[DavidMahler]

Which R10 do you prefer..........the original version with less bass. Or the later version with more bass?

 

[ctemkin]

Sorry not to respond to your question, but seeing your post reminded me that I don't think I ever saw your impressions of the UE 11 vs the UE 10. How did that go?

 

[vcoheda]

if you run a few searches, i think you will find that the bass light version is generally preferred. how you can tell which one you have, other than by comparison, is beyond me.

 

[purk]

If you own a very highend tube amp likes Singlepower SDS-XLR, I would get the bass light version of the R10 as I found them to be extremely difficult to drive and they are very unforgiving of recording and upstream equipment. You need a very powerful amp in order to bring out better bass response and to make them sound at their best. When I first got them, I had to get my Singlepower SDS upgraded with a high voltage option in order to drive them correctly.

OTOH, the more bass R10 has smoother sound with better bass response and they are more forgiving and easier to drive. But, I found the older pair to have better midrange, wider soundstage, and richer sense of air around recordings. I love them both and would like to keep both of them, but in the end I had to sacrifcie my bass light pair to improve the sound of my Orpheus system. If you own a very highend tube amp like the SDS-XLR, I would try to get the bass light version of the R10. However, if your amp has less power.... you will be better off with the more bass version of R10.

I believe the original version, when driven from an amp like the SP SDS-XLR, will sound better than the more bass version. I have not try this myself but Mikhail of Single Power audio confirmed my theory.

 

[vcoheda]

^^ how can you tell which version is which.

 

[Audiofiler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^ how can you tell which version is which.

I would too like to know the difference of which is which. Is it strictly by the serial number Purk?

 

[purk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^ how can you tell which version is which.

Very difficult. I used to believe that you can tell them apart by serial number until one of my R10 arrived (SN# 764). I used to think that Sony changed the design on the R10 after SN# 950, but was proven wrong when I compared my SN# 284 to Mike's SN# 356 side by side. It was very obvious that his pair had significant more bass while mine had better midrange, air, and soundstaging. Then came the SN #764 which happened to sound identical to my first pair (SN# 284). Mike's R10 (SN #356) also sound identical to my other two pairs (SN#996 and SN#358). And the 356, 358, and 996 also sound inline with AYT999's pair which was one of the last R10 made.

In summary:

I used to have the following R10s:

SN # 284 (now belong to Mikhail)
SN # 358 (my only pair left)
SN # 996 (used to belong to ast)
SN # 764 (now belong to bubliss)

I also heard the following pairs:
SN # 356 (used to belong to Mulveling now belongs to Nikongod)
SN # 11xx (belong to AYT999)

These pairs are bass light version: 284, 764
These pairs have more bass: 356, 358, 996, and 11xx.

 

[jamato8]

So how many pairs of the R10 were made?

 

[purk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So how many pairs of the R10 were made?

Probably close to 1200 pairs were made I think. The first one was made in 1989 and the last one was back in 2003 or 2004.

 

[markl]

I bet there are 3 R10 basic sounds. There are 3 actual different drivers with different part numbers available for the R10, not two. Maybe there's a "medium bass, medium treble model" that we are getting confused with one or the other treble heavy and bass heavy models when we listen.

One other theory is that they marketed different driver types to different parts of the world, who stereotypically prefer different types of sounds. So, they were all available at the beginning in 1989, but if you bought one in Japan, you get driver #1, in USA driver #2, in Europe, driver #3. No idea if that's true, but it's another possibility.

 

[purk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bet there are 3 R10 basic sounds. There are 3 actual different drivers with different part numbers available for the R10, not two. Maybe there's a "medium bass, medium treble model" that we are getting confused with one or the other treble heavy and bass heavy models when we listen. One other theory is that they marketed different driver types to different parts of the world, who stereotypically prefer different types of sounds. So, they were all available at the beginning in 1989, but if you bought one in Japan, you get driver #1, in USA driver #2, in Europe, driver #3. No idea if that's true, but it's another possibility.

There are actually set of 4 drivers with 4 seperate part numbers. I have the latest R10 manual (thanks to Fing) which state that they have 4 drivers. Again, I was be able to to do a side by side comparison of the 284, 356, 358, 764, and 996. Alex's pair that I heard earlier was more inline with the 356, 358 and 996. I am quite certain of these as I was able to compare the above pairs in my environment using the same amp and source for awhile.

 

[vcoheda]

thanks purk.

this is good information.

 

[Fing]

To answer the OP, on my Yamamoto, I prefer my Bassy pair of R10. I've only recently received some outer foam rings that had deteriorated on my bass light pair and it makes a significant difference.

Awaiting inner foam rings to arrive before I can really do a like for like comparison.

Luckily I'll also have a Supra to do the test on when the inner foam rings arrive and be able to say more.

Even with a Yamamoto, you can tell the potential of the bass light R10. It has a clearer treble and upper midrange that makes it sound very appealing.

The diaphragm material on the later R10 drivers is also not biocellulose, but a sort of more fabric-ey material, which may account for some of the sonic differences.

 

[Elephas]

The version with less bass has a superb midrange and larger soundstage than the version with more bass. Having listened to the more bass version first, the difference in the midrange was surprising. I would probably find it difficult to imagine without hearing it for myself.

#245 = less bass version
#856 = more bass version

 

[Nik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very difficult. I used to believe that you can tell them apart by serial number until one of my R10 arrived (SN# 764). I used to think that Sony changed the design on the R10 after SN# 950, but was proven wrong when I compared my SN# 284 to Mike's SN# 356 side by side. It was very obvious that his pair had significant more bass while mine had better midrange, air, and soundstaging. Then came the SN #764 which happened to sound identical to my first pair (SN# 284). Mike's R10 (SN #356) also sound identical to my other two pairs (SN#996 and SN#358). And the 356, 358, and 996 also sound inline with AYT999's pair which was one of the last R10 made. In summary: I used to have the following R10s: SN # 284 (now belong to Mikhail) SN # 358 (my only pair left) SN # 996 (used to belong to ast) SN # 764 (now belong to bubliss) I also heard the following pairs: SN # 356 (used to belong to Mulveling now belongs to Nikongod) SN # 11xx (belong to AYT999) These pairs are bass light version: 284, 764 These pairs have more bass: 356, 358, 996, and 11xx.

Your pair is SN 358 or 368 ? (as I can read on your signature)