Line arrays - or even more specificlly, line source have lots of adavantages over point sources - especially if the point source speakers don't pay significant attention to diffraction. The only large point source that really takes diffraction seriously is the Rockport Arrakis - which is also a bi amplified, active crossover speaker (another big advantge over full range, large passive speakers). I would never seriously consider a large passive, full range speaker ( considered to be a "superspeaker")over $100k, as getting true full range, linear bass response in a room like that is virtually impossible. Hence, the Infinty IRS, the Genesis, the big Tidals and the Wisdom LS4's, are all at minimum, bi amplifed with at least one active crossover point. Even Wilson's true "super speaker" (discontinued because parts became tough to source and the impractibilty of its designer needing to go out to every install to set them up) - the WAMM - was actively bi amplified - and it also had full equalization inculded.
Genesis 1.1 VS Wilson X2 Alexandria
- Thread starter MrAcoustat
- Start date
The IRS V is a dream speaker of mine. I have only heard the IRS II and it had a midrange to die for. The EMIMs are something else, although there seems to be a reliability problem with these drivers as a few of these seems to sound distorted and it was hard to track which ones are defective. The highs that came out of the EMITs always had a sweet and thick texture to it, and the bass, incredible. I came so close in owning the IRS Beta in the 90s but somehow I chose the B&W800 Matrix back then. I will always have a soft heart for those IRS series of loudspeakers.
I had Infinity II's for several years before replacing them with my Magnepans. I had to replace several midrange and tweeter drivers in mine and others' systems, and at that time Infinity acknowledged there were reliability issues (at least to the dealer I worked for, as a tech). Bi-amped with a Phase Linear 700 and ARC D79, or sometimes ML or Krell monoblocks, those Infinity's could move some air! We did a lot of comparing the IRS to B&W 801 systems; those who had the space usually went with the IRS. Unfortunately, few had the space, so the 801 outsold the IRS by a fair margin. I prefer the mids and highs of my Maggies, but the bass of the Infinity's was incredible.
I would love to hear Gary's systems; from what I read they have surpassed the IRS in many ways. Of course, they are out of my price range by several decimal points...
I would love to hear Gary's systems; from what I read they have surpassed the IRS in many ways. Of course, they are out of my price range by several decimal points...
Come on, don't embarrass me.
With regard to space requirements, they really do take up a lot of room, and I am sure that if I took things out of the room and relocated an exterior door near the front of the room, I could probably have a slightly better speaker placement, but since that isn't in the near future plans, there are compromises.
I find it interesting that in my IRS manual, they state the speakers can be placed in a room as small as 15 x 20 feet, which is absolutely ridiculous. You could stuff them in the room along with a chair to sit in, but neither the speakers nor the chair could go in a proper position for hearing a good sound stage. On the other side of the coin, in the newest Genesis manual, they describe setting up the speakers in what they call a "typical" 29 x 48 foot room with at least 10 foot ceilings. I honestly don't know how many people have a "typical" room that size!
With regard to space requirements, they really do take up a lot of room, and I am sure that if I took things out of the room and relocated an exterior door near the front of the room, I could probably have a slightly better speaker placement, but since that isn't in the near future plans, there are compromises.
I find it interesting that in my IRS manual, they state the speakers can be placed in a room as small as 15 x 20 feet, which is absolutely ridiculous. You could stuff them in the room along with a chair to sit in, but neither the speakers nor the chair could go in a proper position for hearing a good sound stage. On the other side of the coin, in the newest Genesis manual, they describe setting up the speakers in what they call a "typical" 29 x 48 foot room with at least 10 foot ceilings. I honestly don't know how many people have a "typical" room that size!
Gary, welcome to the WBF. It looks like you have great system(s) assembled!
Enjoy the music.
Tom
Enjoy the music.
Tom
---Well, that's two high-end Gary now! 
Welcome Gary, nice to see you here. :b
Bob
* I was referring to the other Gary (Genesis).
Welcome Gary, nice to see you here. :b
Bob
* I was referring to the other Gary (Genesis).
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Hi Gary,
Hope you can post pictures of your IRS V and your room. I'd really love to see them.
You're avatar is too small.
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garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Hi trponhunter,
Have you heard the IRS, Genesis, Statements? I have heard the big Tidal Sunrays with the 2 tower subs, all the big Wilsons but never the Genesis, IRS, ML Statements, Wisdoms or Arrakis. Thanks for any comments!
I have not heard the tidals or xlf yet - but I have heard all the others and actually lived with IRS's in my home for a few months. I have lots of experience with x-1's and x'2s and WAMMS - so understandig thst xlf is really only a re worked x2 with a better tweeter and better bass is easy to connect the dots - the theory of operation is the same (still alrge, passive point source speaker) . The tidals are interesting in that they are actively bi amped - something that I think is really important with any "super speaker".
hi garykoh, (as we now have 2 garys)
is there a topic on your corner that gives us a bit of the history of genesis when arnold nudell and paul mcgowan were there? and then how you became connected with them and the company? i only hear vague stories from the former distributor here and maybe you can kindly give us a short background.
is there a topic on your corner that gives us a bit of the history of genesis when arnold nudell and paul mcgowan were there? and then how you became connected with them and the company? i only hear vague stories from the former distributor here and maybe you can kindly give us a short background.
