Infinity RS 1B - How does the 'old dream speaker' compare to today's speakers?

bdp24

... Infinity's were not built to high end standards.

Hmmmm, I bought my IRS Beta system around 1990 and it has been in use since then. I've refoamed the woofers a few times and repaired the servo/xover controller once. I have some spare NOS EMIMs as well as some upgraded diaphragms from Apogee Acoustics but I've never installed them.

Since trading a set of RS-1Bs on the IRS Betas, almost my entire system has been upgraded - some components more than once. The system has sounded better with each upgrade.

Demos I hear at my local dealer always sound excellent, but they don't outclass the IRS Beta.

There are good reasons that so many people keep these old Infinity systems running.

I echo @cleeds 

I have had owners of very high end (and very expensive) modern speakers listen to my Betas and walked out in awe!

Mine are also with the original stock diaphragms, woofers refoamed and replaced the Solen caps on the crossovers.

Wish I knew how to check the tune of the Servo Controller.

"updated" EMIMs are incoming followed by updated LEMIMs.  I am saving the originals untouched.

Sounds like the IRS are still competing well with modern speakers. I would have guessed that they had fallen behind due to decades in material (and electronics) development). 

@cleeds: While I heard the IRS once (Mike Kay of Lyric Audio brought his pair to the Stereophile Show in L.A. one year), the highest-level model I have lived with was the RS-1b (my first Infinity’s were the company’s entry-level speaker---the Model 1001, bought new in 1971. I lusted for the Model 2000A---with it’s RTR ESL tweeters, but didn’t have the $). If you find the Beta to be built to a standard you consider high end, I’ll take your word for it!

The planar-magnetic panels of the RS-1b are attached to their bases with mere wood screws, and the panels sway fore-and-aft with the slightest breeze. Paul McGowen has given his opinion of the woofers that came in the IRS bass towers (about the same quality as the woofers found in Tekton loudspeakers), and of the quality of the outboard crossovers.

One listen to the ET LFT-8b was all it took for me to decide to ditch the RS-1b’s.