MB QUART VS05BE bookshelf speakers - My take and Impressions

[rojo]

Hey Gene, if you use a 3rd party image host like Imgur, you won't have to delete old pics to make room for new ones. With a free account you'll only be able to manage your most recent 225 pics I think, but at least your old ones won't disappear. When you view what you've uploaded, switch to the "large thumbnail" view to post pics of an appropriate size for forum use, then just copypaste the BBCode into your posts back here.

Re: the centers, how's the sound stage from the tweeters? Did you notice any loss of horizontal off-axis response by flipping the centers to vertical orientation?

 

[GeneC]

Thanks for the tip Rojo. Believe it or not, I know even less about computers then I do about Home Theater!

Using two centers as fronts was a real concern but I think it's going to work out O.K. I have heard others say it's not the best idea for various reasons. I think the fact that they're a 2-way design and not 2 1/2 might be a plus. I've been spending most of my time converting them and adjusting their heights rather then listening to their sound quality but when I have I didn't notice any drop-off in SQ from the 05's. But I will do some serious comparing next weekend. But so far their sounding real good.

Another issue I have to work out is the "bottom" of my converted centers. They are slightly curved and therefore don't sit flush on the stand. They can rock back and forth if pushed gently. They are however, very well balanced so they sit up-right quite nicely. But as I've said before, I'm in earthquake country so things need to be a little more secure. In the mean-time I'm sticking a small piece of cardboard under them to protect the finish.

I've also had to remove the thin piece of mdf between the actual center speaker and the base as well as the little rubber feet to get it to fit in my tv stand. Yet another little thing I need to work out but I'll come up with something.

 

[GeneC]

I did a little more listening/comparing yesterday and today. I also just finished installing some of that fake, fake hardwood flooring as well as starting/continuing some other projects so my time for fun has been short.

There might be a very small reduction in soundstage/stereo seperation/off-access response but it would be so minimal it's really a non issue. There is however an improvement in tonal quality, at least imo. I did feel the 05's tweeter was a bit hot to my liking as I prefer a softer, warmer sound for music, and highs were a bit much for me. But when using center speakers as fronts the highs are just about perfect. Still very detailed and clear but not a bit over-bearing as I thought the 05 was. I'm still playing with their height and think I need to lower them about an inch and a half from what you see in the pictures. Removing the silver base plate would result in the perfect height but I kind of like they way they look so I'm thinking of modifying the stands again, or building some from scratch.

Over-all, this has been a huge success. I still need to work on securing them to the stands a bit better, work on the base plate of the center speaker and decide on grills or no-grills. If I decide on no-grills then I'll have to disassemble the right speaker and flip the front plate up-side down so the MB Quart logo is on the bottm. Eventually, it would start to bother me.

BTW, the combination of the MB's and the Pioneer Elite SC-25 is near perfect in Pure Analog with stereo music. I've tried them with MCACC and Audyssey from my Marantz 7005 and I still prefer Pure Analog. HDMI always sounds a bit muffled by comparison.

 

[zieglj01]

^^^Continue to enjoy

 

[rojo]

Thanks for the tip Rojo. Believe it or not, I know even less about computers then I do about Home Theater!

I've been pondering this brain teaser for several days now. At first I was like, "Huh?" And then I was like, "What?" And now I'm thinking, "Wait a minute. You're pulling my leg." If your statement is true, then your expertise in computers could logically be at any level between Homer Simpson and Chloe O'Brien.

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

[GeneC]

I've been pondering this brain teaser for several days now. At first I was like, "Huh?" And then I was like, "What?" And now I'm thinking, "Wait a minute. You're pulling my leg." If your statement is true, then your expertise in computers could logically be at any level between Homer Simpson and Chloe O'Brien.

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

Closer to Homer Simpson...but not too close .

"I've been pondering this brain teaser for several days now."

Brain teaser? Several days?! Hmmm...maybe I'm closer to Chloe then I thought?! Naw...must have caught you in a bad week .

Something I've been pondering for several days. Wouldn't these Vera's look outrageous in bright candy-apple red?

 

[Lulimet]

Outrageously good

 

[nogaro]

Finally! Very temporary, but I have sound!!

 

[zieglj01]

Finally! Very temporary, but I have sound!!

So, that means it was not a long hot summer!

 

[nogaro]

So, that means it was not a long hot summer!

These speakers are definitely helping me chill out

 

[nogaro]

I haven't really been able to hear them much, yet, but should be able to in the coming days. When I first heard them out of the box, they sounded, how should I put this delicately...terrible! The midrange was almost non-existent and the bass was ill-defined. Ok, so maybe terrible is an exaggeration, but that's how I felt after the high expectations I had for them. I heard 3-4 songs and then got busy with dinner. The first thing I did for my after dinner session was remove the grills. The sound was GREATLY improved - better midrange and much better defined bass. Now, I don't know if it was due to some break-in or removing the grills or both, but now I was starting to see what everyone else has been raving about. I only got about 2 more songs in, but was able sleep peacefully knowing these aren't "terrible" . This morning I tightened the hex nuts in the back but haven't been able to play any music yet.

