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COMMON QUESTIONS
Many of the questions we get centre around the issue of how to make our Ribbon loudspeakers sound their best. There is no easy answer to this as our loudspeakers are very easy and neutral loads to drive. They will pretty much allow any component to perform to its best. Therefore, in terms of electronics, the question is not what works best but "What do you like?"
In making any changes to your system, we advocate going one step at a time. Change one component and allow it to break in so you can appreciate its impact. Wholesale changes will leave you in confusion for months.
Do you sell single speakers as opposed to pairs?Can I use Newform Ribbons to replace the tweeters and mid-range on my 15 year old
JBL/Infinity/much loved favourite?Centre ChannelHow does the centre channel issue stand now with the discrete formats Dolby Digital
and DTS?Some kit builders are using dipole Ribbons for home theatre by putting a back on them
to turn them into monopoles.Is it safe to buy anything now without it becoming obsolete in 6 months?Which amp works best with your loudspeakers? Ribbons as add-ons.Which subwoofer?Which cables?Speaker Upgrades (Tweaks)ObsolescenceCan I remove the faceplate?To spike or not to spikeHow long do the Ribbons last?Do the Ribbons require stretching or any other kind of maintenance? How long does break in take?How long has Newform Research been in business?Do you sell single speakers as opposed to pairs?
Yes. Cost is 1/2 of the pair price plus $20 for increased shipping and customs burden. If ordered with other speakers, the $20 charge is dropped.
Can I use Newform Ribbons to replace the tweeters and mid-range on my 15 year old JBL/Infinity/much loved favourite?
It is better to start from scratch than to butcher a working loudspeaker which will prove problematic in level matching, crossover points and dispersion patterns. Several people have added our Ribbons to Magnaplanars and have been very happy but to take full advantage of the Ribbons' capabilities, they should be used in fresh, simple designs.
Centre Channel
Centre channels are still not needed by the vast majority of our owners but some do prefer them. Also, some DVD audio recordings used with some processors do not allow the centre channel to be switched off (and then automatically mixed into the left and right channels). This affects a very few recordings but it indicates the confusion surrounding the new formats. The centre channel remains, in our view, a bad idea which should be designed out of existence by the software and electronics leaders.
Having said that, Newform has developed the R58 which will can be used as a centre channel as well as a surround speaker and studio monitor. As a centre channel, it can sit on the floor in front of the screen, tilting up. Therefore it avoids many of the reflection issues of the conventional centre designs and due to its line source configuration avoids the off-axis lobing of the MTM alignments.
How does the centre channel issue stand now with the discrete formats Dolby Digital and DTS?
The high end jury is increasingly negative on the necessity of a centre channel whereas with Pro Logic it was always a firm NO! Since you can always add a centre channel speaker if you feel you need it, don't order it now. With the soundstaging capability of our Ribbons, there is a very good chance you won't ever feel the need for one. Some decoders do not have a "Phantom" setting but mix the signal when the centre channel is switched off, which is the same thing. This topic is dealt with at great length in Update 4.0 About 1 in 15 or 20 of our customers feel they need a centre channel. The issue is probably heavily influenced by the room, placement and the processor itself.
Some kit builders are using dipole Ribbons for home theatre by putting a back on them to turn them into monopoles.
While putting a back on a dipole will turn it into a monopole, it won't necessarily be a good monopole. Our advice (biased as it is) is to use something that was designed from the start as a monopole.
Is it safe to buy anything now without it becoming obsolete in 6 months?
A good sub, Newform loudspeakers, (there might be some bias here) and good but not extremely expensive amps are also relatively safe. Poor investments at this point would have to be anything which is in the digital domain now or is about to be encroached upon by digital. In the digital realm, price collapses and obsolescence are virtually guaranteed on a yearly basis. Think very carefully before buying any expensive CD player, DAC or processor. Very high end amps will probably depreciate very quickly over the next 3 - 4 years.
Which amp works best with your loudspeakers?
There are many good amplifiers at reasonable prices out now. The Spectron is the best we have heard but many of our customers are very happy with their amps from Stratas Odyessy, Musical Fidelity, Classe and of course Levinson, Krell McCormack etc. Bryston, long a great name for value and support, is now said to be producing some of the best sounding amps on the planet, up from just very good.
Ribbons as add-ons.
Adding our Ribbons on to an existing design may give better highs but is probably not cost effective given the work that has to be done to modify the existing loudspeaker. You are probably better off starting from scratch and selling the existing speakers rather than modifying their crossovers and their cabinets irretrievably.
Which subwoofer?
The key to integrating our speakers and your room with a subwoofer is a low crossover point and a fairly fast subwoofer. This means a unit from a reputable manufacturer in the $800+ range. Typically, successful installations run our loudspeakers full range and use the sub up to around 40Hz. Make sure the sub has a crossover which will go down that low and make sure it makes it down to 20Hz at reasonable volume without distress. Typically, a sub with a 10" driver is faster (cleaner at higher frequencies - less "mud") than one with a 12" and an 8" is faster than a 10" etc. However, the larger the cone, the more air the unit is likely to pump. There are many quality subwoofer manufacturers today. Paradigm, HSU, Vandersteen (interesting triple 8" design), Velodyne, Mirage and M&K all make excellent units. REL is great if you can afford it.
Which cables?
The never ending audiophile question. Basically, Nordost and Analysis Plus make good cables whose prices are related to their performance in a logical manner. Ditto Kimber. MIT and Goertz are high capacitance designs which are attempting to fix a problem which does not exist in our loudspeakers. They may work well with other designs but our advice is to stay away from anything which acts as a filter and eliminate the source of the problem rather than attempting to compensate for it later.
Speaker Upgrades (Tweaks)
See our Tweak section. Hopping up our loudspeakers is becoming a very popular activity but don't get drawn into projects that you aren't equipped to tackle!
Obsolescence
We have been advocating caution (or perhaps realistic expectations) in the purchase of any product whose function is in or is going to be in the digital domain in the near future. Once the digital realm extends to cover a particular segment of the signal chain then it can be assumed that computer-like price/performance developments will take over. That is, future products will be cheaper with much higher performance. Witness CD players, DVD players and TVs of all kinds.
Up next for changes are processors and in several year amplifiers and cables. Newform loudspeakers are upgradable and their line source radiation pattern will remain current as long as listening rooms maintain their current architecture.
Can I remove the faceplate?
NO!
To spike or not to spike
Try it. There are too many variables to make absolute predictions. Generally, if you have wood joist floors, spiking is a benefit.
How long do the Ribbons last?
There is no reason to think that the Ribbons won't last 20 + years. In fact, there is no reason to predict they won't last forever but we all know nothing does.
Do the Ribbons require stretching or any other kind of maintenance?
Newform Ribbons are made with Kapton film which is the same material used to sheath satellites. Consequently, our diaphragms are very dimensionally stable and very durable. They don't require maintenance.
How long does break in take?
Breakin experiences are many and varied but the longer and louder you play them, the faster they will break in. If you have a non-tube amp you can perhaps leave them on at moderate levels during the day.
How long has Newform Research been in business?
We have been shipping our Ribbon loudspeakers since 1992.
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