Maybe I'm not looking everywhere, but this is the first detailed review of GR-Research products that I've seen. The Bullies and Brutes look like real world beaters, ready to put the smack down on much costlier competitors. I'm always on alert for high value, high performance components, so thank you for this excellent presentation.
Being the owner of an original 1965 block logo model, your observant comment concerning the vintage JTM-45 just earned you added credibility points and an instant like.
I just want to thank you and Danny for giving me essentially a masters degree in speaker design and audiophiledom which allowed me to bypass an expensive learning curve and go right to my end game system. Cheers!
I love it! I've been debating which one of these I should build. I love the retro look with the benefits of modern design and parts. Fabulous breakdown!
I really like the way you do the short clips. With these speakers I was wanting some bass intense clips given their bass prowess however. Thanks again.
I have the Brute kit and flat pack sitting in my garage waiting for assembly. I’ve been anxiously waiting for months for this review and you did a great job! I bought these Brutes as I wanted a modern vintage style speaker that’ll smoke my new KLH Model 5’s, the JBL L100’s, Wharfedale Lintons, etc. An honest clean passive sealed speaker that is well rounded, with top notch construction and parts. Your review helped to confirm those assumptions. Keep up the great work!!
@@djatak2009 oh man, the lintons, they will be flattened by the brutes. The lintons are only £1k in the uk, thats probably a pair built for £400, full of cheap parts.
@djatak2009 'I have the Brute kit and flat pack sitting in my garage waiting for assembly.' Sounds like a wonderful (literally) bang for your buck combination letting your power amp power the Brute's with the added abilities of fine tuning the flat packs in the lower regions. Again, wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing!
Awesome review! Always prefer reviews that explore the technical aspects of speakers and why speakers sound the way they do in their listening environment than purely subjective reviews that ignore all that. Well done Ron!
I’m really grateful Danny took the time to design and offer this style of speaker. I think it is a fantastic option. Not in my cards now but it would be a fun build someday. And I can concur the “Danny Ritchie tune” No Rez, high quality point to point wired crossovers and tube connectors can make some incredible improvements 👍🏻🔈
Ron - Finally, a review with some of GR-Research speakers - THANKS - While these two are contenders to each other, this battle should only be the beginning. Other contenders for our consideration within the bunch - 'NX-Studio', 'X-Statik', and your beloved affair with 'CSS Criton 2TD-X MTM'. These all come-in at around $1100 and are fairly similar with some worthy special tactics. The main issue; ringing the bell on these for us consumers includes building the cabinet and assemblage to keep the cost down. What say you, ready for round two??
I sold my 1td-x the midrange is detailed as the reviews say. I was impressed at first but it wasn't natural to my ears after more varied listening. A sort of boosted midrange lacking a bit of mid bass that lost the grunge sound of distorted guitars. If I liked the sound I was going to get the parts to convert to a 2TD but sold them instead. Reviewers said the GR designs had better bass and high frequencies but not as good midrange as CSS. That was with the 6 inch GR woofers. Danny has said for years his 5inch speakers have better midrange. It's so good he has combined them with 12" woofers now to get the bass out. I was lining up to get the mtm encore kit but I will save up and try the bullies now. I was close to being one of the first to buy the brute. But waited to see how the bullies turned out 🎉
Ron. I've been watching for years now. You've always leveled up on every next video. Now, your leveling up involves a confidence that makes me eager to hear what you have to say.
Great review and comparison--lots of good detail. So now, what do you recommend? The Bullies, or the NX-Oticas with subwoofers? Another Danny-v-Danny opportunity.
The Brute seemed to be lacking in the upper bass/lower midrange. It might be the bass bloom in the woofers response making it sound that way by relative loudness, but they sounded like they were muffled in about a 200 Hz range. The Bully sounded almost exactly the same as the reference material on my system. Very impressive sounding.
I've said in the past that you know your stereo system is good enough when you realize all the little mistakes in the way your source was recorded. When your source - either the artists, or the recording engineer - is the weakest link in your system, you're done upgrading.
The frequency response you got with The Bully is ludicrous, seriously, they go plaid. When it came up on the screen I yelled HOLY $4it!! my wife in the other room came and asked what's got me freaking out, I showed her the chart, she walked away. I sat there staring, gobsmacked.
