behind the main speakers to bolster it's output, with the main bookshelf speakers out into the room about 3 feet. I noticed no lagging behind of the bass frequencies. Sound travels fast and maybe too much is made about arrival times, phase aligned drivers etc. If Paul would have the woofer columns as far out into the room as the other panels, there would be way less bass. In fact that's one of the real benefits of subwoofing. You can have woofers near rear wall to get more bass, and have the main speakers out into the room to get more spaciousness and less coloration from the wall behind the speakers. Also remember that the further the listening position is from the speakers, the higher % of room sound versus direct sound you're hearing. Even though the woofers are set back, being closer to the rear wall means their sound from wall reflections will arrive at the ears that much faster, since the sound wave doesn't have to go that far backwards first, before bouncing off the wall and going in the other direction to reach your ears.
@@sidesup8286 A great book is Paul's room setup guide. I forget the name. PS Audio site can direct you. Amazing book. Appreciate the dialog sidesup. take care.
If you stand behind the speakers, you'd still hear a lot of sound. The treble would be the main thing that would sound any less. The sound of a speaker 4 foot in front of another doesn't have to go around it. You don't understand sound. It is not like a beam from a flaslight behind something 4 feet in front, sound is more like a lit candle. Something 4 feet in front of the candle won't lessen how much it brightens the room.
