Speakers around the £3.5k mark

Yep that's the chap.

Obviously he's quite taken by them to sell the Hedlunds

But then again I know they're fantastic speakers so not surprised the Hedlunds have gotten marching orders. And for my next trick...

 

Been playing around with a Manger recently:





Cracking drive unit but not without one or two problems that has scared me off. I think if you can live with the deficits of the driver then you'll be richly rewarded.

 

Howdy Simon,

As you may remember, I've heard the AML1. Great speaker but £3.5k? Never worth that. Actually thats almost certainly true of all commercial speakers at that price point when your used to DIY.

For £3.5k in drivers you could build something pretty staggering.

I'm still tempted on that RAAL/Accuton/TAD setup. Or maybe that Raven R3.2 and Beyma LX60.

 

Um, can someone explain how that Manger driver works?

The first picture of it looks more like something I'd put on top of an Xmas tree.

Edit: just found the Manger website, weird !!!

 

I'll let Simon fill you in on the details. Very neat idea although the execution is a little crude on the Manger.

 

Are you hinting at something?

You can find how it works on the website and if you email them and ask for the 'acoustic reality' paper that will explain more.

In terms of sound, it can be a little 'boring', I think implementation is key. Certainly not for the faint of heart DIYer.

I think the AML1 are worth every penny of the asking price. Remember they have about £4k of Bryston electronics tucked in the back. They are still THE BEST standmount I have heard. Its a pity they don't do a + version with a better tweeter. Not that the normal one is bad in any way, only I suspect a little more is capable from a more esoteric design. The one in the total reference I commented on a few posts ago would be an ideal candidate IMO.

Ant, since you have the skills, you might as well do a simple but high quality speaker DIY. 3 way with RAAL, Accuton and TAD is a great idea! It can’t really go wrong if you stick with standard design practices.

 

But then again that Bryston amplification is spectacularly over priced. A mate has a 9BSST in HT setup and I've directly compared it to a pair of Greg Balls GB150's, no contest. The GB's cost me £200 for a stereo monoblock setup BTW.

Looking at material costs the AML1 is worth around £1k to me and most other even less than that. The Mackie HR626 are very close in overall performance to the AML1 yet cost £350 each if you look hard enough. Those are what I'd call a very good value for money speaker.

Its the effort that's required that's the killer though. I have a total inability to build just a box, its always got to be OTT and pushing what I've attempted before otherwise I don't feel rewarded enough to bother.

I know, I can hear you say build some rough and quick boxes, listen and enjoy the drivers whilst working on some nice final cabinets. I've got no excuse really have I.

 

Sorry, but thats rubbish. If thats what you heard then there was something unfair about the listening session. I have lived with the AML1 for about a year (or more, I forget!) and used the Mackie quite a bit as well when at college and there is no contest. The AML1 kick their arse. The Mackie is more than very good for the money though.

I wasn't too impressed with the AML1 in a large room, but get them in a small room and they really shine.

But yes, build your own. Go with standard design methods and you will be rewarded with standard reliable good sounds! Forget the DEQX and so on.

 

Some really nice 15" drive units available for anyone looking for that something rather spacial....

 

Rubbish eh

Not going to dispute what you've said only iterate that I only comment seriously on things I've listen to and always offer my honest appraisal. If you don't like that well... tough.

You also know that I can't live with the Manger either. And that definitely is an overpriced driver for the performance on offer. Wouldn't it be boring if everyone agreed on everything.

 

How much are you looking for?

Might give these a go in a 3-way.

 

Ahh, come off it, £350 speakers the equal of £3.5k speakers?

I don't dispute what you heard, only that you must not have heard the AML1 anywhere near its best.

I would agree on the amps, most SS do sound pretty similar.

 

Simon you seem to think that £££ is a sign of sure fire quality?

The Mangers prove that to be wrong and so do the AML1.

PS. The Mackie HR626 retails at an RRP of £1500 per pair BTW.

 

Ahh its the 824 I heard not the 626 but still... A very quick google shows the 626 to be under £1k inc VAT. I don't think money is a definite sign of quality but there generally is some relation.

I may have been a bit harsh with my initial ‘rubbish’ comment, but only because it is so far from what I have heard. You also seem oddly set against the idea that the AML1 is indeed better than the Mackie ??? What were the conditions you heard both under? Perhaps you should to have another listen under different conditions?

 

Now you're talking.

 

I said the Mackie and AML1 were close enough in performance that one would throw a huge question mark over the asking price of the AML1.

I wouldn't spend £3.5k on the AML1 when I know I can spend £700 on the Mackie's and not be far off. Of course neither design is anything more than what I'd consider a 5 or 6 out of 10 with 5 being good and 10 being god-like.

The HR626 series is based around Seas drive units including the 27TBFCG which is still one of the best tweeters Zaph has tested.

 

Or indeed Neat Ultimatum MFS. An excellent speaker. Not quite my cup of tea, but much more so than the Utopias - I could certainly live with them.

Dunc

 

Interupting the flow of ideas, have you thought about some stand mounters and a Rel sub ???

I think if I had that sort of money, I would head towards Living Voice or Proac. The Responce Series in Yew look stunning. The largest of the Responce (IIRC) was the 5. Walrus had a pair of these in a few years ago, mind blowing !

Other than that Advantguard ???

 

For £3k you could be looking at a pair of Tannoy GRF's for example.

The fact that the room isn't that big wouldn't/hasn't stopped me

(and wouldn't unless you're talking like 10 feet x 10 feet)

 

I think the thing is, the improvement between any £1k active and a £3k active is 'small'. But it is that small improvement that is important, and is as big an improvement as any you are likely to find between any £1k and £3k commercial speaker. Hence relatively speaking, it is not a small improvement, but quite a big one.

If you want a much bigger improvement you will have to buy second-hand or build your own IMO.