@@weeooh1 Not true, plenty of examples at 5k and even far less can do +/- 2db. Having a good frequency response is NOT price dependent (excluding ULTRA cheap stuff obviously) - it's design dependent. Erin's audio corner has klippel measurements of many speakers measuring super well for way under 5 grand. The rare part about the bully is the bass extension and SPL it's capable of. Very cool speaker but i would only consider the kit. If you add up the cost of the actual components, 300 for the sub, 28 for each woofer, 50 for the tweeter... maybe a couple hundred for the crossover and wiring, and whatever the plate amp costs, probably a few hundred tops, plus wood and no-rez... you can easily see there's MAYBE 2 grand in them, being generous. Unfortunately that kind of markup is normal, obviously the labor is worth some money, and the design, which is why DIY wins, every time. The Brutes have even more markup percentage wise I'd say, no plate amp, cheaper woofer, only one mid-woofer, a little less wood. These are epic speakers I'd love to own, for sure. But you could build the kit or piece it together yourself for far less... and while the crossover design is obviously built for these very specific drivers, with some know-how a little modification could allow you to use a higher quality woofer in the Brute, or even just some good ole' parametric EQ.
@@Artcore103 Or just pay a reasonable price to the people who created it. Businesses cost money to run, and there's nothing wrong with making a profit.
If speakers are good they should be able to play all music. Anything beyond what the original engineer intended is wrong, like bright speakers imo. Thanks for the review, these are very compelling speakers.
Agree, the best speakers sound like real music, and like the source. Violin, piano, pipe organ, rock guitar... tough to get right. Most speakers don't.
Ron, I bi-wire my Klipsch speakers so i can just drive the compression horn alongside my 18" band pass subwoofers, so I get that great rock sound. Providing only 20Hz and 20kHz! 🤘🎶
Great review! Would you recommend these monitors for a recording studio for the purpose of mixing and mastering? How would you position these monitors compared to brands like Barefoot Sound, ATC, or Focal, for example? Thank you very much!
Fantastic overall video, Ron. Appreciate how deep you go with what I’m sure are spot on thoughts. Enjoyed your JTM-45 comment too. Guitar nerds / audiophiles all across the interwebs will dig that. Bright speakers better for rock? Who the heck said that ridiculousness? 😂 Thanks, Ron!
Thanks for introducing me to Danny’s products. They sound and look interesting. I thought he only sold parts & services. I’ll have to check out his site. Love the graphs, even I can follow the discussion of them.
They sound glarey and stiff to me and don't have bloom and are very left/right sounding but what's most surprising is how drastically different the female vocals shape, response and timbre was, when Danny is always preaching about how it's all about a flat response. Obviously there's much more to great sound that a flat line on a graph.
this video took me from completely discounting these speakers to seriously considering a purchase. there are some brands or names of equipment that put me off enough to take them off my list of considerations. i 'assumed' a speaker finished with duratex and called the bully or brute was on the same level as cerwin vega. i simply couldn't take them seriously. (For me, i have the same issue (problem?) with a loudspeaker manufacture who paint all their speakers with automotive paint and colors. in my amateur thinking it lessons the quality and value of the product). So the names Brute and Bully discounted the perceived value of the speakers. i am very glad there are wood veneer options. My equipment cabinet is oak so I'll likely go with oak veneer. From my cheap seat i would encourage GR Research to rename these, even to something as simple as The GR 1.0 or something. just my brain droppings.
Would be great if they were offered at other dealers so we can compare them to other brands or even better for a home trial basis. It's a lot of SSSS without an audition.
very informative thanks, i live in the UK unfortunately iv never heard Dannys speakers but im interested in the NX Studio could you do a review of that speaker ?
I can back the acoustics part up, as I've been working on it slowly the last couple of months now in a room that should be too small for the Brute. BUT!!! I got it working. Maybe I might have a peak in the bass as you say, but it is at no point sounding bad for me. It just sounds like the room became bigger, and sometimes I almost feel scared when I play intense music. (No, Not Mark Gormly) BTW, I listen to mostly metal and hard rock, and Klipsch are responsible for me ending up with the Brute, cause Klipsch just killed my music. It shoves the guitars in the back. They are supposed to be in the front of this type of music.
I have an off-topic question for you. I'm aware that you own the Tsakiridis Alexander tube preamp. Since you've had this unit for many years, do you still use it frequently or have you found a preamp that sounds even better? I've been eyeing this preamp for some time now and expect to make a purchase soon. Your impressions?
Please, Please, Please do a review of the NX Studios. With sound tracks and comparisons. Danny has said in his personal opinion "He rates these two speakers against each other -- the Encores a 5 and the NX Studios a 9." Let us hear hid Level 9 speakers. MJ
The graphs are impressive , GR knows what they're doing , but Dan d'Agostino once said that the best measurements don't always translate to the best sound. I think these speakers belong more in a recording studio than in a hi-fi home setup. Thanks for sharing.
JTM45 best sounding guitar amp ever made. You've upped your troll level Ron. I know this is an audio channel but I'm surprised you didn't throw a tonewood comment in there just for good measure.
Please! Review GR-Research X-Statik speakers. I'm very interested in the X-Statik (and X-Voce for movies). There does not seem to be any good reviews of these speakers.
