The dialogue in the movies and the lyrics in songs sound amazing. Amazing clarity and balance and in complete harmony with my CG4′s.
I LOVE my new RSL speakers. I grew up admiring my uncle’s RSL’s in the 80′s. I can’t believe I get to have my own set now. Only one word comes to mind when you try to grasp the quality of the sound that emanates from these speakers–UNBELIEVABLE. I’ve gone back and watched all of my action movies and concert DVD’s again!! Unbelievable….really! You can’t go wrong.. Thank you RSL.
I just got my rsl 5.1 home theater system up and running. Even though the speakers are not “broken in”, I can say without a doubt these are phenomenal speakers and some of the the best, if not THE BEST, speakers that I have ever heard (and I have been listening to high end speakers for the last 40 years). The bass is clear and tight. The speakers are invisible and the reproduction is incredibly accurate. I played several tracks with which I was quite familiar and heard things – subtle nuances and harmonies – that I never heard before on my massive 4 way Infinity speakers. Your speakers are an excellent value and worth every cent of what they cost. I can not praise on them enough. It was an extremely fortunate accident that I happened on your website and I believe that anyone who is interested in high quality speakers which provide an amazingly accurate, transparent reproduction should purchase your speakers. Thank you for these wonderful speakers.
I am Ukrainian. I have passed really long way of looking for and had wished to chose only once a very good Hi-Fi stereo and finally I have bought the RSL stereo system. I tell you why. Analyzing lots of reviews about different brands in the Internet among a sea of speakers and sub-woofers I was rely on experts in that field and began to look in the most famous magazines all around the globe. So, in the end of my exploration I had stopped on the Home Theater Magazine. After reading their reviews where lots of them I have chosen RSL which deserved five stars for Performance/Build Quality/Value. I did my choice and do not regret about that! Just one word-the Masterpiece! I respect the whole team of RogerSoundLabs! And thank you for your support of helping me to buy the stereo system, especially you Howard! Thank you and good luck! Sincerely, Andriy Chepelyak.
Usually I’d be pretty suspicious of all 5 star reviews for a product I was going to buy. Well, I got the RSL 5.1 system and now I understand what everyone was waxing lyrical about. These speakers are incredible, plain and simple. Thanks RSL.
Current Equipment:
Processor: Arcam AV8
CD player: Arcam CD37 SACD/CD
Blu-ray player: OPPO BDP-95
Amplifiers: Five (5) Musical Fidelity M-250 Monoblocks
Speakers: Front – Thiel CS7, Center – Thiel MCS1, Rear RSL CG4, Subwoofer – RSL Speed Woofer 10
Cabling and interconnects – Anti Cables with Eichmann Bullet plugs
Power Cords – PS Audio AC 10 on everything
Power Circuit – Dedicated Circuits terminated into Porter Port Cryo Wall Sockets
Granite slabs and carbon fiber cones for dampening equipment and floor speakers.
Equipment Replaced:
Phase Technology PC 8.5 floor standing tower speakers for rear channels – Replaced with RSL CG4s (wall mounted)
M&K MX-100 Push/Pull subwoofer – Replaced with RSL Speed Woofer 10
Burn in Hours – 75
Equipment usage:
Arcam CD37 – Two channel only consisting of mostly SACD and reference quality CD. This is my go to player for sure BAR NONE!
OPPO BDP-95 – Multi-channel SACD, DVD-AUDIO, DTS music, Blu-ray and DVD music concerts.
Room Acoustics
Horrible! My family room is BIG. 35 feet long by 26 feet wide with 15 foot ceilings and hard wood floors. We do have some strategically placed rugs but nothing else to dampen reflection other than fairly thick curtains across way to many windows.
