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Any Rethm Bhaava owners?

I'm wondering if anyone  out there owns the Rethm Bhaava and can share their experience with them. I've always owned Magnepans, currently have 1.7's. The down side of Magnepan's is that they want lots of power and really don't sound their best if not played at full concert level ... added amplifier $$$'s and fraying of spouse nerves.  I heard the Bhaava at CAF, one of the very few box speakers that had no cabinet sound  coloration and an authentic low end. It's design principles of a horn loaded unidriver section for the top range and an isobaric floor firing low bass driver made sense as a way to keep coherency. Overall the sound was lovely, authoritative and got excellent resolution at "speaking" loudness levels. My main reservation was that it didn't seem to have "snap", hardness on percussive transients which was hard to sort out given that I was unfamiliar  with all the other components in the playback chain. Anyone else familiar with these as compared to planar or electrostatic speakers?
128x128davide256
6 responses Add your response
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Though I've not purchased them, I've loved the Rethm loudspeakers for about a decade now.  I've also spent a considerable amount of time with Jacob George, and he's almost a friend.

Heard the Bhaava at the NYC show yesterday, powered by Linear Tube Audio ZOTL amplification, and felt it provided the best sound at the show.  I agree with most of what you said regarding the Bhaava.  They did play with appropriate force with the right source material, which tells me provide desired sensitivity to the upstream components.  I did find the front end of the room, especially on the digital side, lacking.  Then again, the source components of most rooms could have offered a lot more.

Based on yesterday, the LTA and Rethm combination more than wins my recommendation.  If I wanted to start from scratch today, I'd give it serious consideration
davide256's avatar
davide256 OP
399 posts
 
The digital setup at CAF seemed good but I think the Qualiton amp may not have been quite what was needed. I'm suspecting it used normal diodes for power bridge rectification. In my DIY dabbling, I've found that fast diodes are essential in the bridge for tube amp transient "hardness". So will hope to audition again with a known "fast" amp.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/art-wraps-it-caf2017

Was the digital server/player used in NYC for LTA a Wolf Audio product? They were allied in the Linear Tube room at CAF, it got me me blank stares when I asked what was being used as a USB connection  "decrapifier".  
trelja
3,223 posts
 
That makes sense davide256.  I agree with you on the rectification, though it would sound stiffer than a tube rectifier.  I will guess the cathode bias topology played at least as big role into what you didn't like.  Fixed bias amplifiers provide the sort of sound you mentioned.

The LTA ZOTL combined magnificently with the Rethms.

The room in NYC used an Aqua player
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,782 posts
 
Guys we picked up the show pair and became Rethm dealers so if you want to hear them again we got em.

We have a different idea for amplification which is the Unison Reseach S6 a 35 watt Set amp. The pairing should be magnificent.

Honestly never liked full range type systems before this is the first one with good high freq and great bass.

Dave owner
Audio Doctor NJ
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 
I left the LTA/Rethm room at the show very impressed as well. I think the system sounded very good, despite of marginal room acoustics. It would be a perfect set up in a moderately small listening room for those who enjoy vocals and acoustics music, particularly at lower listening volumes. 
mudbone
19 posts
 
I know it's an old post, but I can contribute to any future questions now that I own a pair of the Rethm Bhaava speakers.  They are effing awesome.  I was too challenged by what amplifier and preamp to partner them with.  David256 knows his stuff.  I had too many choices and seemed to go through all the combinations I had at my disposal until I found in a the corner of my room my Vu's 300b monoblocks and Uesugi Ubros preamp (both - tube rectified) and everything fell right into place.  These speakers will not disappoint, but you have to be synergetically correct with the component choice.  
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