Macca's Lash Up 2: Lash Harder

[DSJR]

I've decided to start a new thread as the old one was getting a bit long and rambling.

Plus I have entered a new era and have the lash-up sounding pretty good. good enough that I have actually - gasp - been buying some new music to listen to, instead of playing the same old stuff trying to work out the problems.

This is the first time since 1995 that I have actually been reasonably happy with the sound of my system.

Anyway this morning I am in a hi-fi shop!



Or am I? No, it is just my living room and loudspeakers are piling up.

On the stands are the B&O MC120.2 that I have just acquired. What a great speaker these are, a total cut above. I like 3 way speakers and I like mid-range domes so thought I would have a try of them. As I'd hoped they are capable of doing that out of box imaging thing, hanging a big soundstage that you can watch like you are watching a film. This is the thing I like about the Akais (also pictured) - you forget that you are listening to loudspeakers altogether.

The B&O do not have the same dynamic freedom as the Akais, since they are significantly smaller, but there is not a massive difference. And they won't play at the same SPL without complaining either, but they are sufficient for any reasonable listening level.

As you might expect they are a little more 'refined' than the Akais, which can spit a little with high-octane rock music. The B&O are smoother, but just as open in the mid and top, bass being just a little on the warm and rich side of tight and neutral. Imagine ATC crossed with Harbeth (if you can!) and you sort of have the character of these speakers.

Since all of my quality speakers are vintage, or need work (like the big IMFs also pictured) I wanted a modern-ish speaker to give me a second opinion on the rest of the system. I did have a listen to Alan's B&W 602 that he kindly brought over a few weeks ago but this gives me the chance for a longer comparison.

The verdict? As I said at the start it is sounding pretty good. No real foibles in the sound. Sins of omission I can live with but not sins of commission. I can't hear any sins of commission here. Could things be better on the amp and source side? Well possibly, I suppose the CD player could be bettered and maybe the power amp, but I am not in any desperate need to upgrade them. I will abide and see what comes along that is of interest in those areas.

Back to the B&O and one point I think must be made - why buy brand new speakers when bargains like these are available on the forums for £200 that are several levels up in terms of quality over what you will get for that money even in a store that does offer good budget value like Richer Sounds?

I leave you to mull over that one.

I have to say Martin, your speaker choices are a bit left field

I have to say from my side of the counter, that B&O went through a terrible speaker phase with this range - PHASE being the operative word. The smaller ones sort of got away with it, having the tweeters well separated from the bass units, but the more complex they got, the worse the sound became. The 120's were top of the range and I think they were slightly better than the absolutely horrible MC 80's they made, but out of phase drivers, midrange colouration and random peaks and dips in the response used to give me prolonged headaches if I was forced to listen to them (my hearing as much as anything else, but this kind of acoustic treatment on a speaker affects me - one reason why I hardly ever listened to my repaired Spendor BC2's until just recently after I padded the HF1300 tweeter down a little further).

Try the B&O's on applause as well as light folk and jazz. Watch for a sucked out upper mid masquerading for 'air and space.'

Sorry about the above, but I suppose that I'd have been looking for bigger AR models (2ax, 3a or replacements - 10pi's are too rare and expensive) in need of a re-foam, or possibly KEF Concerto's which came to life on low 10" stands. I wonder if you'd like AR90's accepting the bass units may need attention.

P.S. I know you'd like the Beovox 5700/5702 as it's a cut down Ditton 66, or at least the 5702 was as I remember https://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=475 I suspect the cab volume was more like the Ditton 551, which was a very fine speaker I remember.

P.P.S. I do love the old IMF's, but the bass on these early TL's was a bit loose in the lower regions - not an issue with the sources and amps then often used. I still think that some added subtle resistance in the lines (easily removed cushion inners?) would tame the floppy low bass and balance out the mid bass a bit, as what you gain very low down is paid for by nasties further up the bass register - look at HFW review on PMC FB1's for an better explanation - they all do it.