An evening with the rethms - lowthers full range

suri

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Hi all,

on the 9th of april, 2009, I and a friend spent an evening in Cochin with Suresh (Jacob George) listening to the latest iteration of his RETHM loudspeakers (full range Lowther). It was a magical evening!

I had last listened to these speakers in 1999. It was a short session, with Stevie Ray Vaughan's CD spinning (Tin Pan Alley). I clearly remember the ability (of those speakers) to create a 'live" soundstage - I almost felt the singer's spit on my face! When i was leaving I wondered aloud if I could afford to buy the speakers - Suresh had a simple solution - "Sell your car", he said to me!

This time around, the audition started with the same CD and the magic was re-created! This was a long session and i was sorry when it ended. The single full range lowthers have been bolstered in the bass segment by a custom built subwoofer designed and implemented in house by Suresh

The tracks included Diana Krall's "Live in Paris", Neil Diamond's "Gold",
David Coverdale, Pink Floyd, and ended with Devdas. This last, Suresh uses as a test CD.

Yes, I will sell my car, if necessary, to buy the Rethms!
 
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Hi,

Thats really great ! have been reading so much bout it but never got a real impression of them !

Good that you posted this :)! We would really appreciate if you could elaborate on the whole experience ! Like what was the electronics driving these beauties and stuff !

Also if you have heard the Audire speakers how would you compare both ( I know this sounds different or even silly but give it a try ) !

Also if you can post the pics bigger it'd be really nice ! if you are unsure of how to do it just check this thread for the same !

How to insert images in the post

Hoping to see some action from you !!

Regards.
 
Hi all,

on the 9th of april, 2009, I and a friend spent an evening in Cochin with Suresh (Jacob George) listening to the latest iteration of his RETHM loudspeakers (full range Lowther). It was a magical evening!

I had last listened to these speakers in 1999. It was a short session, with Stevie Ray Vaughan's CD spinning (Tin Pan Alley). I clearly remember the ability (of those speakers) to create a 'live" soundstage - I almost felt the singer's spit on my face! When i was leaving I wondered aloud if I could afford to buy the speakers - Suresh had a simple solution - "Sell your car", he said to me!

This time around, the audition started with the same CD and the magic was re-created! This was a long session and i was sorry when it ended. The single full range lowthers have been bolstered in the bass segment by a custom built subwoofer designed and implemented in house by Suresh

The tracks included Diana Krall's "Live in Paris", Neil Diamond's "Gold",
David Coverdale, Pink Floyd, and ended with Devdas. This last, Suresh uses as a test CD.

Yes, I will sell my car, if necessary, to buy the Rethms!

Buddy

Can you please provide us with more information...
on the product...

they look seriously smthin special...
n ur experience...n the car thing...gives a hint wht they sound like...

till date hv just heard the DIY from Sreekanth...
But, would like to have a feel of these speakers too..

Wt say Sreekanth.. when shud we plan for the same..???
 
Agree with you completely. Correctly setup with the right gear, they can create serious magic. Coherency, superb imaging and soundstage are their forte. The earlier issue with limited low end extension is more or less solved with the active bass module in each speaker.
I have been to Sureshs place some three times now and they never fail to impress me each time:)
And Jacob is a meticulous, immaculate gentleman.
 
Agree with you completely. Correctly setup with the right gear, they can create serious magic. Coherency, superb imaging and soundstage are their forte. The earlier issue with limited low end extension is more or less solved with the active bass module in each speaker.
I have been to Sureshs place some three times now and they never fail to impress me each time:)
And Jacob is a meticulous, immaculate gentleman.

Are these speakers designed in house? Where is this place in cochin:p?
Pl pl tell us more or furnish a link about the same
 
@suri - Which model was this and any info on the price?

Hi moserw,

as of today, there are two models - RETHM SADHAANA and RETHM MAARGA.

the first is the better one with a bass module , and the one that we heard.

the cd transport was top loading and i think it was a philips mechanism

the pricing on the new rethm saadhanas will be about $ 7000 = about Rs. 3,50,000/- rupees
regards
 
Hi moserw,

as of today, there are two models - RETHM SADHAANA and RETHM MAARGA.

the first is the better one with a bass module , and the one that we heard.

the cd transport was top loading and i think it was a philips mechanism

the pricing on the new rethm saadhanas will be about $ 7000 = about Rs. 3,50,000/- rupees
regards

And I believe they come with an inbuilt amp? I think I read somewhere the reason for that is it sounds better with the internal amp as assembled by Mr. Jacob along with the speaker. Can you confirm if its true or does it need an external amp?
 
And I believe they come with an inbuilt amp? I think I read somewhere the reason for that is it sounds better with the internal amp as assembled by Mr. Jacob along with the speaker. Can you confirm if its true or does it need an external amp?

Hi moserw,

the bass module has a custom (built-in amp), but the Lowther single drivers need external amps. (in essence, the bass modules are active, whereas the full range lowthers are passive)

Mr. Jacob has, apparently, spent a lot of time building these amps with special components so that they integrate with the extreme speed of the lowthers.

As of now, The rethm saadhanas and Mr.Jacob are participating in the Munich high-end show starting april 23th.

I have information that Mr. Jacob may be willing to sell the original Rethms with the 6" lowthers (before they were modified to include the subwoofers) for around 2 lacs. These were the Rethms that blew my mind, and somehow i feel that these were better than the present rethm saadhanas with the subwoofers. the originals were PURIST, the present ones pander to the whims of the public!

