Lenehan Audio ML1

groovybassist · « **on:** 26 Mar 2009, 05:22 am »

Cool to see a new circle for Australian Audio! Anyone here using or know of Lenehan Audio's ML1? I'm stateside (Washington State) and am using a pair with an all-Naim setup. Just curious if there are any other Lenehan owners out there. Welcome and good luck with the circle!

Cheers,

-Mike

Mr Content · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Mar 2009, 07:09 am »

Hi Mike, no I dont, but someone will chime in.

Thanks

Mr C aa

Zero · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Mar 2009, 07:26 am »

Hello Mike,

Mr. Lenehan will be sending out his ML1's to me any day now! I can't wait to take em' for a spin! As a funny side-note, one of the systems I will attach them to during the evaluation will be an all-Naim rig.

Mr Content · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Mar 2009, 08:06 am »

Hey you guys, let us know what you think of these speakers, and what you drive them with.

Mr C aa

groovybassist · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Mar 2009, 03:18 pm »

Mine are Titanium Grey Metallic and I drive them with a Naim CD5X/NAC122X/Flatcap2X/NAP150X combo.

I think they're wonderful speakers - expressive, open mids, clean, clear treble and balanced bass. I wouldn't put them in too large a room, but in a small/medium sized room, they'll definitely sing. I think the cabs have a lot to do with how they sound. When I listen to other speakers, they sound slightly honky to me. After listening to others and coming back to the ML1s, you'll think the ML1s don't have as much midrange energy, but soon enough you realize they don't have the excess midrange energy being put out by the cabinet.

Zero: I'm anxious to hear what you think - keep us posted.

-Mike

Mr Content · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Mar 2009, 09:10 pm »

Thanks Mike, some years ago I had Naim amps, I really liked them.......great rythym and pace.

Mr C aa

Rocket · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Mar 2009, 08:16 am »

Hi,

How about a link to their website?

Regards

Rod

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Mar 2009, 09:01 am »

Quote from: Rocket on 27 Mar 2009, 08:16 am

Hi,

How about a link to their website?

Regards

Rod

Here you go Rod....Link......

groovybassist · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Mar 2009, 01:07 pm »

Chris:

The ML1s displaced the SP Tech Timepiece Minis I was using - since you're very familiar with the Minis, that oughtta tell you something about how good I think the ML1s are! Thanks for the link.

-Mike

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Mar 2009, 05:01 am »

Quote from: groovybassist on 27 Mar 2009, 01:07 pm

Chris:

The ML1s displaced the SP Tech Timepiece Minis I was using - since you're very familiar with the Minis, that oughtta tell you something about how good I think the ML1s are! Thanks for the link.

-Mike

Mike....

How do these two speakers differ ?
Looking at both, their spec's are very similar....

ML1....
Cabinet: 18mm HD3 composite, Differential Cancellation bracing.
Tweeter: 1 inch chambered textile dome.
Mid-bass driver: 5.5 inch Nomex cone.
Wiring: Solid core copper.
Input connection: Eichmann cablepods.
Frequency response: 50 - 25.000Hz +/- 1.5db
Sensitivity: 86dB @ 2.83V/m
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, minimum 6.5 ohms @ 200Hz
Recommended amplifier power: 20-200W
Cabinet dimensions (HxWxD): 325 x 170 x 245mm (12.8 x 6.7 x 9.6")
Weight (per speaker): 11 kg (24lbs)

SP Tech Mini....
1) 6.5-inch Aluminum-cone woofer in Hybrid Reflex enclosure & (1) Waveguide loaded, 1-inch fabric dome tweeter. Mundorf crossover components & custom R.A. Smith Ltd. Internal Wiring. Hardwood front, top & bottom panels w/ veneered sides and back.
Impedance        8-Ohms
Sensitivity       87dB@1W/1M
Frequency Response (anechoic)       42Hz-22KHz +/- 2dB
-3dB Points (anechoic)       40Hz & 24KHz
Bass Alignment       Proprietary 4th order Hybrid Reflex
Power Handling (Long Term)       100 Watts (I.E.C. 268-5)
Power Handling (Short Term)       250 Watts (I.E.C. 268-5)
Crossover Type       4th order L-R Acoustic @ 800Hz
Dimensions       16.5"H x 9.5"W x 12.75"D
Weight         38 lbs. Each

Thanks.....

Chris

groovybassist · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 Mar 2009, 05:54 am »

Chris:

When the ML1s arrived, I gave them some break-in time and listened to them exclusively for about a week. Then I spent some time switching back and forth between the ML1s and the Minis, which I had for about a year. The two speakers are more similar in sound than different, but there are some subtle, meaningful differences between the two.

