Technics - SB-X3
Each of us has a certain musical history and the path we have followed since the first HI-FI set we heard or owned. The equipment we currently have is probably not the first in our collection, and although some of us may not have come across the Japanese brand Technics, they have probably heard about it, because in the 1980s and 1990s, having a set from this brand was associated with good sound and certainty. a kind of luxury and top-class prestige.
Linear Phase Speakers
For reviews of old products, the so-called I always approach VINTAGE with respect and sentiment, because it was they who initiated the development of today's audio and the trend towards HI-END, and many equipment from that era (especially successful tube amplifier designs) are still considered benchmarks by many audiophiles and hobbyists. musical fidelity.
Many companies conduct their own tests and research on acoustics to improve the structure of the loudspeaker, which since its creation has undergone changes in the structure and materials used that have a positive impact on the sound.
George Ohm's law of acoustics states that the sounds of music are perceived by the human ear as a set of several harmonic tones. Therefore, what reaches our ears from a set of loudspeakers is more or less shifted and phase-disturbed.
Technics SB-X3 Linear Phase, a classic loudspeaker set with a linear phase design from the 1970s and 1980s, which, despite the passage of time, cannot be ignored by many of us, and the mere sight of such a set brings a smile to the face and interest of every audio maniac.
Two words from me
The large 3-way loudspeaker set from Technics evokes many positive emotions and takes you back to your youth, when Unitra and Tonsil debuted on the Polish market. Seeing well-preserved equipment of this class now brings a twinkle to my eye, probably not only for me, but for most people (who at that time didn't dream of such loudspeakers?) Hmm.... Unfortunately, time flies inexorably, and the audio industry and everything around us is constantly developing.
Before I start, however, I would like to add a few words of correction.
As I do not currently have old amplifiers from this era, such as Technics or even Marantz or NAD, and I know from experience that combining two different worlds will not always achieve the desired effect, the test and review cannot be based on reliable provision of information about the sound. reviewed loudspeaker set, and its aim is to check how the old structure will behave when combined with newer technology and what final effect we will achieve.
Let's try to throw some sand into the gears by combining a vintage Technics loudspeaker set with the tested NAIM split sets - NAC 202 / NAP200 and Musical Fidelity A3CR with a Densen-Beat B200 preamplifier controlled by the RME Adi 2 DAC FS digital-to-analog converter connected to a CD transport - Cyrus Xt SE+
CONSTRUCTION
The loudspeaker casing is designed quite unusually for structures from that time. The three-way loudspeaker set is placed non-symmetrically (retracted from each other) in a stepped manner in order to equalize the acoustic band to improve the linear phase, which plays a significant role in delivering the least distorted sound wave to human ears. The SB-X3 uses conical horns for the midrange and tweeter to retract them from the baffle to equalize the frequency response and improve dynamics. The lower frequency range is handled by a not small, 20 cm woofer, supported by a housing ventilated with a front bass-reflex port. The midrange speaker is a 9cm unit placed in a horn to improve linearity at high amplitude. For the highest band, there is a 2.5 cm diameter tweeter with an ultra-thin titanium foil diaphragm ensuring a wide range of high frequencies. There are 2 potentiometers for the mid/tweeter speakers on the front panel of the housing to enable manual adjustment of the high and mid frequency amplification strength on the final route from the loudspeaker itself. The back is characterized by unusual speaker cable terminals that allow the use of small diameter cables and do not accept banana plugs. It must be taken into account that the design of the (screw) speaker terminals in the SB-X3 does not allow the use of spade plugs of standard dimensions. Therefore, only bare speaker cable can be used, and a small diameter one at that. Above the poorly designed loudspeaker terminal terminals there are three buttons that secure the crossover and enable it to be reset.
SOUND
Considering the rather large housing and dimensions of the woofer, one would expect a rich and dynamic sound. Unfortunately, the first contact and a small disappointment, because the tested set, taking into account the capacity of the quite large housing box and the bass-reflex port used, is not able to generate strong bass and exceed the dynamics of current bookshelf speakers. There is bass, but it does not have the appropriate weight and its character is quite boxy. The data included in the manufacturer's specification regarding the low frequency response down to 42 Hz do not translate into the strength and, above all, the quality of the low frequencies. Moving further towards the midrange, we encounter average-quality vocals with poor stereo imaging, unconvincing color reproduction and a bright character. The rather flat sound of the midrange translates into a reduction in the foreground and the entire background of the musical message. Although you can hear some interestingly presented midrange correctness, as a whole it is perceived quite harshly with a lack of body and sophistication. The upper part of the range is sandy and often hissy. It has a poor relationship with the midrange and potentiometers that allow you to adjust the amplification of medium and high frequencies can help a lot here. The cymbals sound fast and bright, as if part of their range had been castrated. The treble does not sound detailed or sweet, it tries to show claw, but it does it by too much saturation towards roughness and exaggeration.
The Technics SB-X3 try to play evenly, although they don't always succeed. To be at least a little satisfied with them, you have to come to terms with the fact of constantly turning the potentiometers of the mid/tweeters, because finding the golden mean is unlikely. To achieve sound consistency, we have to accept some compromises, because after tuning the speakers to part of the music library, you can be quite satisfied with what the Technics serve, but you must pay attention to the fact that the second part of the songs we have will not sound good, and I would even be tempted to say that it is terrible. This forces us to constantly adjust the speakers depending on the music being played, and that is not what the system is about. Music is supposed to calm us down, fascinate us and take us to another dimension and world, not discourage us with constant tuning.
CONCLUSION
Honestly, it's hard to describe the sound of these speakers, because in some situations they can present certain colors of instruments in an interesting way. Despite everything, there is no coherence between the speakers operating together in a 3-way system and the dynamics we expect from a loudspeaker set of this size. To sum up, the XB-X3 is not a very successful design, which may be liked by people whose proverbially "ears have been stepped on by an elephant", but for someone who has heard more than one well-playing set, it will be unacceptable - such disco-like sound with a lack of emotion and dynamics and exaggerated by a rough and sharp treble.
TECHNICAL DATA
Housing: housing with bass-reflex system
System: 3-way
Drive units:
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20cm woofer
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9cm midrange cone speaker,
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2.5cm dome tweeter
Technology: 2 front potentiometers for tweeter and mid range
Security: 3 rear buttons for securing and resetting the woofer/mid range/tweeter
Terminals: screw-on terminals with plastic nuts
Frequency response: 42 Hz – 20 kHz / -10dB
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Power: (peak) 100W, DIN 70W
Dimensions: width 280 cm / height 537 cm / depth 256 cm
Weight: with cover 11.5 kg
Development: Łabędź Przemysław