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SPEAKER FORUMS >> HR-1 >> New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
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Message started by Steve Deckert on 10/10/18 at 04:35:52

Title: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Steve Deckert on 10/10/18 at 04:35:52

Please read the report of this years DECFEST aka DECWARE ZEN FEST that took place for 3 days and nights in October 2018.

https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1536369812/37#37

This will give you the back history on the following comments.

The HR-1 is priced at the top of the speakers on the DECWARE web site because it is the most difficult to build and the overall most refined and disciplined sounding with the higher power amplifiers.

This year after I can't count how many years of reference level sound, the speaker was re-evaluated, and resigned to compete with the new DNA2. It basically got it's balls pulled up through its nostrils and a brain transplant. Pretty serious shit for such an acclaimed speaker. A speaker everyone loved. Nevertheless the crossover-less main driver in the DNA2 was so compelling that there was really no way a speaker using a crossover could compete regardless of how good it was.

So a redesigned speaker emerged that for the first time features a completely crossover-less main omnidirectional driver which simply leveled the playing field between the two speakers.

I'm listening to it now with the 25th Anniversary Zen Triode Amplifier and getting the same UNREAL experiences I have documented with the DNA2 speakers all year. The difference is that while not as efficient and better served by a more powerful amp, the soundstage is just S I C K. It sounds like the DNA2 but even better and everywhere. No matter where you are.

While the speaker is a serious redesign, it's really not going to cost a lot more to make from scratch, so while there will be a price increase, it won't be unreasonable at all, trust me. Worth 10 times the price whatever it is.

In the past, the HR-1 has always been a top performer. Very disciplined and capable of dealing with and accurately reproducing higher power levels with eyebrow raising results. It is now a speaker that makes you weak in the knees where modest -- entrancing -- listening levels can be achieved with as little as 3 watts. Put 30 or 60 watts on it, and your couch and listening room transmute into an aircraft carrier floating in the clouds.

So if you've been on the fence about a new pair of HR-1's I would recommend ordering them NOW before Bob figures out what the new price is going to be!!! Seriously. Kind of like early bird gets the worm. Obviously all HR-1 owners since the beginning will also be able to send their speakers in and get them updated to the current model. Bob is working out the upgrade prices for various years and will have them available this winter which is coming fast!

We will be updating the web page in the next several weeks with any changes price and options. There have been no changes to the appearance of the speakers.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by JAG on 01/29/19 at 22:26:41

Steve, will there be an upgrade for the "old" HR-1's?

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by ZYGI on 02/01/19 at 20:11:35

Jag,

Yes there is an upgrade for the older version, yes!

The driver I used for the upgrade was to be discontinued, and I waited until I had the newest version in house, and a chance to play with it.

I am very pleased with the new driver as well. I just received them this past wednesday and have only had about 4 hours with them. I'll get more listening time this weekend.

Unfortunately the speakers are going to have to be a sent to me for the upgrade. Over the years I had different ways to mount the crossover so I have to build the new crossover accordingly. New lower grill plates are needed to accept the new drivers as well.

Zygi

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by JAG on 02/07/19 at 11:44:35

Thanks, standing by for the details.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 02/28/19 at 20:13:54

I'm psyched to have ordered a pair!! I ordered them in oak, which should be interesting since Bob hasn't used oak veneer before. If it matches my oak flooring too much, I'll have to get an isolation platform to contrast them. I'll probably get some sort of isolation/decoupling from the wood floors anyway. Anyone out there with HR-1's on wood flooring?

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Archie on 02/28/19 at 20:53:48

My floors are wood and I have my HR1s on isolation platforms. It really tightened up the bass. They will put out bass but the ZR2 really helps too.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 02/28/19 at 22:00:54

Are those the dark ones with a design on them that you can't get in the states anymore? I saw another forum thread on that. Right now I'm using Herbies Fat Dots on the bottom of my father-in-law made Alder platforms.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Archie on 03/01/19 at 00:36:01

Quote:

Is this directed at me? If so, my platforms are DIY.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 04/11/19 at 19:55:22

Yes it was. I'd be interested in a picture if you can. I'm still patiently waiting for the HR-1's. I also like all your responses for the 1200G!