Listening Preferences
I prefer VERY high resolution sound that is open and airy with a lot of detail and have a very short attention span for media that is not reference quality and that\’s a shame because most of my original CD collection has been or is in this lesser quality category. When possible I replace my older CDs with re-masters and SACD versions if they become available. I never thought I would see myself buying the same CD over and over as the quality improved but this is the world we ( I ) live in. I have some CDs that I have purchased three or four times. If the recording is high quality enough, I can listen to anything other than RAP. I repeat. I don\’t do RAP. From jazz to female vocalist to Elton John, Marillion, Def Leppard, Daughtry, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin etc…., I can enjoy most anything given an excellent recording quality. I just recently purchased the new Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina CDs, both American Idol finalist and was very pleased with the recording quality of these two CDs. I guess you could say that I listen to most anything from the 70s, 80s and early 90s with a little of the 60s thrown in.
CG4 speakers
These speakers replaced my large set of floor standing tower speakers that I had been using for rear channels for about 10 years. I was concerned that mounting them on the wall using the RSL wall mounts would not allow the speaker to be isolated enough as my previous floor speakers were mounted on carbon fiber cones and 2” granite slabs. We have a low back couch so the floor standing speakers had plenty of distance from the back of couch and plenty of height as not to get blocked too much by the couch. At initial listening I didn\’t feel like the speakers had the kind of punch I was expecting but after about 40 hours they really woke up and I was off to the races. In all honesty it turned out to be a combination of break-in and my initial media selections didn\’t do the rears justice.
As the CG4s continued to break-in, it was apparent how fast, precise and controlled these little speakers are. Bass level was also a pleasant surprise given the speakers size. I didn\’t feel like I had lost anything compared to the much bigger Phase Tech 8.5s I replaced. In fact, I gained some control and resolution. Amazing!!! Keep in mind each of CG4s is connected to a 250w@ 8 Ohms monoblock that is capable of easily doubling its output given a 4 Ohm load. Now remember these are being used as surround speakers and don\’t get the full force of information that the front channels get. This was an initial concern because from time to time we crank the music very loud. We also enjoy high resolution sound at lower volumes as well. Another concern I had was the tonal balance between the CG4s and my Thiel\’s up front. Again after about 40 hours they sounded like they belonged. After everything settled in I must stay that these speakers are impressive. They sound better than the much larger speakers they replaced and having them mounted on the wall gets them up and out of the way. In a standard sized listing room with decent dampening, I would have no problem building my system with 7 of these impressive little speakers.
Speed Woofer 10
I had high expectations from this sub right from the beginning. In fact I feared I might need two of them. Break-in period was similar to the CG4 as I noticed a big difference after about 40 hours. I placed the sub in the front firing line to the inside right and back of the left CS7. The sub has clear firing room and a lot of air to breath if needed. The sub is connected to my Arcam AV8 via LFE out. From the beginning I noticed that this is one deceivingly powerful sub and just like the CG4 I can\’t get over how fast, precise and controlled this sub is and how it handled my big room with no problem with plenty of headroom to spare. Most importantly after about 40 hours it completely disappeared and blended better than my other old M&K ever did. I am indeed very impressed with this sub-woofer. The included remote control is also more valuable than I thought it would be, particularly when you are tweaking and breaking the sub in. it\’s very nice to sit in your listening position and be able to adjust the sub without getting up. This is not a laziness thing, but it helps to keep you in the moment of the music for better tuning. There is however a secret sauce for this sub. After 50 hours I purchased another PS Audio AC 10 power cord and all I can say is WOW! This took the sub to a whole new level. Not only did it disappear even more but there seemed to be more detail and a sense that it was doing it all effortlessly. I think the included power cord might be holding this wonderful sub back a bit.
Overall I\’m very impressed and pleased with the performance of my new RSL speakers. They have taken my listening experience to a new level of enjoyment and that\’s not an easy task with me. Serious music listening or home theater you can\’t go wrong with these speakers.
The purchasing experience was nothing short of 5 stars!!! Howard took plenty of time with me on the phone and made it a point to understand my system before the sale. EXCELLENT!!!!
