CG4 AUDIOPHILE SPEAKER

I recently topped off a remodel of my living space by installing 2 CG4 speakers for my front L/R channels (matched with a CG24 center and 2 in ceiling C34Es for my surrounds). With the CG4s, I was most surprised by the solid construction of such compact speakers. I feel the sound they put out reflects such high quality construction, and the cost cannot be beat.

been 12 months… every time I use them, i feel proud of the smart buy i made last year ! Highs, Lows, Mids… Top Tier at all frequencies… The more you use, the more they get better… I’ve maxed out the volume numerous times & they only sound better… well built, good looking, excellent performance !

It's been almost 18 months since I came back to the RSL family.

I want to share something with you.....

I forgot about my speakers.

By that I mean I have enjoyed them so much that I forget they are the most important part of my home theater system.

They produce such perfect sound that I find myself lost in the media I am playing.

These speakers have the best top end I have heard period, they sound more open and real than the B&W speakers I used to own which cost multiple times more. Best audio purchase I have ever made. Huge presence and realism. Great looking also!!

Thanks again!! (Posted on 3/26/12)

RSL CG4 replaced my HSU HB1 MK2 speakers. Right away I could tell these were better speakers than the HSU. I have several sets of speakers in my home mostly Klipsch Heritage type but also 2 other horns the Crites Corscalas and a small Crites 2 way . The CG4s are definetly my favorite ,more enjoyable than all the others. They just sound great with any type of music I throw at them [ I have almost every genre of music except urban ]. You cant go wrong with these speakers. Great detail and sparkle and absolutely no ear fatigue.

Source itunes thru mac mini, amplifier Clones Audio 25i, 12 guage speaker wire.

...this whole experience over the last month has been a real eye-opener for me, and is just another example of how glad I am to have placed my order for these fantastic speakers!

Although I consider myself to be someone who can appreciate audio gear of all different price points, a big reason why I have never given a full set of 5 speakers the time of day previously is because it simply made no sense to me. I have always placed far less emphasis on the surrounds than I have the front stage, and spending an equal amount of my budget on less important speakers as I did the "workhorse" front speakers always seemed seemed nonsensical. This philosophy has worked well for me since I have been able to obtain a higher quality pair of mains through allocating the majority of my funds in that direction. In my current main system, I have Magnepan 3.6s, which retailed for approx $4800, paired with a pair of MMG-W on walls, which retail for $299 factory direct. I've always felt this was a wonderful system since the mains were, and are, truly amazing transducers, yet I still got that sense of immersion even with the very inexpensive surrounds. Well, fast forward to a few weeks ago when I got around to having five RSLs hooked up...quite literally, my entire paradigm changed. Even though I'm not into multi-channel music, which is an application for which I could justify better quality surrounds, the surround experience I'm getting right now with the RSLs is shockingly good. For the first time, I see the value in having quality speakers all-around, but this is only possible because your speakers are THAT good to begin with. I can listen in 2-channel stereo and not have a single thought about wishing I had spent more money on the main pair. Transparency, dynamics, tonality...you guys truly nailed it!

Probably the best compliment I could pay you is by saying that in all honesty, there was very little chance I was going to choose to keep these speakers. I truly thought that much of what I read on your website was some sort of marketing effort, and in the back of my brain I felt some of the feedback I had read was dubious at best. I even recall Howard telling me about a customer who owns Soundlab speakers, some of the absolute best speakers on the planet. He had apparently told Howard that his secondary RSL system was so good that he felt it could compete with the Soundlabs. I truly thought this was complete BS lol. I have heard countless "box" speakers over the years, and there is a reason why I don't own any of them....that's why I have huge 6 foot Maggies, cause boxes just don't cut it. But I'll be darned, I am sincerely able to now understand what the Soundlab guy meant and I have ZERO doubt that he was telling the truth. I still can't believe I'm saying it, but although I will always love Magnepans, the RSLs really can compete.

The chances that I would like these little black beauties enough to not only keep them, but send you guys another five bills for rears, was slim and none. But curiosity got the better of me and you guys made it super easy with your in-home trial offer and the risk free shipping. I really don't think I would have pulled the trigger if not for that...but alas, I did, and it's been truly an amazing experience. You guys have gone way, way above and beyond in terms of the customer service,

thank you for all you've done to help me in taking a small bedroom and turning it into a tremendous source of enjoyment for myself and others.

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!!!!

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.

Here is the best way I can describe my satisfaction, and, then my wife's satisfaction with the speakers:

When I first used them, I decided to put on an Eric Clapton DVD to see how everything sounded. I really wanted to listen to only one song but I couldn't stop listening. I did manage to grudgingly get myself back to my work after I had listened to half the disc. Obviously, the speakers were great.

Now, for my wife. First, I told her to listen to the first 10 minutes of Beverly Hills Cop III. I didn't think it was such a good movie, nor did she, but she insisted on watching the whole movie. The movie sound was certainly attention grabbing. Then, we listened to a Barbra Streisand DVD. Her voice was coming smack-dab (as we used to say in the South) out of her mouth and was as beatiful as if we were there. But, alas, again, we couldn't stop watching until the disc had finished.

I appreciate all of your help and advice on the speakers and the setup.

"I have been enjoying my RSL CG4 and CG24 speakers for a month. I decided to purchase RSL speakers after many hours of research. At first I was a bit apprehensive about purchasing speakers online without listening to them first but was reassured by their 30 day no-risk guarantee return policy. I ordered the speakers online in the morning and they arrived at my doorstep in perfect condition by noon the next day! Throughout the whole ordering process RSL sales kept me informed on the status of my order.