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 08/01/19 at 21:20:15

My HR-1's have been updated to "cutting room" but the link I received didn't work and I'm wondering what "cutting room" means.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Lon on 08/01/19 at 21:31:02

Congrats! My guess is that this is similar to "on the bench" in the amplifier build list. Work has started on your pair, probably the cabinets are beginning to be built.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Donnie on 08/01/19 at 22:56:08

I believe that Bob's cutting facility is in his small shop that only employs around 125 people. The material will be then trucked by one of the company's 25 semi's to the main assembly factory and hand assembled by one of the 2500 artisans employed there. Then on to the finishing facility to be finished as smooth as your first real date's thigh, put through final QC and then rushed to your front step in the private delivery helicopter.
Or I could be wrong about the scale of the whole operation. I get confused easily.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 08/23/19 at 17:01:35

I saw the first pics of the HR-1's I ordered. The Red Elm veneer is pretty cool! Kind of an arrow pointing to the drivers.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Lon on 08/23/19 at 17:24:11

Very pretty! Look very much like the way my smaller Mapleshade Audio Samson rack has aged from its original light maple look.

I bet the updated HR-1s are awesome sounding!

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 08/29/19 at 16:55:57

It's interesting that I ordered the HR-1's right before Steve started his Big Betsy project. I'm still fine with my HR-1 order because I'm sure they'll sound great and they won't be as big of a presence in our living room as a big betsy would be.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 08/31/19 at 05:46:11

Received the HR-1’s today and immediately hooked them up. The difference between them and the Klipsch KG4’s was striking. They sound bad ass! I have to turn my Torii up to 2pm to get the volume I want but I had to do that with the KG4’s too. Totally happy! PS: I’m running TAD KT66’s in my MKIV.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Lon on 08/31/19 at 11:47:29

That's fantastic news! The HR-1s keep getting better sounding, mine do even years later. And with the updated version I bet you are getting excellent sound.

Those TAD KT66 are really good, aren't they!

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 09/01/19 at 00:23:13

Yes. I’ve noticed more 3D imaging with them as opposed to the EL’s.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Lon on 09/01/19 at 15:25:20

You know, I feel the HR-1s are the perfect speakers for me. I'm not creating playlists of tunes that sound fantastic, I'm listening to disc after disc of music I enjoy, of varying recording quality. The "radial" element and the front-firing driver and the lower woofer and the ribbon tweeter are all so well coordinated that so much of the music sounds wonderful, and I just get lost in the music. Sure I'd like to have some Big Betsys or the same baffle with the Crystal 10 for impact and those fantastic ultra-great recordings. . . but I'd have to get a divorce, seriously, and I don't want that for a dozen reasons and chasing the last percentages of fidelity isn't worth that for me AT ALL.

One day I may be able to get my HR-1s updated. . . but in the meantime. . .my two pair make me happy every day.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by atacgene on 10/03/19 at 20:16:42

I am interested in trying these radial speakers. Now how is placement of these speakers like? Need to be near wall to reflect the sound ? Or not matter ? My room is a bit irregular so one side may have more wall than the other. I am trying to find speakers where the wall is not much of a factor, which I read apparently the radial speakers are less fussy with walls, but from the design it appears some wall reflection behind or around these speakers are desirable?

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Lon on 10/03/19 at 22:07:09

These speakers are amazing. They can really shine away from walls, they have many possible placements. As you can imagine bass response is fortified nearer room boundaries, but there's strong bass from these speakers and other ways to insure a good bass response, they can thrive away from walls and corners with some care and experimenting with placement.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Archie on 10/04/19 at 00:26:42

I mainly kept my HR1s against a wall and they sounded great. The times I'd pull them a few feet out I didn't hear much or any difference. The ZBOBs I'm running now are more sensitive to wall closeness. Closer seems to disturb the imaging but maybe not the sound so much (just by comparison).

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 10/18/19 at 18:47:04

What's the best way (or is there one) to hook up my 4 binding post HR-1's to my 2 binding post (per side) MK-1V? I just saw a video where the Darko hooked up the top negative post on the left and the bottom positive post on the right. Does this even make a difference?

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by Archie on 10/19/19 at 01:00:54

If I understand your question, they can be bi-wired with 4 wire cables tied together at the amp or jumpered between the lower and upper speaker posts and run with 2 wire cables to the amp. The upper posts drive the HR1 tweeters.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 10/21/19 at 00:55:59

Thanks so much Archie. I’m still learning. I noticed that my HR-1’s already had a jump cable between the posts. I didn’t see it before. Thanks again for responding! PS: Bob hides it pretty well.

Title: Re: New updated HR-1's at the DECFEST 2018
Post by bikehappy1 on 11/21/19 at 03:17:25

Everybody is talking about the new ob,s which is really cool. I can however be cooking in the kitchen and still hear damn good sound from my radial HR-1 speakers. It’s amazing how the sound conforms to the surroundings. The dining room sound is awesome too!!