My Madisound build, final thoughts and listening impressions

[alexwakelin]

I finished up my Madisound Recession Buster build yesterday. For full documentation of the build along with lots of photos, see this thread:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52695

I spent about an hour listening to various types of music last night; Weezer, Metallica, Muse, Busta Rhymes, Aphex Twin. Most of my mp3 rips are 300kbps. I'm no audiophile, so I don't know if I am using the correct terms to describe what I am hearing. I can best describe these speakers as sounding transparent, smooth and neutral. These are the first speakers I have owned where the sound does not seem to come directly from the speaker, but from all around you. I guess this is what people mean when they say that a speaker has good "imaging". In all regards, they beat my JBL Venue 5" monitors which I use as mains for my HT setup. The JBL speakers had an MSRP of ~$200, they are now discontinued. (I paid $80 on an open box super duper closeout deal). The specs say the weight on the JBL's is 7 lbs each, my Madisounds are a beefy 17 lbs each

http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Venue-Monitor-5-Inch-Speakers/dp/B000FBPHAC

Total build cost on my Madisound kit was ~$120 after cabinet materials, accoustic foam, terminals, paint, sandpaper, etc. I only have the JBL speakers to compare to, but after hearing how much the Madisound outperform the JBL speakers, I think they would hold their own against most any speaker in the $200 to $300 price range. I still enjoy the JBL speakers, but I think most music listening will be done on the madisound speakers, with the JBL's used exclusively for movies from now on.

 

[highfigh]

There's really no reason that your new speakers can't be used for movies and you may be surprised by how well they perform for that. I use one pair for everything and TV/movies/concert DVDs all sound great. Mark the current location with tape and move them around to find out if there's a better place for them- you'll end up as neurotic as the rest of us. I just changed the toe-in on mine last night by maybe a couple of degrees. It makes a difference.

 

[lsiberian]

I finished up my Madisound Recession Buster build yesterday. For full documentation of the build along with lots of photos, see this thread:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52695

I spent about an hour listening to various types of music last night; Weezer, Metallica, Muse, Busta Rhymes, Aphex Twin. Most of my mp3 rips are 300kbps. I'm no audiophile, so I don't know if I am using the correct terms to describe what I am hearing. I can best describe these speakers as sounding transparent, smooth and neutral. These are the first speakers I have owned where the sound does not seem to come directly from the speaker, but from all around you. I guess this is what people mean when they say that a speaker has good "imaging". In all regards, they beat my JBL Venue 5" monitors which I use as mains for my HT setup. The JBL speakers had an MSRP of ~$200, they are now discontinued. (I paid $80 on an open box super duper closeout deal). The specs say the weight on the JBL's is 7 lbs each, my Madisounds are a beefy 17 lbs each

http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Venue-Monitor-5-Inch-Speakers/dp/B000FBPHAC

Total build cost on my Madisound kit was ~$120 after cabinet materials, accoustic foam, terminals, paint, sandpaper, etc. I only have the JBL speakers to compare to, but after hearing how much the Madisound outperform the JBL speakers, I think they would hold their own against most any speaker in the $200 to $300 price range. I still enjoy the JBL speakers, but I think most music listening will be done on the madisound speakers, with the JBL's used exclusively for movies from now on.

I think if you build your own speakers and aren't a wood worker you automatically are declared an audiophile.

Think about how much time you just spent total to get the best sound possible that you could afford?

 

[alexwakelin]

I think if you build your own speakers and aren't a wood worker you automatically are declared an audiophile.

Think about how much time you just spent total to get the best sound possible that you could afford?

I wasn't keeping track, but probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 hours.

 

[highfigh]

I think if you build your own speakers and aren't a wood worker you automatically are declared an audiophile.

Think about how much time you just spent total to get the best sound possible that you could afford?

Yeah, but wait 'till he finds out that coating the cabinets with DuraLiner makes them more acoustically inert.

 

[TLS Guy]

I finished up my Madisound Recession Buster build yesterday. For full documentation of the build along with lots of photos, see this thread:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52695

I spent about an hour listening to various types of music last night; Weezer, Metallica, Muse, Busta Rhymes, Aphex Twin. Most of my mp3 rips are 300kbps. I'm no audiophile, so I don't know if I am using the correct terms to describe what I am hearing. I can best describe these speakers as sounding transparent, smooth and neutral. These are the first speakers I have owned where the sound does not seem to come directly from the speaker, but from all around you. I guess this is what people mean when they say that a speaker has good "imaging". In all regards, they beat my JBL Venue 5" monitors which I use as mains for my HT setup. The JBL speakers had an MSRP of ~$200, they are now discontinued. (I paid $80 on an open box super duper closeout deal). The specs say the weight on the JBL's is 7 lbs each, my Madisounds are a beefy 17 lbs each

http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Venue-Monitor-5-Inch-Speakers/dp/B000FBPHAC

Total build cost on my Madisound kit was ~$120 after cabinet materials, accoustic foam, terminals, paint, sandpaper, etc. I only have the JBL speakers to compare to, but after hearing how much the Madisound outperform the JBL speakers, I think they would hold their own against most any speaker in the $200 to $300 price range. I still enjoy the JBL speakers, but I think most music listening will be done on the madisound speakers, with the JBL's used exclusively for movies from now on.

Now go onto a bigger project for your HT. You are on a roll!