Bryhifi,
If you are still debating between the two, here are my thoughts.
I have built both - the NCMS system based on scan-speak drivers a few years ago, and the Seas based Thor last year.
The Rhythm is a well behaved system. Good bass extension, lots of mid-bass, strong detail.
The Thor system is more open/ airy / more detailed with less bass extension, but more "accurate" bass (quicker transients comes to mind) in my opinion.
I believe the reasons for this difference stems from two basic differences between the two systems. First, The Thor is a TL, and the Rhythm is a vented design. The vented design type has more overshoot, and less control of the driver around the resonance frequency. The TL behaves like a closed box around resonance, with better cone control (more damped behavior). Second, the midbass drivers themselves exhibit different behavior. See Siegfried Linkwitz's website (www.linkwitzlabs.com) for his testing and analysis of the underlying driver's stored energy characteristics.
The tweeters used are both excellent. I continue to use both in my "personal" designs.
For the record, both are excellent kits. Both are (IMO) likely the best examples of the use of the drivers in question. I have kept the Thors, and disassembled the Rhythms - I am going to build a Transmission line for them and see how they compare to the Thors one-on-one.
Any questions... please ask. Any different opinions... please comment.
Regards,
Keith Van Vleck
If you are still debating between the two, here are my thoughts.
I have built both - the NCMS system based on scan-speak drivers a few years ago, and the Seas based Thor last year.
The Rhythm is a well behaved system. Good bass extension, lots of mid-bass, strong detail.
The Thor system is more open/ airy / more detailed with less bass extension, but more "accurate" bass (quicker transients comes to mind) in my opinion.
I believe the reasons for this difference stems from two basic differences between the two systems. First, The Thor is a TL, and the Rhythm is a vented design. The vented design type has more overshoot, and less control of the driver around the resonance frequency. The TL behaves like a closed box around resonance, with better cone control (more damped behavior). Second, the midbass drivers themselves exhibit different behavior. See Siegfried Linkwitz's website (www.linkwitzlabs.com) for his testing and analysis of the underlying driver's stored energy characteristics.
The tweeters used are both excellent. I continue to use both in my "personal" designs.
For the record, both are excellent kits. Both are (IMO) likely the best examples of the use of the drivers in question. I have kept the Thors, and disassembled the Rhythms - I am going to build a Transmission line for them and see how they compare to the Thors one-on-one.
Any questions... please ask. Any different opinions... please comment.
Regards,
Keith Van Vleck