The most shocking thing to me was that the ML1s make the Minis sound lethargic. I was pretty surprised as I always considered the Minis a very quick, agile, dynamic speaker. The ML1s just let go of notes in a way the Minis can't manage - I'm sure it's the high density cab - it's very inert. Dynamic swings are also wider and happen quicker on the ML1s. At a given volume, the ML1s have a wider spread between the quieter and louder sounds in a given piece of music. Combine this with their speed and the emotional impact of music comes across a bit better on the ML1s. Skittering percussion work, highly-syncopated guitar/bass work, etc. all come through in a way that you can feel the tension in your body. Amazingly enough, the ML1s also produced more of the subtle details/inflection of an instrument and the musician, heightening the sense of actual musicians playing vs. listening to hi-fi. To my ears, the Minis emphasized the sound of a guitar string vs. the body of the instrument. I don't know if it's the tweeter being crossed over so low or the waveguide, or ??? The ML1s show more emphasis on the body of instruments vs. the Mini, which sounds more natural to me. The Minis do go deeper in the bass, but in my room, the ML1s are flat to 40hz, so they're not slouches in that department. The ML1s are chameleons and will show you exactly what's on a recording. The ML1s aren't analytical, but are revealing - poorly recorded, compressed music will sound that way - beautifully recorded and engineered music will sound wonderful. In this respect, the Minis and ML1s are very similar. As a final note, while the Minis build is robust, the level of fit-and-finish on the ML1s is to my eyes an order of magnitude above the Minis.

The icing on the cake is the strength of the dollar and the fact that Lenehan is running a special on the first 50 pairs shipped internationally. At current pricing, a pair can arrive at someone's door (stateside) for under $2K - and they come shipped in individual aluminum flight cases to boot!

Hope this helps.

-Mike

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Mar 2009, 05:57 am »

Thanks Mike.....

Seano · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Mar 2009, 10:14 pm »

I was intrigued by Lenehan's (whom I'd never heard of before this thread) choice of cabinet material.

Some quick and dirty research turned up the fact that the very same product is available to any Australian via their nearest Laminex dealer. I assume the same is true in the Northern Hemisphere.

It is actually a product more normally used as the partitions in public toilets....tough, acoustically dead, water resistant...and tough!

Way denser and stiffer than MDF, ply or chip board too.

....and still machineable using normal timber cutting gear. Although it is harder on edged tools.

...and of course more expensive.

Mr Content · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Mar 2009, 10:28 pm »

Yes HDF is easily sourced , although Laninex is now importing all their HDF from NZ now. I use 1 layer of HDF in my 3 layer baffles

It is indeed a good product, and very heavy

Mr C

groovybassist · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Mar 2009, 01:44 am »

Seano:

Interesting - sure doesn't sound like a public toilet!

Mr. C:

Do you mfg loudspeakers? The speaker in your pic looks interesting - can you share details?

Thanks.

-Mike

Mr Content · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Mar 2009, 02:30 am »

Hi Mike, yes I have built a few dozen of them for people. The speaker is an OB, some 3 years old now. I will post a few pics here soon , just a bit busy now.

Mr C aa

Mr Content · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Apr 2009, 03:04 am »

Hey Mike here are some pics for you to look at. The Baffle is for a B200. 3 layer laminated 64mm thick with a steel frame behind. Magnet mounting. Very open accurate sound, heaps of detail. I also designed a sub to go with the speaker

Mr C aa

groovybassist · « **Reply #17 on:** 1 Apr 2009, 05:52 am »

Very cool Mr C. I don't have any experience with OB's, but hope to get to hear some someday soon. Thanks for the pics.

Mike

Mr Content · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 Apr 2009, 11:33 am »

Here's a few more pics of the speakers

Mr C aa

soundfanz · « **Reply #19 on:** 7 Apr 2009, 06:47 am »

Hi all, finally able to post after trying forever to get that validation email.

Anyway, I have been perusing the forums and liked what I have seen.... and here I am.

I purchased a pair of Lenehan ML-1's just last week after driving down from Brisbane and spending an arvo chatting with Mike and playing selections from about 20 cd's I took with me.
These are bloody fantastic speakers, and IMO a real genuine bargain at the price. Beautifully built, great looking, and they sound oh so wonderful. That midrange is a killer, and I love the soundstage these deliver with more than adequate bass too. I have been playying them every chance I get after work, and although i have only put around 20hrs on them, they still seem to be getting better.
I run them through a Jungson JA88D solid state amp with plenty of juice to get them singing.

And a quick word about Mike; he's a very nice guy with a terrific passion for his craft, and I am so grateful that I discovered these speakers after some web browsing a couple of weeks back. And to have his shop under an hour away from my home, that was a blessing for me, as I am usually hesitant to buy speakers without a listen.

I hope to contribute to these forums, see you round.

Chris