Is Mark Levinson Using JBL Drivers?

[audiomagnate]

I saw an interview on "Home Theater Geeks," one of Leo Laport's video podcasts, where Mark Levinson was pushing his M1 speakers for a cool $100K. 100dB at 1 watt. I met him in Chicago in 77 when he was selling the HQD system, but this new speaker looks worse than my butt ugly but great sounding SVA2100s. Does anybody know what drivers he's using? He makes some ridiculous statements in the podcast, equating speaker sensitivity to MP3 bit loss. Another hero bites the dust. He sounds brain damaged, and I'm being kind.

[gferrell]

Sheep's wool must be expensive these days!

[audiomagnate]

Sheep's wool must be expensive these days!

So you saw it? Maybe cashmere would justify $100K.

[edgewound]

I saw an interview on "Home Theater Geeks," one of Leo Laport's video podcasts, where Mark Levinson was pushing his M1 speakers for a cool $100K. 100dB at 1 watt. I met him in Chicago in 77 when he was selling the HQD system, but this new speaker looks worse than my butt ugly but great sounding SVA2100s. Does anybody know what drivers he's using? He makes some ridiculous statements in the podcast, equating speaker sensitivity to MP3 bit loss. Another hero bites the dust. He sounds brain damaged, and I'm being kind.

Brain damaged? Maybe you didn't understand or interpret his metaphor as he intended. BTW...I didn't listen to the podcast.

Have you ever played electric guitar through a 102dB sensitivity speaker vs. a 97dB sensitivity speaker through the same amp?

The higher sensitivity speaker will include harmonic and tactile nuances that the other will not. Sounds similar to a lossy MP3 to me. I guess interpretation can be related to your frames of reference, experientially.

YMMV.

[audiomagnate]

Brain damaged? Maybe you didn't understand or interpret his metaphor as he intended. BTW...I didn't listen to the podcast.

Have you ever played electric guitar through a 102dB sensitivity speaker vs. a 97dB sensitivity speaker through the same amp?

The higher sensitivity speaker will include harmonic and tactile nuances that the other will not. Sounds similar to a lossy MP3 to me. I guess interpretation can be related to your frames of reference, experientially.

YMMV.

He pauses between every single word, like someone who has had a stroke. As to low sensitivity hiding musical nuances, I'm just not buying it. I do believe some low efficiency speakers suffer from dynamic compression, and maybe that's what he's talking about.

[hjames]

See it for yourself - April 2nd, 2012
http://twit.tv/show/home-theater-geeks/105

He doesn't seem to pause-between-every-single word ...
seems more like he speaks in word clusters, sentence chunks,
and thinks a bit as he goes forward ...

I have to run so I only listened to 7 minutes, but I didn't hear what you said you heard in that.

There is a very faint bit of stutter, but I sure wouldn't hammer the guy for that kind of thing.

[maxwedge]

Brain damaged? Maybe you didn't understand or interpret his metaphor as he intended. BTW...I didn't listen to the podcast.

Have you ever played electric guitar through a 102dB sensitivity speaker vs. a 97dB sensitivity speaker through the same amp?

The higher sensitivity speaker will include harmonic and tactile nuances that the other will not. Sounds similar to a lossy MP3 to me. I guess interpretation can be related to your frames of reference, experientially.

YMMV.

Depends on the amp.
Not for argument material but I MUCH prefer 4 (or 8!) Celestion greenbacks powered by a Marshal than JBL's. In a Fender Twin JBLs are good but I like Jensens too.

[audiomagnate]

OK, two or three words, and then a long pause. Very odd. I worshiped this guy when I was a kid. I bought his first preamp, I made my own HQD system, I met him at the Palmer House in Chicago. He sounds like he's been run over by a truck.

[gferrell]

Stainless steel baskets, stainless must have gone up a lot since the last time I checked.

[audiomagnate]

Stainless steel baskets, stainless must have gone up a lot since the last time I checked.

They're not stainless steel baskets, they're stainless steel glory holes.

[edgewound]

OK, two or three words, and then a long pause. Very odd. I worshiped this guy when I was a kid. I bought his first preamp, I made my own HQD system, I met him at the Palmer House in Chicago. He sounds like he's been run over by a truck.

Please share your thoughts with us about Stephen Hawking.

Mark Levinson's thoughts on being captivated by music and the emotion of it have much more to do with the actual music, performance and the art of recording it than the playback system.

The playback system is the bonus. Crap music played on the best system is still crap music.

He also said low efficiency speakers waste huge amounts information through heat. Makes sense to me.

And...Nelson Pass says the first watt is the most important. Mr. Pass is pretty well respected around here and I'd say he and Mark Levinson are in good company with each other.

Also, too......Like Heather, I see a man with lots of thought in his brain and doing lots of pre-filtering before he actually speaks.

Did you know Mark Levinson is also into cosmetics? Maybe a little toner and base will clean up your lesser loudspeaker.
http://www.goldcreams.com/

[4313B]

Crap music played on the best system is still crap music.

[edgewound]

Depends on the amp.
Not for argument material but I MUCH prefer 4 (or 8!) Celestion greenbacks powered by a Marshal than JBL's. In a Fender Twin JBLs are good but I like Jensens too.

To each his own. I like the sound of the Celestions, too...Until the voice coils heat up and power compress even losing more information.

I like the sound, feel and non-power compression of big voice coil, big motor speakers that I know will sound the same from the first note to the last during a 4 hour gig.....and won't go up in flames if I push too hard.

And....lugging two 4x12 cabinets just isn't my kind of fun anymore. Been there....done that.

[JeffW]

Mr. Pass is pretty well respected around here

I'm still waiting for the punch line.

[hjames]

'zis where they start in with the blue billet rockers jokes?

or does nelson pass on guitar amps?