I’ve had the X-Statiks and X-Voce for over a decade. They are some of my favorite speakers. Definitely recommend if you have the space for them. They sound best with at least 3’ behind them. If you can’t move them away from the front wall that far then you need some kind of sound absorber behind them to minimize reflections. While they’re not hard to drive, they sound better with more power. I’ve run them in a small room with a 18-70 watts and they sounded very good. But in a bigger room with 200-300 watts and they really open up. The Voce also needs space to sound its best. If you stick it in a cabinet you will lose the benefit of the open baffle mids.
This video is definitely entertaining, The question I have is: is it a review or an advertisement? Unfortunately 99.8% of the viewers of this video will never get to hear these speakers in person so maybe it does not matter?
I'll go out on a limb and take a guess that the Bully may have sounded more analytical due to the MTM arrangement. When done correctly that offers a very controlled polar pattern and dispersion area focused on the seated sweet spot. Again, just a guess.
Ron, I did a GR upgrade kit on some B&W 602 S2's. Just to verify GR's claims about its upgrade kits, would you be interested in testing them against a pair of originals that I also have?
Hoping to hear more about Caladan soon, love the look of those. Wondering if I can get away with placing them one foot off my front wall (I understand more is better), or if I shouldn't bother in that case.
Comparing older large driver speakers to these designs is not possible, as these are actually more of a bookshelf system with built in stereo subwoofers. Old mass market big woofer Loudspeakers are crossed over much higher and sometimes not crossed over at all, but the guess is, that the "speed" is from the 5" drivers covering more bass than a vintage big woofer speaker design.
I could hear differences between the 2 only in the bass seemingly below 100Hz. The Brute seems to rise below 100, and the Bully seems flatter and more linear even through the UA-cam system.
I’m probably the wrong guy to ask - I don’t really care for the Fortes. Others with more balanced opinion can chime in but I think the Bullies would give those things a wedgie.
People who gravitate toward bright speakers seem to have primitive musical taste and high-frequency hearing damage. After all, rock music is already bright. The ringing of drum cymbals can become torture.
You can add in whatever you want to make a speaker sound however you like. But you cannot - *YOU CANNOT* remove it. Thus, if you start with a flat response with minimal decay, you can add any of that in however you like. But YOU CANNOT SUBTRACT IT. A "bright" sounding speaker with loads of stored energy cannot sound flat. It's like trying to take the cream back out of your coffee. Start with a speaker with a flat response, and minimal ringing. THEN add whatever "brightness" you want for rock music. And while you're add it, punch it up a bit with +3 to +6db dynamic expansion for a more "live" sound.
New subscriber.. came here because of the gr speakers review! 🎉 you do an amazing job describing how these speaker sound and how they relate to each other and even a “reference version”. Way cool!!! 🎉 I found myself closing my eyes to listen for the difference during the sound test. I had found these Bully’s before seeing this review, and very grateful to hear/see what these are like without being there in person. 🎉. I would def love some of those Bully’s!! Wish gr would come out with a 7.1 system with these. ;) 🎉
I would have preferred a tall tower .. narrow baffle ..and 2 opposing side fire woofers down low.. There are some pretty good shallow mount woofers out there now. I think that would be really nice looking.
that would be my preference too, but then i would like to have my woofers facing me so i went with subwoofers and mtm mains. but for sure shallow mount subwoofers and dsp from plate amp can do wonders from a small box. the amount of 10" shallow mounts you could fit on a floor standing speaker with the bully mtm on top is probably in the six or eights.
These sound great and the bass does sound great and correct. In track 2 they both sounded mellow…. The reference was better and clearer. More Coldplay than Mozart?
I hate my Klipsch for rock lol. RF7's are lovely for folk and jazz etc but they are the worst for rock. I almost can't enjoy my massive metal collection because they are too bright. I'd love to give these a try. Thanks Ron
It's free to squash frequencies that are too loud eith an eq. Not sure why you say you can't do anything there with the brute. As for having a real sub... yeah. You can't fake playing 20-40hz at regular listening volume. I'd still try to grt your bully's 20hz WAY higher. Not a lot of people get to experience a level 20-3hz.
Bullies were closest to source, by an invisible hair... But I like the bass of the Brutes slightly more. I have no sub. But I have this thing called Tone Controls. Would be very happy with either. Very impressed. Best sounding smackdown I have heard yet on my Elac Reference speakers. Like, WOW good speakers! I might need a bigger room though... Great video. GR Research is the real deal. Da bomb.
I have had my TobySpeakers for 30 years also the same bandpass box in my cars, only had to replace 3 drivers in that 30 years. I’ll put the sound quality and low watts needed to push them up against anything you have got.
Maybe klipsch type speakers aren't better for rock. Maybe it's just that rock music is what sounds best on them and people get the concept inverted. It's kinda like saying that the best thing to put on a steak is A1 vs A1 is gross but it tastes better on a steak than it does on chocolate ice cream.
