Hey folks!
I received my Moho Natural Satin X-statics and X-Voce center last Friday and now that I've had a few days to listen, I thought I'd post my impressions.
First off, my room/system:
Receiver: Marantz SR-8500
Amp: Outlaw audio 750 (165X5 wpc; though I'm only using 3 channels to power FR, FL, and C speakers)
Surrounds: Polk audio RTi25 (sides) and RTi28(rear)
DVD player: Toshiba
TV: Old school Toshiba RPTV; HD capable though
Subwoofer(s): 2 Dayton audio 390HF 15" subs, each powered by a 500W Oaudio plate amp, and each in a dedicated 2.5cf sealed enclosure (5 cf sealed cabinets under construction); also using an Outlaw audio LFM-1 in the nearfield and high passed at 50hz-it really fills out a 60hz dip in my room
Subs EQ'd by Velodyne SMS-1
Room is 13X21 with GIK acoustics bass traps in corners, Real Traps on back wall, and ATS acoustics panels at early reflection points
The X-statiks are replacing a pair of Energy Veritas 2.1's and Polk audio RTi28's. I really liked my Veritas', but I pushed them too hard and eventually fried a woofer. The Polks were a temporary solution until something more permanent came along. Enter the X-statiks!
What I liked about the Energy Vertas 2.1's:
- Very clean at all volume levels; I liked being able to turn up the volume and get more clean, rich sound without compression or strain--up to a point.
- Balanced; no frequencies seemed more pronounced than any others
- Smooth
- Dynamic
What I didn't like about the Veritas'
- 6.5" 2-way bookshelf speaker--woofer could be driven to over-excursion at high volumes
- Highs got a little muddy at high volumes as well
The polks were better than I thought for a $225 5.25" small two-way as mains, but they were a lot less smooth than the Veritas', and considerably rougher in the mids and treble
I summarized my other speakers above as a comparison to the X-statics.
The X-statiks are very smooth and balanced. Like my Veritas', they don't emphasize one frequency over another. Also, the treble does not sound 'forward' or 'bright', but rather evenly balaced with the mids and lows. What's really interesting about that is that the treble is definitely more detailed and clean, yet not bright or forward or overly sibilant, it's just there when necessary. I definitely notice cleaner and more detailed cymbols and high hats on drums when listening to concert DVD's.
Bass is much stronger, cleaner, and more detailed that it was in my Veritas'--considering the extra woofers, that's to be expected. Still, even set to 'small' in my receiver set up, I notice much cleaner, stronger, and detailed bass. Like the highs, the bass does not overpower the spectrum, it's just there when necessary. My wife even noticed the stronger bass just walking in the front door; the theater room is downstairs!
I think what I like the most about the X-statiks is the amazing WALL OF SOUND they put up. With my Veritas', there was a nice image as long as I stayed in the small sweet spot. With the X-statiks, the image is room-filling with a much larger sweet spot. The image seems 'locked in' even if you're not in an ideal spot.
Only one drawback to the X-statiks so far, and it is minor: they also seem a bit muddy at high/very high volume levels; probably higher volumes that one should be listening at for very long. They definitely go louder than my Veritas'! I have ordered the X-over upgrade from the Ninja and will line the sealed portion with no-rez once the X-over parts are here.
Overall, I'm 'X-statik' about these speakers! THANK YOU DANNY!!
I'll post once I complete the planned upgrades for the speakers.
