Review Of the Brand New Lenehan Audio ML2

[topround]

you know they say horsepower sells cars and torque wins races.
I hear many audiophiles spout on and on about how low their speakers go ..it makes me think it may be  inversely proportional to their penis size

Do the numbers matter that much? Does it make you feel more verile that your speaker goes down to 20?

Most people don't even listen in a room large enough  to support a 20 hz wave. It makes me laugh......such stupidity

Not that it matters at all , but I think you need big drivers with big cabinets to move air, the crossover trickery only fools you in the beginning, then it wears thin

sorry to be such a party pooper, so lets get back to our regular broadcast

[Face]

Not that it matters at all , but I think you need big drivers with big cabinets to move air, the crossover trickery only fools you in the beginning, then it wears thin

Mike, a small driver or small enclosure would work too, but at a price(low efficiency, long port syndrome, etc..). 

[Face]

Charles, I didn't mean to make a dig at Lenehan, it was the blanket statements made.  For 4K I would consider http://www.vaporsound.com/#all or http://philharmonicaudio.com/philharmonic3.html or even http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/lsim/index.php?s=lsim707.  Plus, I'm having a hard time believing that Peerless 7" could dig down to 30hz.  What's the speaker's efficiency?

About 87 db.

Yes that they go down to 30hz seems a bit incredulous and there is a discussion on the forum out in Australia about that right now and the fact they have virtually the same flat response 90% off axis - which also seems incredulous.  Many people including myself have asked Mike about it.  All he will say is he has his own propriety alignment that behaves more like a transmission line than a ported design and he has put many many years work into the crossover trying and ruling out things like time alignment and minimum phase crossovers.

Thanks
Bill

30hz, 87dB, 8ohms, and a 1ft^3 cabinet seems to defy Hoffman's Iron Law.  http://www.salksound.com/wp/?p=56

[ljmac]

Charles, I didn't mean to make a dig at Lenehan, it was the blanket statements made.  For 4K I would consider http://www.vaporsound.com/#all or http://philharmonicaudio.com/philharmonic3.html or even http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/lsim/index.php?s=lsim707.  Plus, I'm having a hard time believing that Peerless 7" could dig down to 30hz.  What's the speaker's efficiency?

About 87 db.

Yes that they go down to 30hz seems a bit incredulous and there is a discussion on the forum out in Australia about that right now and the fact they have virtually the same flat response 90% off axis - which also seems incredulous.  Many people including myself have asked Mike about it.  All he will say is he has his own propriety alignment that behaves more like a transmission line than a ported design and he has put many many years work into the crossover trying and ruling out things like time alignment and minimum phase crossovers.

Thanks
Bill

30hz, 87dB, 8ohms, and a 1ft^3 cabinet seems to defy Hoffman's Iron Law.  http://www.salksound.com/wp/?p=56

You are correct. Their actual sensitivity is 85dB (Mike's measurement of my pair came out at 85.2dB). If you actually read my review, you would see that I stated this clearly (and it is the only downside of this speaker for me). Also note that they are flat to 30Hz in room - Mike's custom alignment takes maximum advantage of the room's own bass boost.

Regarding blanket statements, it was you who made one, not me. Unlike you I did state clearly it was my personal opinion, and also unlike you I actually have heard these speakers. Neither you nor anybody else is in a position to state an opinion on something they have no knowledge or experience of.

[bhobba]

30hz, 87dB, 8ohms, and a 1ft^3 cabinet seems to defy Hoffman's Iron Law. http://www.salksound.com/wp/?p=56

Yea read your link but I am scratching my head why you think anything I wrote violates that.  Since you mentioned Salk their Veracity TL goes to 34hz so 6 inch drivers are able to do it.  What may be the issue is you are thinking in terms of anechoic response.  In room response is something else and what these speakers are designed for.  IMHO, and just my opinion only, concentrating on this rather than in room response is the reason some port designs 'boom'.

Both myself and Lee have seen the measured frequency response and they indeed do what is claimed.