My subjective review of the RSL Speed Woofer 10 and CG4 speakers
Current Equipment:
Processor: Arcam AV8
CD player: Arcam CD37 SACD/CD
Blu-ray player: OPPO BDP-95
Amplifiers: Five (5) Musical Fidelity M-250 Monoblocks
Speakers: Front – Thiel CS7, Center – Thiel MCS1, Rear RSL CG4, Subwoofer – RSL Speed Woofer 10
Cabling and interconnects – Anti Cables with Eichmann Bullet plugs
Power Cords – PS Audio AC 10 on everything
Power Circuit – Dedicated Circuits terminated into Porter Port Cryo Wall Sockets
Granite slabs and carbon fiber cones for dampening equipment and floor speakers.
Equipment Replaced:
Phase Technology PC 8.5 floor standing tower speakers for rear channels – Replaced with RSL CG4s (wall mounted)
M&K MX-100 Push/Pull subwoofer – Replaced with RSL Speed Woofer 10
Burn in Hours – 75
Equipment usage:
Arcam CD37 – Two channel only consisting of mostly SACD and reference quality CD. This is my go to player for sure BAR NONE!
OPPO BDP-95 – Multi-channel SACD, DVD-AUDIO, DTS music, Blu-ray and DVD music concerts.
Room Acoustics
Horrible! My family room is BIG. 35 feet long by 26 feet wide with 15 foot ceilings and hard wood floors. We do have some strategically placed rugs but nothing else to dampen reflection other than fairly thick curtains across way to many windows.
Listening Preferences
I prefer VERY high resolution sound that is open and airy with a lot of detail and have a very short attention span for media that is not reference quality and that\’s a shame because most of my original CD collection has been or is in this lesser quality category. When possible I replace my older CDs with re-masters and SACD versions if they become available. I never thought I would see myself buying the same CD over and over as the quality improved but this is the world we ( I ) live in. I have some CDs that I have purchased three or four times. If the recording is high quality enough, I can listen to anything other than RAP. I repeat. I don\’t do RAP. From jazz to female vocalist to Elton John, Marillion, Def Leppard, Daughtry, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin etc…., I can enjoy most anything given an excellent recording quality. I just recently purchased the new Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina CDs, both American Idol finalist and was very pleased with the recording quality of these two CDs. I guess you could say that I listen to most anything from the 70s, 80s and early 90s with a little of the 60s thrown in.
CG4 speakers
These speakers replaced my large set of floor standing tower speakers that I had been using for rear channels for about 10 years. I was concerned that mounting them on the wall using the RSL wall mounts would not allow the speaker to be isolated enough as my previous floor speakers were mounted on carbon fiber cones and 2” granite slabs. We have a low back couch so the floor standing speakers had plenty of distance from the back of couch and plenty of height as not to get blocked too much by the couch. At initial listening I didn\’t feel like the speakers had the kind of punch I was expecting but after about 40 hours they really woke up and I was off to the races. In all honesty it turned out to be a combination of break-in and my initial media selections didn\’t do the rears justice.
As the CG4s continued to break-in, it was apparent how fast, precise and controlled these little speakers are. Bass level was also a pleasant surprise given the speakers size. I didn\’t feel like I had lost anything compared to the much bigger Phase Tech 8.5s I replaced. In fact, I gained some control and resolution. Amazing!!! Keep in mind each of CG4s is connected to a 250w@ 8 Ohms monoblock that is capable of easily doubling its output given a 4 Ohm load. Now remember these are being used as surround speakers and don\’t get the full force of information that the front channels get. This was an initial concern because from time to time we crank the music very loud. We also enjoy high resolution sound at lower volumes as well. Another concern I had was the tonal balance between the CG4s and my Thiel\’s up front. Again after about 40 hours they sounded like they belonged. After everything settled in I must stay that these speakers are impressive. They sound better than the much larger speakers they replaced and having them mounted on the wall gets them up and out of the way. In a standard sized listing room with decent dampening, I would have no problem building my system with 7 of these impressive little speakers.
