New MOFI speaker (Andrew Jones)

Here's the latest review from High Fidelity of the Sourcepoint 10 by Wojciech Pacula (who is a recording engineer as well as a reviewer). They gave it a Red Fingerprint Award.

All the best,
Nonoise

We indeed had mentioned earlier that the Bel Canto C6i should be a very good match and can confirm that's indeed the case. Great synergy between these two. You can read about the combo and see pictures here:  https://www.everestaudio.com/combo-mofi-sourcepoint-10-and-bel-canto-c6i.html

Which (less than $3,500) amps do people recommend running with their SourcePoint 10s? I recently acquired a pair and am driving them with an old Rotel RA-970BX. The sound is great so far, but the bass could be tighter and mids a touch more pronounced. It also seems like my right channel is slightly quieter, even after adjusting the DC bias, so the clock is ticking on this amp. From what I've read/watched so far, people seem to be using:

• "Warmer" Class D amps like the Rose RA 180 (Andrew Jones @ audio shows), Rose RS 520 (per a local dealer), and, @everest_audio's rec above, the Bel Canto C6i.
• Other warm sounding SS amps like pass labs and occasionally tubes

More neutral amps may not be the best match given the chance of too much treble extension (Luxman 595 ASE + PS10 = too much of a good thing). What do people think will mesh well for a slightly warmer sound?

One route i've been considering is a tube pre (Rogue RH-5) and then a more basic Class AB amp like an Odyssey Khartago or Van Alstine SET 120. 

MoFi stands are now available.  The box for the two of them is about 77 pounds.  The bottom plate is where most of the weight is.

We're a dealer in Canada and just got our stock in. So far, even with limited playing time, they're impressive and I think they'll be very popular. Lots of interest already. Build quality, fit & finish and sound quality are all at a very high level for the asking price. Very easy to drive, dynamic and sound huge in their presentation.

We have them on custom Skylan Stands for the speakers. You can see some pictures on our website or Facebook page. The combo looks fantastic. Right now, we're breaking them in with an Accuphase E-280 integrated, but will soon be pairing them with a Bel Canto C6i integrated which should be an incredible match for the money.

@kokakolia is MoFi a US brand?   They’re made in China.

Absolutely no justification for the price difference.

@singintheblues There are hundreds of UK speaker brands to choose from. I'm in a similar situation in France with French brands. Can't you audition UK gear in your local area? 

I say this because US brands like Klipsch and JBL are greatly overpriced compared to equivalent French brands which get virtually no attention because the USA is the centre of the world. End rant. 

Thanks, I’ll keep an eye out for the Qualio.

Won’t be pursuing the Mofi at UK prices.

O not A...my bad.

The GaN 1 should have no problems with the 4 ohm Qualio....it has low impedance at low frequencies........The tweeter is not 4 ohms but higher.....and even if it were 4 ohms you would only be down one quarter of a db at 10K......can you hear that?

Ah QualiO, not QualiA.   
 

4ohm.   I just received my GaN1 + Node, so unfortunately the Qualio are off the table.

That'd be great, ricevs, I'm interested in seeing that.

Just scroll down a little bit on this speaker forum  Sometime this weekend I should have fairly detailed instructions on my website on how to make your own way better than stock Qualia.

@ricevs can you please post a link to this Qualia IQ thread?

I searched it, but the only hit is this thread.

though Ric's EVS upgrades are awesome...

I`m not doubting that DIY speakers can sound great but the resale value of them takes a nose dive.

IMO...even OEM speakers can take a hit value wise when fussed with.

I`d rather buy mint used stock speakers and if I need/want to resell them I won`t lose too much if any money.

Just my opinion

@ricevs 

Very interesting 411 about the Qualios. I didn't see any DIY info.

I absolutely love my Emerald Physics 3.4s. I have Mark Ss personal pair, which I assume have upgraded XOs to which I upgraded the  CRAP jumper wiring, making them long enough to get the XOs off the bases, which vibrate like crazy . This simple DIY alone was/is a HUGE improvement

You guys should see my comments on the Qualia IQ thread.  You cannot buy the speaker driver used in the Mofi....but you can buy the all the parts for the Qualia and make a much better version for about $2.5K.  The stock Qualia is a whole nuther level up from this very good speaker (Mofi) that uses ordinary Chinese sourced wire, xover parts and jacks.  Even if you made an external xover using the worlds best parts and execution.....the modded Mofi would still not image as well or play as delicate or be as dynamic or go as low as the stock Qualia......and since you can make your own Qualia clone that is way better than the stock Qualia for $2.5K.....game over.

ive had this speaker for about 3 weeks now - its one of the few speakers where i actually really like the fact that the treble and bass are all one driver . Because its so one pieceish - its very clean and tight 

Coherence with a capital C make this speaker very grown up and sophisticated - Its very good for home theater as well - although its not talked about much

In fact its very arguably a great home theater speaker.

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For music i would give it a solid 8 stars out of 10

For home theater -  i would give it 9 stars out of 10

That S..ts funny to me someone would take stock on speaker sound quality from a recording of a speaker played through different speakers. 
 

