Thursday, March 28

McIntosh’s $6,000 speaker is a vintage blast | Digital Trends Spanish


McIntosh

McIntosh might be best known for his catchers and amplifiers, the ones with the iconic blue-backlit VU meters, but the American audio brand has also produced some great speakers over the years. Today, the company has decided to resurrect its first model, the ML1, keeping the full vintage vibe of the 1970s era with a square wooden casing, while completely updating the audio components. acquire the new ML1 MKII it won’t be cheap; each speaker will sell for $6,000, and that’s not including the cost of the optional (but highly desirable) matching wooden stand, complete with aluminum McIntosh badging.

McIntosh ML1 MKII loudspeaker seen with an original ML1.
McIntosh ML1 MKII (left) and original McIntosh ML1

“While we’ve been making loudspeakers for more than five decades,” McIntosh President Charlie Randall said in a press release, “the ML1 will always come first and holds a special place in our hearts here at McIntosh.”

On the outside, the MKII bears a close resemblance to the original, with solid, oil-rubbed American walnut cabinetry and satin-finish veneers. The removable grille sports the same distinctive wood crossbeam and black acoustic cloth.

McIntosh ML1 MKII loudspeaker (exploded view).
McIntosh

Inside, it’s a different story. Which can be bi-amped or bi-wired thanks to the double set of gold-plated binding posts on the rear of the cabinet, the MKII is a four-way loudspeaker with five separate drivers: a 12-inch woofer in a sealed enclosure with a cone polypropylene and a dust cap with synthetic rubber suspension; two 4-inch lower midrange drivers in a sealed sub-enclosure also with polypropylene cones and synthetic rubber suspension dust caps; a 2-inch soft dome upper midrange; and a 3/4-inch titanium dome tweeter.

A custom crossover network ensures that each of these drivers gets the right set of frequencies, including that massive woofer, which McIntosh claims can dig down to 27Hz, which is close to the low-frequency limits of human hearing. The company suggests that most people won’t feel the need to add a subwoofer.

McIntosh ML1 MKII loudspeaker on a matching stand.
McIntosh

McIntosh also points out that the four-way design and crossover network give the MKII a much wider dispersion than traditional speakers, which should make the sweet spot as large as an entire room.

McIntosh ML1 MKII Speakers rear binding posts.
McIntosh

These components can handle up to 600 watts of amplification. Unlike the originals, they use a fully symmetrical design, so there’s no need for a dedicated left or right speaker – the MKII can be used for either side. Another departure from the 1970s ML1970 is the ability to drive the MKII without any additional external EQ. The first generation ML1 was something known for need an equalization unit built by McIntosh to hear the full potential of the speaker.

McIntosh also recently launched a new Dolby Atmos AV receiver, as well as limited-edition Grateful Dead wireless speakers.

The ML1 MKII will be available through authorized McIntosh dealers for $6,000 per speaker ($12,000 per pair) beginning in July 2023. The company has not yet released pricing for the optional speaker stands.

Publisher Recommendations










es.digitaltrends.com