BTW I should also mention that with the exception of a sub in my previous home theatre I don't really have any experience trying to implement a subwoofer into a music only system. I did have active speakers in the past with limited success. Thanks again. Don
Martin Logan Montis vs Magico S1 vs sub with Micro Utopias
Hoping for some suggestions regarding either new speakers or adding a subwoofer to my current system. Here's my current system:
- Tyler Acoustics D2 speakers
- JM Lab Mircro Utopia speakers (non BE)
- Yamaha AS3000 integrated amplifier
- PS Audio Directstream Jr with Bridge
- Cabling is Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper
- Apple MacMini utilizing iTunes with BitPerfect as well as Tidal and MQA
- Current room is 16' by 14' with relatively hard surfaces and area rugs. Some absorption.
Musical preferences are all over the place with pop, classical, bluegrass, jazz, electronica, some world music. Again kind of all over the place. I tend to value a spacious kind of sound, detail without fatigue hence what I like about the D2's and the soft dome tweeter. I used to listen at much louder volumes than I do now so ultimate loudness just isn't as important as it used to be.
I have had Tyler Acoustic D2 speakers and have really enjoyed them over the years. I used them in a fairly large space 24' by 28' or so and they worked really well in that basement music/home theatre set up. I have since moved and my new music room (no home theatre) is 16' by 14'. The Tyler's are pretty big physically and they play nice in the smaller space but I felt they were better in the larger room, I guess related to that more spacious sound I prefer.
Recently I purchased JM Lab Micro Utopias with the thought of having a separate tube based system in addition to the Tylers. I used to own Mini Utopias with a tube integrated and loved that combination but as will happen I sold it off for other combinations. I have been switching back and forth between the Tylers and the Mircros and while the bass response is no contest between the two I have really enjoyed the resolution and spaciousness of the Mircros while still have pinpoint imaging, and teamed with the Yamaha it is a really good match. I think what I really like is the coherence of the two drivers in the Micro versus the four drivers of the D2. BUT as you would guess there needs to be more bass response with the Micros even though they are surprisingly good in that department. So some variant of a two way system is what I've been thinking.
With all of that said what do you think of the three speakers listed originally? Magico S1 versus Martin Logan Montis versus my current JM Lab Mircro Utopias (non BE by the way) with a new subwoofer. I like that spacious, coherent and boxless sound of the ML's, though I have not heard the Montis. I haven't heard the Magicos but boy based on what I've read seem like something up my alley. Or do I stick with the Micro Utopias and hope for good integration with a sub, or is that a futile hope? While I really like the Tylers I'm just ready to try something new in this space while focusing on coherence and resolution.
I appreciate your comments. Thanks everyone. Don
- Tyler Acoustics D2 speakers
- JM Lab Mircro Utopia speakers (non BE)
- Yamaha AS3000 integrated amplifier
- PS Audio Directstream Jr with Bridge
- Cabling is Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper
- Apple MacMini utilizing iTunes with BitPerfect as well as Tidal and MQA
- Current room is 16' by 14' with relatively hard surfaces and area rugs. Some absorption.
Musical preferences are all over the place with pop, classical, bluegrass, jazz, electronica, some world music. Again kind of all over the place. I tend to value a spacious kind of sound, detail without fatigue hence what I like about the D2's and the soft dome tweeter. I used to listen at much louder volumes than I do now so ultimate loudness just isn't as important as it used to be.
I have had Tyler Acoustic D2 speakers and have really enjoyed them over the years. I used them in a fairly large space 24' by 28' or so and they worked really well in that basement music/home theatre set up. I have since moved and my new music room (no home theatre) is 16' by 14'. The Tyler's are pretty big physically and they play nice in the smaller space but I felt they were better in the larger room, I guess related to that more spacious sound I prefer.
Recently I purchased JM Lab Micro Utopias with the thought of having a separate tube based system in addition to the Tylers. I used to own Mini Utopias with a tube integrated and loved that combination but as will happen I sold it off for other combinations. I have been switching back and forth between the Tylers and the Mircros and while the bass response is no contest between the two I have really enjoyed the resolution and spaciousness of the Mircros while still have pinpoint imaging, and teamed with the Yamaha it is a really good match. I think what I really like is the coherence of the two drivers in the Micro versus the four drivers of the D2. BUT as you would guess there needs to be more bass response with the Micros even though they are surprisingly good in that department. So some variant of a two way system is what I've been thinking.
With all of that said what do you think of the three speakers listed originally? Magico S1 versus Martin Logan Montis versus my current JM Lab Mircro Utopias (non BE by the way) with a new subwoofer. I like that spacious, coherent and boxless sound of the ML's, though I have not heard the Montis. I haven't heard the Magicos but boy based on what I've read seem like something up my alley. Or do I stick with the Micro Utopias and hope for good integration with a sub, or is that a futile hope? While I really like the Tylers I'm just ready to try something new in this space while focusing on coherence and resolution.
I appreciate your comments. Thanks everyone. Don