Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.

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Carl V

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #20 on: 8 Sep 2021, 05:11 pm »
What do MLTL and BR stand for?

Thanks.


Mass Loaded Transmission Line
Bass Reflex

Spatial Audio

Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #21 on: 9 Sep 2021, 05:55 pm »
One question for Clayton regarding the M6 (and probably the M3 or M4 for that matter)...what are the options for feet that will work on a ceramic tile floor and allow the proper level of tilt for the speaker?

The speakers come with a dished disk that mated the cone tip to the tile floor. Third party options like Herbies footers will work is you use M6 threading.

Clayton

Bobby Bass

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #22 on: 14 Sep 2021, 02:22 am »
Exciting to see new options. I've been holding off buying a M3/M5 for almost a year, because their 18" width was too much for my current setup. So having the slimmer models is exciting. 
However, the M6's dual 10" woofers is less surface area than the outgoing M5's single 15" woofer. Clayton @spatial can you comment on this sonic tradeoff, if any?

Mr. Big

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #23 on: 14 Sep 2021, 11:41 pm »
Bobby Bass, unfortunately you cannot have it both ways a thinner width and expect 15" woofers, having said that a well designed speaker with 10" woofers can go real low and shake the room, my Confidence 5's had 8" woofer and you could feel the bottom end, it all in the design and I am sure Clayton knows what he's doing and you will have enough low end to be happy.

Tyson

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #24 on: 15 Sep 2021, 12:17 am »
Exciting to see new options. I've been holding off buying a M3/M5 for almost a year, because their 18" width was too much for my current setup. So having the slimmer models is exciting. 
However, the M6's dual 10" woofers is less surface area than the outgoing M5's single 15" woofer. Clayton @spatial can you comment on this sonic tradeoff, if any?

In a recent podcast, Ron at New Record Day mentioned that the M4 actually matches the M3 in the bass quite well.  The M4's bigger than the M6, but smaller than the M3.  Maybe something for you to look into.

Bobby Bass

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #25 on: 15 Sep 2021, 11:24 pm »
Good input. I dont expect smaller woofers to equal larger woofers for performance, at least not exactly, especially in bass. Clayton's published sensitivity numbers already reflect that. 
Besides, I have multiple SVS subwoofers for bass. I would use them whether I purchased M3/4/5/6 Sapphires.
However my questions were more about how does the character of the M4/6 sound with their smaller woofers, compared to the 15" models? Since the woofers are handling everything below the tweeter (...586 hz IIRC?), there is a substantial role they play in mids and upper bass that could in theory affect how they sound. Just looking for experiences... if anyone has heard them yet.

Bobby Bass

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #26 on: 15 Sep 2021, 11:26 pm »
If the skinnier M4/6 sound similar or same to the M3's Ive heard, down to 80hz or so, that's a win/win to me.

Spatial Audio

Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #27 on: 15 Sep 2021, 11:32 pm »
If the skinnier M4/6 sound similar or same to the M3's Ive heard, down to 80hz or so, that's a win/win to me.

Yes - the new models have the same sound character as the M3. They are just slightly lower sensitivity.

Clayton

Cloud.sessions

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #28 on: 16 Sep 2021, 12:57 pm »
Having demoed the new M4s earlier this week, I must say they are impressive. To the point I cancelled my M3 order and went with the m4. I actually came away from the demo liking the m4s a little better. From what I can tell Clayton modeled the woofers off of the Beyma 12"BR70 https://usspeaker.com/beyma%2012BR70-1.htm. Really great woofer for open baffle use, long xmax and very low distortion even into the Sub-bass. It does sacrifice efficiency for bass over the 15" Eminence Driver, but in my opinion the Beyma woofer plays a little cleaner in lower midrange and down then the eminence. And the m4s disappeared better then m3s. My one worry was bass quantity but they are very close, you're really splitting hairs with bass extension and amount between the two.

minatophase3

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #29 on: 16 Sep 2021, 07:41 pm »
Having demoed the new M4s earlier this week, I must say they are impressive. To the point I cancelled my M3 order and went with the m4. I actually came away from the demo liking the m4s a little better. From what I can tell Clayton modeled the woofers off of the Beyma 12"BR70 https://usspeaker.com/beyma%2012BR70-1.htm. Really great woofer for open baffle use, long xmax and very low distortion even into the Sub-bass. It does sacrifice efficiency for bass over the 15" Eminence Driver, but in my opinion the Beyma woofer plays a little cleaner in lower midrange and down then the eminence. And the m4s disappeared better then m3s. My one worry was bass quantity but they are very close, you're really splitting hairs with bass extension and amount between the two.

