Clear open sound without any concentration or coloration.

I did not find any.

From day 1 I loved these speakers. They produce very clear, uncolorated, holographic immage. I started apprecuate them more after I got used to their sound and listened to other speakers. However, even though the vendor claims it goes down to 38hz - I really doubt it. I personaly think they are great speakers but no speakers are going to produce low frequencies close to what good subwoofer does. They are little costly, but good.

Natural Sounding Mid-Range, very accurate bass,non-fatiguing high end...

Need to ensure Speakers are set up near walls so that the Bass comes alive...not really a weakness for rear ported system.

These Speakers are still a joy after the 4 years that I have purchased them. I listen to Jazz mostly and there are not any Speakers less than $2500 that are as natural in the mid-range as accurate in the mid- bass region. I still go out and listen to other brands, but the RMS22's have the perfect blend of what I am looking for. I have read that some think the highs are not "lingering" enough. That is a good thing for me, I do not like Speakers that accentuate the high treble region, it makes them fatiguing to me. These Speakers are NOT fatiguing to me. I could and do listen for hours...My fellow enthusiasts LOVE these speakers as well, they have Von Schweikert and Linn models and do concede that there is nothing better under $2500 than the Joseph Audio RM22's!! There are always compromises in Speakers in this price range...Any compromise in the RMS22's will be difficult to find...Excellent Speaker! ps...I use the Creek 2350 Special Edition amp and the Marantz 5350 SE CD Player

Similar Products Used:

PSB Silver (not as accurate), Linn (not as accurate), Dynaudio (lows and highs much too harsh)...many others demo'd

Coherent balanced sound, wide and deep soundstage, great 3-D imaging if properly setup, strong tight deep bass in the right room, ability to sandfill, no need for stands- brass cones work wonderfully, easy to drive and takes up very little room..

Won''t work as well in a very large room (greater than 15'' x 15'').Ï

The RM22Si''s are an excellent choice for all types of music. They are very revealing of all associated equipment/cables and quite neutral. They are wonderful all around performers; very coherent, balanced in tonality, great imaging, wide and deep soundstage, dynamic, very fast (faster and more articulate than my previous Magnepans), with tight deep bass (down to 30Hz range) in the right room size. They are sensitive to room setup and I''ve found that if they are on carpets, they sound better by placing quarters (yes, I''ve tried other coins) underneath the front brass cones. They are very sensitive to vertical adjustments and for me, having the front brass cones tilting the speakers back the most sounds best as this aligns the drivers best to my listening spot. Although they generally sound great in many situations, optimum setup and tweaking of setup to even just 1/8th of inch difference could mean the difference between great sound and goosebumps sound. I especially appreciate the ability to sandfill them and the brass cones are a wonderful touch. I''ve found that having good jumpers on them make a good difference and will in the future purchase a biwire speaker cable as biwiring does seem to increase the soundstage even wider and deeper-giving an even more 3-D effect. I disagree with reviews that say this speaker is a "white wine" speaker. Rather, I would say they are very neutral but not ruthlessly revealing (as Magnepans are) and forgiving of bad brightly recorded material or equipment. However, on great recordings like Diana Krall''s "All For You," they will show you how wonderful this recording is in a coherent balanced and musical manner. If the RM22si''s sound bright, its probably associated equipment or the room- again, very neutral. Great job Jeff and Richard. Big Thumbs UP! Associated equipment: Systemdek IIX Turntable w/Benz Silver Cart/MMT Arm Modified Harmon Kardon 7525 CD player Monarchy Super DIP Theta DS Pro Basic III DAC Quicksilver Preamp (original) Audio Research VT-100 Mk II Amp Kimber KCAG and Jena Labs Ivy interconnects w/AQ Cobalt speaker cables Tice and Monster Cable 2000 power conditioning XLO and Transparent Audio Powercords

Similar Products Used:

Magnepan MG-10.

Very clean & natural sound

Dealer claims that Joseph does not allow them to ship the speakers

I was accompanied by my Audiophile friends while auditioning these speakers, and agreed with them that the RM22 (on Bryston) @ $2600 has a very clean and natural sound. The bass is tight & fast, and pretty good for small speakers. Audio Physics Spark (on Krell) @ $2000 I listend to also sounds just as competent for less money. However, since no dealer carries both models, I was not able to compare them side by side. Given that I can not tell the difference in different stores (nor can my friends), I decided to go with the RM22 because of the power (200W vs 100W) and its bi-wiring capability. My friends also suggested that if you can't tell the difference, defer to the professionals--i.e. magazine reviews. The award and the good write-up make the speakers a worthwhile choice. It would be nice if Jeff Joseph can give the RM22 the same slant as the RM30 and RM50 (I hear that makes it sound better). The RM25 does not have the same sound.

The larger RM30 and RM50 sound even better (big sound), but I can not believe anyone in their right mind would spend that much for speakers, nor can I believe that they actually deserve to be priced at those levels! How much can it possibly cost to research, develop and make speakers!!!???

My equipment:
Amp: Bryston 4BST
Preamp: B&K
Cables: Good stuff according to my audiophile friends
(An excessive set-up for a casual listener?)