The build quality of these speakers is top rate from the glossy piano black finish to the heavy duty binding posts and removable magnetic speaker grill. The sound quality is superb and the sound clarity is crisp & precise. I can hear every detail of the voice dialog coming from the CG24 center channel.

I am happy with my decision to purchase RSL speakers and would definitely recommend them to anyone."

Wow what a great speaker. The imaging and over all sound from this small speaker is completely accurate. When I listen to pieces of music that I have recorded and mixed, I am finally hearing what was actually going on in the studio. This is not true for other speakers I have listened to my music on, as they all seem to add coloration to the recording.

What a Paradox of a speaker, huge accurate sound in a little box. They should of named the series Paradox because it is a huge sound for a little price

They sound like huge, monster speakers-but they're not!

I recently purchased your RSL CG4 2 Way Satellite Speakers AND a pair of WS31 OmniMount 31" tall Speaker stands. I am pleased to say that my entire transaction process - from calling to ask for information, to receiving the incredibly well-packed products, to setting it all up and finally listening - was a pleasure. I spoke to the founder's son, who was incredibly knowledgeable and articulate. I am not a techie-type "audio-phile" but do love music, and happen to have a hearing disability, making it critical that speakers deliver a strong, clear, consistent sound that does not blow-out my hearing aids. I was not looking for "boom box" sound. The "high range" is especially difficult for me to hear, and the speakers deliver on that point also. So: listening to my new speakers, which perch gracefully on their very own stands, is giving me ultimate listening pleasure. They sound clear and alive to me and I am enjoying every minute of listening, every day. And I have finally been able to say, "I got what I paid for." And a lot more. I know this company will stand by their products. It is easy to give the speakers a +5 rating.

I've been using the RSL Speaker system for 2 weeks in a recording studio setting. I use the CG4s for stereo imaging and low level listening. I give them a 5-star rating.

These little speakers are an amazing value. They are covered in some mysterious, elegant, shiny, black, glossy coating that looks good anywhere. The magnetic metal grilles give them a modern industrial yet still elegant look. They do take a while to burn in but after 3 days they became very smooth. It is hard to comment on the sound as it just sounds like the music. The imaging is very crisp and there is no harshness in the highs, yet with good electronics, great detail is exposed. As the website says, there is no impression of there being a speaker box, no resonance, no box location, just instruments suspended in space. They are small enough to fit beautifully on any shelf (with some loss of imaging) but they do not have much bass, so for serious listening you will need a subwoofer to go with them.

I've been listening to, and evaluating the RSL CG4 and RSL Speedwoofer 10 combination for just over a month now. I should mention to start with, that I prefer listening in a nearfield speaker positioning set-up, with as many feet as possible and practical, between the speakers and the wall behind them. I've found that the RSL monitors work especially well with this type of arrangement, revealing an amazingly wide, (and by wide, I mean often several feet outside of each monitors position), and seemingly effortless reproduction of height, and depth, to the back wall. Having said that, one of my preferred tests of how how specifically MUSICAL a speaker's reproduction can be is by playing an early stereo recording. For this, I used jazz saxophonist Art Pepper's 1957 album "Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section". This recording has sax imaged at hard left, and piano, bass and drums at hard right, with very little depth imaging. With eyes closed, I had no sense that I was listening to music emanating at left and right speaker face, although that is pretty much what this recording requires the speakers to do. The saxophone sounded open and completely free of coloration, and the other instruments, despite being all crammed together at far right, seemed to float effortlessly, and separately, in space. The Speedwoofer 10 was very impressive here, providing convincing, full bass on the right channel, with no sense of separation between sub and monitors, despite the fact that I have the sub positioned 6 1/2 feet behind the CG4's. BTW, the sub's remote adjustable volume control became instantly addictive with me, and essential.

In the last 30 years I've owned long list of speakers, including the various versions of the Vandersteen 2c's, Tannoy DMT 12 monitors, Magnepan MMG, MG12 and 1.6's, and many others. I can honestly say that the CG4, Speedwoofer 10 combination is giving me the most satisfying musical reproduction I've yet experienced in my home listening situation. Would I rather have the "megabuck" speaker pair and amp combination of my choice, in the huge room of my choice? --Of course, but, like most of us, I live within a real world budget. At under $1500 for the CG4 monitors and subwoofer, I haven't heard anything else available right now at anywhere near the price range that I'd rather listen to. --Overall, I'd give the CG4's and Speedwoofer 10 a 4 1/2 star rating, and 5 stars in it's price range.

The RSL CG4 is a very well balanced speaker. From the bass frequencies, through the smooth midrange and on to the treble, the RSL CG4s did a fine job presenting the musical performance. They are revealing enough to hear the finer details of recordings. It is in the area of imaging that these speakers really stand out. They reproduce a wide and deep soundstage. What was surprising was how well the RSL CG4s projected an image, with good center fill and no height limitation. The sound was not limited to a narrow band, just above and below ear level. The music seems to emanate from a spherical area around the speakers; definitely outside the box. When listening to live cuts, the sense of natural space is fully revealed, if captured on the recording. The RSL CG4 is also a very dynamic speaker. When pushed to reasonably loud levels, the speaker did not seem to exhibit any compression of the music.

Swapped with RSL CG24 for couple of days, was very surprised by its sound. Even though it's smaller than CG24 it was hard to hear the difference between them.

The CG4 speakers (two front, two surround), one CG24 (center) and the Speedwoofer 10 are all worthy of five star ratings. Teamed with an Onkyo TX-NR708 receiver and a Blu-ray disc player, the RSL speakers provide an amazing sound experience for movies, television, and all types of music.