“hey Bob did you hear doze new Wilson Maxx 54s on the YouTuber! Man that s..t was amazin! Gonna get me a pair of dem”

just kiddin. MAYBE you can get a general voicing signature from those videos but other than that…….. 

Yeah if YOU really think that you will be able to tell how these speakers will sound in YOUR room via  YouTube video then best to you. Tell us all how this works out

t amazes me that people endorse or criticize them if they did not hear them.

Even more mind boggling: over on sites like Jay’s Audio Lab, where he has posted a number of "demo videos" of the SourcePoint 10s, the comment section is filled with people actually thinking they can evaluate the speaker, and give their conclusions, over youtube!

The SourcePoint 10 review (and measurements) is up on the Stereophile site now.

I wrote on this thread that I own The Mofi Sourcepoint 10's. They sound fantastic. It amazes me that people endorse or criticize them if they did not hear them. It is hard to believe speakers at any cost can sound this good. Maybe it is because Andrew Jones developed speakers that have sound coming from one point, and not several drivers trying to correctly blend sound before it hits the ears.

A lot of high end audio is hype, and a lot of people listen to reviews and buy into the hype.  I heard the Mofi's at the Capital Audio Show and they blew me away. Before passing judgement, wait until you hear them from a dealer or from someone who bought them. They are dynamic and live sounding as hell. I think the Sourcepoint 10's are game changers, and are a threat to high end audio. 

@gimmer I will echo lak in thanking you for sharing this information.  I have been interested in this speaker from the get go, but just a bit leery as all the initial hype has been from spin doctors and not actual users.

@gimmer, thanks the information and your willingness to share :-)

I am about a month in with mine.  Amp is the the Allnic 30th Anniversary T2000 with KT170 tubes.  I am still waiting on the stands.  Dealer was told end of January or into February.  I currently have them on some loaner Wharfedale stands 

I have had Golden Ear Reference, Tekton Encores, Martin Logan Montis, Wilson Yvettes and some B&W's as a reference.

These were really supposed to be temporary speakers in one system while I am waiting for a pair of Janszen 9.5s to be built (I am anticipating May/June).  I would then move them into a secondary system.

I listened to some Klipsch Forte's and Cornwalls at my dealer and did not connect with either one and I liked these immediately in the dealer's space.  I was really looking for some sort of speaker/dollar formula when making the purchase.

Looking at them as the $3700 speakers they are, I am pleased with the purchase.  Imaging is really good and the soundstage is well defined.  I have not tried them on their sides yet (waiting for the real stands).  Bass is actually fairly full for a 10" driver and I do not find the treble bright which could be the KT170s helping.  To my 55 year old ears, I preferred the sound over the 6K Cornwalls.

They are probably a little big to be a set of bookshelf speakers.

My listening habits are mostly classic rock and acoustic rock (which these are good at) and some classical (not as good.)

there is a used set being resold out of oregon... listed on the other site... knock yourselves out folks 😁

there is also a very recent youtube video with steve mccormack being interviewed, stating he is very impressed with his set of these -- he is up there in age these days, but i would still trust his assessment more than most others on the ’tube...

Reading the Stereophile review raised some questions for me related to horizontal and vertical dispersion. JA listened with the speakers placed horizontally, but did not mentioned orientation for his measurements (unless I missed it). As the front baffles are not perfectly square, wouldn’t perceived dispersion, sound stage, and instrument placement differ between a vertical vs horizontal placement?

I believe gimmer has a pair of the new MOFI speaker.

IMHO, it's popularity comes from the concentric 12" driver. I have Emerald Physics 3.4s, floorstanders, OPEN BAFFLE, OUTBOARD XOs, 12" CONCENTRIC DRIVER WITH 1" POLYESTER TWEETER. Sadly, they are no longer in production, BUT, they come up FS occasionally at a fraction of the MSRP of these. The 2+ series additionally has 15" woofer/s

Prof has not bought it. And I don’t think he will buy it

Did you miss the review by @prof earlier on page 5?

I don’t think anyone from Audiogon members have purchased these. I may be wrong. Plenty of reviews online though

I am interested in these speakers and wondering if anyone new has received a pair and can give their impressions?   I may be just missing it, but seems the initial hype has subsided very quickly.

@fsonicsmith @fsonicsmith1  Sorry to hear about your situation, hope you can get it sorted out.

jetter

2,623 posts

01-09-2023 at 09:21am 

@fsonicsmith @fsonicsmith1 Off topic, but just noticed similarity of familiar name and wondering if you are you the same or two different people.

Same. Somehow my account under Fsonicsmith started showing up as "canceled" when I would try to sign in. I could post but could not read private messages I was being sent from time to time or respond to them. So I was forced to open a slightly different account in order to restore my ability to respond to private messages and to avoid getting a red banner during log-in that I was attempting to sign in to a canceled account. I am fairly certain this happened because out of anger after having a thread I had started getting deleted by the mods I canceled my account. I had no idea it would mean that I would not be able to re-register under the same name. But I can not re-register under the same name. 

@fsonicsmith @fsonicsmith1 Off topic, but just noticed similarity of familiar name and wondering if you are you the same or two different people.

