Starke Sound Beta 7 Speakers: Budget Audiophile Gem?

[@fonkenful]

Those of y’all who’ve may have been immersed in the DIY building culture for a few decades might recognize the name of one of the senior members of Starke Sound’s technical team - Dan Wiggins. One of my earliest major sub builds was with the OG 12” XBL drivers - circa mid ‘00s? The guy’s been busy.

[@socksumi]

I seem to remember a Starke sound in the 1970s; very stylish speakers. Not sure if they are related but I recall the brightest and fiercest treble I ever heard coming out of them.

[@TheMirolab]

On that grill, I wonder if you could carefully cut away the entire mid section without destroying the cloth, and leave only a square frame. It might be flimsy, but it’s already made, with mounting posts in the right place. Seems like small grill frames would be the perfect 3D printing project!

[@CashGravel]

or decorate your listening room using them as hanging wall art

[@hom2fu]

for $750. 2 WAY speaker. there are a lot of choices

[@CashGravel]

Elac dbr52?

[@robanderson6173]

Thanks for the video. Almost all the upgrades highlight problems that speaker kits don't have. Sound quality increases enjoyment.

[@thomasschafer7268]

Und man wird nicht über den Tisch gezogen!! Selbst hier diese upgrades sind preislich total überzogen!!👍👍🇩🇪🌲🌲

[@mcjonner]

These brands only need to watch one of these videos and buy their own upgrade kit to come out with a mark 2 version of their own speaker!! Crazy.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Some of the parts used in our upgrades are proprietary. So they would have to buy those parts from us and pay us a royalty for the design.

[@bk3720]

A Starke difference with that grill on!

[@iamsometimes6712]

Aaaaah he's back ! It's peddling-geardgets-to-audiofools time. Gonna grab me a big bucket and pop corn and enjoy the legendary salesmanship 😆

[@MsCorbacho]

Have to say they do have a broad range of offer (difficult to see on some other manufacturers) , from speakers with berylium tweeters , to high end speakers with the seas excel line of tweeters , and even fairly large horn speakers , which once more is a combination of products and choices unusual to see, plus electronics also.

[@NickP333]

“A beauty ring”? 😂 Is that an inside industry term? I’m of course just kidding around. Just thought it was funny. Thanks, Danny. Appreciate you, man. Edit: The response from the grill! Woh! Wha?! That’s nuts

[@benjoe999]

I am so glad I am not using passive crossover parts anymore.

[@joeclayer5282]

so for that to work correctly, your drivers would have to have a flat response just past their crossover point! Do they? If so, can you please list your driver selection! Thnx

[@CVLova]

@@joeclayer5282 dsp / active crossover.

[@Projacked1]

The high end grill upgrade....throw it away LOL

[@Justwantahover]

StarkSound make a class D power amp with 200 w per channel on 8 ohms, 400 on 4 ohms and 800 on 2 ohms! 😂 Cost less than 2 grand, sounds a bit like tubes (according to S Korea Jay). He said it was StarkSound's intension! 🎉

[@norwegian_scaler]

Great video!!’ 🙏🛠️👌👌🔊🔊 I would love to see you open up the Pylon Diamond 30. I did. They are almost empty. Why???

[@coreycochran8011]

Hey Danny, I have been watching your videos lately. I know you are into the higher quality cabinets. I currently live in louisville ky. And started a hobby of finding the old vintage cerwin vegas and restoring them. Watched your video on the d3, I wondering if you would be interested in the next couple years, if I sent you a cabinet here and there, and have you do your thing.

[@rickg8015]

Starke has its roots in Adire Audio’s driver tech IIRC..

[@crtgamer2355]

You look like a giant Japanese hornet tonight, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe your next speaker line could be this colour scheme name The Hornet.

[@SkylakeProCinema]

I was thinking Bruce Lee but they both sting pretty hard

[@seanlacroix]

I really don’t get why he wants to have every speaker measure flat. Don’t some companies make their speakers to follow something like the Harman curve which is very nice sounding.