People mistake the terrific presence of horn driven as bright ? I can not say . I just love horn for what they do. The problem is I can not take the presence long time. Like a concert it's the presence that wears one out.
@@lsaideOK They were meant to be an homage to 70’s and 80’s style speakers. Most of Danny’s speakers are the more modern slimmer cabinet style speakers.
By the way I made my comments before the end of the video and then when hearing your comments it totally confirmed my view. I don't usually hear the differences so I'm surprised I heard the difference
Just a heads up! The Brute offers a 12” woofer, not a 15” woofer as mentioned in the video. Sorry about that!
🔍 Time Stamps
0:00 - Intro
0:52 - Brute and Bully
4:43 - Battle Ready
5:24 - Listening Impressions
5:30 - Treble Impressions
10:08 - Midrange Impressions
13:41 - Bass Impressions
20:37 - Soundstage Impressions
22:34 - Sound Clips
26:56 - Speaker Measurements
30:31 - Final Thoughts
Thanks for the clarification 👍
Wish they were 15”.. Danny if listening.. .. 26:05 hint hint nudge nudge 🙏
So the difference is a plate amp and an extra mid and $2000.
Maybe I'm not looking everywhere, but this is the first detailed review of GR-Research products that I've seen. The Bullies and Brutes look like real world beaters, ready to put the smack down on much costlier competitors. I'm always on alert for high value, high performance components, so thank you for this excellent presentation.
You are welcome!
Being the owner of an original 1965 block logo model, your observant comment concerning the vintage JTM-45 just earned you added credibility points and an instant like.
My brother…
I just want to thank you and Danny for giving me essentially a masters degree in speaker design and audiophiledom which allowed me to bypass an expensive learning curve and go right to my end game system. Cheers!
I love it! I've been debating which one of these I should build. I love the retro look with the benefits of modern design and parts. Fabulous breakdown!
You did a remarkable job with the soundclips format 👏👏👏
Hey thanks!
I really like the way you do the short clips. With these speakers I was wanting some bass intense clips given their bass prowess however. Thanks again.
@@ThomasOwl yeah I could really hear the advantage of the MTM in the clips.
Ron, your humor and timing are spot on, I enjoyed watching your review. I own a pair of the Brutes and I love the way they sound.
I have the Brute kit and flat pack sitting in my garage waiting for assembly. I’ve been anxiously waiting for months for this review and you did a great job! I bought these Brutes as I wanted a modern vintage style speaker that’ll smoke my new KLH Model 5’s, the JBL L100’s, Wharfedale Lintons, etc. An honest clean passive sealed speaker that is well rounded, with top notch construction and parts. Your review helped to confirm those assumptions. Keep up the great work!!
@@djatak2009 oh man, the lintons, they will be flattened by the brutes. The lintons are only £1k in the uk, thats probably a pair built for £400, full of cheap parts.
@@djatak2009 cabs probably cost half the budget alone.
@djatak2009 'I have the Brute kit and flat pack sitting in my garage waiting for assembly.' Sounds like a wonderful (literally) bang for your buck combination letting your power amp power the Brute's with the added abilities of fine tuning the flat packs in the lower regions. Again, wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing!
Awesome review! Always prefer reviews that explore the technical aspects of speakers and why speakers sound the way they do in their listening environment than purely subjective reviews that ignore all that. Well done Ron!
I’m really grateful Danny took the time to design and offer this style of speaker. I think it is a fantastic option. Not in my cards now but it would be a fun build someday. And I can concur the “Danny Ritchie tune” No Rez, high quality point to point wired crossovers and tube connectors can make some incredible improvements 👍🏻🔈
wow, both of them sound phenomenal. Thank you so much for doing sound demo's! the other reviewers could learn something from you lol
Ron - Finally, a review with some of GR-Research speakers - THANKS - While these two are contenders to each other, this battle should only be the beginning. Other contenders for our consideration within the bunch - 'NX-Studio', 'X-Statik', and your beloved affair with 'CSS Criton 2TD-X MTM'. These all come-in at around $1100 and are fairly similar with some worthy special tactics. The main issue; ringing the bell on these for us consumers includes building the cabinet and assemblage to keep the cost down. What say you, ready for round two??
NRD did the X-statik some time ago but was never aired, there is a story behind that but I do not know the details.
I sold my 1td-x the midrange is detailed as the reviews say. I was impressed at first but it wasn't natural to my ears after more varied listening. A sort of boosted midrange lacking a bit of mid bass that lost the grunge sound of distorted guitars. If I liked the sound I was going to get the parts to convert to a 2TD but sold them instead. Reviewers said the GR designs had better bass and high frequencies but not as good midrange as CSS. That was with the 6 inch GR woofers. Danny has said for years his 5inch speakers have better midrange. It's so good he has combined them with 12" woofers now to get the bass out. I was lining up to get the mtm encore kit but I will save up and try the bullies now. I was close to being one of the first to buy the brute. But waited to see how the bullies turned out 🎉
9@@Batman-n1q1v
Ron. I've been watching for years now. You've always leveled up on every next video. Now, your leveling up involves a confidence that makes me eager to hear what you have to say.
