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Heard the Mirage MS1-si today. What ever happened to Mirage??

One of my local dealers sells used records so I went to the store today. I heard music from the high end room and asked what speakers were playing. He said it was a pair of Mirage MS1-si speakers that a customer was putting up for local sale. They were testing them out. They were hooked up to a pair of D'agostino mono amps, VAC tube preamp and an Acoustic Signature Ascona TT. The room is very big so they were able to get the full bipolar sound. I had some used albums to test out and the SQ was outstanding. Big deep sound stage and a warm but detailed top. Excellent bass. What happened to this company?? They had some high quality speakers in the late 80's and 90's. By the way price for these speakers is $995. If you got the power and big room a real bargain. 
linnlingo

Showing 2 responses by johnnyb53

johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
mapman wrote:
"I’m sure the speakers are fine but don’t forget its the system that makes the sound. Most any good quality speaker should sound very good with gear like that working for them. Of course the sound that sounds best to any particular person is always a pot shot...."
There’s some truth to that, but I’ve had my M5si’s for 22 years and they always had a fundamentally good sound. "Fine" doesn't begin to describe the M5si, M3si, and M1si floorstanders. Awesome is more like it, with bass extension down into the 20s, incredible dynamics if there is enough power behind them, a transparent, organic and enveloping sound. However, as you say, good electronics can reveal just how good the M_si product line was. But you don’t have to get D’Agostino amps to bring them alive, though I’d love to hear *that* setup.

I’ve been using an Adcom GFA 5800 5-channel amp to drive my M5si-anchored surround system. It’s a surprisingly good match. I also got a big boost in response and transparency when I wired it with PS Audio speaker cables, especially the factory bi-wired ones that are over an inch in diameter and weigh about a pound per foot of cable. The better I upgraded, the more organic and transparent the sound got.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I have had a pair of Mirage M5si floorstanders since October 1996. I also have a Mirage subwoofer, center channel speaker, surrounds, and rear surrounds to go with them. I also have Mirage MM8 subwoofers mated to Magneplanar 1.7s for my analog-based 2-channel system.
The timeline goes something like this:

2006: Klipsch buys out Audio Products International (API), parent company of Mirage. Brands include Mirage, Energy, Athena, and a vestige of Sound Dynamics. Immediately Klipsch cancels some Mirage flagship products in development including a high end subwoofer and (I think) a statement loudspeaker. I noticed that Audio Advisor started selling out Athena speakers at fire sale prices.
I had a bad feeling about that acquisition, as Klipsch and Mirage had near-opposite design philosophies: Mirage speakers were mostly bi-polar or omnidirectional, based on the way live music energizes and is reflected in a room. Klipsch speakers are all about the horn to tightly control the dispersion pattern of the midrange up through the treble.
2011: Audiovox acquires API from Klipsch. This was the coup de grace, as Audiovox cannibalized the remaining product line and used API’s patents to create some lifestyle products.

Before the acquisitions Mirage had created the "Omniguide," which created a very realistic soundstage that recreated the dispersion pattern of live instruments and voices. They had a flagship floorstander, the OMD-28, which retailed at $7500. Chris Martens of Stereophile reviewed a pair, bought the review pair, and made them his reference speakers. That’s how good these were. Audiovox scotched the OMD product line and used the Omniguide patent to make little crap plastic "lifestyle" satellites for a "home theater in a box" product.




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