[@nc3419]

I think, the Harmon curve can sound enticing in an average room and how it may excite the auditory system on initial listen while a flatter curve and/or one that exhibits an in room response of a descending slope to some degree may sound a bit either more natural or easier listening over long listening sessions. I get this from reading so many people's opinions and experiences in user forums and even reviews reading in between the lines of the flowery fluff so many write. Then, our brains are wired to organize, accept and respond in a way that is a more pleasurable listening experience. So, if I am used to a speaker in my room and swap to a new speaker presumably a better one I typically have an adjustment period where I first am critical of what I am hearing but come to accept it in a way that switching back to the older speaker I have had, I more easily notice the improvements or differences I deem better. If I still do not like the new speaker or feel it isn't offering anything better or has issues I can't accept, I return it and move on. Each speaker I have had adds to different coloration or emphasis on some areas of the recorded material. I think I had, at least according to the frequency curve published one speaker that seemed dead neutral. With that speaker, it had lots of detail and resolution especially for its price and build but sounded bland in a way that everything form piano, guitar to voice had a similarity to it rather than sounding more natural when you hear it live (sans the dynamic swings which I feel no speaker can reproduce perfectly). For whatever its worth. If it gets my toe tapping and head nodding, I guess I like it.

[@nabildanial00]

harman target for speakers is flat lol. unless youre mistaken of harman target curve for headphones and iems which are not flat due to our pinna shapes and hrtf stuffs.

[@seanlacroix]

@ the harman target I’m looking at is elevated in the bass and slight drop in the highs.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Keep in mind that the frequency response is a measurement of accuracy and not how the speaker sounds.

[@nabildanial00]

@@seanlacroix danny never showed you anything under 200Hz so how do you know if its elevated or not? we only know that danny takes care of the baffle step, which is a good thing. the highs are usually directive and reflect less into the room, so the predicted room response would have less treble energy in the end anyways.

[@ericbrodersen3666]

I noticed that the tweeter surround has a wavy texture to it. How does that affect the response?

[@ichigobankai2343]

Danny wearing his wolverine shirt.😅

[@SkylakeProCinema]

CHARLIE BROWN

[@dannyrichie9743]

Someone gave it to me because it matched my car.

[@martinjpedrozaprez]

An analysis of the Meyer Sound Lab 833-834 system could be done

[@rikardekvall3433]

Send one to him, so he can analyse.

[@VoltLover00]

Thanks for another great video

[@jamesbrittain9564]

Hi, I was wondering if you built specific speakers. I have a 7.2.4 With Polk R700's front and rear, Polk subs, Polk L200's for the sides and Polk L100's for the front and rear height speakers. I cannot for the life of me, find a L400 center channel speaker and am using a Polk LSIM 706C currently. I understand that for optimal sound that you should have the same ring tweeters, etc. in order to maintain continuity. I'm wondering if you could make a center channel as good or better than the L400 using the same tweeters, cones, mids, etc., or if you offer a kit that would allow for me to make one. The crossover is the issue, as I would have no idea how one truly works, or how to integrate it into a working system. Any help that you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Visit our website: gr-research.com

[@sean_heisler]

Danny kind of becoming the audio industry's version of Fil from the Wings of Pegasus channel, who's been outing live lip sync'd performances left and right.

[@fonkenful]

Fil is great, and an under appreciated artist in his own right.

[@hanksta34]

Fil is a heckuva nice guy too.

[@anthonyjackson7097]

You know, todays so-called budget speakers measure better than many of the super high-end offerings. You don't believe it. Look at some of the older videos on this channel. Like Sonus Faber, Wilson, etc.

[@johnevans9751]

Cruel, but fair. - Monty Python

[@Marauder1981]

Where can I buy these in Europe?

[@scottdahnke4858]

Danny, ever have a company contact you and use your upgrades on their production speakers? Meaning after seeing your review, they use your recommendations to improve their product? High praise if they do.

[@vmmotors1580]

As usual. Over priced. Speakers. ( junk ) Danny is the man. The the only corrects the issues and also sells the best. Speakers. In the market. !!!!

