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Roksan Darius (original 1980-90’s)

naka

naka

pfm Member
Hello to all
I wonder if somebody out there, like me, is using the original Roksan Darius speakers... because although I am enjoy the sound I want to know more about this UK classic speakers.
I am using a late 90’s model with the low stand (not the cage type) and one of the last versions of the crossover, that I had recently recaped with Mundorfs.
Having trouble to find online any information whatsoever (and having no response from Roksan) I ask you if you can share any information about the speakers caracteristics or set-up tips.
Thanks
 
Hi there!
Happy to report that I am still running the original Darius speakers which are the same model as yours (back bone stand with cross overs in separate boxes suspended from the base of the stands). I have had these from new and they date from the early 90s so have given good service - I have not replaced any of the crossover components but at some stage will take a look just to check there is nothing visibly amiss. I have mine firing down my listening room approximately 3 metres apart and toed in so that the cross over point is just in front of my listening position. The suspended tweeters should be adjusted so that they radiate roughly at head height of your listening position. The speakers have a very clear and transparent treble and mid range with a well controlled deep bass. They image superbly and are very agile sounding with very little smear or overhang. Notes start and stop accurately and allow the listener to hear all the nuances of the recording. They have weight and solidity and are just a great listening experience. Prior to these I had Epos ES14 and found the Darius to be a significant upgrade (at a substantial price difference) in every respect.

The speakers are not the most efficient design and mine are powered by a Bryston 4B power amplifier which has more than enough grunt though I don't listen at particularly high levels. If I can dig out the set-up manual that came with mine I will scan it and copy over to you. There was a review written by Paul Messenger for Hifi Choice which I might also be able to copy for you - he considered them potential future classics. If you are familiar or use other Roksan gear from that period you will be familiar with the 'house' sound and the original Darius was consistent with that. They are a wide open window for the partnering equipment and allow the listener to hear deep in to the recordings. I am sure speaker technology has advanced significantly since I got these but I have not felt the need to replace mine since I find them an engrossing and enjoyable listen. Hope you are enjoying yours.

Regards
 
This is a speaker that has fascinated me, particularly the very clever mounting regime for the tweeter.
I have the review somewhere I must look this out.
 
Electron said:
Hi there!
Happy to report that I am still running the original Darius speakers which are the same model as yours (back bone stand with cross overs in separate boxes suspended from the base of the stands). I have had these from new and they date from the early 90s so have given good service - I have not replaced any of the crossover components but at some stage will take a look just to check there is nothing visibly amiss. I have mine firing down my listening room approximately 3 metres apart and toed in so that the cross over point is just in front of my listening position. The suspended tweeters should be adjusted so that they radiate roughly at head height of your listening position. The speakers have a very clear and transparent treble and mid range with a well controlled deep bass. They image superbly and are very agile sounding with very little smear or overhang. Notes start and stop accurately and allow the listener to hear all the nuances of the recording. They have weight and solidity and are just a great listening experience. Prior to these I had Epos ES14 and found the Darius to be a significant upgrade (at a substantial price difference) in every respect.

The speakers are not the most efficient design and mine are powered by a Bryston 4B power amplifier which has more than enough grunt though I don't listen at particularly high levels. If I can dig out the set-up manual that came with mine I will scan it and copy over to you. There was a review written by Paul Messenger for Hifi Choice which I might also be able to copy for you - he considered them potential future classics. If you are familiar or use other Roksan gear from that period you will be familiar with the 'house' sound and the original Darius was consistent with that. They are a wide open window for the partnering equipment and allow the listener to hear deep in to the recordings. I am sure speaker technology has advanced significantly since I got these but I have not felt the need to replace mine since I find them an engrossing and enjoyable listen. Hope you are enjoying yours.

Regards
Click to expand...

Hello Electron
Sorry for the long delay to respond and thanks a lot for sharing your experience with the Darius. I could do the same description:)
In the beginning of the year I took mine to my hifi technician to refresh the crossovers, with Mundorf parts but I haven’t the chance to listen them, because I disabled my system - I am moving to a new house with a dedicated audio room :)
This speakers I will not sell for the same reasons that you have so well described: that magical hability to communicate the music.
Further more I will have the dedicated room to experiment radical positions (between the speakers and the listening chair of corse).
Did you find the copy of the manual or the reviews? I will die to take a peek on more information about this gems.
Thanks once again.
Kind regards
 
I have a review somewhere in which they get the worst drubbing of any speaker I've ever seen reviewed... it was when they very first came out (literally one of the first pairs to come of the production line and before they were in the shops) and was by one of the old school luminaries of UK hi fi reviewing such as Angus McKenzie or Donald Aldous. IIRC they had some rating system in this magazine and he declined to give them a rating at all as he found them so bad! I trust that Roksan made some improvements before the public got to buy them!
 
Yes I remember. Also I read a review by Chris Frankland and I think Danny Haikin in Hifi Review absolutely slaughtering them and calling them headache inducing! I believe these were the early production versions which still retained the bird cage stands and crossovers contained in a single white box. I was put off by the reports and didn't bother to audition but then attended a Roksan evening at the Cornflake Shop in London when they were introducing the Rok 1 preamp and Rok M1 power amplifiers through updated speakers. I enjoyed what I heard. Some time later the revised Darius was introduced with heavily modified crossovers and the change to the backbone stands. These were much better received in the press and on the strength of Paul Messenger's praise and Alvin Gold's more positive report decided to go and have a listen.

