[JDUBS]

Guys

Has anyone heard these two speakers?  Curious about comparative thoughts.

Both are reported to be very dynamic with good bass extension for their size.

Thanks,
Jim

[bhobba]

Has anyone heard these two speakers?  Curious about comparative thoughts.

I doubt anyone has since at present only Bob Smith and his staff have heard the Timepiece mini. 
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=47632.msg427642#msg427642
'HA!  Just had a chance to tune our cables and electronics to sit down for a serious and extended listening session.  Sub is definitely "optional."    We thought we were listening to a standard Timepiece that had been tweaked...except that this pair of TPs completely disappeared - poof...gone.   You close your eyes and float away to this enormous soundstage and 3-D image.  Then you open your eyes and the brain just dis-connects.  There is no way on earth such a soundstage and dynamics can come from a speaker that small.   We've done it.  We've actually created a truly "invisible" speaker.  I knew they were gonna be darn good, but... I'm freak'n! The Mini customers have no idea what is in store for them.  I always wondered before why we weren't rich already.  Now I know it's just a matter of time.'

But they are two different types of speaker.  The Mark & Daniel Maximus uses a ribbon, the timepiece a waveguide.  Bob and others have taken measurements of ribbons and their distortion generally is nowhere near as good as what Bob uses.
http://www.zaphaudio.com/nondomes/

You may prefer the sound of ribbons so a listen is of course recommended.  But if accuracy is what you are after go for the Timepiece.  Their lack of colouration is so good they have been compared, quite favourably, with the most accurate speaker in the midrange I have ever heard - quad electrostatics:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=25631.0
'Can somebody say WOW here?  You're comparing the Timepieces to the Quad ESL 57's?!!!  Not only is that a true electrostatic, but it's a classic and it's based on principles of operation that no other speaker in the world has duplicated.  There's guys that would give up a testicle before letting go of their Quads.  OK, I'll say it...WOW!    That's it, the price just went up to $10K/pair.  (Just kidding.)'

While not a review of the Mini here is what Jim Merod, who has heard a awful lot of speakers in his time, says about the Timepiece:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue30/sptech_2.htm

The choice seems fairly clear - if accuracy is what you are after go for the timepiece.  If what sounds best to your ears is what you are after - wait until you can listen to both - because you are the only one who can judge that - other opinions are irrelevant.  For me accuracy is what counts - I would go for the timepiece even without hearing them.  In fact that is probably what I will be doing.

Thanks
Bill

[*Scotty*]

Here are some links to the Mark and Daniel's website and the 6moons review of the Maximus   
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/markdaniel/maximus_2.html
http://www.mark-daniel.com/
The tweeter used in the Maximus is not a ribbon but their custom implementation of the Heil AirMotion Transformer.
No AMT's have been tested by Zaphaudio.
Scotty

[TomS]

I believe TweekGeek (Mike) is or was a dealer for both brands, though he's probably only heard the TP2.x, Continuum, Revelations since the Mini is just starting to ship now.  Tom

[Srajan Ebaen]

The correction is correct - no ribbon in the Maximus but a curved AMT crossed over at 800Hz to the mid/woofer.
Can't comment on the Timepiece Mini but meant to stress that to *really* take off, the M&D likes to see current and power.
How much? Well, let's put it this way. The 450-watt $10,000/pr Coda CX monos transform these beasties. I'm not saying it takes that kind of money or *so* much power but it just went to show what they're really capable of.

That said, preceded by a 12dB-max preamp (the ModWright LS-36.5), the 30-watt 30dB Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 is a very close second to the Codas. That seems all wrong until you consider that those ultra low-impedance sealed acid lead batteries provide very high current. That's what the speaker apparently thrives on.

The 30.2 is only $2,500 so that makes for a financially more appealing match. Not sure whether the Timepiece Minis are equally voracious power consumers but owning the Maximus, I'd not recommend thinking about this speaker unless you've got serious muscle to put behind it (David Kan on staff adores the NuForce 9 monos on this speaker). The Maximus is a power broker and only acts like one when properly treated.

