jant71
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
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Maybe not so a much review as impressions. I am not a big speaker guy anymore. I did review the Blue Ever Blue earbuds/earphones using the ETL tech. Since those are essentially a cheaper way to demo the speaker tech I was also offered a pair of Majestic Diamonds to try out as well. Who am I to say no
! I like to try and shed some light/give some impression of unknown stuff. Any knowledge is preferable to none, right. Again, no longer a speaker guy but I can provide a few pics and some thoughts on them for the real speaker guys to judge what they think. Thanks to David of Biolinks for the pairs of Majestic Diamonds.
The speakers are under the TBI brand. http://tbisound.com/
They are small monitors or satellites good for a multi-channel system, or computer, or home theater. I will just give my opinion of them stand alone not combined with any sub or system.
Some pics:
The Specs(straight from the packaging):
TECH - Embedded Transmission Line Point Source - Pat Pending
F.R. - 80Hz - 18KHz +/- 3db
POWER HAND. - 25W RMS(100W IHF max using active or passive X-over @ 80Hz)
DRIVER - Single 3" full range driver supported by ETL enclosure
IMP. - 8 Ohm
SENS. - 87db 1w/1m ( Nominal Max Room SPL 100db+)
DISTORTION - < 2% 125Hz to 20KHz @1W
DIM./WEIGHT - 4.625" W x 5.5" H x 5.125" D / 2.7 lbs with grille
MOUNT - 1/4 - 20 standard threads
CONNECTORS - 5-way binding posts
PRICE: There is a summer special. If you buy any set of HDSS earphones, get a pair of Majestic Diamond monitor speakers for $150.00 and they will include the small Tripath 2020 Digital T-amp. The summer special speaker promo can be redeemed anytime within 30 days of your earphone purchase.
So that brings in the small T-amp(pictured above). It is a cute little amp. 20W RMS with with tone controls and a bypass switch. Also has loudspeaker protection at turn on and over-voltage protection. It also has a cute LED ring around the volume control reminiscent of the Sandisk Fuze. It has both 3.5mm audio input and RCA input jacks in the rear. It gets the job done if you want to hook up an MP3 player or other use that is not incorporating them into a system.
On to the monitors themselves. I feel they are nicely built. Fairly understated looking cubes that should fit into any system aesthetically. Mine are the matte finish and scratch resistant. 2.7 pounds each, they feel solid. Nice silicone rubber feet and grille sockets. The metal grille posts are quite sturdy looking as well as the mount on the back. The grills are constructed of 3/8" particle board cut out and drilled out for the grille sockets. Seems like they will last more than thinner plastic grills and sockets. The 5-way binding posts are recessed as to not add to the depth and give them some protection. They are covered by a 3-year warranty.
They remind me of "the black" 328R earbuds. The best analogous pair as they are small, black, and have a neutral, detailed sound that is monitor-like. That would be the best match as far as being able to sample the speakers from the earphones AFAIC.
Sound-wise I like them. Testing them standalone at first they seem to lack some bass. But as the usual saying goes, once you adjust, you no longer look for any extra bass. As mini or satellite speakers I find them to be voiced right. Neutral with good range, nice imaging, and an even response across the range. I was told to try them out different ways as they are designed to work well regardless of placement. They do work well facing all ways including pointed straight up or down. The only differences really being slightly elevated bass in certain positions or proximity to walls. As promised, they have nice detail and have intelligible mid-range/vocals. The MD-1 seem good(with the T-amp powering them) for ~10-12' and 45 degree left and right travel before they start to lose their high end appreciably. They can be spaced a nice distance apart even standalone. It would be nice to have tested in a system as it seems they would do well.
I would have like to tested more thoroughly but I really have nothing like them to compare to. Searching reveals quite a few small high quality passive monitors that range from $35 - $150 a piece placing these in the middle price-wise at $75 each with the current deal pricing. I have heard next to none to assess how these stack up though.
If you have something similar and would like to test these out shoot me a PM. Good if someone with a similar product can give comparisons. I didn't ask permission but I'm sure they won't mind. They want the opinions and feed back. I've spoken to them on the phones a few times as well and they are good guys who want to put out nice stuff. They also let me test out some phones with and without the ETL modification and it does work. Not just BS or marketing crap. Not night and day, maybe a 15% improvement but noticeable and it does meet some of their claims compared to the same driver without the modification. As I said before, not a speaker guy anymore. Exclusively headphones and earphones these days but hopefully I shed a little bit of useful info on what the MD-1 monitors are bringing to the table.
