I really like the way you do the short clips. With these speakers I was wanting some bass intense clips given their bass prowess however. Thanks again.
Maybe I'm not looking everywhere, but this is the first detailed review of GR-Research products that I've seen. The Bullies and Brutes look like real world beaters, ready to put the smack down on much costlier competitors. I'm always on alert for high value, high performance components, so thank you for this excellent presentation.
Being the owner of an original 1965 block logo model, your observant comment concerning the vintage JTM-45 just earned you added credibility points and an instant like.
I just want to thank you and Danny for giving me essentially a masters degree in speaker design and audiophiledom which allowed me to bypass an expensive learning curve and go right to my end game system. Cheers!
I’m really grateful Danny took the time to design and offer this style of speaker. I think it is a fantastic option. Not in my cards now but it would be a fun build someday. And I can concur the “Danny Ritchie tune” No Rez, high quality point to point wired crossovers and tube connectors can make some incredible improvements 👍🏻🔈
Ron - Finally, a review with some of GR-Research speakers - THANKS - While these two are contenders to each other, this battle should only be the beginning. Other contenders for our consideration within the bunch - 'NX-Studio', 'X-Statik', and your beloved affair with 'CSS Criton 2TD-X MTM'. These all come-in at around $1100 and are fairly similar with some worthy special tactics. The main issue; ringing the bell on these for us consumers includes building the cabinet and assemblage to keep the cost down. What say you, ready for round two??
I sold my 1td-x the midrange is detailed as the reviews say. I was impressed at first but it wasn't natural to my ears after more varied listening. A sort of boosted midrange lacking a bit of mid bass that lost the grunge sound of distorted guitars. If I liked the sound I was going to get the parts to convert to a 2TD but sold them instead. Reviewers said the GR designs had better bass and high frequencies but not as good midrange as CSS. That was with the 6 inch GR woofers. Danny has said for years his 5inch speakers have better midrange. It's so good he has combined them with 12" woofers now to get the bass out. I was lining up to get the mtm encore kit but I will save up and try the bullies now. I was close to being one of the first to buy the brute. But waited to see how the bullies turned out 🎉
I love it! I've been debating which one of these I should build. I love the retro look with the benefits of modern design and parts. Fabulous breakdown!
Awesome review! Always prefer reviews that explore the technical aspects of speakers and why speakers sound the way they do in their listening environment than purely subjective reviews that ignore all that. Well done Ron!
I have the Brute kit and flat pack sitting in my garage waiting for assembly. I’ve been anxiously waiting for months for this review and you did a great job! I bought these Brutes as I wanted a modern vintage style speaker that’ll smoke my new KLH Model 5’s, the JBL L100’s, Wharfedale Lintons, etc. An honest clean passive sealed speaker that is well rounded, with top notch construction and parts. Your review helped to confirm those assumptions. Keep up the great work!!
@@djatak2009 oh man, the lintons, they will be flattened by the brutes. The lintons are only £1k in the uk, thats probably a pair built for £400, full of cheap parts.
The frequency response you got with The Bully is ludicrous, seriously, they go plaid. When it came up on the screen I yelled HOLY $4it!! my wife in the other room came and asked what's got me freaking out, I showed her the chart, she walked away. I sat there staring, gobsmacked.
@@weeooh1 Not true, plenty of examples at 5k and even far less can do +/- 2db. Having a good frequency response is NOT price dependent (excluding ULTRA cheap stuff obviously) - it's design dependent. Erin's audio corner has klippel measurements of many speakers measuring super well for way under 5 grand. The rare part about the bully is the bass extension and SPL it's capable of. Very cool speaker but i would only consider the kit. If you add up the cost of the actual components, 300 for the sub, 28 for each woofer, 50 for the tweeter... maybe a couple hundred for the crossover and wiring, and whatever the plate amp costs, probably a few hundred tops, plus wood and no-rez... you can easily see there's MAYBE 2 grand in them, being generous. Unfortunately that kind of markup is normal, obviously the labor is worth some money, and the design, which is why DIY wins, every time. The Brutes have even more markup percentage wise I'd say, no plate amp, cheaper woofer, only one mid-woofer, a little less wood. These are epic speakers I'd love to own, for sure. But you could build the kit or piece it together yourself for far less... and while the crossover design is obviously built for these very specific drivers, with some know-how a little modification could allow you to use a higher quality woofer in the Brute, or even just some good ole' parametric EQ.
