DBX Soundfiled V Speakers

Joe08867
Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
edited June 2011 in Vintage Speakers
Hey guys,

I have the chance to pick up some DBX Soundfield V speakers for free.

I don't know much about them but free is free.

Anybody ever hear these before?

Speakers.jpg
Post edited by Joe08867 on

Comments

  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,471
    edited June 2011
    Party speakers. But for free, eh why not.
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,573
    edited June 2011
    Yes, there ok. It's a diffuse soundfield by design.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
  • reeseecup01
    reeseecup01 Posts: 10
    edited June 2011
    Yup, I agree, Free is Free!
  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited June 2011
    (Party Speaker) That's kinda what I figured looking at them.

    Doro, The whole diffused soundfield thing intrigues me. I like different ideas in sound, That's why I first bought SDA's. Not that I am comparing them.

    I'll let you know how they sound. Hopefully the surrounds aren't dry rotted.
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,573
    edited June 2011
    Think DefTech.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    edited June 2011
    I remember seeing them in DAK growing up. I think that was the time DBX and BSR were the same company.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    edited June 2011
    Thunder Lizard I think DAK called them. shoot memories are flooding back.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,573
    edited June 2011
    Reesecup is a female so go ahead and start pouncing on her Club Polk.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
  • Timothy Smith
    Timothy Smith Posts: 764
    edited June 2011
    dorokusai wrote: »
    Reesecup is a female so go ahead and start pouncing on her Club Polk.

    WHAT!....do you assume that we are all desperate nerd-type spazzes who obsess over stereos because we don't know how to talk to hot chicks? ......well...OK, that's pretty much true. But thanks for the tip about the new Lady of the female type anyway. Where is my Hi-Karate aftershave?
    Norh ACA-2B tube pre, Sumo Andromeda SS amp. Magneplanar MMG speakers, M&K MX1250 Subwoofer, Pro-Ject RM1.3 Genie TT with Sumiko Pearl MM cart., Keces DAC, Cambridge Audio Azur 640c CD player
  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited June 2011
    Looking on the web I think it was just before the end when these came out. They were owned by BSR and pretty much over. That said the last ones I remember had a standard flat front box cabinet not a slanted cabinet like these. I have never had a chance to hear dbx before. I read that the drivers are old Pioneer. Might be cool f it is true.

    The reviews are truly mixed. So I will give them a thorough going over and listen before I pass judgment. I am not expecting the world but wouldn't mind something unique to fool with.
  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,567
    edited June 2011
    I always wanted to hear these.

    post-8-1265844032.jpg
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
  • geoff727
    geoff727 Posts: 546
    edited June 2011
    halo71 wrote: »
    I always wanted to hear these.

    post-8-1265844032.jpg

    Soundfield I's. I remember those as a teenager. I remember thinking, "If I actually had money, would I buy those or the SDA SRS's?":rolleyes:

    Guess it turned out to be the Polk's!:smile:
    Polk SDA SRS 2
    Polk RTA 15tl
    Polk Monitor 7C
    Polk Lsi9

    Infinity RS-II (modded)
    Infinity RS-IIIa (modded)
    Infinity RS 2.5 x 2

    Magnepan 1.6QR (modded)

    System: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1290711373
  • rsromasoma
    rsromasoma Posts: 5
    edited June 2011
    I am tempted to buy a 2.1 sound system for my new led tv (i only have room for 2.1) I linked up my 5.1.
    NO SPAM IN YOUR SIG PLZ
  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited June 2011
    geoff727 wrote: »
    Soundfield I's. I remember those as a teenager. I remember thinking, "If I actually had money, would I buy those or the SDA SRS's?":rolleyes:

    Guess it turned out to be the Polk's!:smile:

    I wonder if they were the inspiration? :confused:
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited June 2011
    Halo, I have wondered how those would sound considering they have four 10" woofers facing in four different directions in the same cab. Some kind of isobaric bass config maybe? And what's with the 6 tweeters.
  • geoff727
    geoff727 Posts: 546
    edited June 2011
    It's just a basic omnidirectional readiator, kind of a poor man's German Physiks or mbl speaker. Omni's actually have a lot of potential for good imaging and disappearing into the soundstage, and the omni bass also has a lot of potential for less excitement of specific room bass modes. They have the advantage of sending out an even wavefront of sound into the room, whereas front radiators do not. Their sound changes dramatically off-axis. This can make a big difference when sound starts relecting off objects/walls in the listening room. When you eliminate the uneven off-axis frequency response of a front radiator, there is the potential for far less colored room reflections.

    I doubt the woofers were isobarically-loaded. That would require twice as many woofers (4 that you don't see inside the cab). But still, the cabinets do look kind of small for the volume required for 4 woofers. Maybe they did use some kind of trick to get proper bass extension, electronic equalization or something.
    Polk SDA SRS 2
    Polk RTA 15tl
    Polk Monitor 7C
    Polk Lsi9

    Infinity RS-II (modded)
    Infinity RS-IIIa (modded)
    Infinity RS 2.5 x 2

    Magnepan 1.6QR (modded)

    System: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1290711373
  • geoff727
    geoff727 Posts: 546
    edited June 2011
    Here's another picture of the Soundfield 1. So here, there's clearly a direction the speaker is supposed to be pointed (arrow towards other speaker). And, this tweeter is obviously a different model than the others. Curiouser and curiouser.

    Anyone have more info on these?
    Polk SDA SRS 2
    Polk RTA 15tl
    Polk Monitor 7C
    Polk Lsi9

    Infinity RS-II (modded)
    Infinity RS-IIIa (modded)
    Infinity RS 2.5 x 2

    Magnepan 1.6QR (modded)

    System: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vevol&1290711373
  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited June 2011
    Went to check out the Soundfield V's and decided against it. All of the surrounds were shot and the cabinets are some of the worst built I have ever seen. If the speakers looked worth repairing I would have taken them but I don't know where the Manufacturer came up with those numbers but that 15 had a 10-15oz magnet tops. And it was the off white tan color speaker.

    They definitely had a unique appearance but talk about all bling and no substance.

    Sorry didn't take pics but truly not worth it.
  • Joe08867 wrote: »
    Hey guys,

    I have the chance to pick up some DBX Soundfield V speakers for free.

    I don't know much about them but free is free.

    Anybody ever hear these before?

    Speakers.jpg

    I know this is an old thread yet I have a pair and for 75 a piece they are really nice speakers and efficient as they only need 20 watts to drive them.
    I read a lot of negative comments on them, I recently purchased another pair and they sound as good as my first pair, what a deal, I can't imagine there's any pair of $75 each speakers that would sound better than these.
  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
    edited October 2019
    I have a chance to get these DBX Soundfield V for 20 bucks, I think I'll give them a try. If they don't work out perhaps they'll make a nice karma.
  • DBX had folded up around 1991, 92 and DAK bought the rights to the name and sold a bunch of garbage speakers and amps under the DBX name (i.e. Soundfield V's, XB140, XB150, MPA-150, some crappy particle board vinyl covered DB-SW15 and a sub and satellite speaker system DB-SW 2x6. Quite a shame really as the original company made high quality components. DBX, BSR, and ADC (Audio Dynamics) were all the same company. The SF-1's and SF-10's were the speakers that the real DBX company sold and you needed the matching control units for them to work correctly.