M-Audio M3-8 Studio Monitor`s,compared to the new Denon DN-508SA monitors,whats the difference?

[Georgel]

Hi ,I was considering purchasing a pair of M-Audio M3-8 Studio Monitors,untill I saw an ad for the new Denon DN-508SA monitors.Both appear to have the same specs,Does anyone know if there is an internal difference in the quality of components,or are they just the same animal in different cages?-Thanks.

 

[slipperybidness]

Cabinet on the M-Audio looks a bit different to me. Seems to have some "trimming" on the baffle corners.

How do these compare as far as $?

 

[Georgel]

Cabinet on the M-Audio looks a bit different to me. Seems to have some "trimming" on the baffle corners.

How do these compare as far as $?

The Denon`s cost approximately $160 more than the M-Audio`s,per pair.

 

[slipperybidness]

Hmmm.

Paying for the badge?

The M audio visually looks nicer to me.

 

[Georgel]

Hmmm.

Paying for the badge?

The M audio visually looks nicer to me.

I was thinking that too.Maybe the fact that the Denon`s have front covers they cost more to make..I`m very curious how they compare internally,more than anything.

 

[TLS Guy]

They seem to have the same guts. The cabinet of the MA is a better design.

I would like to see third party measurements of this speaker.

It is interesting. The mid does cover the speech discrimination band. Tweeter cross is 4 KHz.

Triamping active is the way to go, and I have been advocating this for many years now.

What I find really interesting is the price.

I seriously doubt that you could build a passive three way monitor with passive components of any quality for that money.

So I think my prediction that going active will be cheaper and better then passive.

Hopefully this will soon filter into the domestic audio market, and we will start to see the back of ridiculous receivers packed full of power amps.

If you purchase these, please report back here and at least give a subjective review.

The only reservation I have is the effect the tweeter waveguide might have on the midrange cone.

 

[Georgel]

After some serious consideration, I decided to order a pair of the M-Audio M3-8`S.I found a reputable authorized M-Audio dealer that didn`t charge tax,and had free shipping.Will hopefully arrive in a week or less ,fingers are crossed-
Total $698.00

 

[slipperybidness]

View attachment 15682 After some serious consideration, I decided to order a pair of the M-Audio M3-8`S.I found a reputable authorized M-Audio dealer that didn`t charge tax,and had free shipping.Will hopefully arrive in a week or less ,fingers are crossed-
Total $698.00

As TLS said, please come back and let us know what you think, after you have some time with them.

Pics are nice

I've always thought that M-Audio has a nice little niche in this field. Kind of the mid-fi guys, or the first rung of the hi-end ladder. Nothing mind-blowing, but solid products at really good price points.

 

[Georgel]

Your estimated delivery date is:Friday, April 24, 2015 - Wednesday, April 29, 2015
After I break them in I will post a review in the speaker section of the forum.
I disconnected my B&K preamp ,and I`am now running straight from the Emotiva DC-1`s balanced output directly to the B&K ST-202 Amp,via XLR`s.
I miss my preamp already,the DC-1 on its own is a little lacking on dynamic range as a preamp,but the mid-range is very well defined.
I did this to adjust my hearing to focusing on the sound of the DC-1,because that is all I will be feeding to the M-Audio monitors.
I wanted something I could sit close to while on the computer,without the shrill of my Focal tweeters in my face.
I tried the Peach Tree Audio Deepblue2 as a solution,had great bass,with scooped mids ,and was way too harsh on the top end for me.After a few day`s I could not stand to be in the same room with it while it was on anymore.
I really hope the M3-8`s are the solution,for me.

 

[Georgel]

They seem to have the same guts. The cabinet of the MA is a better design.

I would like to see third party measurements of this speaker.

It is interesting. The mid does cover the speech discrimination band. Tweeter cross is 4 KHz.

Triamping active is the way to go, and I have been advocating this for many years now.

What I find really interesting is the price.

I seriously doubt that you could build a passive three way monitor with passive components of any quality for that money.

So I think my prediction that going active will be cheaper and better then passive.

Hopefully this will soon filter into the domestic audio market, and we will start to see the back of ridiculous receivers packed full of power amps.

If you purchase these, please report back here and at least give a subjective review.

The only reservation I have is the effect the tweeter waveguide might have on the midrange cone.

I just got these an hour ago.FIRST IMPRESSIONS- Bass,smooth top end,even flat sound,and great imaging.After a week of break in,I will do a review.I can say this though,my Emotiva DC-1 never sounded so good as a pre amp before,sounds like it finally grew a pair.
Time to crack open the 12 pack of Becks Sapphire I was saving

 

[KEW]

Glad it looks like it may be the solution for you.
Which Focals do you have?

 

[Georgel]

I

Glad it looks like it may be the solution for you.
Which Focals do you have?