Thanks for posting, I was thinking of getting the M3 and e-mailed Clayton yesterday with my room specs and he suggested the M4's would be a better fit.  I have heard the M3's in person at Clayton's shop and really liked them, but the M4's were not hooked up for demo, I think you are helping make my decision a bit easier :-).

Cloud.sessions

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #30 on: 16 Sep 2021, 08:56 pm »
Thanks for posting, I was thinking of getting the M3 and e-mailed Clayton yesterday with my room specs and he suggested the M4's would be a better fit.  I have heard the M3's in person at Clayton's shop and really liked them, but the M4's were not hooked up for demo, I think you are helping make my decision a bit easier :-).
👍 happy to help, unless you have a big room I would choose the m4’s. The m3’s can be a little imposing size wise in a medium to small rooms.


Bobby Bass

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #31 on: 17 Sep 2021, 02:25 am »
👍 happy to help, unless you have a big room I would choose the m4’s. The m3’s can be a little imposing size wise in a medium to small rooms.

The photo is helpful to illustrate the size differences. M4 seems smaller than expected- in a good way!

Clayton thanks for confirming the sound signature.

Will the M4 and M6's be packed and shipped in the same manner as the M3? One big box?

Spatial Audio

Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #32 on: 17 Sep 2021, 03:25 am »
The photo is helpful to illustrate the size differences. M4 seems smaller than expected- in a good way!

Clayton thanks for confirming the sound signature.

Will the M4 and M6's be packed and shipped in the same manner as the M3? One big box?

They will ship in one carton for each speaker.

Clayton

DGoosen

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #33 on: 19 Sep 2021, 11:13 pm »
👍 happy to help, unless you have a big room I would choose the m4’s. The m3’s can be a little imposing size wise in a medium to small rooms.


I auditioned the M-3 and M-4 speakers at the listening room in Utah (about 90 minutes on the M-3s and almost an hour on the M-4s) they were fed by Don Sachs tube amplification, streaming w/a Chord Mojo and anti cable speaker wires. Listening with both speakers was never less than enjoyable, but maybe a little soft at times. We heard less difference between the two models than expected, (the differences were damn close to imperceptible on several recordings). I don't know the break in status of either pair that we listened to, but we were told that the M-3 pair had more hours on them.  I ordered a pair of M-4 speakers per Clayton's recommendation based on my puny (approximately 10'x13') room dimensions. I'm using a Resolution Audio Cantata 3.0 w/ onboard preamp (playing cds), a Coda 11 amp (100 watts, big transformer, lots of current, pure class A). Using Wywires silver interconnects and speaker cables and GR Research power cords. The M-4s have about 50 hours on them.  Subjectively, right away there was more definition and more low end information here than I heard at the Spatial listening room with both the M-4 and the M-3 speakers. It's very easy to listen to this system for 2-3 hours at a stretch even though (i guess) the speakers have a long way to go before being fully broken in. I think it might be interesting to check out good solid state amplification and a good CD or turntable front end at the listening room in Utah. Recently checking out releases from ECM, Clean Feed, TUM, BMC (Budapest Music Center), Intakt, Tzadik, Intuition, Cuneiform, Moonjune and other labels that maintain high recording quality standards has been a real narcotic experience. I've rarely bought anything new or without auditioning it for awhile first. The M-4 was a gamble that so far has really paid off.

franSSS

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #34 on: 20 Sep 2021, 11:52 am »
I auditioned the M-3 and M-4 speakers at the listening room in Utah (about 90 minutes on the M-3s and almost an hour on the M-4s) they were fed by Don Sachs tube amplification, streaming w/a Chord Mojo and anti cable speaker wires. Listening with both speakers was never less than enjoyable, but maybe a little soft at times. We heard less difference between the two models than expected, (the differences were damn close to imperceptible on several recordings). I don't know the break in status of either pair that we listened to, but we were told that the M-3 pair had more hours on them.  The M-4 was a gamble that so far has really paid off.

Nice to know there is little to choose. Clayton also said same to myself on the phone. :-) Glad the M4's are getting a great write up in general since i too await my set.

Terence T.

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #35 on: 20 Sep 2021, 12:53 pm »
Anyone has reviewed the smaller M6 Sapphire?

minatophase3

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Re: Cat's out of the bag, new M series on their way.
« Reply #36 on: 25 Sep 2021, 04:23 pm »
Just placed my order this morning for a pair of Graphite M4's!