Polk Audio is such a company. During my years at Stereophile I've covered their RT25i (September 2001), which I bought and still own; the LSi7 (March 2003); and the RTiA1 (September 2008). Each model, when reviewed, exemplified great value and competed well with all other designs at…
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When a reviewer specializes in seeking out innovation and value in affordable loudspeakers, certain manufacturers warrant revisiting again and again—companies that consistently deliver high-value products, but also steadily revamp their lines to trickle down design innovations to ever more affordable models.
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, bass-reflex bookshelf loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) ring-radiator tweeter, 3.25" (83mm) polypropylene-cone midrange, 6.5" (165mm) polypropylene-cone woofer. Crossover frequency (midrange–tweeter): 2.8kHz. Frequency range: 36Hz–40kHz. Frequency response: 50Hz–30kHz, –3dB. Nominal impedance: compatible with 8 ohm outputs. Sensitivity: 88dB. Recommended amplification: 20–200Wpc.
Dimensions: 16¾" (426mm) H by 8" (203mm) W by 14½" (370mm) D. Weight: 29.6 lbs (13.4kg).
Finishes: Mount Vernon Cherry, Midnight Mahogany.
Serial…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: VPI TNT IV, Rega Research Planar 3 turntables; Immedia, Syrinx PU-3 tonearms; Koetsu Urushi, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridges.
Digital Sources: Lector CDP-7T, Creek Destiny CD players.
Preamplification: Vendetta Research SCP-2D, Creek Destiny phono stages; Audio Valve Eclipse line stage.
Power Amplifier: Audio Research Reference 110.
Integrated Amplifier: Creek Destiny.
Loudspeakers: Dynaudio Excite X12, Epos M16i, Monitor Audio RX6 Silver.
Cables: Interconnect (all MIT): Magnum M3, MI-350 CVTwin Terminator, MI-…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Polk LSiM703's frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 for the nearfield and spatially averaged room responses. With its ¼" capsule, the Earthworks mike is small enough to not significantly affect the tuning of the port when used to take a nearfield measurement.
I estimated the LSiM703's B-weighted voltage sensitivity as 87dB/2.83V/m, 1dB lower than the specification. The electrical impedance (fig.1, solid trace) remained between 4 and 7 ohms over most of…
If it's rare to go to an audio show and hear most of a company's products set up properly in multiple rooms, it's rarer still to hear those products also sounding terrific in each and every room. Such was my introduction to Marten's loudspeakers at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. In each of the systems in which the Swedish company's speakers were set up, and no matter what gear was upstream of them, I heard distinctly neutral, open, musical sound. After having the very same experience with Marten's speakers at the 2011 CES, I concluded that they must know what they're doing, and that…
However, setting the Django's bass level control to "–" did a very good job of taming this bass bump without robbing the rest of the bass of its weight and fullness. With most speakers that have bass-level controls, I find the choices a bit too extreme—they rob too much bass at the "–" setting and add too much at "+". The Django's control proved tastefully useful, and helped me get the speakers sounding just right. Interestingly, when I listened to the Djangos via Simaudio's massive Moon Evolution M880 monoblocks, I switched the bass selectors to the "+" position, to help the Martens…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" ceramic-diaphragm tweeter, 6" ceramic-diaphragm midrange unit, three 8" aluminum-cone woofers. Crossover: second-order, 250Hz & 3kHz. Frequency response: 26Hz–30kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 89dB/2.83V/m. Impedance: 6 ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimum. Power rating: 250W. Terminals: single-wired, WBT. Internal wiring: Jorma Design. Supplied accessories: anodized aluminum outriggers with Marten cones.
Dimensions: 49.2" (1250mm) H by 10.6" (270mm) W by 19.7" (500mm) D. Weight: 104 lbs (…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Clearaudio Concept turntable & tonearm, with Concept moving-magnet cartridge; Clearaudio Ovation turntable & tonearm, Clearaudio Talisman V2 cartridge.
Digital Sources: Benchmark DAC1 HDR D/A converter/preamplifier, Sony Vaio laptop computer; Bel Canto Design CD 2 CD player & DAC 3.5 VB Mk.II D/A converter & VB-1 power supply.
Preamplification: Clearaudio Nano phono preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: Audio Research Reference 150, Rogue Audio M-180 monoblocks, Simaudio Moon Evolution 880M monoblocks.
Loudspeakers…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Marten Django XL's frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 mike for the nearfield responses. Because the Django XL is a large, heavy speaker, I could not raise it very high off the ground for the acoustic measurements. As a result, the measured responses have less resolution in the midrange than I would have liked.
My estimate of the Django's voltage sensitivity was 84.1dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is much lower than the specified 89dB/2.83V/m. Offsetting that,…
I'll have more to say about Dan Deacon's America, both here and in the pages of Stereophile, but, for now, I'll just quickly say that I like it—a LOT.
Full of major chords and glorious crescendos, littered with screeching electronic noise and dressed up with sweeping violins, America is bold, ambitious, arrogant, pretentious, and really beautiful.
It's available now from Domino Records, or you can stream the entire album over at The Guardian.
Read more about Dan Deacon's America here.