Similar Products Used:

Monitor Audio, Vienna Acoustics, Magnapan, Audio Physics, and others not worth mentioning

Seamless crossover between mid/bass and tweeter. Great imaging laterally. Very taut, deep bass. Extremely clear sound all the way up to the mid-high frequencies.

Seems weak in my system with regard to dynamics and treble extension. Cymbals don't *splash* like they should. Needs power for lower level extension.

I was set on buying the Vienna Acoustics Mozart speakers when I read the review in Stereophile on the RM22si's. I also saw they were extremely highly rated at the audio shows. So, on a whim, I bought a pair.

My equipment at the time was a pair of Linn LK280 amps, Lexicon DC-1 DAC/preamp and Sony DVP-S7000 DVD player (digital out coax to the DC-1). Since then I have upgraded the amps to a Plinius SA-100.

Since my previous speakers were a pair of Infinity Crescendo 3009 speakers (two 10" bass, 1 6" mid/bass, 1 4" mid, 1 EMIT tweeter), I had expected better sound (the Infinities are *not* great speakers despite the price) but also a loss of some bass. I did lose some of the very low bass but the Josephs really amazed me with how taut and defined their output was in the lower frequencies. In my room I can get an F3 of about 30Hz which is amazing for a 6 1/2" speaker.

What I've found I lost, either through their lower sensitivity or lack of drivers moving air, is some of the "live" quality you feel when you get a snap from a snare drum or thump in your gut from a kick drum. Not that the drivers lack speed, mind you - they are very fast - but they just don't jump out and grab you.

Some of this could be the effects of my room (actually it's underdamped now so this could not be a real issue) and my front end, which is not exactly audiophile quality. I would very much like to try something like a Meridian 508.24 and a good preamp and see how much of a difference that makes to the sound. It could clear up all the things I find lacking now in my current setup, or it could just fix some of them. Please keep that in mind when I mention parts about the Josephs that seem to be lacking.

On the positive side, the Josephs have an extremely clear sound that is not "romantic" per se, but also surely not overly clinical. I really didn't care for the sound of the Sonus Faber speakers, for example. The Vienna Acoustics seemed more my style. The Josephs are the next step beyond the VA speakers. They are clearer, more well-defined and more detailed than the VA speakers (I think) with the only loss being a bit of that magical bloom in the midrange.

The bass is, as I mentioned, extremely nice, albeit lacking in dynamics. Frankly this doesn't surprise me given the mid/bass driver -- I'm actually amazed at what it can do. However, I will probably upgrade to the RM25si's soon to see if I can get more of an impact in the lower registers.

My only real complaint about the Joseph speakers (and note this may have a lot to do with my front-end -- I'm just not sure) is the treble. While it's very nice, clear and perfectly mated to the mid/woof driver, it just doesn't have the "air", immediacy, or dynamics that I would expect from these speakers. You hear cymbal splashes, but they don't hang in the air and seem a bit overdamped. In my system (your's may differ quite a bit, of course) this is a major shortcoming.

Overall for the money I'm very satisfied with the speakers, but I do feel like I really need to do something to address the less-positive aspects mentioned above. I also don't want to give the impression that the speakers are responsible for these problem areas if it's indeed my upstream gear.

So, take this with a grain of salt and note that overall I'm happy I bought the Josephs. If/when I upgrade the front-end equipment I'll post another review.

Similar Products Used:

Dynaudio Contour, Vienna Acoustics Mozart, Aeriel 7, Proac 2.5, many others

Natural neutal detailed sound

Soft dome tweeters sacrifice excitement for smooth delivery (metal tweeters ring on the first strike but thereafter are irritating). Slightly less detail than B&W but beter overall sound.

I had a one hour uninturupted session through Classe equipment. Like all great speakers, the more I heard the more I was impressed.
Started and ended with Sting, took a ride through Dave Grusin, Pearl Jam, some serious opera (my wife sings saprano in the cathedral choir and has a great ear), vintage Sinatra, recent Aretha.

A similar audition of the B&W Nautilis line with high end Krell equipment left me dissillusioned, though impressed. Amazing new line, but how can I live with a speaker that only sounds good with perfectly produced CDs? B&W (my current brand which I am upgrading) Nautilis sounded harsh and unpleasant with recently released CDs from major lables. I read the explanations for less than pleasing sound such as poor amplifier selection, speakers not broken in, bad material and wonder if the Nautilis series is too tempremental for the real world. I am a person who picks great 1960 vintage CDs out of bargin bins and finds the software of audio the major subject of interest. I will play interesting music however it is recorded, and I expect my new system to do the best job possible with everthing I ask it to play.
The great news is that the JA 22s sort out the sounds and present each with vividness that is up there with the Nautilis, but do it with a more universally plaesing sound: neutral, yet dynamic. I could hear imperfections in the material, but the limitations did not overwelm the music.
I maylisten to the Nautilis with Classe equipment, to limit the variables, and complete the accessment, but I expect to go with the product of this very accomplished American engineer. Bravo!