Speed Woofer 10
I had high expectations from this sub right from the beginning. In fact I feared I might need two of them. Break-in period was similar to the CG4 as I noticed a big difference after about 40 hours. I placed the sub in the front firing line to the inside right and back of the left CS7. The sub has clear firing room and a lot of air to breath if needed. The sub is connected to my Arcam AV8 via LFE out. From the beginning I noticed that this is one deceivingly powerful sub and just like the CG4 I can\’t get over how fast, precise and controlled this sub is and how it handled my big room with no problem with plenty of headroom to spare. Most importantly after about 40 hours it completely disappeared and blended better than my other old M&K ever did. I am indeed very impressed with this sub-woofer. The included remote control is also more valuable than I thought it would be, particularly when you are tweaking and breaking the sub in. it\’s very nice to sit in your listening position and be able to adjust the sub without getting up. This is not a laziness thing, but it helps to keep you in the moment of the music for better tuning. There is however a secret sauce for this sub. After 50 hours I purchased another PS Audio AC 10 power cord and all I can say is WOW! This took the sub to a whole new level. Not only did it disappear even more but there seemed to be more detail and a sense that it was doing it all effortlessly. I think the included power cord might be holding this wonderful sub back a bit.
Overall I\’m very impressed and pleased with the performance of my new RSL speakers. They have taken my listening experience to a new level of enjoyment and that\’s not an easy task with me. Serious music listening or home theater you can\’t go wrong with these speakers.
The purchasing experience was nothing short of 5 stars!!! Howard took plenty of time with me on the phone and made it a point to understand my system before the sale. EXCELLENT!!!!
Years back I have had Martin Logans, Dahlquists, JBL speakers but I don’t think any have given me more enjoyment than your RSL CG system. They have exceeded my expectations. I’m totally satisfied…
I don’t think I’ve ever had a speaker set up that integrated the sub woofer as well as these. Just great.. Glad your company is back..
I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your time and professionalism with me with my RSL order. I must tell you how pleased I am with my 5.1 system! I have had other more expensive systems in the past, Polk, Bose, Klipsche, and Yamaha. None of these systems even come close to the flawless clarity of these speakers!The beautiful piano finish is so exquisite. And the unbelievable deep base of the Speedwoofer way surpassed my expectations! I combined the RSL 5.1 system with my Marantz SR7005 and watched Avatar on Blue Ray, the experience is comparable to ANY high-end home theater system. I am so pleased and I thank you for making such amazing speakers!
I have had my RSL speakers for 4 months now, and the only reason I have not written a testimonial before now is because I have been too busy spending hours on end enthralled in front of my home theatre. I do not pretend to be an audiophile, or particularly knowledgeable when it comes to audio equipment, but I do know that the ear to ear grin I got when first listened to your speakers (Beethoven’s 9th) is enough to tell me that I have a superior product in my home. All of the terms that people throw out when talking about high end audio that I took for marketing nonsense suddenly began to make sense. Every time I sit to watch a movie or listen to music I think of what a wonderful gift you have given me in your speakers. But what really separates RSL from anyone else is the unbelievable customer service your company provides. I believe you guys are truly in the business because you are passionate about what you do and not for profit, and I can honestly that I have never had a better buying experience in my life. RSL will be the only speakers I ever intend to buy, ever, which I think says more then anything else.
To break in the speakers I had run a 25 hertz tone through them over night for a couple of nights. This pretty well broke in the woofers but apparently not the tweeters. When I set them up for some serious listening there was still a nasty stridency in the upper midrange. That had me worried.
After playing full-range music through the speakers for a couple of days while at work — as you recommended — that nastiness disappeared. The speakers now sound just as the reviewers had said, and as I had hoped. The balance is pretty much perfect and, like expensive studio monitors, the RSLs reveal differences between recordings that I hadn’t heard with my previous speakers.
I’m building a collection of blu-ray opera and jazz recordings (good recordings are still pretty scarce) and these speakers, along with my NAD receiver, provide just the kind of musical experience I was looking for. There definitely is something to your Compression Guide tuning. The midrange sounds remarkably natural and balanced — neither forward nor recessed.