The speakers are under the TBI brand. http://tbisound.com/
They are small monitors or satellites good for a multi-channel system, or computer, or home theater. I will just give my opinion of them stand alone not combined with any sub or system.
Some pics:
The Specs(straight from the packaging):
TECH - Embedded Transmission Line Point Source - Pat Pending
F.R. - 80Hz - 18KHz +/- 3db
POWER HAND. - 25W RMS(100W IHF max using active or passive X-over @ 80Hz)
DRIVER - Single 3" full range driver supported by ETL enclosure
IMP. - 8 Ohm
SENS. - 87db 1w/1m ( Nominal Max Room SPL 100db+)
DISTORTION - < 2% 125Hz to 20KHz @1W
DIM./WEIGHT - 4.625" W x 5.5" H x 5.125" D / 2.7 lbs with grille
MOUNT - 1/4 - 20 standard threads
CONNECTORS - 5-way binding posts
PRICE: There is a summer special. If you buy any set of HDSS earphones, get a pair of Majestic Diamond monitor speakers for $150.00 and they will include the small Tripath 2020 Digital T-amp. The summer special speaker promo can be redeemed anytime within 30 days of your earphone purchase.
So that brings in the small T-amp(pictured above). It is a cute little amp. 20W RMS with with tone controls and a bypass switch. Also has loudspeaker protection at turn on and over-voltage protection. It also has a cute LED ring around the volume control reminiscent of the Sandisk Fuze. It has both 3.5mm audio input and RCA input jacks in the rear. It gets the job done if you want to hook up an MP3 player or other use that is not incorporating them into a system.
On to the monitors themselves. I feel they are nicely built. Fairly understated looking cubes that should fit into any system aesthetically. Mine are the matte finish and scratch resistant. 2.7 pounds each, they feel solid. Nice silicone rubber feet and grille sockets. The metal grille posts are quite sturdy looking as well as the mount on the back. The grills are constructed of 3/8" particle board cut out and drilled out for the grille sockets. Seems like they will last more than thinner plastic grills and sockets. The 5-way binding posts are recessed as to not add to the depth and give them some protection. They are covered by a 3-year warranty.
They remind me of "the black" 328R earbuds. The best analogous pair as they are small, black, and have a neutral, detailed sound that is monitor-like. That would be the best match as far as being able to sample the speakers from the earphones AFAIC.
Sound-wise I like them. Testing them standalone at first they seem to lack some bass. But as the usual saying goes, once you adjust, you no longer look for any extra bass. As mini or satellite speakers I find them to be voiced right. Neutral with good range, nice imaging, and an even response across the range. I was told to try them out different ways as they are designed to work well regardless of placement. They do work well facing all ways including pointed straight up or down. The only differences really being slightly elevated bass in certain positions or proximity to walls. As promised, they have nice detail and have intelligible mid-range/vocals. The MD-1 seem good(with the T-amp powering them) for ~10-12' and 45 degree left and right travel before they start to lose their high end appreciably. They can be spaced a nice distance apart even standalone. It would be nice to have tested in a system as it seems they would do well.
I would have like to tested more thoroughly but I really have nothing like them to compare to. Searching reveals quite a few small high quality passive monitors that range from $35 - $150 a piece placing these in the middle price-wise at $75 each with the current deal pricing. I have heard next to none to assess how these stack up though.
If you have something similar and would like to test these out shoot me a PM. Good if someone with a similar product can give comparisons. I didn't ask permission but I'm sure they won't mind. They want the opinions and feed back. I've spoken to them on the phones a few times as well and they are good guys who want to put out nice stuff. They also let me test out some phones with and without the ETL modification and it does work. Not just BS or marketing crap. Not night and day, maybe a 15% improvement but noticeable and it does meet some of their claims compared to the same driver without the modification. As I said before, not a speaker guy anymore. Exclusively headphones and earphones these days but hopefully I shed a little bit of useful info on what the MD-1 monitors are bringing to the table.
