Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Associated equipment used during the review was similar to that used in other recent reviews: CD playback via the Esoteric D-2 processor driven by the digital outputs of an NAD 5000 CD player, and also via a California Audio Labs Aria III.

Vinyl playback this time out was via the Oracle Delphi Mk.IV turntable with the Oracle/SME 345 tonearm and a Dynavector XX-1L phono cartridge. The preamp was, in all cases, the Rowland Consonance. Power amps were the Rowland Model One, Classé DR-8, Threshold SA/12e monoblocks, and Levinson No.23.

Interconnects were by Cardas (Hexlink) and AudioQuest (Lapis)—except for a generic 75 ohm video coax from CD-player digital out to processor in. Loudspeaker cable was a bi-wire set of AudioQuest Clears—bi-wiring was used for all of the auditions. Spikes are not provided with the M-3; I used Tiptoes after the setup positioning was finalized.—Thomas J. Norton