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Comparison Living Voice IBX-R2 to OBX-R2?

How do Living Voice internal cross-over speakers (IBX-R2 & IBX-RW) compare to their OBX models? I'm not in the position to audition them and was hoping someone who has could comment. The Living Voice website indicates there is a subtle difference in favor of the OBX models.
glenalan
phaelon
1,053 posts
 
Will somebody please give me the story on Living Voice. There must be one. For a speaker to be so well reviewed, and either nobody here owns one or they’re not talking, doesn’t make sense to me. What’s up. You guys all know something that I don’t?
sksos1
395 posts
 
Well I used to own them many years ago and paired them with some Border patrol amps. I found the speaker required a LOT more power than their specs would indicate to come alive. The other concern was using the outboard crossover. It took 2 sets of bi-wire cable and using Kondo SPz the cable cost was more than the speaker! Lastly, they did not fill my large listening room with sound, might have worked better in a smaller room.
salectric
757 posts
 
I heard the OBX-R2 twice recently, at the Capital AudioFest and at RMAF, each time with Border Patrol electronics. I had high hopes for the speakers given the praise in various reviews. Each time however I was disappointed finding the overall sound lacking in subtle detail. In both rooms, the speakers were positioned so that the center axis of each speaker crossed in front of the listener. I don't know how this positioning may have affected the sound. I am sure they would sound different if set up differently and run with other electronics, but the two times I heard them I was not impressed.
phaelon
1,053 posts
 
Sksos1, Salectric, Thank you. I would have a hard time coming to terms with a speaker that required that kind of cabled expenditure for it to find itself.

As for the Border Patrol amps, were they using the small 7W/Ch. SETs?
salectric
757 posts
 
I didn't notice what type of Border Patrol amps were being used. Sorry.
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