U
uncle eric
Guest
I've recently recieved a set of Nucleus Micro's from Anthony Gallo's David Baxter for evaluation. The set of five NM's came with the companys small but solid MPS 150 subwoofer. Having now spent most of yesterday and some of this morning with these speakers I'd like to say a few words.
Although I've heard good things about this equipment on this and other forums, I've also read negative remarks. Namely HE's recent (daft) review.
Prior to going on Holiday, I did get a chance to listen to a stereo pair in a london department store but wasn't really impressed. I have to say however that a busy (hence noisy) department store that demonstrates speakers in what is probably an area measuring 50,000 cubic feet is not really the ideal environment for critical listening. What amplifier were they using to drive the NM's? Which front end did they use? How about the wiring, was that in phase? The answer to these questions is "who knows?". While my initial reaction was negative, due to the above I decided not to post anything untill such time as I got some serious listening done in my room. Friends now call it "The Batcave"
Its been said that this system must be viewed/listened to in "context". In the context of what? Lifestyle products presumably! Or is it price? Could it be size and convenience?
Sorry, I don't do context. Things are very much black and white in my world. If I drive a car, its either good or bad. I have the same attitude to everything. If I listen to speakers, I don't care how much they cost, I have minimum requirements in my brain. A line if you will. If they fail to reach that line its end of story. Doesn't matter if it cost a pound, its a pound too much. Of course, there is such a thing as value. Performance can sometimes go over that line and disappear into the distance. When the cost of that product is so low in comparrison to its performance, I regard it as high value, plain and simple. The greater distance between the right side of "the line" and the cost, the better value the product is.
I sat the Micro's atop my newly aquired M&K MPS2510P's angled equidistantly to the main listening postion.
The Anthony Gallo MPS 150 (two piece) sub was placed to the left of the centre channel. Subs should always be "with" the front soundstage. This business about bass being non-directional is another common fallacy. Bass is still very much directional well into the 30Hz's and subs should be placed out on the front soundstage where they are most coherent with this soundstage. In the case of forward firing units, its also directional further down the frequency range. Why? You may not hear where the low frequencies are coming from but you can feel where they are coming from. In the case of downward firers such as Anthony Gallos little 150, this positioning is a little less relevent but still prefered non the less. The little gem of a sub, while not having the ultimate bass of larger units that I normally play with, seemed to work beautifully with the NM's. Its my view that this was not designed to simply convey the San Fransisco earthquake. Rather, its main pastime is to work in conjunction with the Micros and lend them body and substance.
For my front end, I used another new piece of kit, Pioneers new 757 SACD/DVD-A player, all powered by my old faithfull, soon to be replaced Denon AVCA1SE.
First up, my favourite multi channel disc and track, Al Greens "Tired of being Alone" on DVD-A.
There's a lot of brass on this track which does not bode well for "thin" sounding speakers. This came across superbly. The fullness of the instruments trully belied the size of these things. Whoops, there I go again with context. Forget size, they sounded incredible. Its obvious that Al Greens fantastic voice was at its peak when this album was recorded and this can clearly be heard on this brilliantly mastered disc. Beautifull smooth vocals were constantly interupted with the punch of clean solid brass. I just could not believe what I was hearing.
Joni Micthells "Both Sides Now" on DVD-A has a slight simblance on many a speaker. Not here. Her slightly gruff, cigarette hardened voice mixed with what seems like ten orchestra's of strings came across superbly. The soundstage was vast and powerfull while at the same time even the tiniest details were clearly revealed. Imaging was pin point throughout.
I'm into french music at the moment and I threw in Natalie Cohen's La Boheme which is a mixture of vocals together with jazzy piano. Her rich moody voice is just perfect for mid-range listening and the NM's once again performed their magic. This track often brings out hardness in the mid frequencies with lesser speakers. Not the Micro's, they simply sparkled.
By now, I was trying to fluster the Micros, well, trip them up really.
What better than Roger Waters "In the Flesh" DVD with one of the most dynamic DD tracks available. "Money" is one of the most complicated, tracks on this disc. Its pounding beats, endless lead and bass guitar together with hugely dynamic male vocals will kill many a speaker system at 50 yards. The Micros were by this time up to around -5 below reference level. Absolutely incredible. With the lights off, watching this DVD in the darkness of my almost black room with the screen seemingly suspended in mid-air, I swear I could not equate this sound from these tiny speakers. It was almost unreal.
Paul Simons "Night in Paris" DVD is just as complex. "You can call me Al" seems to have a hundred different percusion instruments going on at any one time. Once again all picked out with ease with a superb cohesive soundstage that just opens out in front of you.
I could go on all night about how wonderful these speakers are but I probably won't do them justice.
The dreaded word "Lifestyle" usually means bad news for serious Hi Fi or Home Cinema fans. Fear not. In the case of the Anthony Gallo Nucleus Micro's it means almost invisible high resolution sound at the best value I've known for a long time. It comes with my highest recommendation.
A special thanks to Nic who first brought these speakers to our attention.
Although I've heard good things about this equipment on this and other forums, I've also read negative remarks. Namely HE's recent (daft) review.
Prior to going on Holiday, I did get a chance to listen to a stereo pair in a london department store but wasn't really impressed. I have to say however that a busy (hence noisy) department store that demonstrates speakers in what is probably an area measuring 50,000 cubic feet is not really the ideal environment for critical listening. What amplifier were they using to drive the NM's? Which front end did they use? How about the wiring, was that in phase? The answer to these questions is "who knows?". While my initial reaction was negative, due to the above I decided not to post anything untill such time as I got some serious listening done in my room. Friends now call it "The Batcave"
Its been said that this system must be viewed/listened to in "context". In the context of what? Lifestyle products presumably! Or is it price? Could it be size and convenience?
Sorry, I don't do context. Things are very much black and white in my world. If I drive a car, its either good or bad. I have the same attitude to everything. If I listen to speakers, I don't care how much they cost, I have minimum requirements in my brain. A line if you will. If they fail to reach that line its end of story. Doesn't matter if it cost a pound, its a pound too much. Of course, there is such a thing as value. Performance can sometimes go over that line and disappear into the distance. When the cost of that product is so low in comparrison to its performance, I regard it as high value, plain and simple. The greater distance between the right side of "the line" and the cost, the better value the product is.
I sat the Micro's atop my newly aquired M&K MPS2510P's angled equidistantly to the main listening postion.
The Anthony Gallo MPS 150 (two piece) sub was placed to the left of the centre channel. Subs should always be "with" the front soundstage. This business about bass being non-directional is another common fallacy. Bass is still very much directional well into the 30Hz's and subs should be placed out on the front soundstage where they are most coherent with this soundstage. In the case of forward firing units, its also directional further down the frequency range. Why? You may not hear where the low frequencies are coming from but you can feel where they are coming from. In the case of downward firers such as Anthony Gallos little 150, this positioning is a little less relevent but still prefered non the less. The little gem of a sub, while not having the ultimate bass of larger units that I normally play with, seemed to work beautifully with the NM's. Its my view that this was not designed to simply convey the San Fransisco earthquake. Rather, its main pastime is to work in conjunction with the Micros and lend them body and substance.
For my front end, I used another new piece of kit, Pioneers new 757 SACD/DVD-A player, all powered by my old faithfull, soon to be replaced Denon AVCA1SE.
First up, my favourite multi channel disc and track, Al Greens "Tired of being Alone" on DVD-A.
There's a lot of brass on this track which does not bode well for "thin" sounding speakers. This came across superbly. The fullness of the instruments trully belied the size of these things. Whoops, there I go again with context. Forget size, they sounded incredible. Its obvious that Al Greens fantastic voice was at its peak when this album was recorded and this can clearly be heard on this brilliantly mastered disc. Beautifull smooth vocals were constantly interupted with the punch of clean solid brass. I just could not believe what I was hearing.
Joni Micthells "Both Sides Now" on DVD-A has a slight simblance on many a speaker. Not here. Her slightly gruff, cigarette hardened voice mixed with what seems like ten orchestra's of strings came across superbly. The soundstage was vast and powerfull while at the same time even the tiniest details were clearly revealed. Imaging was pin point throughout.
I'm into french music at the moment and I threw in Natalie Cohen's La Boheme which is a mixture of vocals together with jazzy piano. Her rich moody voice is just perfect for mid-range listening and the NM's once again performed their magic. This track often brings out hardness in the mid frequencies with lesser speakers. Not the Micro's, they simply sparkled.
By now, I was trying to fluster the Micros, well, trip them up really.
What better than Roger Waters "In the Flesh" DVD with one of the most dynamic DD tracks available. "Money" is one of the most complicated, tracks on this disc. Its pounding beats, endless lead and bass guitar together with hugely dynamic male vocals will kill many a speaker system at 50 yards. The Micros were by this time up to around -5 below reference level. Absolutely incredible. With the lights off, watching this DVD in the darkness of my almost black room with the screen seemingly suspended in mid-air, I swear I could not equate this sound from these tiny speakers. It was almost unreal.
Paul Simons "Night in Paris" DVD is just as complex. "You can call me Al" seems to have a hundred different percusion instruments going on at any one time. Once again all picked out with ease with a superb cohesive soundstage that just opens out in front of you.
I could go on all night about how wonderful these speakers are but I probably won't do them justice.
The dreaded word "Lifestyle" usually means bad news for serious Hi Fi or Home Cinema fans. Fear not. In the case of the Anthony Gallo Nucleus Micro's it means almost invisible high resolution sound at the best value I've known for a long time. It comes with my highest recommendation.
A special thanks to Nic who first brought these speakers to our attention.