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What beats the Evolution Acoustics MM3 ??

With 500 hours on my MM3s I'm feeling comfortable that they're sufficiently broken in to begin to draw conclusions on their performance. I'm wondering if anyone else has found a speaker with similar characteristics?

The MM3s are unlike any speakers I've ever owned- B&W Silver Signiture, WATT/Puppy 5.1, 6, Dunlavy IV, IVa, V, Kharma Midi Grand, etc.

The MM3s simply stated allow you to enjoy the music. They are so utterly natural in their sound reproduction that you can actually forget about hearing two loudspeakers in the chain and get a closer connection to the music. I know this sound like so much holistic drivel, but I struggle to find a better way to express the sensation. In analytical, terms the following audiophile attributes, when veiwed holistically, help to explain this end result.

- Seamless driver integration.
- Flat frequency response with exceptional extension at the frequency extremes.
- Natural sounding dynamic swings and transparency.
- Truly effortless full scale presentation.
- Rivals Houdini in their ability to completely disappear.

These characteristics, in concert, allows you for once to focus solely on the music- something most audiophiles sorely need. The quality of the components comprising the MM3s must also help to achieve this level of "rightness".

- Linear, smooth, sweet & extended ribbon tweeter.
- Two ultra high-line ceramic midrange drivers- D'Appolito arrayed.
- Two 15" powered woofers in sealed enclosures- D'Appolito arrrayed.
- Super premium crossover parts and internal wiring.
- Computer modelled cabinet structure finished to extraordinarily exquisite standards. Think Sonus Faber meets Magico Mini.

Ultimately, the performance level these speakers achieve must certainly be attributed to their designer- Kevin Malmgren- formerly of Von Schweikert Audio. Kevin designed most of the current VSA line, including the legendary VR-11 and the equally impressive VR-9. While on the subject of the VR-9s- I listened exrensively to the VR-9s driven by the DartZeel pre-amp, DartZeel amp and EMM Labs digital front end at the '05 RMAF and was mightily impressed. Last year- 06' RMAF- is spent many hours listening to the MM3s driven by the EMM labs CDSD and the Dart combo (BTW the Darts and the CDSD are what I'm currently using on the MM3s) and the '06 RMAF MM3 system was significantly better, to my ears, than the VR-9 based system of the prior year.

This brings me around to the great value I belive the MM3s represent. At approximately $40k the MM3s significanly bettered the VR-9 which run $75K. Are the MM3s the equal to the enormous VR-11- I don't know, but perhaps they are- at almost 25% of the $150k price.

The Evolution Acoustics modular design allows you to start with MM1s or MM2s and add woofer modules as your budget allows. I've got my MM3s in a relatively small room of approximately 18x17 dimensions and the speakers perfectly integrate into the room. I was a little suprised by this ease of integration, but needless to say am now delighted. No bass boom or overload- not even close! And as an additional bonus the tweeters, woofers and woofer/midrange crossover points are adjustable. My MM3s are set, essentially, flat and I've felt no need to fiddle with the adjustments.

This leads me back to the opening comment about the MM3s and their ability to let you just enjoy the music. No other speaker in my experience has allowed me to just listen and enjoy- without feeling the need to tweak this or change out that. This is a true revelation for me. I'd like to know if others have discovered other speakers capable of this feat.
fbhifi

Showing 6 responses by stereotaipei

stereotaipei
56 posts
 
"Mediocre recordings sound OK, good recordings sound FANTASTIC and great recordings sound UNBELIEVABLE. I now just sit back and feel transported to each and every recording venue"

I have also a pair of MM3 and can only agree. These speakers are a lens. When you feed them with the best, the result is amazing. I never spent so much time listening to music! So transparent and not tiring at all.
Overall, I spent 2 days optimizing the MM3 position and settings using a RTA analysis (once at the beginning, once after 400hrs of burn in). It is worth the effort: Frequency response is flat (in a extensively treated room)
stereotaipei
56 posts
 
forgot to answer the title of the post: to my ears, nothing below 100k beats them. I am living between Taipei, HK and Tokyo so have access to dealers representing the best speakers on the market... I spent one year making listening sessions before deciding myself (including listening the VR11...).
The only speaker which may have made me hesitate is the Magico Mini... if I would have a much smaller room.
stereotaipei
56 posts
 
Drubin,
you can set up the frequency response the way you want with the tweeter adjustment on the MM3. For too bright recordings, I decrease the tweeter setting by 2-3dB and at measurements you get exactly the gradual downward slope you are preferring. Same for the bass, you can do all type of adjustment depending on how you like it (tight vs "full", etc)

Bill Powel,
I wouldn't base my judgment based on a show. Room plays such a big role that you are basically listening to the room, not the speaker... If you listened to the MM3 at Rocky Mountain show last year, I heard that the room had significant problem. If you are traveling to Tokyo, I would be happy to invite you for a listening session. Otherwise, you should try to listen to the MM3 in a great room like Mike Lavigne's. The day I listened to the MM3 in his room I decided myself for them.
Now regarding the Polymer logic, I never listened to them. I only know that I would never judge a speaker just based on technology used: technology they are using looks great, but implementation still makes 70% of the difference. Good example is for example the Magico Mini (gen 1) vs. the HK based Volent speaker (same titanium woofer, ribbon tweeter). Totally different sound.
Anyway, they are a lot of excellent speakers on the market today. The most important differentiation factor between 2 systems will always remain the quality of the room... better spending on it first rather than on a more expensive set of speakers, cables, a better CD player, etc.
I still believe that the MM3 is great value for money. Main reason is it is sold direct. If I buy any other brands I need to pay for the distributor margin (30%+) and the retailer margin (40%+)... that makes a lot.
stereotaipei
56 posts
 
I heard Volent at the manufacturing company in HK. Bottom line is it is quite transparent in medium range, rather analytical sound (not surprising given the driver used), good tonal accuracy, but you don't have the same transparency and image as for the Magico Mini. Big problem for me is the ported bass: goes lower than the Mini but the bass is too heavy, too sloow. It is masking the lower mid.
Tweeter is nice if you are sitting in the right position (I always liked ribbon): sweet and transparent. Overall a good speaker but not the Whow factor of the Mini (they cost 4 times less).
I was looking for another pair of small speaker for my second home in Taipei, I am keeping looking as the port is too much of an issue for me and the improvement vs my pair of Usher 718 is not enough to make the jump. Currently listening to the Usher 718 Be (proce is amazing in Taiwan), hope to compare it against the new small JMLabs.
JF
stereotaipei
56 posts
 
Bkonig,
I fully agree with your points. I am a big jazz fan, and the sad reality is that often the sound of my system is better than concerts I am attending, problem being the quality of amplification used in a lot of jazz clubs (and the fact that they often play way too loud): why do you need to amplify a band of 4-5 in a space of less than 100sqm?
stereotaipei
56 posts
 
I believe it is an aurum cantum G3. Accuton for the mid. Don't know for woofer
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