M100 listening session at BobK's house. - 10/13/14 05:38 PM
Short Version: M100s are incredible.
This is my second session with these speakers.
I brought a 50 watt amplifier to Bob's house and my CD player. It was a little embarrassing when Bob opened the loading tray and Gordon Lightfoot was in there. Bob never says anything derogatory about your music choices. He just kind of looks at you a certain way that makes you feel ashamed. He might give it a complement... "That came in a sturdy jewel case", or some history if he thinks he has hurt your feelings "The guitar player on that album went to high school with Tom Petty."
I put in a Wynton Marselis CD that I like for demoing and at first I was disappointed, I thought the 100's would sound really good at medium levels with my amp. But it sounded terrible.
I turned the amp down and we listened to a couple of tracks. I mentioned that I thought it was sounding better. Bob thought so too. I turned it up. Much better. I turned it up more. What an amazing surprise. The volume and bass we were getting was astounding.
Bob wanted to listen to Royals from Pure Heroin. He said I was about to hear this song in a new way.
The M100s are a revelation. The M80s I have soundstage really well. I often look over my shoulder to the right or left and laugh to myself because I know there are no speakers there, but the 100s image and fill all of the spaces in between. They are uncanny. If they can do this, what the heck can the LFR series do? Scary to think about.
One thing that I have never experienced before is how these speakers affect the dynamic range of individual instruments and vocalists within the track. I can't explain it properly. But things that were meant to be quiet are quiet and things meant to be loud are loud. And I don't just mean the bass. It's everything. My 80s cant do this. I never would have believed the speaker was influencing this so much, I thought the recording was the recording.
Bob's room is better than mine. But we have listened to my 80s at my house and then we brought them to his house so we have done a room comparison before.
Simply put, it was two hours of the most enjoyable music listening I have ever had, even with Bob's Gordon Lightfoot bigotry rearing its ugly head.
The amp I brought was a Manly Stingray tube amplifier. The amp and those speakers blew my mind. Who knew that little amp could rock like that. Stunning. Thanks Ian and Andrew for that new woofer trio.
I know the M100 name was speculated about and imagined for years before it arrived. But I don't think it is the right name.
I do not think the M100 is the M80s successor. There is a big leap. Different species. I would have left the 80s as the kings of the M line and I would have named the M100s simply "The 100" or E100. E for evolved.
Regards,
"The Lampshade"
This is my second session with these speakers.
I brought a 50 watt amplifier to Bob's house and my CD player. It was a little embarrassing when Bob opened the loading tray and Gordon Lightfoot was in there. Bob never says anything derogatory about your music choices. He just kind of looks at you a certain way that makes you feel ashamed. He might give it a complement... "That came in a sturdy jewel case", or some history if he thinks he has hurt your feelings "The guitar player on that album went to high school with Tom Petty."
I put in a Wynton Marselis CD that I like for demoing and at first I was disappointed, I thought the 100's would sound really good at medium levels with my amp. But it sounded terrible.
I turned the amp down and we listened to a couple of tracks. I mentioned that I thought it was sounding better. Bob thought so too. I turned it up. Much better. I turned it up more. What an amazing surprise. The volume and bass we were getting was astounding.
Bob wanted to listen to Royals from Pure Heroin. He said I was about to hear this song in a new way.
The M100s are a revelation. The M80s I have soundstage really well. I often look over my shoulder to the right or left and laugh to myself because I know there are no speakers there, but the 100s image and fill all of the spaces in between. They are uncanny. If they can do this, what the heck can the LFR series do? Scary to think about.
One thing that I have never experienced before is how these speakers affect the dynamic range of individual instruments and vocalists within the track. I can't explain it properly. But things that were meant to be quiet are quiet and things meant to be loud are loud. And I don't just mean the bass. It's everything. My 80s cant do this. I never would have believed the speaker was influencing this so much, I thought the recording was the recording.
Bob's room is better than mine. But we have listened to my 80s at my house and then we brought them to his house so we have done a room comparison before.
Simply put, it was two hours of the most enjoyable music listening I have ever had, even with Bob's Gordon Lightfoot bigotry rearing its ugly head.
The amp I brought was a Manly Stingray tube amplifier. The amp and those speakers blew my mind. Who knew that little amp could rock like that. Stunning. Thanks Ian and Andrew for that new woofer trio.
I know the M100 name was speculated about and imagined for years before it arrived. But I don't think it is the right name.
I do not think the M100 is the M80s successor. There is a big leap. Different species. I would have left the 80s as the kings of the M line and I would have named the M100s simply "The 100" or E100. E for evolved.
Regards,
"The Lampshade"