[@nc3419]

Alot of speakers are overpriced and then there's the issue of pricing for all the costs with bringing something to market. The rule of thumb for a dealer to carry has generally been stated to be around 6X times parts costs. Not a hard rule but I try to figure parts costs into a speaker decision. For example, I purchased a set of "higher end" speakers not mass produced and without the box being an off the shelf. The drivers if I were to buy both those tweeters and at the time the woofers which were on sale 25% off it would cost $522, plus box and crossover parts and construction which I estimate say an amount bringing the total to about $700. At the discounted price offered as it was an open box/demo on a closeout speaker from a dealer with the multiple under 3X and after combing through the reviews and the measurements, I took a leap of faith. At full retail those speakers after transportation, etc retailed for approx 5.3X so for the "general" markup it was within the 6X estimate. It does live up to the reviews if reading in between the lines for the most part but I am sure Danny could improve and the grills which I prefer to leave on probably mess with the sound but the tweeter is a bit sticky and attracts dust, etc. I had a short list of speakers I wanted to try and these came up. Among those on the list, some were not readily accessible and some significantly higher. Could I have been happy with what I had? Sure. But its a hobby which messes with your mind so upgrades or whatever happen. It's definitely not a mass produced looking unit and pretty to boot. It does sound good but isn't perfect. I would like a taller stage but even those with taller, more expanded stages can sound artificial. A give and take. So I will enjoy it while I have it.

[@RoverWaters]

looks like Dayton polyester caps

[@alexdenton6586]

An audiophile’s final thoughts should be of Ohio

[@ringsystemmusic]

As my monoblock amplifier falls on my head in small motion, my final thoughts are not of speakers I’ve listened to, nor of headphones I’ve loved, no, they are of Ohio.

[@Will2campb]

Clearly, you are better at designing crossovers than many of the speakers manufacturers whose not so well executed designs make it to you. I would never buy such a poorly executed product and try to make improve it. What companies other than GR research offer well designed and executed speakers?

[@randylneisen4824]

He has a video about that! He did the crossover design for a guy making speakers close to me, about 40 mile's away, I think that guys completed spkrs start out at about 2k. The name is Tyler Acoustics in Owensboro, Ky

[@ywsx6489]

ah yes. speakers designed by finance and marketing dept.

[@woldemortxyz7996]

Just got a thought. How does steel nuts etc. in the speaker crossover change the sound so much according to you, when many parts of the amplifier, e.g. resistors, capacitors and transistors have steel legs?

[@charlesngugi777]

Ferromagnetic materials should not be anywhere in the signal path. It affects the mids and highs by muffling and mudding it which is distortion in itself.

[@kevinjosefsson]

​@@charlesngugi777 you didnt answer his question

[@charlesngugi777]

Also that's why quality parts matter, non-inductive resistors, air core inductors and polypropylene capacitors are preferred to minimize distortion.

[@sean_heisler]

Actually most of the leads on parts are tinned copper or tinned copper clad steel, but not straight up steel.

[@ichigobankai2343]

Anything in the signal path can effect the sound which includes terminals/ connectors.

[@Bigirondoug]

All show and no GO. Most people buy for looks and not quality sound.

[@joseph-ow1hf]

$750 for the stock unit? uhh....nope.

[@BobHodas]

I used to won these speakers and they were just ok. I'm also a 60 year old trans person with a giant hog and big child bearing hips.

[@hom2fu]

for $750. at least for 50 dollars, they should give you better crossover parts

[@DirektAnalog]

Somthing like that ….. what a researche. Stop your negative and stupide downtalk of produkts. Why is GR not on the map og grethe speakers ?

[@hifiman4562]

I think you misunderstand Danny's approach here. He has said to take a good speaker and make it great. You should listen to a GR Research speaker. You will understand fine audio.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Not on the map? We are pretty well known for designing many of the best sounding speakers in the world. My designs have won most of the industries highest awards including awards given at the top shows.

[@ringsystemmusic]

@@dannyrichie9743little pr tip: don’t address the haters until they’ve got a good point (eg you fucked up). it makes you look like the rest of us schmucks in the comment section.

[@dannyrichie9743]

@@ringsystemmusic Thanks.

[@seanlacroix]

@@dannyrichie9743you always say that but never say what speakers you’ve designed. I would think that a speaker that measures flat would be boring as hell.