"The tweeter sounds state-of-the-art to me, which is no surprise considering its well-designed ribbon construction. What most surprised me, though, is the top-to-bottom neutrality, literally free of audible
coloration, even compared to a live voice! I guess that speaks well for tonal accuracy.
Regarding imaging, the M1 are uncannily solid - no crossover audibility, let alone smearing', even
off vertical-axis (just a very natural HF roll off). Horizontal dispersion is very wide, maintaining tona
l neutrality and imaging. This, I believe, is responsible for the unusually wide, deep, and open spatial reproduction.The transient response sounds free of any percussive delay-smearing effect.
Transparency and detail resolution sound extremely good, possibly as good as an electrostatic.
The bass quality is so natural and detailed that I hardly missed the below-55Hz stuff. (But since I love
deep bass, I would add a good subwoofer.) With the M1, I heard the things a live acoustic string
bass produces: both the extended series of harmonics and the vibrating string "pulsiness;" the latter
requires excellent phase coherence as well as a smooth frequency response.
With 86dB (1W/m) sensitivity and 50W handling, they won't safely sustain above 103db SPL. But to
find criticism of the M1' musical realism, you'll need one of those "hi-end" magazine reviewers who
can "hear" the benefits of plutonium-enriched superconducting binding posts (those on the M1 are close)."
SWANS Speaker Designer, Dennis Colin |