Hi GaryProtein,
Welcome. I have an inkling of how good your system is. I heard a pair of Infinity Beta driven by McIntosh before and it gave me a feeling of relaxed power. The picture that came into my mind when I listened to the Infinity Beta McIntosh system was myself in a stretched limo cruising down a very smooth road.
Welcome. I have an inkling of how good your system is. I heard a pair of Infinity Beta driven by McIntosh before and it gave me a feeling of relaxed power. The picture that came into my mind when I listened to the Infinity Beta McIntosh system was myself in a stretched limo cruising down a very smooth road.
garylkoh
WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
hi garykoh, (as we now have 2 garys)
is there a topic on your corner that gives us a bit of the history of genesis when arnold nudell and paul mcgowan were there? and then how you became connected with them and the company? i only hear vague stories from the former distributor here and maybe you can kindly give us a short background.
Hi Phil - I wonder what stories JR is telling about me
I don't have the real history of the original Genesis (with Arnie Nudell and Paul McGowan) besides a few stories they told me. So, besides being founded in 1991 and closing down in 2000, there isn't much to tell. I know that they went through a lot of investors including API in Canada and even Polk Audio. When they ran out of money again in 2000 after the dot-com crash, Arnie couldn't find anyone to bail him out, and the bank foreclosed on the company and transferred everything (inventory, office documents) into a couple of warehouses in Eagle, CO.
In 2000, I was retired and living on a vineyard in Australia when I started designing a mega-listening room. I had been an audiophile for years, and when I couldn't afford it, I lusted after the Genesis V. When I could afford it, I wanted the Genesis I and was building the room large enough for this speaker. Unfortunately, Genesis went bankrupt. I did try to re-listen to some of the speakers I had rejected, and some others that I had not listened to, but nothing could match the G1.
So, in 2002 I bought the remnants of the company from the bank (by then it had lost everything - including the trademark registration) and thought that if I hired Arnie and a few "professionals" I could still be retired, have my speaker, and eat it. Unfortunately, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result. Manufacturing inefficiencies, bad business practices and poor quality would have sunk the company again (and all my money).
So, in 2006, I moved my family over to the US, let Arnie retire, and took over the company myself. I've redesigned almost every aspect of the technology - and yet still maintained the "Genesis sound" but improved upon. And as I keep saying - the way to earn a million in the high-end stereo business is to start with many millions. Now, I'm in Marrakech, Morocco installing a new pair of speakers for another long-time customer (he has owned his G300's since 1995) and a friend.
Hi Phil - I wonder what stories JR is telling about me
I don't have the real history of the original Genesis (with Arnie Nudell and Paul McGowan) besides a few stories they told me. So, besides being founded in 1991 and closing down in 2000, there isn't much to tell. I know that they went through a lot of investors including API in Canada and even Polk Audio. When they ran out of money again in 2000 after the dot-com crash, Arnie couldn't find anyone to bail him out, and the bank foreclosed on the company and transferred everything (inventory, office documents) into a couple of warehouses in Eagle, CO.
In 2000, I was retired and living on a vineyard in Australia when I started designing a mega-listening room. I had been an audiophile for years, and when I couldn't afford it, I lusted after the Genesis V. When I could afford it, I wanted the Genesis I and was building the room large enough for this speaker. Unfortunately, Genesis went bankrupt. I did try to re-listen to some of the speakers I had rejected, and some others that I had not listened to, but nothing could match the G1.
So, in 2002 I bought the remnants of the company from the bank (by then it had lost everything - including the trademark registration) and thought that if I hired Arnie and a few "professionals" I could still be retired, have my speaker, and eat it. Unfortunately, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result. Manufacturing inefficiencies, bad business practices and poor quality would have sunk the company again (and all my money).
So, in 2006, I moved my family over to the US, let Arnie retire, and took over the company myself. I've redesigned almost every aspect of the technology - and yet still maintained the "Genesis sound" but improved upon. And as I keep saying - the way to earn a million in the high-end stereo business is to start with many millions. Now, I'm in Marrakech, Morocco installing a new pair of speakers for another long-time customer (he has owned his G300's since 1995) and a friend.
Thanks for the backgrounder, Gary. What a journey. Actually what I heard was very very short, and it was from JR's silent partner who is now a close friend of mine. I had the impression, as it was told to me in bits and pieces long time ago, that company started with Arnie and Paul, and then you came along, joined the company and bought it after Arnie and Paul parted ways, something like that. It was a short story really.
And now, it's longer, and clearer. Thanks again for sharing, all the way from Morocco. 
One of the very best audio systems I ever heard was one of the ginormous Genesis systems (don't remember the model but had separate sub towers) that used digital room correction to time align the bass module with the main module and address the typical room induced bass anomalies. Scale, scale and scale; dynamics and a sound-stage that was wider than the room. Amazing!
This was in the mid 90's by the way !!
This was in the mid 90's by the way !!
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