Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Monitor Audio RS6 Speakers by jonbee

Model:	RS6
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$999
Description:	2.5 way small floorstander
Manufacturer URL:	Monitor Audio
Model Picture:	View

Review by jonbee on July 09, 2012 at 10:45:41
IP Address: 67.139.104.162 Add Your Review
for the RS6

I've owned 2 pairs of MA speakers in years past, the RM852 and GR10. I admired them both a lot- the GR10 is one of my favorite standmounts. Only the "wispy" sounding top end kept it from bein a permanent member of my stables.
I'm always been on the lookout for "giant killer" speakers, and of couse, have never really found any. Some, such as (lately) the Ascend Sierra 1,
are very listenable and offer great value, but they don't challenge the really good stuff.
The RS6 came out around 2005 as an upgrade to the Silver S6, and have had tons of rave reviews. Bob Reina of Stereophile enthused that he could find no flaws in them, and put them at the top of his list of "affordable" speakers. S-phile rated the Class B!
Now that the used price for good pairs has dropped to about half their new $999 price, they seemed to be a good time to check out another "giant killer".
The MA RS6 is a small floostanding 2.5 way speaker, having "ceramic" coated aluminum cone drivers, as most Monitor Audio upper lines of speakers do.
The cabinets are pretty solid, and sport quite nice wood veneers. My wife likes them!
So- are they as good as the reviewers say they are? In summary, not quite, IMO, but surprisingly close.
As good as they are, I will write this as if they are serious speakers, not considering price. In other words, nitpicky.
The first thing that struck me was the truly wonderful presentation of the heart of the range, from about 100-2khz. It is very uncolored, 3 dimensional, clear and open. Soundstaging is very good and instruments often seem to come from well outside the speaker's boundaries. While not quite as transparent to the deepest layer as my several times the price
competitors (Volent VL-2 and Selah Tempestas), the middle range presentation is beautiful, balanced, quite transparent, dynamic and detailed. Very realistic indeed, and more "upfront" than most speakers. I'd give the middle ranges B+ to A- on an absolute basis.
The bass response is quite deep, strong to at least 40 hz. It is punchy and life like, with a clear presentation of leading edge transients on basses and drums. There is a relatively small amount of
overhang, but not so much as to obscure the bass details. I'd grade the bass as a solid B.
Now the tricky part comes on the top end. The top end is very detailed, extended, and open, with very delicate details very clear and distinct, almost like good ribbons.
However, looking at the S'Phile graphs shows a rising tendency to the output from 1500 hz. and up, and it sounds like it. Certainly this adds to the lively, upfront sound, but the top end energy is a bit too prominent, so snares in drums are a bit too prominent compared to skins, sibilance is too prominent, and other high end sounds are a bit too forward in the mix. As-is, I'll give the top end a B-, the wonderful clarity being attended by a bit too much output. It is worth noting that the replacement RX6 has taken criticism on this point to heart. The S-phile measurements of that speaker indicate that the top end empahsis looks to have been corrected, and Bob Reina reports this is the case in his teview.
All in all, I like these a lot. They get a solid B on an absolute scale from me overall, well above what I've heard under $1000, including such the Sierra 1. I can't imagine better sound available at the used prices for these. In my case, the tweaker in me demands I open them up and experiment with some simple tweeter crossover changes, and maybe re-wiring, to bring the top end down some.
If the RX6 has truly got the top end balance right, it should put a serious scare into other makers who play in the $1-2k class.

I think for music lovers or audiophiles who don't want to shell out big $ to get "perfect" sound, and who like a lively, upfront presentation, and can match upstream gear and cabling so as to not exacerbate the top end emphasis, these may be the only speakers ever needed. They are lively, fun to listen to, very well built and they get the heart of the music right.

Product Weakness:	Slight bass overhang, top end a bit too prominent
Product Strengths:	Transparent, dynamic, wide ranging, sensitive, will play loudly,<br>compact in size, very well made

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Cullen modded PSAudio GCC-500
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): PC msic server/EE minidac plus dac w/Dexa opamps
Speakers: See review
Cables/Interconnects: Acoustic Zen, Zu, Mojo Audio
Music Used (Genre/Selections): lots
Room Size (LxWxH): 17 x 19 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: lots of glass- room eats bass
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio Power Plant Premier
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Cullen modded PSAudio GCC-500
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	PC msic server/EE minidac plus dac w/Dexa opamps
Speakers:	See review
Cables/Interconnects:	Acoustic Zen, Zu, Mojo Audio
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	lots
Room Size (LxWxH):	17 x 19 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	lots of glass- room eats bass
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio Power Plant Premier
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner