I'm with Jig!
The Ushers, perhaps due to a lower sensitivity, which has traditionally indicated a higher noise floor, sound okay at lower volumes, but, like many speakers (the iconic Magnepans, for example), they need to be turned up a tad higher, say, 2db, than my Nola Vipers, or my Hale Revelations or, frankly, ANY of my speakers. It's not a HUGE volume increase, but, unless the newer models (Be-equipped) have changed this, their noise floor's a little high.
The Hurricane amps are exceedingly low in their noise floor, and the Hales are about the same sensitivity as the Ushers, although it's been noted that Usher's sensitivity is not what they claim. Several reviewers would place the sensitivity closer to 85 db, and given they are quoted as the same sensitivity as the Hales, I can play the Hales at "8" on the Arcam FMJ A22, which i use as an example only because the leds are quite specific. The same volume level on the Ushers are at "9", which would indicate 3db lower volume level (in the same room, thanks).
I like them very much, and they can play rock, but you DO need to crank them up a bit. Also, their microdynamic curve is good, but not, in my opinion only, great. The speaker I heard that did that dazzlingly well was the Avalon, either the Ascent or Eclipse,circa 1990. Paired with any of the Jadis amps, but specifically the Defy 7, the microdynamics were continuous, meaning the most delicate increase in volume, or "bending" of a note was heard -- and effortlessly, not with "oh, I THINK I heard the violinist bend his "E" string a bit more." I have not heard others that do this as well, except for the Mangers I once was going to review. That Manger driver is to die for, and had the sound of a live mike feed from the Metropolitan Opera on a Saturday afternoon. Now, THAT speaker had microdynamics to die for!
I have the 718s, by the way, non-BEs. Or maybe I should say "wanna BEs."
The Ushers, perhaps due to a lower sensitivity, which has traditionally indicated a higher noise floor, sound okay at lower volumes, but, like many speakers (the iconic Magnepans, for example), they need to be turned up a tad higher, say, 2db, than my Nola Vipers, or my Hale Revelations or, frankly, ANY of my speakers. It's not a HUGE volume increase, but, unless the newer models (Be-equipped) have changed this, their noise floor's a little high.
The Hurricane amps are exceedingly low in their noise floor, and the Hales are about the same sensitivity as the Ushers, although it's been noted that Usher's sensitivity is not what they claim. Several reviewers would place the sensitivity closer to 85 db, and given they are quoted as the same sensitivity as the Hales, I can play the Hales at "8" on the Arcam FMJ A22, which i use as an example only because the leds are quite specific. The same volume level on the Ushers are at "9", which would indicate 3db lower volume level (in the same room, thanks).
I like them very much, and they can play rock, but you DO need to crank them up a bit. Also, their microdynamic curve is good, but not, in my opinion only, great. The speaker I heard that did that dazzlingly well was the Avalon, either the Ascent or Eclipse,circa 1990. Paired with any of the Jadis amps, but specifically the Defy 7, the microdynamics were continuous, meaning the most delicate increase in volume, or "bending" of a note was heard -- and effortlessly, not with "oh, I THINK I heard the violinist bend his "E" string a bit more." I have not heard others that do this as well, except for the Mangers I once was going to review. That Manger driver is to die for, and had the sound of a live mike feed from the Metropolitan Opera on a Saturday afternoon. Now, THAT speaker had microdynamics to die for!
I have the 718s, by the way, non-BEs. Or maybe I should say "wanna BEs."