Rockport Cygnus Loudspeakers

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,350
2,730
1,400
Amsterdam holland
A bass speaker needs more power to be driven properly, it needs a strong motor to make a 15 inch woofer move like a piston against the airpressure
 

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,350
2,730
1,400
Amsterdam holland
I ran a 300 B (zanden 7000 ) tube amp on my own speakers , it worked but only so far especially in the bass region , it was one extreme versus the other ,in the end power corrupts, the CAT can unleash a hurricane
You get different woofercontrol with low poweramps , it might sound a bit more Bass friendly/soft/ different , but it aint what it supposed to be imo.

PS it also matters how loud you are playing , if you play loud the need for power becomes immediately relevant
 
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knghifi

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2014
255
70
158
I commented on Philb7777 Agon system's page that my neighbor is driving his Rockport Altair 2 with VTL Siegfried 2. It's the best I heard the Altair. Plenty of power, bass, 3D, finesse ... He's upgrading to Rockport Arrakis 2 so Altair 2 and Siegfried 2 are for sale. He's rolling 6550 but will include a set of KT88. He travels a lot for work so low hours on the amp and tubes. If I didn't have ARC REF250, I would probably buy them.

Sound similar to ARC unlike Siegfried 1. He's lives in MA so PM me if interested or have questions.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
I commented on Philb7777 Agon system's page that my neighbor is driving his Rockport Altair 2 with VTL Siegfried 2. It's the best I heard the Altair. Plenty of power, bass, 3D, finesse ... He's upgrading to Rockport Arrakis 2 so Altair 2 and Siegfried 2 are for sale. He's rolling 6550 but will include a set of KT88. He travels a lot for work so low hours on the amp and tubes. If I didn't have ARC REF250, I would probably buy them.

Sound similar to ARC unlike Siegfried 1. He's lives in MA so PM me if interested or have questions.

Great stuff...when you hear his new system, do post! One of my all-time favorite speakers...probably tied for 1st place for me alongside Gary's big Genesis. I just have not had enough time with either to really get any further than that.

Altairs and VTL Siegfrieds are no slouch! I have heard the Arrakis driven by 2 sets of VTL Siegfried 2s. Why is he selling his Siegfried if he is going with Arrakis? What amps will he be using?
 

Philb7777

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2013
39
4
915
Update -

OK, I hae had the Cygnus almost a month now. I think I have finally realized their placement in my room. In my 21 x 15 x 9 room, I have the Cygnus about 93 inches from the front wall into the room (tweeter face to front wall distance), about 41 inches from the sidewalls (middle of woofer to side wall) and tow-in is where each tweeter is aiming at my shoulder from my listening chair. The distance apart (tweeter to tweeter) is about 102 inches and the distance from the tweeters to my listening position is about 130 inches.

The sound continues to be amazing and impress. Never have I had a loudspeaker sound so liquid, smooth and rich, and yet have tremendous detail and realism. The bass is great and I continue to teeter between using a sub or not. I like it both when the sub is on and off. The ARC Ref 250's seem to be able to control the bass quite well in a room my size. Fast, punchy, extended and detailed.

The Rockport Cygnus is probably the best audio purchase I have ever made.
 

jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
2,152
749
1,160
Austin
The Rockport Cygnus is probably the best audio purchase I have ever made.

+1...totally agree with my Altairs. Very happy you're happy...I suspected you'd end up this way ;-)
 

knghifi

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2014
255
70
158
Update -

OK, I hae had the Cygnus almost a month now. I think I have finally realized their placement in my room. In my 21 x 15 x 9 room, I have the Cygnus about 93 inches from the front wall into the room (tweeter face to front wall distance), about 41 inches from the sidewalls (middle of woofer to side wall) and tow-in is where each tweeter is aiming at my shoulder from my listening chair. The distance apart (tweeter to tweeter) is about 102 inches and the distance from the tweeters to my listening position is about 130 inches.

The sound continues to be amazing and impress. Never have I had a loudspeaker sound so liquid, smooth and rich, and yet have tremendous detail and realism. The bass is great and I continue to teeter between using a sub or not. I like it both when the sub is on and off. The ARC Ref 250's seem to be able to control the bass quite well in a room my size. Fast, punchy, extended and detailed.

The Rockport Cygnus is probably the best audio purchase I have ever made.
Just think how they will sound when you roll KT150's in the Ref 250. Something to look forward to. :D
 

knghifi

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2014
255
70
158
Great stuff...when you hear his new system, do post! One of my all-time favorite speakers...probably tied for 1st place for me alongside Gary's big Genesis. I just have not had enough time with either to really get any further than that.

Altairs and VTL Siegfrieds are no slouch! I have heard the Arrakis driven by 2 sets of VTL Siegfried 2s. Why is he selling his Siegfried if he is going with Arrakis? What amps will he be using?
I've heard many excellent systems, while they are different but excellent in their own rights. Altair 2 and Siegfried 2 are one of the best.
 

knghifi

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2014
255
70
158
You have been reading my mind!
How many hours on your KT120s?

I'm leaning ordering KT150s from ARC for my REF250. The other option is Upscale but they offer only cryogenic KT150s and from my research probably not as reliable.
 

Philb7777

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2013
39
4
915
I've got about 1,200 hours on mine KT-120's right now. They still seem to be working great with the exception of one of my amps having a low bias on V5. I'm assuming to get around 2,000 hours, then need new tubes. Then the tough decision for me: 1. More Kt-120's, 2. Kt-150's, or 3. Get the full Ref 250 SE upgrade.
 

MagicOfMusic

New Member
Jan 25, 2016
4
0
0
Can you maybe upload a little video playing some music over the Rockport Cygnus? I know it won't do justice to the system of course, but I am still very curious. I have no way to audition them in real life in my country unfortunately.
 

Philb7777

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2013
39
4
915
Can you maybe upload a little video playing some music over the Rockport Cygnus? I know it won't do justice to the system of course, but I am still very curious. I have no way to audition them in real life in my country unfortunately.

All I have is an iPhone so I'm not sure the sonics would be even close to a regular camcorder recording in stereo. But I will try with an iPhone and post it later this week.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Hi Phil,

Seems like these videos are listed as 'private' so people cannot view/listen to them? Thanks for any help! Looking forward to listening to your system!
 

Philb7777

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2013
39
4
915
Hi Phil,

Seems like these videos are listed as 'private' so people cannot view/listen to them? Thanks for any help! Looking forward to listening to your system!

I think I fixed it. Let me know if it continues to not be viewable. Word of warning - shot with an iPhone so the audio isn't the best. But I think the palpability of the Rockports even displays itself through iPhone speakers!
 

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