What a kind thing to say - thank you!
Both speakers had a clean , detailed sound but there was a level of clarity and space in the Bully that stood out.
Great video! Thanks! I was leaning towards the brute tbh, but now I think you've sold me on the benefits of the bully.
Great review and comparison--lots of good detail. So now, what do you recommend? The Bullies, or the NX-Oticas with subwoofers? Another Danny-v-Danny opportunity.
Nice review of Danny's speakers. when do you expect to drop a review of the Caladan?
As usual, your reviews are like you are playing chess against most other reviewers just playing checkers. Well done and excellent review sir!
Much appreciated!
Wow. Appears both loudspeakers excel well. Very cool.
I would love for you to research the Zu-DWX stand mount speakers. Really appreciate all your time and effort with your videos!
The Brute seemed to be lacking in the upper bass/lower midrange. It might be the bass bloom in the woofers response making it sound that way by relative loudness, but they sounded like they were muffled in about a 200 Hz range.
The Bully sounded almost exactly the same as the reference material on my system. Very impressive sounding.
I think you just nailed it. I agree!
I've said in the past that you know your stereo system is good enough when you realize all the little mistakes in the way your source was recorded. When your source - either the artists, or the recording engineer - is the weakest link in your system, you're done upgrading.
The frequency response you got with The Bully is ludicrous, seriously, they go plaid. When it came up on the screen I yelled HOLY $4it!! my wife in the other room came and asked what's got me freaking out, I showed her the chart, she walked away. I sat there staring, gobsmacked.
Its the sort of response you get with $20k and above speakers
Yup! I know! It’s nuts.
Nothing Compares to "In Room" but even through UA-cam the Bullies Sound like they have more Meat on the Bone! Great Presentation Ron! 💯
@@weeooh1 Not true, plenty of examples at 5k and even far less can do +/- 2db. Having a good frequency response is NOT price dependent (excluding ULTRA cheap stuff obviously) - it's design dependent. Erin's audio corner has klippel measurements of many speakers measuring super well for way under 5 grand. The rare part about the bully is the bass extension and SPL it's capable of. Very cool speaker but i would only consider the kit. If you add up the cost of the actual components, 300 for the sub, 28 for each woofer, 50 for the tweeter... maybe a couple hundred for the crossover and wiring, and whatever the plate amp costs, probably a few hundred tops, plus wood and no-rez... you can easily see there's MAYBE 2 grand in them, being generous. Unfortunately that kind of markup is normal, obviously the labor is worth some money, and the design, which is why DIY wins, every time. The Brutes have even more markup percentage wise I'd say, no plate amp, cheaper woofer, only one mid-woofer, a little less wood. These are epic speakers I'd love to own, for sure. But you could build the kit or piece it together yourself for far less... and while the crossover design is obviously built for these very specific drivers, with some know-how a little modification could allow you to use a higher quality woofer in the Brute, or even just some good ole' parametric EQ.
@@Artcore103 Or just pay a reasonable price to the people who created it. Businesses cost money to run, and there's nothing wrong with making a profit.
If speakers are good they should be able to play all music. Anything beyond what the original engineer intended is wrong, like bright speakers imo. Thanks for the review, these are very compelling speakers.
Easy to say: one speaker fits all 😮
Detailed speakers present more info
Alsyvox, Clarisys, Magnepan, etc
Agree, the best speakers sound like real music, and like the source. Violin, piano, pipe organ, rock guitar... tough to get right. Most speakers don't.
No No Ron, when you turn up those Klipsch on a rock song and it is like your ears are getting cut with razor blades, you are rockin dude!
Ron, I bi-wire my Klipsch speakers so i can just drive the compression horn alongside my 18" band pass subwoofers, so I get that great rock sound. Providing only 20Hz and 20kHz! 🤘🎶
Great review!
Would you recommend these monitors for a recording studio for the purpose of mixing and mastering?
How would you position these monitors compared to brands like Barefoot Sound, ATC, or Focal, for example?
Thank you very much!
Fantastic overall video, Ron. Appreciate how deep you go with what I’m sure are spot on thoughts. Enjoyed your JTM-45 comment too. Guitar nerds / audiophiles all across the interwebs will dig that.
Bright speakers better for rock? Who the heck said that ridiculousness? 😂
Thanks, Ron!
An audio review with measurements and actual sound samples? 👏👍💯
Thanks for introducing me to Danny’s products. They sound and look interesting. I thought he only sold parts & services. I’ll have to check out his site. Love the graphs, even I can follow the discussion of them.
