Bye-Bye Mission M32i , Hello Infinity Beta 20...for now

 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1099
Registered: Oct-04
Well, all good things come to an end, and after several years of loyal service, and stellar performance, I decided to part ways with my Mission M32i, they will be missed.

I was able to sell-off the M32i lickity-split on craigslist, and was able to parlay them into a NIB pair of Infinity Beta 20 for just a few bucks more.

I'll report back once I get a chance to put these babies through a proper workout.

The C-V! CLS-6 are still in their boxes, I'll get around to them sooner or later.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7664
Registered: Dec-04
The speaker hoor rides again!
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1100
Registered: Oct-04
Tawaun (he seems to have disappeared again) had some very good things to say about the Beta 20s, and I was very fond of the Alpha 20s (now sitting in my brother's living room), so I said what the heck.

The Beta 20 are really only a stop-gap measure (I think). I want to see what comes of the X-LS SWG & the X-Pro. In the meantime, I'm keeping an eye out for a pair of Paradigm Studio 20 v.4.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stefanom

Vienna, VA United States

Post Number: 743
Registered: Apr-06
Sweet. I wouldn't worry a heck of a lot about the X-LS SWG and X-Pro though. Vaporware is well...vaporware. Now if when they come out, Art, Jan, Nuck, and everyone else picks up a pair because they're so awesome, then I'll give em a listen. Until then, I'll enjoy what I have.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 10643
Registered: May-04
.


I usually stay away from anything with more than two numbers and three letters.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1102
Registered: Oct-04
Yeah Stephen, but you've got the Emmas.

The X-LS SWG (sorry Jan) is scheduled for a late July release, as for the X-Pro, I've been told not to hold my breath.

I'm going to get a chance to meet Mark Schifter from AV123 and get to demo the Mini Stratas at a Gotham City Audio meet-up on Sunday right here in Brooklyn, I hope, so I will hopefully have a better sense of their timetable.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stefanom

Vienna, VA United States

Post Number: 744
Registered: Apr-06
Interesting timetables. But Emmas or no, I still wouldn't be waiting breathlessly for any speaker. Then again, I'm not a big fan of AV123. Their desire to completely redo their product line every two months just doesn't inspire confidence in me, although its gold for their kool-aid drinkers.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1104
Registered: Oct-04
I don't think their product line turnover is that extreme, and I'm not really waiting breathlessly, but I am curious to see what AV123 can do with those new Emma'ish drivers they plan on using in the SWG & X-Pro. However, I do understand what you mean, especially about the kool-aid.

The aforementioned speakers were announced several months ago on the AV123 message board, loose specs & timetables were given, and then nothing.

When it was posted that the entire design of the X-Pro was altered, nobody on that board said a word about it, they simply when into some silly x-speaker naming frenzy, and that's all fun & good, but when I chimed in to ask what the story was about the redesign, and to ask as to when these new products would be available (the X-LS was originally slated to be released in late April, I think?), I was on the verge of being ruffed up pretty good. I was effectively called stupid for being inquisitive, and that I was lucky that AV123 had been so open in the design process, and that I should not question the process by which Mark and AV123 go about introducing a product to market. If I didn't like it, tuff luck.

This whole exchange really rubbed me the wrong way, not because anything AV123 did exactly, after all it's their prerogative to release info & products any way they see fit, but because the sycophantic vibe company on their board. This kind of vibe is not exclusive to AV123's board, it seems to be a common trait to company boards in general, but even more so with internet electronics company boards.

I understand people want to like what they decide to buy, and from what I understand AV123 builds nice stuff, and Mark seems to be a very nice guy who runs what seems to be a very successful company, more power to him, but for the life of me, I do not get the enthusiasm those members have, they take pictures of the UPS trucks pulling up to deliver their products for god sakes, it's a bit over the top for my tastes, but hasn't put me off from considering purchasing their products...not yet, at least.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stefanom

Vienna, VA United States

Post Number: 747
Registered: Apr-06
I just think they need to clean up their product line a bit. They are reaching a bit too far, and IMO need some focus. As a simple example, what is their statement speaker? The Strata? The RS1000 Signature? The Onix Reference 3? Perhaps the upcoming Focus Line Source speakers, Strata Extremes, yet to be named Uber-Rocket, or Reference 4(!) will be their statement? It sends a very confusing message to the consumer, which is only compounded by the fact that they sell internet direct. In comparison to their competitors at Ascend, Aperion, etc, it looks disjointed at best.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1107
Registered: Oct-04
I'm in TOTAL agreement, they have WAY too many product lines, but that can be said for a great number of companies (see General Motors).