I have the Focal Chorus 807V`s.Once the mids open up on the M3-8`s,I`ll be in heaven.If you like metal tweeters the Focals are the bomb,for music I prefer silk domes.I`m replacing the Polk rti 6 fronts on the living room a/v set up,with the Focals,and the Polks will be used for the rear channel.

 

[KEW]

My answer to your original post:
The difference is the Denon is marketed as a Home (or Consumer) Audio product, while the M-Audio is marketed as a Pro Audio product.
Denon is used to having the higher profit margins of Home Audio so they cut costs on the front of the speaker and increased the price by 23%!
This is indeed an interesting development - seeing essentially the same product sold to both markets.

I do like some metal tweeters, but find many Al tweeters a bit harsh. My belief is that they break-up and distort at a frequency we can perceive. Not all Al tweeters have this issue.
For me, at least, my Focal Solo6Be's are not at all harsh, but they still offer the benefits of a metal tweeter.

 

[Georgel]

My answer to your original post:
The difference is the Denon is marketed as a Home (or Consumer) Audio product, while the M-Audio is marketed as a Pro Audio product.
Denon is used to having the higher profit margins of Home Audio so they cut costs on the front of the speaker and increased the price by 23%!
This is indeed an interesting development - seeing essentially the same product sold to both markets.

I do like some metal tweeters, but find many Al tweeters a bit harsh. My belief is that they break-up and distort at a frequency we can perceive. Not all Al tweeters have this issue.
For me, at least, my Focal Solo6Be's are not at all harsh, but they still offer the benefits of a metal tweeter.

You have good taste my friend,the Focal Solo6Be's were top on my list of choices,but the price kept me at bay.From what I`m hearing from the m3-8`s so far ,the big amplifier companies must be scared of active speakers

 

[afterlife2]

Congrats and have one on me. Cheers.

 

[GIEGAR]

Hmmm.

Paying for the badge?

The M audio visually looks nicer to me.

Exactly Slippery! Badge engineering.

The inMusic Group, who own M-Audio among others, bought the naming rights to the D&M Pro brands last year.

See: http://www.djtechtools.com/2014/04/15/inmusic-brands-akai-m-audio-numark-buys-denon-product-lines/

So to offset the cost of the rights (and some), inMusic make the Denon clone a cash cow by chucking it in a flimsier (weight?) simple box with a grill, glue on a Denon Pro badge and charge an extra $160/pair for the privilege.

Denon: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1135438-REG/denon_dn_508sa_8_tri_amplified_3_way.html

M-Audio: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/922786-REG/m_audio_m3eightx110_m3_8_3_way_amplified.html

Not quite in the vein of the Oppo inside a Lexicon fiasco a few years back... a bit smarter.

Credit to you @Georgel for spotting it and buying the "Oppo".

 

[Georgel]

Congrats and have one on me. Cheers.

Thanks Bud,these are a must have,yes they are that good ...cheers

 

[Georgel]

Exactly Slippery! Badge engineering.

The inMusic Group, who own M-Audio among others, bought the naming rights to the D&M Pro brands last year.

See: http://www.djtechtools.com/2014/04/15/inmusic-brands-akai-m-audio-numark-buys-denon-product-lines/

So to offset the cost of the rights (and some), inMusic make the Denon clone a cash cow by chucking it in a flimsier (weight?) simple box with a grill, glue on a Denon Pro badge and charge an extra $160/pair for the privilege.

Denon: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1135438-REG/denon_dn_508sa_8_tri_amplified_3_way.html

M-Audio: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/922786-REG/m_audio_m3eightx110_m3_8_3_way_amplified.html

Not quite in the vein of the Oppo inside a Lexicon fiasco a few years back... a bit smarter.

Credit to you @Georgel for spotting it and buying the "Oppo".

I would consider these mid-field,and they make a good crossover from the pro sector ,to the home listening arena.I wonder if there really is a 13lbs difference in weight between the two versions,if so I`m glad I got the M-Audio`s.
Last night I was thinking those covers offered on the Denon version could be a good idea,because it looks like cleaning any dust accumulated between the tweeter, and mid range driver could be a complicated task.I will search for a couple of extra pillow cases for when I tuck them in at night

 

[GIEGAR]

Yeah, I wondered about the weight too. Perhaps I was harsh. They've been on Jenny Craig if that's correct. I thought perhaps B&H had just whacked that figure in there until found out better. I couldn't spot it anywhere amongst "Denon's" info.

 

[Georgel]

Yeah, I wondered about the weight too. Perhaps I was harsh. They've been on Jenny Craig if that's correct. I thought perhaps B&H had just whacked that figure in there until found out better. I couldn't spot it anywhere amongst "Denon's" info.

The online specs for both are off a bit,according to the users manual:
40Hz-20KHz
Power=200 w
LF: 150 W
MF: 30 W
HF: 20 W