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In Reply to: RE: Recorded-Music Listening Room for Liberal-Arts College: Speaker Choices posted by John Marks on October 04, 2007 at 15:41:42
John,
I would suggest a pair of Bozak Concert Grands. They have 8-12"s enough to fill a large room with LF and they are very diffuse on top like the MBLs. In fact, I believe the signature of the MBL is very close to that of the larger Bozaks. Wes Phillips gave them a big endorsement when he and JA listened to them at my home--he said they don't sound like audiophile speakers---they sound very diffuse kinda like being at a concert.
Plus they are very easy to drive---a 100 Watt SS amp like a classic Pioneer M-25 would be perfect!
Peter
nt
and... John,
A dear friend of mine owned 2001s and I know them well. I believe them to have a dryish sounding midrange. They have great dynamics for sure. As a friend/reviewer to a friend/reviewer I would choose the Bozaks over the 2001s on any givin day. There is a huge following for the Bozaks---and there is a reason for this. The Bozaks play music just as well as my MBL101e's. The MBls have a more holographic presentation and faster bass---but that is it. I like them both equally.
Plus, you can get involved with the Bozaks---rework the crossovers---add super tweeters---and you can find and replace drivers with ease. There is a 300 member bozak yahoogroup for support as well.
Peter
Dear Peter,
Thanks for the from the heart advice.
I know exactly what you are talking about re: 2001 midrange. They aren't supposed to be that way.
As far as I know, and I am somewhat plugged in in 2001-land or at least used to be, no new 2001s have come into the United States in many years. Sony Music Studios and Mastering have brought in some Princesses and other speakers, but nobody has pulled the trigger on 2001s in quite some time. So 2001s you hear here are at least 10 or even 15 years old, and many 2001s are now about 25 years old. How time passes!
The acoustical damping behind the midranges (at least back then) was resilient foam. Unfortunately, that foam has a tendency to dry out and become brittle. It then no longer absorbs, it partially reflects. This changes the level and color of the midrange sound. The fix is to get in there with a Ginsu knife and a sanding block and get the dry hard foam all out, and replace it with acoustical synthetic wool.
The degradation proceeds imperceptibly, so most people don't catch it.
My chum Bob Saglio did that and a John Sollecito crossover mod to Bob Ludwig's 2001s, and Bob was to say the least quite pleased that for not much money at all, his speakers had a new lease on life and Bob L. got a couple of more years out of them before he plashed out on Eggle Ivys.
Furthermore, the 2001s have continued to be developed as older drivers were superceded.
But, to an extent, barring a trip to OZ, they are a pig in a poke. But arguably the most speaker you can get for the money in a speaker that ambitious.
Bob Saglio ended up selling his upgraded and band-aided 2001s to Scott Hull, a mastering engineer for Steely Dan, who was happy to get them.
So, your friend may want to get out the Ginsu knife!
Cheers,
JM