 

[zieglj01]

I haven't really been able to hear them much, yet, but should be able to in the coming days. When I first heard them out of the box, they sounded, how should I put this delicately...terrible! The midrange was almost non-existent and the bass was ill-defined. Ok, so maybe terrible is an exaggeration, but that's how I felt after the high expectations I had for them. I heard 3-4 songs and then got busy with dinner. The first thing I did for my after dinner session was remove the grills. The sound was GREATLY improved - better midrange and much better defined bass. Now, I don't know if it was due to some break-in or removing the grills or both, but now I was starting to see what everyone else has been raving about. I only got about 2 more songs in, but was able sleep peacefully knowing these aren't "terrible" . This morning I tightened the hex nuts in the back but haven't been able to play any music yet.

There is always hope when a speaker sounds better after the first impression.

They do seem to have a different sonic signature, compared to many speakers that I have owned.
However they sound right, focused and balanced to me. I believe they were engineered for best
performance with them grills off, you can even put the grills over the back plate when doing some
serious listening. While I am not much for speaker break-in, the bass did sound better to me as the
playing time increased. The bass is there - however, it really depends on the recording. They can and
will go low.

A lot of speaker companies tend to have a so-called sonic signature (sound). However, these seem to
be less colored than anything that I have heard.

Just give it some more time - so, the speakers can become more use to you.

 

[nogaro]

There is always hope when a speaker sounds better after the first impression.

They do seem to have a different sonic signature, compared to many speakers that I have owned.
However, they sound right, focused and balanced to me. I believe they were engineered for best
performance with them grills off, you can even put the grills over the back plate, when doing some
serious listening. While I am not much for speaker break-in, the bass did sound better to me as the
playing time increased. The bass is there - however, it really depends on the recording. They can and
will go low.

A lot of speaker companies tend to have a so-called sonic signature (sound). However, these seem to
be less colored than anything that I have heard.

Just give it some more time - so, the speakers can become more use to you.

I don't believe in extended break-in and if it was something that happened over days, I'd be more skeptical. But, since it happened over the course of about 15 minutes, I do suspect some break-in was involved. The bass is definitely there, in fact, more there than I expected. Now with the hex nuts tightened, they should be in full form.

Thanks for the tip with the grills - nifty!

 

[Lulimet]

It took me about 6 weeks to get used to their sound. They are just so different from all the other speakers that I have had before.

 

[nogaro]

It took me about 6 weeks to get used to their sound. They are just so different from all the other speakers that I have had before.

What about their sound caused it to take so long? Zieglj01 has mentioned their transparency and detail, is that what took you some time to get used to? I didn't get a chance to listen today. They aren't set up in a nice room, anyway. It's large and has hardwood and lots of windows.

 

[rojo]

When I first got mine, I thought they seemed brighter than I was used to. It took me an hour or so of listening to realize they aren't bright so much as airy. That is to say, they aren't bright the same way Klipsch speakers are bright. Going from my old speakers to the Quarts was more like I had just taken off a pair of ear muffs I'd forgotten I was wearing.

But if your room is live with wood floors and without a lot of stuff to tame sound reflections, I can see how the Quarts would ring and be difficult to acclimate. Lined energy saver curtains or drapes would probably help, as would a larger rug, some plants, wall art, some more furniture, and whatever else occurs to you.

 

[nogaro]

When I first got mine, I thought they seemed brighter than I was used to. It took me an hour or so of listening to realize they aren't bright so much as airy. That is to say, they aren't bright the same way Klipsch speakers are bright. Going from my old speakers to the Quarts was more like I had just taken off a pair of ear muffs I'd forgotten I was wearing.

But if your room is live with wood floors and without a lot of stuff to tame sound reflections, I can see how the Quarts would ring and be difficult to acclimate. Lined energy saver curtains or drapes would probably help, as would a larger rug, some plants, wall art, some more furniture, and whatever else occurs to you.

I just moved in, which is why the room is empty right now. Should be furnished by the end of this month. In any case, that's not the spot I'm going to have the Veras when all is said and done and therein lies my next challenge - even though the wife likes the look, she doesn't think they match the decor of any room

I didn't find them to be bright, really. There is a bit of excess energy in the top-end but nothing more than I would expect based on the room. I'm going to set them up in a different spot before I have another listen as the room is very echoey right now.

 

[rojo]

Try putting them on either side of a corner and having them play diagonally into the room. That's a good way to tame reflections without treatments.

 

[nogaro]

Ok, so I lugged the Veras up a flight of stairs and set them up in my office and, man, are they delivering! Good stuff!!

 

[zieglj01]

Ok, so I lugged the Veras up a flight of stairs and set them up in my office and, man, are they delivering! Good stuff!!

Now we are talking - continue to enjoy!