Reference Raptor Review Published

[Reffc]

The Raptors have been reviewed and you can read the review here:

http://dagogo.com/reference-fidelity...peakers-review




The Raptors are available for home demo and prices for each hand crafted pair start at £2,700 (web pricing to be updated with lower price).

Cabinet & internal bracing: Constrained panel design, slow grown Latvian Birch Ply
Driver complement: Scanspeak Revelator and Illuminator
Crossovers: 12dB/Octave acoustic, point to point hand wired using components from Jantzen, Claritycap and Mundorf
Finish: High gloss or satin, real wood veneers (choice of timbers).
Warranty: unconditional 24 months with lifetime promise for free upgrades to crossover if ever improved. (They currently do a great job as it stands)
FR: 32Hz-25KHz (-6dB)
Off axis:within 5dB to 20KHz at 30 degrees
Sensitivity: 87dB/1w/1m
Impedance: Nominal 6 Ohms (easy load for almost all amplifier types)
Recommended amplification: PP valve from 40wpc; SS from 60wpc (best results with more powerful designs)

[orbscure]

Great write up Paul... all the best with the project, they certainly are a fine looking speaker

[walpurgis]

Very nice review Paul and a credit to you. I've not heard the Raptors (obviously), but I'm sure I'd like them.

They are a size many homes would be comfortable with and the apparent ease of use and equipment matching is appealing and uncommon.

[Reffc]

Thanks chaps

When designing them, I wanted something that didn't present a silly load and which (importantly) presented a fairly flat load with no drastic phase angles at minimum impedance, so they can be driven quite successfully by single ended amps. One chap who tried them at home said they were great with his 845SE amp which had no difficulty driving them. They are very room unfussy too. As per the review, I also simplified the crossover from the original development design, so that fewer (high quality) components do the same job which is always a worthy goal where passive crossovers are concerned. Voicing has a gentle tilt down between LF and HF which I personally prefer over flat responses (which in room can often sound a little over bright) or worse still, smiley face response (tilted up at bass and treble). Rooms dictate what the final response will be anyway for any speaker but with these, I can accommodate slight filter changes to reflect personal preferences of the customer.

[Andrei]

WD. Also impressed with the review. It is refreshing to have some measurements to back up the subjective impressions.

[KevinF]

I am the reviewer. Just want to confirm that what you read is what you get. The Raptors are stupendously good value for money. They illustrate an immutable law of commerce. Without the marketing budget of the major speaker manufacturers RFC has to price according to cautious public expectation - that is, so inexpensively that potential purchasers wary of treating with a small company find a demo almost irresistible. The gamble is that enough of them trust what they hear and appreciate what amazing value the Raptors are. Some will not, and they'll go a buy a pair of less well engineered speakers for twice or more as much; in other words pay the stupid tax. It's their loss.

[Reffc]

I am the reviewer. Just want to confirm that what you read is what you get. The Raptors are stupendously good value for money. They illustrate an immutable law of commerce. Without the marketing budget of the major speaker manufacturers RFC has to price according to cautious public expectation - that is, so inexpensively that potential purchasers wary of treating with a small company find a demo almost irresistible. The gamble is that enough of them trust what they hear and appreciate what amazing value the Raptors are. Some will not, and they'll go a buy a pair of less well engineered speakers for twice or more as much; in other words pay the stupid tax. It's their loss.

Thank you Kevin, very kind of you to say so.

[docfoster]

Good to see you getting the exposure that you and products deserve Paul.
It was utterly clear from the work that you carried out on my speakers just how good you are at what you do, how much you care about what you do, and how fairly you place value on what you do (possibly unfairly to yourself!).
I'm looking forward to hearing the Raptors. Your works always seem to build on your previous excellence, so I'm expecting great things!

[Reffc]

Thanks Ben, appreciated. You're welcome to pop over any time for a listen.

[docfoster]

Appreciate that Paul. I'd love to make it down from Gloucester one afternoon in the summer. Will be in touch soon. :-)