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Upgrade or sell Infinity RSIIb speakers

I'm wondering if someone can help? I have the aforementioned speakers in apparently excellent condition. I haven't listened to them for about 3 years, but I will likely be able to set up a dedicated listening room next year. In anticipation of this, I started research in upgrading the wiring and active and passive x-overs of this set to maximize their capabilities. I've been told by a well respected, and seemingly very technicaly knowledgable, reviewer that I should get rid of my speakers because of their "design that just doesn't work well" and get a pair of time/phase accurate speakers like Vandersteens or Dunlavys. Now if money were no object, I would do so, but I would like a concensus, if I could get one, on what I should do. I was also planning on getting the TacT room correction unit as well. Might this unit not correct the time/phase inaccuracies of a speaker as well?

Sorry for the long post and thanks if you can help me out!
mikes
sknnyc
51 posts
 
Although I have never owned the RSIIb, I have heard them enough times to tell you that you won't be able to do significantly better without a substantial investment. I do know that the bass was a little sluggish so a "fast" solid state amp (a used Muse 100w could be had for about $400 or so) for the bass and a decent tube amp for the upper (CJ Premiers would work as would VTL Mono 100s) would bring the performance up quite a bit. I think MIT cable worked well with the speakers I'd heard.
jdc1114
19 posts
 
I owned the RS2b's and enjoyed them very much. You do need plenty of room to let them breathe. I never had much success with bi-amping. Even though solid state on the bottom did improve the bass, the overall sound lacked coherence. This bothered me more than the sluggish bass. I agree that the CJ premiers sound wonderful. Mate it with a CAT signature preamp (any version) and you will have a system that is tough to beat.
mikes OP
44 posts
 
Thanks guys!!! Is there any way to improve the bass response? Even if it means x-over/bass driver changes or adding a subwoofer , I'm open to suggestion! I want this system to be ideal.

Thanks

Mike
mikes OP
44 posts
 
Just getting this to the top, trying to get some advice.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I have the RSIIa basically the same as yours. I bought them new in 1983. About 8 years ago I rewired them with AQ Midnight wire strands. (I uses AQ Midnight speaker cable) and took the upper panel crossover out of the cabinet and rewired that too and used (???name of gizmos escapes me: the Henry jobs) ?inductors? replaced with all pure copper wound ones from Michael Piercy. Also removed the fuses and replaced the connections. Also the EQ box got high quality RCAs and resistors.
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