For some reason, and I'm not quite sure why, I categorize Aperion and Axiom as home theater companies and AV123 & Ascends as music companies.

By far, Aperion & Axiom have the more polished websites & advertising.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stefanom

Vienna, VA United States

Post Number: 750
Registered: Apr-06
Yeah, but at least with GM, you can test drive their different lines beforehand, and find out which you like the best. Plus the differences between a $50000 Corvette and a $50000 Caddy or a $30000 Saab and a $30000 GTO are pretty obvious from the get go. Looking at the X-LS versus the Reference 0.5, I wouldn't have a clue how they are different, sonically speaking.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1108
Registered: Oct-04
Good point.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1109
Registered: Oct-04
Sorry, no pics of the UPS truck pulling up, but I did receive my new Beta 20s a little while ago.

Single boxed, but solidly packed with plenty of tight fitting styrofoam, they look beautiful in genuine dark cherry vinyl.

I quickly un-boxed these sizable gems & hooked them up to the Marantz set-up, beautiful.

First up was:

Come As You Are/MTV Unplugged in New York (Nirvana)[LIVE]

Would?/MTV Unplugged (Alice in Chains)[LIVE]

Fever/The Essential Elvis, Vol. 6: Such a Night [IMPORT] Elvis Presley (thanks Jan)

The Betas are emitting a noticeably different sound than the Missions, bass seems fuller, everything sounds fuller, rounder notes, imaging, which I could not expect to be that much better than then excellent Missions, is. I often described the M32i's sound as muscular, and they were, but the Betas seem to be pulling things off more effortlessly, I'm going to need more time with them to better appreciate what I'm hearing, but so far I'm liking it.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7669
Registered: Dec-04
Great, CM!
No idea on breakin time for the Beta's, do you have a guideline?
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1110
Registered: Oct-04
Nuck,

I've read that the Betas benefit from a few dozen hours of break-in time in an Amazon review, so I expect their sound to evolve. Personally I don't have a protocol, care to suggest one?
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1111
Registered: Oct-04
I need to play around with placement, but to my ear, the bottom drops out of the Betas at about 28HZ. Very impressive.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7679
Registered: Dec-04
Chris, if you can just play em a bit loud for a few days, that should be fine.
That's how I do my stuff!
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 5029
Registered: Feb-05
But that's how you do your stuff breakin' it in or not Nuck!!
 

Silver Member
Username: Stryvn

Post Number: 283
Registered: Dec-06
Nuck's stuff has a 79,456 hour break in time
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1112
Registered: Oct-04
Well, playing them loud for a couple of days ain't an option (I live in an apartment building), so this might take a while.

I've been running them at moderate levels during mid-day and low levels in the evening.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7684
Registered: Dec-04
I think moderate levels will suffice, CM, the old face to face with inverted phase, covered by a blanket with a mono source thing might work for you too. That allows a higher driver movement than open listening.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys.

With friends like this...
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1113
Registered: Oct-04
I was thinking about building a barometric chamber to speed things along, but the wife put the kabosh on it.

...Damn that extra X chromosome!
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7687
Registered: Dec-04
No sense of humour when you really need to install an iron lung.
And cover it in burlap.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1116
Registered: Oct-04
Loudspeakers: When Is Good Enough, Enough?

by Patrick Hart, the designer of most of the Infinity Beta series

http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/loudspeakers-when-is-goo d-enough-enough-part-1

http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/loudspeakers-when-is-goo d-enough-enough-part-2

http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/loudspeakers-when-is-good-enough-enough-part-3
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1118
Registered: Oct-04
http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/loudspeakers-when-is-goo d-enough-enough-part-3
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