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Hello all,

Some time ago, I bought a pair of very early production ML2s for an ongoing horn project (see "Note at end").

Rather than just let the ML2s sit and wait for the horns to get done, I of course tried them out with my "normal" 89db/watt@1m speakers (Verity Audio Parsifals with their bass modules), which I had been driving for years with a pair of M1.1s (a very nice match).

Results of the ML2 Verity Audio experiment :
I was not expecting it, but according to my references at that point (still in my pre-horn life) the ML2s drove the 89db/watt@1m Verity Audio speakers quite well. Without going into detail, I can easily understand why people who have never heard these amps mated to a high sensitivity speakers would insist they are a good match for certain "normal" speakers. In fact, the results were satisfying to the point that, until the horns are done, I decided to continue letting the ML2s drive the VA Parsifal speakers.

That's the way things were for quite some time...

Until one day...

I had been very patient, waiting to complete more of the horns, but one day I just couldn't stand it any longer... Though I only had a couple of Upper-Mid horns done, I decided to take the time to un-hook my "normal" 89db/watt@1m speakers, clear a space, and connect the ML2s to this pair of horns (Vitavox S2s into 400Hz Tractrix).

I positioned and connected the horns (high-passing the drivers at 1kHz), switched on the ML2s, loaded a Patricia Barber CD (JUST KIDDING !!!), and sat back to listen.

To make a long stroy short, both cats immediately left the room until I replaced the tubes... And then the sound was fantastic!

It is true that I was only getting part of the frequency spectrum (above 1kHz), but damn! ... Amazing... I was first struck by the total absence of sonic fog and inertia... You know how you feel when you finally manage to get a couple really good nights of rest... Well the drivers now sounded like they were performing as a person who has had this sort of recharge... Alert and ready, without being overly jacked up on caffeine.

The sound is now simply free, and seems to have its own energy or life force. Over all, it is more inviting to explore music when presented this way. Sound imaging is really strong.

I say is, because though these horns are designed to deliver only Upper-Mid-Range, what they deliver is of such quality that I have still not disconnected them (been listening to a lot of violin, soprano, trumpet etc. while working on the other horns).

I now understand why Romy is so addicted to "content-loaded music".

jd*

Note at end :

I bought the ML2s to use as a development/reference tool while constructing this horn system. The idea being that I would first use them to dial in the horns, and later as a reference, to which I would compare and evolve a 5-channel version of the Super Melquiade DSET amps.

The M1.1s are now happily driving a pair of 15 cubic foot, sealed concrete Lower-Bass enclosures ; together they will produce everything below 45Hz in the future system : integration is courtesy an SMS-1.

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