Similar Products Used:

B&W N804 and 804

The search is over... After looking for the speaker that would fit into my $2000 budget and just ending up frustrated. Along comes the Joseph audio
RM22si and has every quality I wanted and more.
Lets give a round of applause for the runners up.
First the Thiel 1.5... Beautiful in sound and looks but not enough low end.
Second the Martin Logan Aerius i... Clear and articulate but move 2 inches
out of the sweet spot and that sensational sound stage disappears.
Third the B and W Nautilas 805... Almost too clear if thats possible and no
bass at all.
I don't need to go into all the audiophile discriptions, lets just say that
no one ever has to spend more than $2295 for a speaker ever again.
This speaker is perfection...

I love these speakers! Listened to many others;(best to worst)Thiel 2.6 - most detailed sound heard, too expensive for me (5*)
Gallo Solo - great sound stage and mid range, low spouse acceptance (5*)
Silverline SR 17 - great dynamic sound, good definition, nice finish (5*)
Hales Rev 3 - very nice, good bass and detail for the price (4*)
Von Schwiekert 4 Gen II. - Great bass, a little harsh, too expensive (4*)
Martin Logan SL3 - transparent sound, small sweet spot (4*)
Proac Response 1sc - polite sound, not impressed for the price. (3*)
Mirage OM6 - low bass, not much upper definition. (3*)
PSB Stratus Gold - flabby bass, bright high end (2*)
Definitive 2002 - way too much bass no definition (75)

Joseph 22si
plus - great detail and imaging, fast and tight bass. You can sand load the cabinet to tight up the bass as much as you want. Bottom firing port lest you place these close to rear wall.
minus - cabinet finish. I go the cherry while it looks nice, it is very easily damaged (the veneer is very thin)


My equipment:
Joseph 22si
Krell 300i - best piece of gear i've ever owned, great tight bass (5*)
Rega Planet CD - nice wide stound stage, great detail (4*)
Nakamichi BX 100 Cassette - good enough for cassettes (4*)
Home Brew Silver Interconnects (4*)
Home Brew Bi wire (3x cat.5/4 conductor)(4*)
Home Brew Stand 4x1" threaded posts and six 2" thick MDF shelves (5*)

I heard the RM22si for the first time at the Stereophile Hi-Fi show a few months ago in Chicago. It was immediatly apparent why these speakers got voted to the top 10 best sound in show.
After the show I went to my local dealer(who turned out to be not so local) who all but insisted that I take them home for the weekend. They sounded fantastic at the store but I was really curious if they could reproduce the same magic using my mid-fi(at best) components. Let's just say I'm hooked.

Even with the limitations of my system(I'm using the amp section from a 10 year old 60-watt NAD receiver, a Rotel pre/pro and a 12-year-old CD player)the magic was still there. Specifically, these speakers simply disappear and leave the most realistic, involoving musical experience I have ever heard. I found myself forgetting that I was listening to a stereo system at all. That's the best way I can describe it. No one aspect or characteristic stood out or called attention to itself, and all that was left was this presentation that was the music. I can think of no higher praise for an audio component. And all this with very, ahem, average, front end electronics.

These speakers literally reawakened my interest in music and hi-end audio, and I got very little sleep during the Joseph's short stay in my home as I struggled into the wee hours trying to re-listen to almost every CD in my collection. They're really that involving, and they're coming home to stay as soon as I can strike a deal with the wife (another benefit of the RM22si is its relatively small footprint, simple good looks, and a resulting high spousal acceptance factor).

By the way, I have not been listening to the Josephs in a vacuum. I have spent months auditioning speakers from the likes of B&W, Linn, Sonus Faber, Martin Logan, ProAc, Hales, Thiel, and others. Although there is a lot to like about each of these speakers, none of them had the ability to get out of the way of the music like the Josephs, even models at twice the price of the RM22si. Speaking of which, at $3500 the RM25si provides the same sonic benefits as the 22 but goes much deeper into the lower octaves(actually, I thought the 22 was a better balanced speaker overall, but then again it was a small room).

Jeff Joseph has created something truly special here, and I would urge anyone looking for speakers in the $1500 to $5000(or even higher) range to make the effort to find a Joseph dealership before plunking down any cash.

Hello-
Jeff Joseph here. Normally I would not post here, but Warren's comment about our veneers deserves an answer.

Warren's pair is finished in Natural Cherry. As he has observed, Cherry is photosensitive. Leaving the grilles off
as they darken is a very good idea- especially in a sunny room. This is the nature of Cherry that has not been stained or "aged" under sunlight or UV lights. We could put a stain on the veneer but it would dull and homogenize the beauty of the cherry. If this is an issue fopr you, we offer the speakers in Oak, Black, Rosewood and Maple finishes that will not darken like the Cherry.

We are very proud of our veneers, which are as thick and durable as any in the industry. We have seen cases where careless handling (placing the speaker upside down on a bare floor) or stray sand particles spilled during filling have damaged the finish. Please follow the sand fill directions carefully, and make sure to wipe away any stray sand that can bore into the veneer.

Thanks to everyone who has posted here!
Jeff Joseph
JosephAudio
www.josephaudio.com