For $4K with stands, they seem by almost all accounts a LOT of speaker. Not for everyone obviously, but for a lot of folks most likely yes. That's the point of this and any other business, appealing to the most folks possible.

Panzr- and Kloss did all his great work w/ a microphone, oscilloscope & his eyes & eyes. No computers, no real high tech materials, no exotic cabinetry. For folks who never heard heard a properly set up stacked pair, grill cloths removed, w/ a good, powerful amp & good source, you would be surprised just how good they could sound. That was maybe $500 for 4 Advents in 1974 ( walnut cabs) so today maybe $4K? Other than a more extended, open high end, they would compete w/ & beat many offerings today & easily in the bass. 

This topic has been covered many times. I owned stacked Advents back in '78-81 and they were driven by HK Citation amps. It is true that they were "a thing" and could put out a lot of tight low-end grunt and a wall of sound. IME, they were not up the SQ of better modern day loudspeakers. I just got done with a workout in my basement (riding to Zwift on a bike trainer) and my basement system I use when riding down there is a Classe CDP.5 into a a Schitt Freya pre into a McCormack DNA.5 Rev A and one pair of those same Large Advents that I had restored ten years ago (new crossovers, surrounds, internal wiring from John Van L of Van L Speakerworks, Chicago). I know the sound of Large Advents quite well. 

Panzr- and Kloss did all his great work w/ a microphone, oscilloscope & his eyes & eyes. No computers, no real high tech materials, no exotic cabinetry. For folks who never heard heard a properly set up stacked pair, grill cloths removed, w/ a good, powerful amp & good source, you would be surprised just how good they could sound. That was maybe $500 for 4 Advents in 1974 ( walnut cabs) so today maybe $4K? Other than a more extended, open high end, they would compete w/ & beat many offerings today & easily in the bass. 

Let the lower end of the market eat cake!

Read the review in Stereophile, I’m not that impressed by the review.  Seems to be targeted to the lower end of the market. It’s has a lot of limitations as you’d expect at that price point but still would be interesting to hear. My impressions.

Hey @ prof, I do get the aesthetic thing. I personally like them but they are a tougher sell for a non-dedicated listening space. I'm off to check out your Devore thread. 

@jbhiller 

I'm tempted too and I have no reason to be buying any more loudspeakers!

Ha ha!  Same here.  Sort of.

I have enjoyed some of the new vogue for old school wider baffle/bigger driver speakers (as my Devore thread attests to).  So these speakers got my interest.

And of course all the hype combined with the price.  I need another speaker like a hole in the head, but ya-never-know so I gave them a listen.

But I admit I had pretty much ruled them out the moment I saw them.  Aesthetically they just wouldn't work in my room (which has some unusual demands for placement).  It's still possible if I was totally blown away I may have bought a pair to throw in the system once in a while.  I'll be hearing them again at some point out of curiosity.

@jbhiller , I couldn't agree more with your take on this. The one time I met AJ he was gracious with his time and great to talk to. 

As for measurements, I'm of the same mind with you. As for what we could get 20 years ago, I feel it's no contest due to new tech, modeling and computer analysis that gives designers a leg up on what is possible. This truly is a great time to be in this hobby. 

All the best,
Nonoise

@nonoise ,  I'm tempted too and I have no reason to be buying any more loudspeakers!

Like others, I've met AJ a few times at Axpona.  He's such a sweetheart of a person, charming and passionate.  He's definitely got the golden touch.  

I couldn't care any less how these things measure.  I bet they sound superb. What a great time to be in this hobby.  Could we get this value 20 years ago? 

If you buy the stands and speakers as a package, I believe they get discounted to around $299.

Also, there's a thread over at ASR (I know, I know) from two members who're trying out a pair and they have a very positive take on them. Learning of the measurements later only confirmed their findings. They seem to be very finicky with placement.

All the best,
Nonoise

I have great respect for John Atkinson. However, my takeaway from the review is that the speakers will sound bright in most rooms. [Though Atkinson's conclusions say otherwise, reading between the lines of the reviews somewhat contradicts the conclusions]. Also, while I trust John Atkinson's objective measurements, I often find his subjective reviews to be less satisfactory. The picture of his "listening room" in the latest Stereophile perhaps partly indicates why.

I would hope that at $3700 these don't sound bad. In fact, I hope they do sound great as per the desciption of those who have heard them and Stereophile Magazine. But all things being equal, would you rather spend $3700 on these or on a set of Arendal 1723 THX tower speakers?  I know much would depend on your room size, your amp, your whole system, etc., and I know $3700 is "midrange price" for many of you. Still, for those wanting to get the biggest value for their money, I wonder. Plus you'll be popping what, another $500 for stands for the MoFi? 

The review had the speaker on its side as it fit the available stands better and aimed the tweeter up slightly. With a coincident driver this won't matter (unless it's a tower speaker and then...well...it gets weird from there).  I liked Jones' comment about larger woofer not moving much, which is also one of the reasons horn speakers work so well...none of the drivers works very hard as the horns make 'em efficient.