Evolution Acoustics MMMicroOne

Agisthos: How much should one spend on an amp and preamp for the MMMicroOne? Would 8k for an amplifier be unreasonble? How about 8k for a preamplifier? The darTZeel CTH-8550 is 20k but also includes a fantastic phonostage. Is it really that unreasonable to use that combo?

Also, I show the products I represent. I have responsibilities as an owner of Evolution Acoustics, Playback Designs, Wave Kinetics and importer of darTZeel to keep those products seen at trade shows. I believe Hervé Deletraz loves the MMMicroOne and has no problem with us using a $2500 loudspeaker / stand to show off his electronics. Why should anyone else?

Charles1dad: Thank you. I do question one thing:
You state: "I would assume at a cost factor 10x higher the Magico used more expensive parts."

I do not necessarily know this to be so. I could have priced our MMMicroOne at what I consider ridiculous margins, as I believe Magico and most other speaker manufacturers do. Magico has a huge advertising budget which I am sure is built into the retail price of their speakers, we do not. Why should you and others pay for their advertising?

Doc77: I understand why you say most of what you say and respect the fact that is your oponion. However, where you are totally off base is the statements you made as if they are facts I take serious issue.

You stated: " I doubt Jtinn would post pics of the backsides of those drivers, but talking with a speaker builder friend of mine at the show, he said it's just a $50 Air Motion Transformer tweeter and some approx $20 each anodized aluminum cone woofers.

My real problem is the liberties taken with published specs. They are NOT flat to 35hz as printed, sorry but not even close. I know what that sounds like, and I'd guess they're flat to maybe 55hz."

I will absolutely post pictures of the drivers and other parts used on our website in the near future. What will that actually tell you? Your speaker builder friend is an complete idiot if he thinks he knows what he is talking about regarding our drivers. We build them ourselves and I assure you the quality is incredibly high and the cost is not close to what he is telling you.

The biggest problem I have with your post is you saying that our published specs are a lie. That comment is very insulting and you are ABSOLUTELY WRONG!

You have nothing to lose by making statement like you have. As a manufacturer, we work incredibly hard at designing and building a product. I have a lot invested in my companies and taking pot shots at my products is quite an insult and that is just wrong. Again, we all have the right to our opinions, but some of the statements you made are allegations, not opinions. It is just wrong.

There's no reason to get so snippy. What I say is that you're taking liberties with your published specs ... as most manufacturers do. There's just no way those are flat to 35hz.

Now before you blow up again take a step back. I also said they sounded quite nice, I said they were better than the Magico Q1's. It's just difficult enough to try and decide on speakers as it is, having to sort through specs that are deceiving doesn't help. That's my only point.

And I assure you my speaker building friend is no idiot. He's been in business for over 20 years. He just said that to me while talking down in the lobby at RMAF because somebody else made the assumption that the woofers were Accuton, which of course they're not. But is he incorrect in saying that it's an Air Motion Transformer tweeter and an anodized aluminum cone woofer? Personally, I don't care what the components cost ... just how the final result sounds.

Jtinn,
My assumption regarding higher part cost price for the Magico could certainly be wrong. I was giving them the benetfit of doubt given the large price difference between the two speakers.
You are correct, part cost may not necessarialy be higher.

JTinn:

Thanks for the responses. I did not know that you are as well connected to Playback Designs, Wave Kinetics and were the importer of darTZeel. When you say "I have responsibilities to keep those products seen at trade shows" that makes perfect sense to me and certainly legitimizes your auditioning your speakers as you did. What I objected to is such expensive front end on your speakers --- it was perceived by me initially as yet another example of what I have seen too often -- a vendor forwarding their product under unrealistic conditions that can come at the detriment of the potential consumer. Now that you explain why you did what you did (your being connected to and part of much of the associated equipment as well) you have convinced me that what you did is far, far, more reasonable a thing than I at first thought.

So... I would simply suggest that you consider --- in addition to what you have been doing --- also demoing your speakers with lesser electronics at some point so as to enable consumers to project what your speakers might sound like in a system consistent with what most 2.5K speakers have as a total system

I do apologize to you for causing stress. As you say, it is easy for us consumers to post... we have no livelihood associated with the product --- you do. Again, apologies.

Please recognize that all along I have never doubted the quality of your product, just the context of the demo. I actually would love to hear your speakers at some point... with about 10K of front end!

Best of luck with your products... clearly those who have heard your speakers are eminently impressed. I simply ask all who have posted on this thread, no matter what your position might be on the demo context, acknowledge that JTinn has clearly made a product that must be pretty darn impressive. Again, I hope to hear it soon.

Doc77: Fair enough. But when your friend makes completely wrong statements as he did, he might not be an idiot just one prone to idiotic statements :) As a side note, I know some people who have been in this business for much longer than 20 years that are complete idiots. Time has nothing to do with it.

Again, you are also completely wrong about the specs being exaggerated. We took no liberties, I believe it was you who did with your assertions.

As far as the drivers are concerned, our tweeter is based on air motion transformer principles. We have a proprietary motor structure and chamber system as well as other numerous differences that I cannot not go into.

Our midrange driver utilizes a ceramic cone with a magnesium aluminum inner skin. This gives us all the benefits of the drivers we use in our other series, without the fragility.

Next time you are at a show and visit our room, please introduce yourself. I would love to meet you and I will buy the first round.