Spatial Audio M3 Review

mirekti · « **Reply #120 on:** 8 May 2016, 02:48 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 8 May 2016, 01:15 am

IMO they're TOTALLY different like an apple to orange.

I agree, but this is exactly a reason why I am asking. Both of the speakers are rather "untypical".

M3 - Open baffle below 800Hz, and controlled directivity above.
HL5s - use thin walls which makes them behave a bit different from 500Hz and lower (please check http://www.harbeth.co.uk/usergroup/showthread.php?351-BBC-style-thin-wall-cabinets-Why-so-special&p=2664#post2664 for the details) so I wondered if this had any similarities/effects in bass region as OB speakers i.e. less room interaction. I am not sure what they behave in higher registers. This is something I would need to research a bit more.

I also wish I could listen to both and compare by myself, but...
60 days policy is rather reassuring in regards to the sound quality.

jtwrace · « **Reply #121 on:** 8 May 2016, 03:40 am »

Quote from: mirekti on 8 May 2016, 02:48 am

I agree, but this is exactly a reason why I am asking. Both of the speakers are rather "untypical".

M3 - Open baffle below 800Hz, and controlled directivity above.
HL5s - use thin walls which makes them behave a bit different from 500Hz and lower (please check http://www.harbeth.co.uk/usergroup/showthread.php?351-BBC-style-thin-wall-cabinets-Why-so-special&p=2664#post2664 for the details) so I wondered if this had any similarities/effects in bass region as OB speakers i.e. less room interaction. I am not sure what they behave in higher registers. This is something I would need to research a bit more.

I also wish I could listen to both and compare by myself, but...
60 days policy is rather reassuring in regards to the sound quality.

Only you can deicide what you prefer; obviously. However, for me, I much prefer the Spatial. I've spent a considerable amount of time listening to the Harbeth line and quite frankly they're not me. That all being said, I've never heard Harbeth's sound as good as they do than with the Vinnie Rossi LIO.

Steven Stone · « **Reply #122 on:** 8 May 2016, 05:48 pm »

Here's my take on the M3 Turbo S - http://hometheaterreview.com/spatial-m3-turbo-s-floorstanding-speakers-reviewed/

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #123 on:** 8 May 2016, 06:06 pm »

Steven, how big is your room and how did you have them set up in relation to the room?

zybar · « **Reply #124 on:** 8 May 2016, 06:09 pm »

Finally ordered a pair of M3 Turbo S speakers in white.

Should be here in around 3 weeks or so.

George

zybar · « **Reply #125 on:** 8 May 2016, 06:10 pm »

Quote from: Steven Stone on 8 May 2016, 05:48 pm

Here's my take on the M3 Turbo S - http://hometheaterreview.com/spatial-m3-turbo-s-floorstanding-speakers-reviewed/

Well written review.

George

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #126 on:** 8 May 2016, 06:10 pm »

I'll have a chance to demo them soon and form my own conclusions.

jtwrace · « **Reply #127 on:** 8 May 2016, 07:55 pm »

Quote from: zybar on 8 May 2016, 06:09 pm

Finally ordered a pair of M3 Turbo S speakers in white.

Should be here in around 3 weeks or so.

George

About time!

mresseguie · « **Reply #128 on:** 8 May 2016, 08:04 pm »

Steven,

Thank you for the very lucid and detailed review. I enjoyed reading it.

Is it possible that the Nuforce ST-10 that you mentioned twice is in fact a NuPrime ST-10 instead?

Michael

dspringham · « **Reply #129 on:** 8 May 2016, 08:06 pm »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 8 May 2016, 06:10 pm

I'll have a chance to demo them soon and form my own conclusions.

Wind Chaser . . . I'm in Canada as well. Where do you plan on demoing them or are you actually going to order a pair and bring them in on the 60 day trial? I'm sure these would be awesome with the Dynamo SE you just ordered.

Dave

JackD · « **Reply #130 on:** 8 May 2016, 08:51 pm »

Michael

I suspect he meant Nuprime as he reviewed the 10 combo for TAS last summer. I tried the ST-10 with my M3 Turbo S's and it was in fact a very good match. This was using the W4S STP-SE and the Modwright LS-100 as preamps. In their final resting place my M3's are mated with the DAC-10 and the W4S mAMPS another great match. At the time the M1 and M2, which later became M3 and M4, were being developed Clayton was also selling W4S so the match with the mAMPS is a natural.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #131 on:** 8 May 2016, 09:42 pm »

Quote from: dspringham on 8 May 2016, 08:06 pm

Wind Chaser . . . I'm in Canada as well. Where do you plan on demoing them or are you actually going to order a pair and bring them in on the 60 day trial? I'm sure these would be awesome with the Dynamo SE you just ordered.