That’s fantastic!
Also check out his channel if you haven't already.
Great Job! I would love to see a comparison between the Bully and the Caladan's.
They sound glarey and stiff to me and don't have bloom and are very left/right sounding but what's most surprising is how drastically different the female vocals shape, response and timbre was, when Danny is always preaching about how it's all about a flat response. Obviously there's much more to great sound that a flat line on a graph.
this video took me from completely discounting these speakers to seriously considering a purchase. there are some brands or names of equipment that put me off enough to take them off my list of considerations. i 'assumed' a speaker finished with duratex and called the bully or brute was on the same level as cerwin vega. i simply couldn't take them seriously. (For me, i have the same issue (problem?) with a loudspeaker manufacture who paint all their speakers with automotive paint and colors. in my amateur thinking it lessons the quality and value of the product). So the names Brute and Bully discounted the perceived value of the speakers. i am very glad there are wood veneer options. My equipment cabinet is oak so I'll likely go with oak veneer. From my cheap seat i would encourage GR Research to rename these, even to something as simple as The GR 1.0 or something. just my brain droppings.
You have a fantastic sounding room. 👍
Would be great if they were offered at other dealers so we can compare them to other brands or even better for a home trial basis. It's a lot of SSSS without an audition.
Fantastic review and in the end I was most impressed by the Bullies!
very informative thanks, i live in the UK unfortunately iv never heard Dannys speakers but im interested in the NX Studio could you do a review of that speaker ?
Superb analysis!
Glad you think so!
Good to see you Ron. I thought maybe you quit doing reviews.
I can back the acoustics part up, as I've been working on it slowly the last couple of months now in a room that should be too small for the Brute. BUT!!! I got it working. Maybe I might have a peak in the bass as you say, but it is at no point sounding bad for me. It just sounds like the room became bigger, and sometimes I almost feel scared when I play intense music. (No, Not Mark Gormly)
BTW, I listen to mostly metal and hard rock, and Klipsch are responsible for me ending up with the Brute, cause Klipsch just killed my music. It shoves the guitars in the back. They are supposed to be in the front of this type of music.
I have an off-topic question for you. I'm aware that you own the Tsakiridis Alexander tube preamp. Since you've had this unit for many years, do you still use it frequently or have you found a preamp that sounds even better? I've been eyeing this preamp for some time now and expect to make a purchase soon. Your impressions?
Oh hell yes! Here we go!
Let’s go!
“Jackwagon”, I had to look that one up lol
Bullies vs m3 sapphires vs caladans would be an epic comp in a future review. The bullies are crazy impressive
Different camp, they would just sound different, it would then be what you like and not necessarily any better.
Great review! I think it's time to put these speakers up against the "audio snobs" lineup.
Going to take some serious $$$$ to even equal these... 😊
@@peterbaugh51 Absolutely
What a great review! The Bully's sounded best, more open, more depth. I wish there were a channel only reviewing DIY speakers from around the world.
Me too. A DIY speaker building channel would be cool. I've been building DIY speakers for over 40 years.
Please, Please, Please do a review of the NX Studios. With sound tracks and comparisons.
Danny has said in his personal opinion "He rates these two speakers against each other --
the Encores a 5 and the NX Studios a 9." Let us hear hid Level 9 speakers. MJ
yep i"am waiting for that to!!
The graphs are impressive , GR knows what they're doing , but Dan d'Agostino once said that the best measurements don't always translate to the best sound. I think these speakers belong more in a recording studio than in a hi-fi home setup. Thanks for sharing.
Just curious why you think that?
@@gregbegland7640I would like these in my studio and entertainment center!
Studios need a flat response for mixing. @@gregbegland7640
Some people prefer colored speakers.
The funny thing is that people want singer in the room or "as the artist intended" but don't want to use monitor style speakers lol
Totally agree that the bass is bloomy(er) in the Brute on the recordings. Neither is offensive, but the Bullies just clean things up a bit more.
excellent video😀
The tweeter sounds really sharp and sibilant. Expected a bit better for that price no?
JTM45 best sounding guitar amp ever made. You've upped your troll level Ron. I know this is an audio channel but I'm surprised you didn't throw a tonewood comment in there just for good measure.
Haha! Next time!
How does the Brute and the Caladan compare. Sorry, that's the comparison Im waiting for. Help, LOL Great job, thanks.
Did you get an answer? Both are being presented in the highest regard so which is preferred by Ron?
Please! Review GR-Research X-Statik speakers. I'm very interested in the X-Statik (and X-Voce for movies). There does not seem to be any good reviews of these speakers.