As I previously wrote, I was using Mk1 ES14s at the time and knew that I had heard the speakers that would replace these after an extended audition at the Cornflake Shop who were kind enough to leave me for an hour or so to listen through a couple of albums I had taken along. I am still happily using the Darius speakers but am tempted to see what active ATCs or Neats might bring - though am less willing to spend large amounts (for me) on hifi equipment these days.

I read somewhere that the Darius started off as a single monitor speaker which Touraj had rigged-up to test set-up and modifications to the Xerxes. It was never intended to be released to market but he was persuaded to do so because of the revealing nature of the speaker. The criticisms of early prototypes were of an extremely bright treble and and vagueness in the bass. This would tally with the reviews though in retrospect I still wish I had gone to take a listen at that stage. Didn't get round to listening to the more recent version of the Darius which I believe are now out of production. They looked well made but unfortunately the design looked destined to date very quickly.

Naka I will have a look for the guides and reviews and will pm you if I find them. Hope you get your system up and running soon and that the crossover updates have proved beneficial.
 
I've always been rather fascinated by their design, but never heard a pair. However, if Angus McKenzie and Chris Frankland didn't like them, then I'd say they are bound to be good!

As well as Roksan, it might be worth contacting Vertere about them - Vertere owner Touraj Moghaddam was one of the founders of Roksan and designed most of their early stuff - he's a very nice and helpful chap so I'm sure he would be happy to offer some insights into them.
 
naka said:
..having no response from Roksan..
Click to expand...

No surprise there to be honest.

I don't mean to be mysterious about it by the way, it's just that my dealings with Roksan have been far from satisfactory. Also, it's a completely different company now, so the've most likely washed their hands of the older products.

@Electron that's a pretty balanced view.
 
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wylton said:
No surprise there to be honest.

I don't mean to be mysterious about it by the way, it's just that my dealings with Roksan have been far from satisfactory. Also, it's a completely different company now, so the've most likely washed their hands of the older products.

@Electron that's a pretty balanced view.
Click to expand...

Just to provide an alternative experience, I've had very good and prompt communication with, and support from, Roksan over the last few months (lockdown notwithstanding). The subject of the communication was a new Caspian cd player rather than vintage speakers, but nonetheless I found them easy to deal with, and very helpful at resolving the particular problems I had.
 
In the end of last year I have tried sending an email directly with Roksan but I had no response...
 
I think it’s rude for them not to reply to you, after all, it doesn't take much effort to reply to an email, even if it's only to say that they can't help, but it's probably because the company has changed a lot from the days when they sold the original Roksan Darius speakers and they've probably no experience of them. It's good that @darkstarcrashes had a different experience with them, but mine was so bad, that I resolved never to use the company again.

Out of interest, why is it that you are not using the caged stands? I thought they were fundamental to the design?
 
Hi..I no this is an old post but does anyone happen to have an idea of the crossover components and wiring for the second generation of the Darius as I've a pair of copied speakers with correct drivers but the crossovers,even though good,are not correct...cheers aaron
 
Old thread, but I have an early Mark 1 version of the Darius in cages with the first crossover, which is a simple Single-Pole crossover.

I have a circuit diagram, and I'm looking for information about the later crossovers if anyone has one as the later iterations were better.

I'm in the process of activating them; it may take a while.

Apparently Manfred Baier of Omtec built an active crossover for his own use - reportedly a Bessel function, phase linear, 24 or 36dB slope but I couldn't track this down.

Any information gratefully received!

Btw these speakers sound great, dynamic, revealing and very stable imaging but very dependent on the quality of the input.
 
Giallograle said:
Old thread, but I have an early Mark 1 version of the Darius in cages with the first crossover, which is a simple Single-Pole crossover.

I have a circuit diagram, and I'm looking for information about the later crossovers if anyone has one as the later iterations were better.

I'm in the process of activating them; it may take a while.

Apparently Manfred Baier of Omtec built an active crossover for his own use - reportedly a Bessel function, phase linear, 24 or 36dB slope but I couldn't track this down.

Any information gratefully received!

Btw these speakers sound great, dynamic, revealing and very stable imaging but very dependent on the quality of the input.
Click to expand...


Hello,

Out of curiosity, I would be most interested to see a copy of the crossover schematic?

Thanks

DM :)
 
Sorry I'm unable to post pictures here...

@darkmatter I've sent you a pm

I have the schematics for the original crossover and the revised crossover with missing inductor values.

Does anyone have spare stands, or later crossovers, or speakers with stands and?later crossovers?
 
Giallograle said:
Sorry I'm unable to post pictures here...

@darkmatter I've sent you a pm

I have the schematics for the original crossover and the revised crossover with missing inductor values.

Does anyone have spare stands, or later crossovers, or speakers with stands and?later crossovers?
Click to expand...
Thanks for this PM responded to
ATB
DM :)
 
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