[bhobba]

The correction is correct - no ribbon in the Maximus but a curved AMT crossed over at 800Hz to the mid/woofer.

Thanks for correcting my error.  I checked up on the HAMT and it is not a ribbon - but is often mistaken for one - so I suppose my error is understandable.

Can't comment on the Timepiece Mini but meant to stress that to *really* take off, the M&D likes to see current and power.

Unfortunately, Bobs speakers, as he puts it, require a 'BIG ASS' amp to shine.  Their heritage is as a studio monitors, so if you listen at lowish volume levels they are just as accurate.  Thing is they can handle large volume levels without stress, so the tendency is to wind them up - people find it hard to resist.  I listen at lowish levels, so a moderate amp for me is fine - but it will not allow them to really strut their stuff.
 
Thanks
Bill

[bhobba]

I believe TweekGeek (Mike) is or was a dealer for both brands, though he's probably only heard the TP2.x, Continuum, Revelations since the Mini is just starting to ship now. 

Their designer, Bob Smith, said 'We thought we were listening to a standard Timepiece that had been tweaked'.  I suspect a note to TweekGeek asking for a comparson with the standard Timepieces would give at least a starting point on how they compare. 

Thanks
Bill

[lonewolfny42]

Guys

Has anyone heard these two speakers?  Curious about comparative thoughts.

Both are reported to be very dynamic with good bass extension for their size.

Thanks,
Jim

Jim....

When my Mini-TP's arrive (on order),I will bring them to a Rave, so everyone can have a listen.

                  Chris

[lonewolfny42]

D.A.M. meeting with the M & D speakers.... Link......

[Danny Richie]

I can't give you side by side listening impressions but I do have some.

I have heard several of the SP Tech speakers on several occasions and I have gotten to know Bob Smith pretty well. He did a really good job with his speakers, all of them. I think they are well designed, very accurate, and sound excellent.

I have had three different models of M&D speakers here for one reason or another. You can see a review at StereoMojo that sums things up on those speakers pretty well. Go Here:

http://www.stereomojo.com/Maximus%20Monitor%20Revew/MarkDanielMaximummonitorReview.htm

I suspect improved versions of those speakers to be in the works.

[Aether Audio]

Guys,

The Minis are an easier load than their big brothers - the Timepiece 3.0s.  They are 87dB @ 1W1/M as opposed to 85dB for the 3.0s.  Reason being is that SEAS used basically the same motor structure for the Mini woofer as used in the 8-inch TP3 driver.  Since the cone is smaller it has less mass and is therefore easier for the amp to push.  This also raises the smaller woofer's free-air resonance, but that's OK as I don't think we'd want to push a 6.5-inch cone all the way down to -3dB @ 30 Hz. 

2dB doesn't sound like a lot, but it reduces amplifier requirements to near half of what the 3.0s needs.  So... the Minis are pretty easy to drive.  I'll tell you what, my NuForce Ref 9s will blast you on your ass if you wanna play it that loud.  I know I do 

Oh...and in case you missed it...the crossover for the Mini is 800Hz as well.

-Bob

[JDUBS]

Cool, thanks guys.  I guess I shouldn't have limited the comparison to the Mini's...at least not until they are in wide(r) circulation.

I do think that this is an interesting comparison, though, and one that would prove valuable to prospective buyers of monitor speakers in this price range that crave dynamics and the ability to play LOUD on occasion!    aa

-Jim

[JDUBS]

Guys

Has anyone heard these two speakers?  Curious about comparative thoughts.

Both are reported to be very dynamic with good bass extension for their size.

Thanks,
Jim

Jim....

When my Mini-TP's arrive (on order),I will bring them to a Rave, so everyone can have a listen.

                  Chris

Sounds great, Chris!!   

-Jim