Bi-amping mark-Daniel Maximus: Mind-blowing

Springbok, you are beginning to sound like me!!! I have been screeming about the smaller Rubys which won the 6Moons Blue Moon award. I bought them and was using them with either a Carver 1,5T or PRoceed Amp 2 both >>> 150WPC soldid state. I then got the brilliant idea of using a TAD-60 tube amp and I absolutely fell in love. I have since bought a pair of Zu Druids and Maggie 1.6s for other rooms. I have to say that IMHO, the Mark and Daniels Rubys are the most life like of any speaker I have ever heard. I prefer them to the Zus and the Maggies. These were my 31st and 32nd pair of speakers. I love them!! Unbeatable in the price range and the most like live music I ever heard!!

Thanks for the info on bi-amping Mark and Daniels. I just emailed asking the the importance on biwiring and Loren (the Mark and Daniel US expert) and he was kind enough to share your post with me. I hope bi-wiring will be give some of that improvement. I have had many sets of speakers. The Mark and Daniels are incredible. They became more incredible when I upgraded some wiring to Dynamic Design (it may have also been the break in time). I use mine for Home Theatre in a relatively small room, which limits them a bit. They replaced Totem Forests, Totems best Signature Center, and Von Schweikert surrounds. I am soooo pleased I changed. I was going to do Rubies x 5 which would have been more than adequate, but I ended up with Horizontal monitors (made to be horizontal, not vertical) for L/R, their center speaker, and Rubies in the rear. I do not need a (or have) a sub woofer and I am very used to having one. I use 95% for Home Theatre and I think the unique crossover points and the low range drivers make these great for music and HT. To me, at first they sounded a tiny bit loose in bass and veiled. I upgraded only my power cord to my power supply and my digital IC and the change was incredible. The bass now sounds like a tight subwoofer with no integration issues and the speakers opened up and imaging improved (also like do to extended break in). My point is that since these are a bit hard to drive, you must not let size fool you. High end power and cables will benefit them greatly.

I also have no clue why we hear so little about them. We will.. After Stephen at Quest for Sound (my primary dealer who has never led me astray) told me about them, I read all I could. I did eventually read a less than complimentary review in stereo mojo, that made little sense given the other reviews. I figure, like everything else, politics, power, and money, along with personal taste will influence reviews and being different will attract attention. Anyway, I trusted Stephen, the stack of positives I read, and my own ears. I am glad I did.

I also have no relationship with Mark and Daniel except I now feel like part of the family. Loren Charles always is kind and responsive. Emails are usually answered same day, often within the hour. Even while at trade shows he has found time to respond. If you have any concerns about buying Mark and Daniel, write those of us who own them and have had them long enough to break them in and/or contact Loren. Then if you have doubts or just want something different, I am sure their are other superb speakers out there.

And my wife LOVES the looks of these.

Ed

BBChem, what you say is true. Both you and 6 Moons tipped me over to try them. They are an absolute revelation. I, too, have owned many speakers, including legendary ones, and, driven well and in the right location, I don't think I've ever heard such vibrancy, energy, and life from any speakers. It is extremely difficult to rave on more, as readers immediately assume one has an agenda to go on at such length. These are truly unique speakers and I thank you for telling me about your experience with the Ruby's before I bought the Maximus. I won't say they are the best speakers I have ever heard - because I don't know how to quantity such a statement - but I will say they are the most uniquely compelling and exciting speakers I have ever heard. Bar none, and I have either owned or heard most of the big hitters, including Kharmas, Duntechs, Wilsons, Proacs, Totems etc etc. Anybody looking for a monitor that sounds like a $20K+ full-range, that has $3K to spend (or half of that for the Rubys), a powerful amp with at least 100 WPC clean power and the room to move them a good few feet from the wall, listen to these. Your hair will stand on end. Count on it.

Springbok, Beautifully put! I am also worried about people thinking you were paid or have a connection to M&D. I bought them based on 6 Moons as well. The way I purchase equipment since I live in Orlando FL and can't find any highend dealers nearby, Is try and read between the lines of the reviewer, and see if he is giving your run of the mill type>> "Highly recommended, sound good with this music etc" and weed out any kind of negatives even suttle ones. 6 Moons reviewers went GAGA over the entire line so far, and more reviews on the way. In fact they have apologized for having so many reviews but if something is that good, why not? Also, more Audio sites are heaping praise on different ones as well. Also, I saw they came out with a Mini version which may be great as point source monitor as well. I to have raved about many speakers including>> Totem, JMLAB, B&W, Merlin, Maggies, Usher, Proacs, Zu, Omega, etc which I have owned. But none have floated my boat as much as these. I would love to hear the Aragons which I heard are real giant killers. ALso, they have the best bass of any monitor I have ever hears.

I'm going to buy a pair of these things and see what the buzz is all about.

The owners seem extremely satisfied and the price sure is reasonable.

Owners, did you buy the stands? If not, what are you using?

Thanks in advance.