Mapleshade stands w/ De-Capo's

reddmadder · « **on:** 4 Apr 2004, 02:49 pm »

pic's of Mapleshade stands w/De-Cappo-i's
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/modules.php?op=modload&name=gallery&file=index

mgalusha · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Apr 2004, 04:57 pm »

Just in case you don't want to have to look for this gallery.

reddmadder's gallery

Love all the maple, beautiful.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 Apr 2004, 09:32 pm »

Man, that looks so strange! I don't know if I could psychologically listen to mini-monitors at that height. Of course, if they sound better, good for you!

Michael

maxwalrath · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Apr 2004, 09:39 pm »

I've always wondered about monitors on those stands...have you compared them to more traditional stands by any chance?

zybar · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Apr 2004, 09:44 pm »

I heard these on Saturday and yes, the height looks weird but the image was not low to the ground.

I will say that they didn't sound like the Capos that another friend has setup. Because everything in Joe's system is different than th elast time I was over, I can't say what is casuing it.

I did tell Joe that in the past these were some of the best imaging speakers that I had ever heard - they didn't sound that way on Saturday.

Michael, do you toe in your speakers or listen straight ahead.

george

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Apr 2004, 09:48 pm »

I listen to them firing straight ahead, George. The image collapses in my room when I toe them in too much, so I follow what Reference 3a recommends.

Michael

reddmadder · « **Reply #6 on:** 6 Apr 2004, 08:22 pm »

George,
When I did a little toe-in about 1 1/2 inches it tightened up the vocals I think it needs more playing time,I only have about 40 hours on the amps. The pre-amp,ic,and cd cable have less than 100 hrs.

zybar · « **Reply #7 on:** 6 Apr 2004, 09:39 pm »

Joe,

I'll pop back over in a few weeks and give another listen.

I have no doubt it will be more open, less veiled, and image like I know they should.

George

brucegel · « **Reply #8 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 04:02 pm »

Regarding the mapleshade stands (I receive their catalog too) it puzzles me that someone would advocate that arrangement.There would be more bass which would violate the original balance designed into the decaps and no engineer I know with the possible exception of mapleshades own recordings (which I have never heard) mixes and masters in any configuration that low, so spectral balance would be quite strange.Anyone else out there perplexed about this?

reddmadder · « **Reply #9 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 04:21 pm »

Hi Greg,
Just a question,but do you think adding a sub woofer to a system violates the same musical balance?

brucegel · « **Reply #10 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 04:46 pm »

I"m listening to greg brown...my name is bruce and the answer is within the design philosophy of the decapo i the answer is an unequivocal yes.If your listening taste requires sub 40hz than I would point you in the direction of a 3way design and never a sub.For home theatre applications a sub is a lot of fun but for critical listening when I mix down a string quartet I would not pull away from the cohered sound of the decaps by running with a seperate sub.Most serious studios spend the money necessary to get full range.The sub is an economical compromise to this full range design.There is a lot of misinformation/mis assumptions floating around in the high end world which is why I pulled away from it and moved toward the recording and engineering world.But I still feel an obligation after 30 years involvement in this game to share.I would encourage you at the next live show you go to to hang out with the back of house engineer and observe and tell him/her about your interest in music and sound and maybe if he or she is nice they will share with you.We can never know too much in audio.P.S. the decapos are used by a handful of engineers for mixdown and a better monitor at 2k is hard to find.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 04:55 pm »

reddmadder,

Did you try more traditional stands with the De Capo I's before deciding on the maple shade stands? If so, and you like the Maple Shade stands more, I wouldn't worry about it honestly. The De Capo I's are far from flat speakers and most owners know this, but still love them. To me, the colorations of the De Capo I's sound like live music, so I don't really give a crap if they don't measure perfectly. BTW, I use Osiris stands and they work fine for me, but I've never tried anything else.

Michael

reddmadder · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 05:00 pm »

Thanks for the info, but my point is that many owners of monitors(including the De-Cappo's) use subs and find that it works for them,generally speaking.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #13 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 05:06 pm »

As fast as the De Capo I is, it is not as fast as a Quad Electrostat. My father uses 2 Rel Stentor subs with the Quads to great effect. They are so adjustable it is actually not to bad to dial them in to work with the Quads. The 2 Rels also blend seamlessly with a pair of Magnepan 3.6's. I think that bruce is correct that most subs screw up the sound, but there are some that work. I have no doubt that a Rel sub would blend with the MM De Capo I's after hearing them with the Quads.

Michael

reddmadder · « **Reply #14 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 06:06 pm »

I had the Osiris but went with the Mapleshades. To my ears
it had a better overall sound,plus the bass was stronger also the staging wasn't low but just as high as the Osiris.To each his own...

doug s. · « **Reply #15 on:** 7 Apr 2004, 07:10 pm »

Quote from: brucegel

I"m listening to greg brown...my name is bruce and the answer is within the design philosophy of the decapo i the answer is an unequivocal yes.If your listening taste requires sub 40hz than I would point you in the direction of a 3way design and never a sub.For home theatre applications a sub is a lot of fun but for critical listening when I mix down a string quartet I would not pull away from the cohered sound of the decaps by running with a seperate sub....

i must respectfully disagree here. imho, the best way to do 2-channel audio for music is to use a properly integrated pair of quality subwoofers, regardless of whether your monitor is two-way, three-way, four-way, full range, or whatever. this will always result in the best soundstaging, & most natural neutral presentation of music, be it chamber music, full orchestra, jazz combo, hard rock, or whatever.

of course, perhaps my views are a tad biased...

before this set-up, i ran these subs (in another dwelling) w/a pair of full-range (-2db at 20hz) thiel 3.5's. *everything* improved w/the addition of the subs: low end (doh!), imaging/soundstaging, dynamics, transparency/detail...

look at many mfr's no-holds-barred state of the art assaults on what they feel are the best possible sound transducers - many are monitors with subwoofers, straight from the factory...

ymmv,

doug s.