I’ve had the X-Statiks and X-Voce for over a decade. They are some of my favorite speakers. Definitely recommend if you have the space for them. They sound best with at least 3’ behind them. If you can’t move them away from the front wall that far then you need some kind of sound absorber behind them to minimize reflections. While they’re not hard to drive, they sound better with more power. I’ve run them in a small room with a 18-70 watts and they sounded very good. But in a bigger room with 200-300 watts and they really open up. The Voce also needs space to sound its best. If you stick it in a cabinet you will lose the benefit of the open baffle mids.
I love my X Statik speakers but would love to see a review on them.
@@Corndog642 Thanks! Good advice. i really want to get both of them with gr-research surrounds too.
@@troytaylor6160 NRD did some time back, was never aired, there is a story behind that.
NRD did some time back, but was never aired !!!
This video is definitely entertaining, The question I have is: is it a review or an advertisement? Unfortunately 99.8% of the viewers of this video will never get to hear these speakers in person so maybe it does not matter?
The video is not sponsored, and there is no financial interest in any GR products. Thanks for watching!
How would this compare to Encore's + a pair of sealed servo subs?
Would be as close as you could get.
I'll go out on a limb and take a guess that the Bully may have sounded more analytical due to the MTM arrangement. When done correctly that offers a very controlled polar pattern and dispersion area focused on the seated sweet spot. Again, just a guess.
The bully sounds like a more faithful rendition compared to the brutes.
I agree
On my modded Drop 58x phones, they are very close.
They grow up so fast. 😭 I feel like I was just duratexing these last week. 😂
Ron, I did a GR upgrade kit on some B&W 602 S2's. Just to verify GR's claims about its upgrade kits, would you be interested in testing them against a pair of originals that I also have?
That would be very interesting! Email me. Ron@newrecordday.com
@@Newrecordday2013, email sent!
Hoping to hear more about Caladan soon, love the look of those. Wondering if I can get away with placing them one foot off my front wall (I understand more is better), or if I shouldn't bother in that case.
1 foot isn’t going be enough. 2 1/2 feet would be bare minimum.
Anything you'd recommend given those placement restrictions? Would Concept 50 work better?
the bully maybe?so you can fine tune the bass
Good review
Does the Bully's servo-sub amp work with international voltage (specifically, Australia)?
Comparing older large driver speakers to these designs is not possible, as these are actually more of a bookshelf system with built in stereo subwoofers. Old mass market big woofer Loudspeakers are crossed over much higher and sometimes not crossed over at all, but the guess is, that the "speed" is from the 5" drivers covering more bass than a vintage big woofer speaker design.
I could hear differences between the 2 only in the bass seemingly below 100Hz.
The Brute seems to rise below 100, and the Bully seems flatter and more linear even through the UA-cam system.
I really like the Bully’s 👍👍💪
How do they compare to the Klipsch Fortes?
I’m probably the wrong guy to ask - I don’t really care for the Fortes. Others with more balanced opinion can chime in but I think the Bullies would give those things a wedgie.
The worst and easiest mistake to make in all of high-end audio is to mistake brightness for detail. Been there done that... don't do it!
People who gravitate toward bright speakers seem to have primitive musical taste and high-frequency hearing damage. After all, rock music is already bright. The ringing of drum cymbals can become torture.
@@BruceCross 100% agree. For me, neutrality is key. I want to hear exactly what the sound engineer intended, without colorations.,
@@ChicagoRob2 Yes, I like neutrality, too. I can't control bright recordings, but I can control bright speakers.
How does these compare to the bookshelf versions?
Can you show the back of the speakers?
No, you don't know what I'm thinking....thank goodness.
You can add in whatever you want to make a speaker sound however you like. But you cannot - *YOU CANNOT* remove it.
Thus, if you start with a flat response with minimal decay, you can add any of that in however you like. But YOU CANNOT SUBTRACT IT. A "bright" sounding speaker with loads of stored energy cannot sound flat. It's like trying to take the cream back out of your coffee.
Start with a speaker with a flat response, and minimal ringing. THEN add whatever "brightness" you want for rock music. And while you're add it, punch it up a bit with +3 to +6db dynamic expansion for a more "live" sound.
What makes a speaker good for rock is dynamics…so big Klipsch horn speakers with their high sensitivity are great for rock. Same with Tekton
One of those is also great for litigation. 🙈🙉🙊
Tekton has a very high sensitivity, just not the way you’re thinking. 😅
@@unewbor both 😂
I wouldn’t touch Tekton with a 10 foot pole regardless how good
@@unewb😮😂😂😂
New subscriber.. came here because of the gr speakers review! 🎉 you do an amazing job describing how these speaker sound and how they relate to each other and even a “reference version”. Way cool!!! 🎉 I found myself closing my eyes to listen for the difference during the sound test.
I had found these Bully’s before seeing this review, and very grateful to hear/see what these are like without being there in person. 🎉. I would def love some of those Bully’s!! Wish gr would come out with a 7.1 system with these. ;) 🎉
Welcome aboard! Glad you enjoyed the video.