If anyone is interested, i will intercede on your behalf
 
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@suri - Will keep you posted. Need a pair and deciding between Cadence and these among others. Hopefully can get a few auditions in too. Budget is around 2.5-3 lacs max. Will be mainly for music, a 2.0 setup with a sub thrown in. Source (as can be expected by now considering its me) is a PC with the usual suspects.

Hi moserw,

the bass module has a custom (built-in amp), but the Lowther single drivers need external amps. (in essence, the bass modules are active, whereas the full range lowthers are passive)

Mr. Jacob has, apparently, spent a lot of time building these amps with special components so that they integrate with the extreme speed of the lowthers.

As of now, The rethm saadhanas and Mr.Jacob are participating in the Munich high-end show starting april 23th.

I have information that Mr. Jacob may be willing to sell the original Rethms with the 6" lowthers (before they were modified to include the subwoofers) for around 2 lacs. These were the Rethms that blew my mind, and somehow i feel that these were better than the present rethm saadhanas with the subwoofers. the originals were PURIST, the present ones pander to the whims of the public!

If anyone is interested, i will intercede on your behalf
 
@suri - Will keep you posted. Need a pair and deciding between Cadence and these among others. Hopefully can get a few auditions in too. Budget is around 2.5-3 lacs max. Will be mainly for music, a 2.0 setup with a sub thrown in. Source (as can be expected by now considering its me) is a PC with the usual suspects.

If I remember correctly, couple of weeks back you had bought a pair: AVI ADM9 from UK for about 70k. Do you really need/ buy all these speakers??:confused:
 
the latest saadhnas with the custom built (peerless) bass driver and in built amp, are designed to address the traditional failing of full-range drivers, which is their inability to convincingly resolve (or even reasonably reproduce) frequencies below 50 hz.

I can understand Suri's perspective of preferring the earlier Saadhna's since that was a much more purist single-driver design, but the reviews i've read about the latest saadhnas are also mindblowing, although I don't imagine it would be a "works for all" type of speaker.

I met Prithvi the last time I was in Bangalore and he has promised me an audition of these babies once he has set them up again (he had to dismantle them for some personal reasons). Of course I understand that the saadhnas sound their best after a LOT of burning in. He has warned me that I won't want to listen to any other speakers after hearing these.
 
Hi moserw,

as of today, there are two models - RETHM SADHAANA and RETHM MAARGA.

the first is the better one with a bass module , and the one that we heard.

the cd transport was top loading and i think it was a philips mechanism

the pricing on the new rethm saadhanas will be about $ 7000 = about Rs. 3,50,000/- rupees
regards


Till now I have only heard good stuff about these..the ONLY negetive with the older Rethms were that they needed lot of space behind them was this tha case with these as well ? if not they are a fantastic option in that range
 
Hi moserw,

the bass module has a custom (built-in amp), but the Lowther single drivers need external amps. (in essence, the bass modules are active, whereas the full range lowthers are passive)

Mr. Jacob has, apparently, spent a lot of time building these amps with special components so that they integrate with the extreme speed of the lowthers.

As of now, The rethm saadhanas and Mr.Jacob are participating in the Munich high-end show starting april 23th.

I have information that Mr. Jacob may be willing to sell the original Rethms with the 6" lowthers (before they were modified to include the subwoofers) for around 2 lacs. These were the Rethms that blew my mind, and somehow i feel that these were better than the present rethm saadhanas with the subwoofers. the originals were PURIST, the present ones pander to the whims of the public!

If anyone is interested, i will intercede on your behalf

I agree that the original Rethm was Purist. It blew my mind too when I heard it for the first time.
But it had its limitations with the kind of music it could play at realistic levels with the required extension in the lower octaves. A purist listener would of course compromise the lowest octaves and relish the coherency in the music.
Jacob has somehow managed to add the extension without compromising the speed and coherency.
I think it is a great achievement.
BTW: Here are some pics of the Rethms at the Munich hi-end.
http://www.open-end-music.de/vb3/attachment.php?attachmentid=2464&d=1242945374
Klang Projekt
 
I met Prithvi the last time I was in Bangalore and he has promised me an audition of these babies once he has set them up again (he had to dismantle them for some personal reasons). Of course I understand that the saadhnas sound their best after a LOT of burning in. He has warned me that I won't want to listen to any other speakers after hearing these.

Hi psychotropic,

That statement is so true, about not wanting to listen to other speakers after listening to the rethms - you keep wanting their immediacy and their realism.
and one keeps comparing other loudspeakers that one hears to the rethms.

I wonder if I have stopped enjoying music after listening to the rethms, and will start listening once i can acquire a pair!

regards
 
If I remember correctly, couple of weeks back you had bought a pair: AVI ADM9 from UK for about 70k. Do you really need/ buy all these speakers??:confused:

Hey not for me man. A friend has a built a new home and now we are working on an AV room. If it were me with that kind of budget I would assemble a killer rig of a PC that will play audio and video better than anything else, play games, do live video conferencing with just about anyone/anywhere, and have terabytes of data storage space among other things.

Unfortunately most people are still against the concept of a PC and BS/powered speakers etc. My friend admits the music on my system is the best he has heard yet he wants FS and the traditional amp/stereo rig.

I hope I will scare him with the costs involved and he will agree to a PC based rig!
 
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