@@Artcore103 Or just pay a reasonable price to the people who created it. Businesses cost money to run, and there's nothing wrong with making a profit.
Ron. I've been watching for years now. You've always leveled up on every next video. Now, your leveling up involves a confidence that makes me eager to hear what you have to say.
If speakers are good they should be able to play all music. Anything beyond what the original engineer intended is wrong, like bright speakers imo. Thanks for the review, these are very compelling speakers.
Agree, the best speakers sound like real music, and like the source. Violin, piano, pipe organ, rock guitar... tough to get right. Most speakers don't.
I've said in the past that you know your stereo system is good enough when you realize all the little mistakes in the way your source was recorded. When your source - either the artists, or the recording engineer - is the weakest link in your system, you're done upgrading.
The Brute seemed to be lacking in the upper bass/lower midrange. It might be the bass bloom in the woofers response making it sound that way by relative loudness, but they sounded like they were muffled in about a 200 Hz range. The Bully sounded almost exactly the same as the reference material on my system. Very impressive sounding.
Ron, I bi-wire my Klipsch speakers so i can just drive the compression horn alongside my 18" band pass subwoofers, so I get that great rock sound. Providing only 20Hz and 20kHz! 🤘🎶
People who gravitate toward bright speakers seem to have primitive musical taste and high-frequency hearing damage. After all, rock music is already bright. The ringing of drum cymbals can become torture.
I can back the acoustics part up, as I've been working on it slowly the last couple of months now in a room that should be too small for the Brute. BUT!!! I got it working. Maybe I might have a peak in the bass as you say, but it is at no point sounding bad for me. It just sounds like the room became bigger, and sometimes I almost feel scared when I play intense music. (No, Not Mark Gormly) BTW, I listen to mostly metal and hard rock, and Klipsch are responsible for me ending up with the Brute, cause Klipsch just killed my music. It shoves the guitars in the back. They are supposed to be in the front of this type of music.
You can add in whatever you want to make a speaker sound however you like. But you cannot - *YOU CANNOT* remove it. Thus, if you start with a flat response with minimal decay, you can add any of that in however you like. But YOU CANNOT SUBTRACT IT. A "bright" sounding speaker with loads of stored energy cannot sound flat. It's like trying to take the cream back out of your coffee. Start with a speaker with a flat response, and minimal ringing. THEN add whatever "brightness" you want for rock music. And while you're add it, punch it up a bit with +3 to +6db dynamic expansion for a more "live" sound.
Thanks for introducing me to Danny’s products. They sound and look interesting. I thought he only sold parts & services. I’ll have to check out his site. Love the graphs, even I can follow the discussion of them.
Please, Please, Please do a review of the NX Studios. With sound tracks and comparisons. Danny has said in his personal opinion "He rates these two speakers against each other -- the Encores a 5 and the NX Studios a 9." Let us hear hid Level 9 speakers. MJ
The graphs are impressive , GR knows what they're doing , but Dan d'Agostino once said that the best measurements don't always translate to the best sound. I think these speakers belong more in a recording studio than in a hi-fi home setup. Thanks for sharing.
Fantastic overall video, Ron. Appreciate how deep you go with what I’m sure are spot on thoughts. Enjoyed your JTM-45 comment too. Guitar nerds / audiophiles all across the interwebs will dig that. Bright speakers better for rock? Who the heck said that ridiculousness? 😂 Thanks, Ron!
Please! Review GR-Research X-Statik speakers. I'm very interested in the X-Statik (and X-Voce for movies). There does not seem to be any good reviews of these speakers.
I’ve had the X-Statiks and X-Voce for over a decade. They are some of my favorite speakers. Definitely recommend if you have the space for them. They sound best with at least 3’ behind them. If you can’t move them away from the front wall that far then you need some kind of sound absorber behind them to minimize reflections. While they’re not hard to drive, they sound better with more power. I’ve run them in a small room with a 18-70 watts and they sounded very good. But in a bigger room with 200-300 watts and they really open up. The Voce also needs space to sound its best. If you stick it in a cabinet you will lose the benefit of the open baffle mids.
JTM45 best sounding guitar amp ever made. You've upped your troll level Ron. I know this is an audio channel but I'm surprised you didn't throw a tonewood comment in there just for good measure.