I would have preferred a tall tower .. narrow baffle ..and 2 opposing side fire woofers down low..
There are some pretty good shallow mount woofers out there now. I think that would be really nice looking.
that would be my preference too, but then i would like to have my woofers facing me so i went with subwoofers and mtm mains.
but for sure shallow mount subwoofers and dsp from plate amp can do wonders from a small box.
the amount of 10" shallow mounts you could fit on a floor standing speaker with the bully mtm on top is probably in the six or eights.
@@sudd3660 Let’s get to designin’!!!
@@GoggleAX my designs require dsp, and not the kind you can program into a plate amp.
The Bully has more upper Freq detail and most likely more bass as well.
I like it.
what are the reference speakers? sorry if this has been mentioned, and i missed it. Caladans? (sp?)
the reference is the audio file directly inserted into the youtube video... it isn't through any speaker.
@@larrydunn4626 got it. That thought crossed my mind after I posted. I like that the best 😂.
These sound great and the bass does sound great and correct. In track 2 they both sounded mellow…. The reference was better and clearer. More Coldplay than Mozart?
The bully had a similar layout to the Cerwin Vega D9s.
Funny you say that, because I was thinking the same.. They could ROCK like crazy.
I hate my Klipsch for rock lol. RF7's are lovely for folk and jazz etc but they are the worst for rock. I almost can't enjoy my massive metal collection because they are too bright. I'd love to give these a try. Thanks Ron
My pleasure! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Most hard rock and metal is recorded like dogsh*t...your speakers aren't the sole culprit
There’s something sweeter about the sound of the Bully’s
I do like the Bully speakers best in sound comparison. Would you be so kind as to do a comparison like this on the Bully vs the Caladan speakers?
@Newrecordday2013 how did their soundstage react to movement? I’m really sensitive to soundstages that change as one moves around slightly
Man I didn’t hear much change at all and I’m also sensitive to that as well
It's free to squash frequencies that are too loud eith an eq. Not sure why you say you can't do anything there with the brute.
As for having a real sub... yeah. You can't fake playing 20-40hz at regular listening volume. I'd still try to grt your bully's 20hz WAY higher. Not a lot of people get to experience a level 20-3hz.
Some people have wacky tastes Ron🤣
“Jackwagon”, I had to google what that meant lol
Bullies were closest to source, by an invisible hair... But I like the bass of the Brutes slightly more. I have no sub. But I have this thing called Tone Controls. Would be very happy with either. Very impressed. Best sounding smackdown I have heard yet on my Elac Reference speakers. Like, WOW good speakers! I might need a bigger room though... Great video. GR Research is the real deal. Da bomb.
20.7s sonics best w
Contemporary Jazz 👌
Personal preference
Comment.......I'm going to buy a pair of those Bullies for my computer speakers!
I have had my TobySpeakers for 30 years also the same bandpass box in my cars, only had to replace 3 drivers in that 30 years. I’ll put the sound quality and low watts needed to push them up against anything you have got.
Question?........What if I'm listening to this with a pair of Brutes......?
how far are the speakers place into the room in the sound clips?
8 feet.
Don't really hear that much difference between reference track and both speakers. The Brute adds more bass.
Maybe klipsch type speakers aren't better for rock. Maybe it's just that rock music is what sounds best on them and people get the concept inverted.
It's kinda like saying that the best thing to put on a steak is A1 vs A1 is gross but it tastes better on a steak than it does on chocolate ice cream.
People mistake the terrific presence of horn driven as bright ? I can not say . I just love horn for what they do. The problem is I can not take the presence long time. Like a concert it's the presence that wears one out.
Is Danny still looking to do The Beast version with two servo woofers?
I believe so
@@Newrecordday2013 can't wait for that one, certainly going to be a beast based on what I've seen here 👍
hmm I was wondering the same thing, thanks
A major downside for me are the looks. After my eyes stop bleeding, I might enjoy how they sound.
You can get the cabinets finished however you like.
@@Corndog642 That's only the surface of the cabinet not the design of this industrial block. That's only my opinion. Beauty is in the eye...
@@lsaideOK They were meant to be an homage to 70’s and 80’s style speakers. Most of Danny’s speakers are the more modern slimmer cabinet style speakers.
The black duratex is the worst finish, but the drivers not being centrally aligned is not nice. Not for me.
@jondonnelly4831 Why is not being centrally aligned a problem? I believe there is a good reason for this design.
now we need eci80D review 😅
9ft?Why not put them in the backyard?
Not a terrible idea…
Brute sounds closed in with too much midbass.
Bully is the better speaker.
Bullies for me noticeably less smeared and closer to the reference with more sense of space and ease.
By the way I made my comments before the end of the video and then when hearing your comments it totally confirmed my view. I don't usually hear the differences so I'm surprised I heard the difference