Emerald Physics CS-2, Opinions Please

Well, I couldn't stand by anymore. The CS 2s are a godsend for me as they work very well with my SET amps on the treble. I've owned more speakers than I care to mention. Forgotten more than most people have a chance to hear.Ranging from $2000.00 to $20,000.00 a pair and the CS 2s are as good as any of them. Because you free up your SET to do only 1000 hz up really lets you hear what a SET is all about. The EQ doesn't bother me cause it's about the sound that I'm about. They can be forward or relaxed depending on your adjustments of the gain. You can even change it per your mood or music. My system is so dailed in now it's scary live sound. Some don't like a live, upfront sound so, you would not want to choose a SET amp for the top end.Boy, I like it though. Nice to get 98 db if you want it with no compression from a 4Watt SET on the top. Enjoy Kehut and Zybar! I sure am!

I agree as well John. But, that said to get that 1000Hz down from the SET (IMHO) always required a horn bass. Which was big as a refrigerator and not very practical. Plus, the fact that a two way design with a passive crossover will suck up some watts. That's why anybody who have owned Altecs, older Klipsch, etc. found that they needed more power that they would have thought. I do wish the CS 2 would crossover at a lower point,say, 500Hz. Clayton's new reference he is designing will have a lower crossover I'm told. So, that will get some of that lower Hz magic from the SET amp. I would like to hear what you can build that would play the full range from the SET amp and have no compression, full resolution, and linear. I know the SET amp can do this and agree with you that it's the speaker needs to be up to it. I have no doubt that it can be done (by you or others) but, at what price tag? BTW, guys I'm not a speaker builder, designer. I'm just someone who has played with a lot of speakers trying to get the best out of a SET amp.I think we're on the same page but, just getting to the end result in a different manner.

I never said a SET amp couldn't do sub 1000Hz well. I was trying to say that I've never found a speaker that could do it correctly even though the SET amp was doing it's job perfectly well(like you said better than most other amps) I know what SETs are capable of. I beleive that power kills an any amp, tube or solid state. This is my opinion and only that. So, high power advocates please start another thread. That said all my favorite SET amps are 45, PX 4,and 2A3 output tubes. All are under 5 watts. So, It's unrelistic, and I've tried, to expect a 5 watt amp or under to run two drivers with a passive crossover to realistic levels. Realistic being 85/90 db without any strain what so ever plus, real bass and weight in the 30Hz to 1000Hz region. I know it can be done but, for goodness sakes. Look at the bass horn you'd have to have. I know and understand that a lot of you look at the CS 2 as cheating to acheive the results I'm getting or that they are capable of. I used to be one to not want any digital involvement at all or as little involvement with anything as far as that goes. Simpler was better. I just got a real digital source a couple of years ago. I've had cd players, just never took them serious. I can relate. Heck, I even got mad at tubes once and swore I'd never listen to tubes again! LOL! But, the magic (SETs) kept after me constantly as I was listening to other P/P tube designs and solid state amps. They could drive the dickens out of speakers! I could never get as involved in the music. I kept telling myself that this is accurate! So, when your talking 2 to 4 watts per channel you better have some serious speakers. After hearing the CS 2s everything just fell into place and since I've had them (CS 2) I've not bothered to upgrade anything and that's saying something for this old, never satisfied audiophile as myself!

Brian, I may add this. If you don't have the weight you think you should with the CS 2s then you may look at upgrgrading elsewhere in the chain. It's not the speakers.