I’m amazed at how full the bass sounds, even without a subwoofer. I played them most of one evening without the subwoofer and the RSLs sounded surprisingly balanced and complete. I had to check a couple times to make sure the subwoofer was still turned off. Turning on the subwoofer only added that bit of floor shake that had been missing at the bottom.
I’ve auditioned and purchased many speakers during my several decades of fascination with hi-fi, home audio and home theater. Considering the price and value, the RSLs are easily the best purchase I’ve ever made.
After playing full-range music through the speakers for a couple of days while at work — as you recommended — that nastiness disappeared. The speakers now sound just as the reviewers had said, and as I had hoped. The balance is pretty much perfect and, like expensive studio monitors, the RSLs reveal differences between recordings that I hadn’t heard with my previous speakers.
I’m building a collection of blu-ray opera and jazz recordings (good recordings are still pretty scarce) and these speakers, along with my NAD receiver, provide just the kind of musical experience I was looking for. There definitely is something to your Compression Guide tuning. The midrange sounds remarkably natural and balanced — neither forward nor recessed.
I’m amazed at how full the bass sounds, even without a subwoofer. I played them most of one evening without the subwoofer and the RSLs sounded surprisingly balanced and complete. I had to check a couple times to make sure the subwoofer was still turned off. Turning on the subwoofer only added that bit of floor shake that had been missing at the bottom.
I’ve auditioned and purchased many speakers during my several decades of fascination with hi-fi, home audio and home theater. Considering the price and value, the RSLs are easily the best purchase I’ve ever made.
To break in the speakers I had run a 25 hertz tone through them over night for a couple of nights. This pretty well broke in the woofers but apparently not the tweeters. When I set them up for some serious listening there was still a nasty stridency in the upper midrange. That had me worried.
After playing full-range music through the speakers for a couple of days while at work — as you recommended — that nastiness disappeared. The speakers now sound just as the reviewers had said, and as I had hoped. The balance is pretty much perfect and, like expensive studio monitors, the RSLs reveal differences between recordings that I hadn’t heard with my previous speakers.
I’m building a collection of blu-ray opera and jazz recordings (good recordings are still pretty scarce) and these speakers, along with my NAD receiver, provide just the kind of musical experience I was looking for. There definitely is something to your Compression Guide tuning. The midrange sounds remarkably natural and balanced — neither forward nor recessed.
I’m amazed at how full the bass sounds, even without a subwoofer. I played them most of one evening without the subwoofer and the RSLs sounded surprisingly balanced and complete. I had to check a couple times to make sure the subwoofer was still turned off. Turning on the subwoofer only added that bit of floor shake that had been missing at the bottom.
I’ve auditioned and purchased many speakers during my several decades of fascination with hi-fi, home audio and home theater. Considering the price and value, the RSLs are easily the best purchase I’ve ever made.
I wanted to let you know I have set up the two front speakers and the sub woofer and had to test it out, I just couldn’t wait for all 4 speakers to be wired up. I listened to a live DVD concert of David Gilmour with Dolby 5.1 surround selected and I was completely blown away. I hurried and put in a Blu-ray movie, Superman Returns (excellent music sound track and a few good rumbling scenes) and before I knew it, I had watched the whole movie simply because I was drawn into the sound. One scene where Superman’s meteorite is rumbling past Ma Kent’s house shook her house, and shook mine too!
I also wanted to say I enjoyed reading the entire RSL Owner’s Manual, maybe the only time I’ve ever read an entire manual in my life. I also had a friend over to check out the speakers tonight. His comments were nothing but the highest praise. He even made specific mention that even though he see’s the speakers, he doesn’t hear sound coming directly from the speakers, and how impressed he was by the wall of sound he was experiencing. He also couldn’t believe the quality of the subwoofer, he even got down close to see if the bang of the movie was coming from that specific box, since it flowed so smoothly with the rest of the sound.
I am more than ecstatic using these speakers, and I can’t thank you enough.
