Ribbon Monitor Extreme - "Elixir"
RM/X (shown in piano black)2003. finalist for "Best of CES" Award in Hi-End audio category
Other finalists were Trinaural Processor from Spread Spectrum Technologies, and Swan Diva 2.2 loudspeakers ($68.000). Trinaural won the "Best of CES 2003", playing within a system with RM/X.
This is what the RM/X does that our other speakers can't:
1. Permit user adjustment of treble angle of incidence in the vertical plane, so that any listening position in a given room is covered ideally. The RM/X utilizes a tweeter pod with a 45 degree downward arc any part of which can be set by the listener for the desired coverage. While the cabinet shape was the long-festering brainchild of industry veteran James Bongiorno, it could not have been built without the specialized equipment and 3 dimensional custom design software of Dorn Dibble in El Sobrante.
2. Eliminate the horizontal diffraction path for mids and trebles. The poor vertical dispersion of long ribbon panels takes care of the interference and lobing in the vertical plane. This feature is the enormous credit of Jim Bongiorno's concept, which took heroic effort to turn into reality.
3. Solve the problem of common room modes. There are sidefiring, bottom firing and front firing woofers on the RM/X which means 3 different bass path lengths into the room, confounding the resonances typically found in rectangular rooms. Even if you listen in a cube you'll be helped.
4. Offer solidity and rigidity like no other enclosure. In order to eliminate horizontal diffraction the front baffle starts out as a 14cm thick billet of MDF, which is cut away by the CNC ball mill on either side to a depth of 10cm, leaving nothing but air on either side of the ribbon array. The tweeter pod is not only directable but uniquely shaped to prevent diffraction. It is elevated completely free of the main cabinet.
The Ribbon Monitor Extreme (fanciful name "Elixir") weigh in at about 170kg each, dimensions are 198H x 32W x 51D cm. The base is wider than the box to prevent tippiness. The 'standard model" is an automotive quality deep gloss black lacquer finish. It takes three days to apply two coats of primer, two of lacquer, and one of clear overgloss with hand sanding inbetween. There is no better finish at any price.
The RM/X is a first VMPS utilizing new highly advanced tweeter, a 1cm wide x 5cm (0.4 x 2") long free-swinging true ribbon with 96dB sensitivity. Moving mass of the tweeter is 13 milligrams, response is -3dB at 40 kHz, and the sound is the sweetest we've heard.
One free-swinging ribbon = 96 dB/W/1m, 100W RMS
Due to its outstanding low frequency response the new tweeter will cross over in the 7 kHz range. Mated to the RM/X's 94 dB midrange section you should get by on 15 W of tube for the mid/treble, plus solid state amplifier for bass.
The approach of RM/X eliminates horizontal diffraction entirely while providing ideal vertical dispersion for tweeters and mids. The FS tweeter is only 1 cm (0.4") wide, which means horizontal dispersion is excellent up to 25kHz. Sweet spot city for any listener, standing, sitting, or laying down! (Unless you're over 195 cm (6.5') tall and walk around constantly, of course).
Specifications Bass:- 30 cm (12") sidefiring WCF Megawoofer bass, 25 cm (10") front WCF midbass, 30 cm (12") Passive RadiatorMid:- six rectangular 10 x 20 cm (4 x 8") Neo ribbon, 280 Hz - 6.9 kHzTreble:- FST, 6.9kHz - 30kHzImpedance & Sensitivity:- 4 Ohm (3.6 min.) 93 dB/1W/1mPower handling:- 500 W rms / 4 Ohms, 20 W min.Frequency response:- 20 Hz - 25 kHz +0/-3 dBDimensions & Weight:- 186H x 32W x 51D cm, 168 kg (74"H x 12,5"W x 17"D, 370 lbs) Output levels and distortion:- max. 1%THD fullrange/1W, max. 115+dB SPL/1mFinishes:- automotive 7 layers black lacquer standard