Choice of Usher speaker

[ahcharn]

I am deciding to purchase a new pair of speakers to replace my present Amphion Argon 2. My choices are Usher Be718 or Usher mini dancer 2. Would anyone give me the advice for my choice between these two or some other suggestions. Thanks!

Ahcharn

 

[ahcharn]

Cranky:

The difference in price for MD1 and MD2 is about HK$4000. I have audition with MD1 and is very satisfactory with its performance. But I think MD2 should be more balanced for its design. Besides, the elements used for Be-718 and MD1a re the same. I don't have experience in listening to BE-718, so I think both of them may not have too much difference in performance and only may be MD1 has better performance in the bass for its size.

 

[square_wave]

Is the speaker that you have ? Or the anniversary version ?
SoundStage! Equipment Review - Amphion argon2 Loudspeakers (3/2002)

What did you find lacking in this loudspeaker that you are planning to solve with the BE 718 ?

 

[square_wave]

@cranky.
I agree the MDs will be an upgrade but I feel the move from a Aragon aniv to a 718 tiny dancer would be a horizontal upgrade. It would be a matter of taste though The Aragon with the wave guided tweeter crossed over much lower can sound very different.

 

[neo]

I guess the argon he is talking about is discontinued, which was a decade old design. The argaon 2 anniv is also discoutinued & they now have the new argon 3.
Cheers

 

[square_wave]

The Aragon3 looks lovely
Amphion

There is one more manufacturer who works with wave guided tweeter crossed over very low.
http://aetheraudio.com/timepiece_mini.html
They were known as SP Technologies earlier. Very interesting products. They are the OEM for nuforce loudspeakers as well.

 

[longshanks]

Amphion does make some really fine speakers.

 

[ahcharn]

The argon 2 I used is the old model and not the anniv. edition. Its performance is good. But I only want to replace the bookself with deeper bass and for the high to expend more. BE-718 may meet my demand.

 

[reignofchaos]

The argon 2 I used is the old model and not the anniv. edition. Its performance is good. But I only want to replace the bookself with deeper bass and for the high to expend more. BE-718 may meet my demand.

If you think its a worth it, why ask anyone else . Finally its your ears and if you are satisfied, that's all what matters.

I'm a Be-718 owner and my thoughts on it are that its a very musical speaker with an incredibly natural top end and its voiced in the warm side of neutral. It does well with just about most forms of music. The only area it probably lacks is midrange detail - The woofer produces an excellent detailed bottom end but it just can't keep up with the tweeter in terms of speed. If you listen to a speaker with a faster mid woofer like one of the higher end dyns, you'd feel that the speaker is a bit slow. On its own, its pretty damn nice though and overall its a very non fatiguing speaker that you can listen to for hours without having to lower volumes .

Cheers!

PS: I have a pair of Proac Tablettes sitting with me as well. I quite like them. They have more midrange detail compared to the Usher but their top end is quite harsh compared to the Beryllium tweeter of the Usher. Plus the bass is a bit soft at the bottom. The usher is way more hard hitting. In fact I'm yet to see another speaker which has a better more open top end than the Usher. This includes all the various electrostatic panels.

 

[reignofchaos]

@ROC: That's probably due to the voicing and cabinets. The more open sound of the MD1 removes that complaint from the drivers. I find no lack of speed in the mids, just a little less detail than the very best metal drivers (like those in the Amphions).

What you say is probably true. I did find the Mini Dancer 1 to be way more open compared to the Be-718. @thread creator: You'd probably want to get the MD1 if you could afford it. Its definitely a better speaker.