No, I didn't order them; my room isn't well suited/too small. I know someone who has a friend who just received a pair, and we'll try to set something up that works with everyone's schedule when he gets back.

Steven Stone · « **Reply #132 on:** 8 May 2016, 10:13 pm »

Quote from: mresseguie on 8 May 2016, 08:04 pm

Steven,

Thank you for the very lucid and detailed review. I enjoyed reading it.

Is it possible that the Nuforce ST-10 that you mentioned twice is in fact a NuPrime ST-10 instead?

Michael

Yes, that should read NuPrime. I'll get that corrected. Thanks. It's way too easy to mix them up - and they do come out of the same factory.

Steven Stone · « **Reply #133 on:** 8 May 2016, 10:16 pm »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 8 May 2016, 06:06 pm

Steven, how big is your room and how did you have them set up in relation to the room?

here's a picture of the M3s in my room -

mirekti · « **Reply #134 on:** 9 May 2016, 12:52 am »

After checking Spatial's Facebook page I found this comment:

"Sound: With a good source (recording), they are impressive. I have found that Latin Jazz, Pop, Funk, Blues & Rock thrive when played on the Spatial. The sound is realistic with an outstanding soundstage. Percussion is true gut bucket sound. If you're a classical listener or the easy listening type, consider something else"

I wondered why the author wrote this part: "If you're a classical listener or the easy listening type, consider something else"
I mean, why these wouldn't be good for easy listening type ?

Also, were M3s in Munich this week, I didn't see any report?

jtwrace · « **Reply #135 on:** 9 May 2016, 02:34 am »

Quote from: mirekti on 9 May 2016, 12:52 am

After checking Spatial's Facebook page I found this comment:

"Sound: With a good source (recording), they are impressive. I have found that Latin Jazz, Pop, Funk, Blues & Rock thrive when played on the Spatial. The sound is realistic with an outstanding soundstage. Percussion is true gut bucket sound. If you're a classical listener or the easy listening type, consider something else"

I wondered why the author wrote this part: "If you're a classical listener or the easy listening type, consider something else"
I mean, why these wouldn't be good for easy listening type ?

Also, were M3s in Munich this week, I didn't see any report?

I"m not an avid classical listener but I'd disagree with that post.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #136 on:** 9 May 2016, 03:09 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 9 May 2016, 02:34 am

I"m not an avid classical listener but I'd disagree with that post.

On what basis? Why should anyone care? Are you merely disagreeing for the sake of it? Would it kill you to put a little more effort into your posts?

jtwrace · « **Reply #137 on:** 9 May 2016, 03:52 am »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 9 May 2016, 03:09 am

On what basis? Why should anyone care? Are you merely disagreeing for the sake of it? Would it kill you to put a little more effort into your posts?

Because I actually own them!

mresseguie · « **Reply #138 on:** 9 May 2016, 04:06 am »

Quote from: JackD on 8 May 2016, 08:51 pm

Michael

I suspect he meant Nuprime as he reviewed the 10 combo for TAS last summer. I tried the ST-10 with my M3 Turbo S's and it was in fact a very good match. This was using the W4S STP-SE and the Modwright LS-100 as preamps. In their final resting place my M3's are mated with the DAC-10 and the W4S mAMPS another great match. At the time the M1 and M2, which later became M3 and M4, were being developed Clayton was also selling W4S so the match with the mAMPS is a natural.

Hello, Jack.

I'm very attracted to the M3 TurboS speakers, but I have not ordered them. I'm in a transition period - I guess that's what it is. My wife and I are in our first year of empty nesting and we are taking advantage of our "freedom". We're traveling throughout the Southwest and Northwest this year (May - September). Our home has been rented out to a doctor until September of this year, but we're kind of hoping he wants to stay longer. In October we will fly back to Taiwan for a six month stay. My listening space in Taiwan really doesn't lend itself to work with OB speakers, and I have no fixed address here in the States. On top of all this, we may well sell our home in Oregon next year, so I don't even know where 'home' will be in the future.

I'm spending vast amounts of time and energy researching speakers to take back to Taiwan. I'm also hoping to bypass Taiwan's 21% hi-end audio import duty - possibly by commissioning a kit here and building (or hiring someone to build) there. Buying speakers in N. America and shipping them to Taiwan costs an extra $700 to ???? depending on size and declared value. My LS5-R monitors cost me $721 USD (shipping + import duty)!

I envision getting a killer sounding kit and settling for 'okay' cabinets. To be determined....

Geez. I didn't intend for this to become a novel. If I were still in my house today, I would have ordered a pair of the M3 TurboS speakers weeks ago. My living room would be great for them.

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #139 on:** 9 May 2016, 05:18 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 9 May 2016, 03:52 am

Because I actually own them!

Hard to argue with that, I'd say!