What happened to Red Rose R3?


What happened to the Red Rose R3, after more than a few great reviews in the major mags it is gone from the red rose web site. What gives? Was it a problem with the speaker or did they just think that the new "rosebud" was better? Anyone heard both the rosebud and the r3 and can give a comparison?
south_park
I believe the rosebud is a smaller speaker at a lower price. I am guessing that it may have a better midrange but less bass extension. The R3 midrange was a little soft. Perhaps the bass driver was designed to provide better bass extension and couldn't fill in the midrange sufficiently. Certainly, the R3 bass was surprisingly deep for a minimonitor. I'm using R3s with a subwoofer. If they expect people to use the rosebud with a subwoofer, they could redesign the bass driver better to cover the midrange. Best to go in for a listen.
Go to 1redrose.com a new website for the tube gear and the R3. On the old website they are displaying the solid state stuff.
I believe they are still available. At least they are still listed on the Red Rose website. WWW.1redrose.com

Brad
I heard the Rosebud this weekend with the new Red Rose integrated amplifier and a Sony SACD 777? player. I did not like the system.

This may have something do do with the fact that the Rosebuds were on very short stands pointing inward and upward which, to my ear, gave a very vague image. Perhaps lower to the floor enhances the bass but the whole thing didn't sound very special to me.

On the other hand, I heard the R-3's on taller stands (eye/ear level when seated) with the original Red Rose tube gear with an SCD-1 and thought the whole thing sounded fabulous -- really musical -- and I could have listened all day.

The new equipment is supposedly "improved". Go figure. Maybe my ears are made of tin and I should give up this hobby.