I'll go out on a limb and take a guess that the Bully may have sounded more analytical due to the MTM arrangement. When done correctly that offers a very controlled polar pattern and dispersion area focused on the seated sweet spot. Again, just a guess.
Comparing older large driver speakers to these designs is not possible, as these are actually more of a bookshelf system with built in stereo subwoofers. Old mass market big woofer Loudspeakers are crossed over much higher and sometimes not crossed over at all, but the guess is, that the "speed" is from the 5" drivers covering more bass than a vintage big woofer speaker design.
I could hear differences between the 2 only in the bass seemingly below 100Hz. The Brute seems to rise below 100, and the Bully seems flatter and more linear even through the RU-vid system.
Great review! Would you recommend these monitors for a recording studio for the purpose of mixing and mastering? How would you position these monitors compared to brands like Barefoot Sound, ATC, or Focal, for example? Thank you very much!
This video is definitely entertaining, The question I have is: is it a review or an advertisement? Unfortunately 99.8% of the viewers of this video will never get to hear these speakers in person so maybe it does not matter?
Was about to get these, still want to... Just going to have to wait, as a baby is in its way. Fortunately the baby will be born in to a whole house full of GR Research goodies. You know, to start him right.
I hate my Klipsch for rock lol. RF7's are lovely for folk and jazz etc but they are the worst for rock. I almost can't enjoy my massive metal collection because they are too bright. I'd love to give these a try. Thanks Ron
this video took me from completely discounting these speakers to seriously considering a purchase. there are some brands or names of equipment that put me off enough to take them off my list of considerations. i 'assumed' a speaker finished with duratex and called the bully or brute was on the same level as cerwin vega. i simply couldn't take them seriously. (For me, i have the same issue (problem?) with a loudspeaker manufacture who paint all their speakers with automotive paint and colors. in my amateur thinking it lessons the quality and value of the product). So the names Brute and Bully discounted the perceived value of the speakers. i am very glad there are wood veneer options. My equipment cabinet is oak so I'll likely go with oak veneer. From my cheap seat i would encourage GR Research to rename these, even to something as simple as The GR 1.0 or something. just my brain droppings.
very informative thanks, i live in the UK unfortunately iv never heard Dannys speakers but im interested in the NX Studio could you do a review of that speaker ?
Maybe klipsch type speakers aren't better for rock. Maybe it's just that rock music is what sounds best on them and people get the concept inverted. It's kinda like saying that the best thing to put on a steak is A1 vs A1 is gross but it tastes better on a steak than it does on chocolate ice cream.
People mistake the terrific presence of horn driven as bright ? I can not say . I just love horn for what they do. The problem is I can not take the presence long time. Like a concert it's the presence that wears one out.
@@lsaideOK They were meant to be an homage to 70’s and 80’s style speakers. Most of Danny’s speakers are the more modern slimmer cabinet style speakers.
I would have preferred a tall tower .. narrow baffle ..and 2 opposing side fire woofers down low.. There are some pretty good shallow mount woofers out there now. I think that would be really nice looking.
that would be my preference too, but then i would like to have my woofers facing me so i went with subwoofers and mtm mains. but for sure shallow mount subwoofers and dsp from plate amp can do wonders from a small box. the amount of 10" shallow mounts you could fit on a floor standing speaker with the bully mtm on top is probably in the six or eights.
I have an off-topic question for you. I'm aware that you own the Tsakiridis Alexander tube preamp. Since you've had this unit for many years, do you still use it frequently or have you found a preamp that sounds even better? I've been eyeing this preamp for some time now and expect to make a purchase soon. Your impressions?
Hoping to hear more about Caladan soon, love the look of those. Wondering if I can get away with placing them one foot off my front wall (I understand more is better), or if I shouldn't bother in that case.
Bullies were closest to source, by an invisible hair... But I like the bass of the Brutes slightly more. I have no sub. But I have this thing called Tone Controls. Would be very happy with either. Very impressed. Best sounding smackdown I have heard yet on my Elac Reference speakers. Like, WOW good speakers! I might need a bigger room though... Great video. GR Research is the real deal. Da bomb.
I know Kevin at Skylabs maintains that there isn't one size fits all in speakers or at least in vintage speakers. I don't know how relevant that is if you use tone controls. Digital or otherwise. I think it depends on the record not necessarily the genre. Some stuff I like scooped out and some stuff I like flat. Etc etc
I was surprised Danny chose polypropylene vs. paper for the Brute woofer. Audiophiles say "polypropylene bounce" adds warmth and resonance to notes, which sounds pleasant but indicates poor damping qualities.
Both speakers require very large rooms, more common in the US/Canada than in Europe. The Bully is the best. Be careful, the subwoofer amplification is only for 110 Vac / 60 Hz. The excess bass in The Brutes can be easily solved with EQ because at such low frequencies the phase shift produced by doing so is not noticeable to the ear, unlike frequencies > 350-500 Hz ( > 500 Hz: rePhase -> convolution filter -> JRiver or other good soft player). The optimal solution is to use as a source a computer optimized for multimedia (hard and soft) and that minimizes the jitter generated by the CPU when processing the data, with a good software player such as JRiver MC. And use it for streaming or to play audio from CDs, SACDs, vinyl after being properly ripped (few know how to do it well). With that solution you save $2,000 vs The Bullys. In both cases, in addition to a large room, it must be acoustically conditioned. 👉In more normal sized rooms the X-SLS Encore Tower seems most appropriate, especially if you do not listen to rap, hip hop and other "noises". You can add one/two.. subwoofers later. - Greetings from Tarragona (Spain/EU) -
New subscriber.. came here because of the gr speakers review! 🎉 you do an amazing job describing how these speaker sound and how they relate to each other and even a “reference version”. Way cool!!! 🎉 I found myself closing my eyes to listen for the difference during the sound test. I had found these Bully’s before seeing this review, and very grateful to hear/see what these are like without being there in person. 🎉. I would def love some of those Bully’s!! Wish gr would come out with a 7.1 system with these. ;) 🎉
These sound great and the bass does sound great and correct. In track 2 they both sounded mellow…. The reference was better and clearer. More Coldplay than Mozart?
16 bit vs 24 bit OK, so 192kHz music files make no sense. Covered, done. What about 16 bit vs. 24 bit audio? It's true that 16 bit linear PCM audio does not quite cover the entire theoretical dynamic range of the human ear in ideal conditions. Also, there are (and always will be) reasons to use more than 16 bits in recording and production. None of that is relevant to playback; here 24 bit audio is as useless as 192kHz sampling. The good news is that at least 24 bit depth doesn't harm fidelity. It just doesn't help, and also wastes space.
By the way I made my comments before the end of the video and then when hearing your comments it totally confirmed my view. I don't usually hear the differences so I'm surprised I heard the difference
Are the measurements shown a weighted average or raw response? Because weighted average responses do appear much flatter than would raw frequency response. I don't think he graphs look bad, and the speakers probably sound great, but if this is a weighted average response (that averages a lump of hertz together over time rather than one by one by a sine wave) it's definitely not perfect. I feel like there are cheaper options with similar or even better responses. And probably ones Danny has advised to be "upgraded". I don't mean that disrespectful, hateful, argumentative or offensive, i think highly of Danny and Ron. I'm just trying to be more transparent and critically fair without nepotism.
Weighted? I assume you mean an averaged response. Meaning, many different responses that are then combined for an average response? If so - no. This is not an averaged response. It was a single frequency sweep.
I’m probably the wrong guy to ask - I don’t really care for the Fortes. Others with more balanced opinion can chime in but I think the Bullies would give those things a wedgie.
Ok Ron. Caladan or these? Your earlier video describes the Caladan as God's gift to humanity. The whole lightning strikes twice. Now you have these 2 speakers and suddenly they are the end all be all. Im in the market. Heck I have Cornwall IVs which sound great but I have an open mind. Your friend Danny has trashed klipsch and the cornwalls specifically. So here I am listening to an opinion I respect but Im getting conflicting info. Which is it?
Ron, I did a GR upgrade kit on some B&W 602 S2's. Just to verify GR's claims about its upgrade kits, would you be interested in testing them against a pair of originals that I also have?
I can't see past the look of these bullies. They remind me of a kabuki speaker. And and at that price 6k there is alot of competition there tbh... You can find a infinity gamma , servo controlled low end , dual 12 inch per side , aside from the planar technology in them . Just being realistic here