Thanks
But  

[bhobba]

Not that it matters at all , but I think you need big drivers with big cabinets to move air, the crossover trickery only fools you in the beginning, then it wears thin

All true, all true.  The trick is to get the in room response right.  As Richidoo has pointed out the ML1's have almost impossible to believe bass for their size.  I had a pair as my main speakers for quite a while and you are often left scratching your head about the bass they produce.  I have seen the measured response and they actually go to 40hz but if you push them hard they will not move sufficient air and only do 50 hz.  Although I have not had the ML2's long enough to check this out I imagine something similar - push them hard and they will not be able to move enough air to do 30hz.

The reason they are able to do it is the propriety alignment that is designed for in room and not anechoic performance.  Both Lee and myself quizzed Mike about it but that's, understandably, as far as he will go in explaining whats going on.

Thanks
Bill

[topround]

I heard the little lenehans at Jim Hoggs place, and while they were very good the bass was amazing! for such a small speaker!, but it was at the expense of midrange clarity.

I am not knocking the little lenhans I thought what a speaker that size could do was simply amazing, but I kept wondering what a bigger pair would do. Not for more bass, but for breathing and allowing the midrange to seperate better from the bass, allow the instruments the ability to seperate better.
Seems there are more than a few shills present here on this site in favor of the speakers.

We need more listening because for many it may be hard to seperate reality from sales pitch.

Again I liked what I heard from the little lenhans and would love to hear the bigger ones one day.

Are they too expensive? Who is to say, I have a friend that sells(or tries) 40K$  preamps! The market will ultimately dictate if it is worth it or not.

[ljmac]

I am not knocking the little lenhans I thought what a speaker that size could do was simply amazing, but I kept wondering what a bigger pair would do. Not for more bass, but for breathing and allowing the midrange to seperate better from the bass, allow the instruments the ability to seperate better.

As I say in my review, that's basically what the ML2s do IMHO. To me, it sounded as though the ML1s kind of had to work a bit too hard to do all the remarkable stuff they do (especially the extraordinarily extended bass), but the ML2s sound effortless.

[topround]

well then the ML 2 's must be a very fine speaker.

I heard Tidal speakers with Deuland caps and was very impressed. Very musical and effortless, almost sounds like there was very low distortion

[rollo]

  Mike sorry but your use of the word schill  is just not so. Sales pitch as well. As a dealer and distributor of the Lenahan line it is insulting to me to hear this.
   My business model is built on truth NOT hype or sales pitch.  Our in home demo program proves just that. No pressure no hype, we plug it in you listen you decide. Bill and ljmac are customers of Lenehan who want to share with us their experience with the speakers. They have zero affiliation with Lenehan other than paid happy customers.
  Bill out of his own pocket sent the  ML-1 Ref. speakers initially to Lonewolf his internet buddy. That is how this all started. When I first heard them I wanted to be a dealer.
  Sorry you feel that way.  No scolding intended just the truth.


charles
SMA
  

[topround]

ok

[rollo]

OK then.  We still love ya. Now wait til ya all hear the ML-2R with Deuland inside.
   I cannot wait to get a pair  


charles
SMA

[bhobba]

Hi Guys

A friend of mine finally got around to hearing my new ML2's.

Here is what he posted on the forum out here in Australia:

Having spent more than four hours yesterday in extreme musical bliss courtesy of Mike and Bill (whose ML2s have returned to the showroom), I would just like to add a few comments about these speakers.

I was always impressed by the ML1s but never really wanted to own a pair. The ML3s pushed me into "yes please I want some" but they failed the vital WAF test at the last moment. Mike suggested I wait for the ML2 as it would be less visually imposing and perhaps, in some areas, exceed the ML3 sonically.

The first ML2s I heard were ljmac's prior to completion. They were definitely interesting - clearly of the same essential nature as the ML3 but subtly different. I waited eagerly for Bill's pair to be finished so that I could have a proper listen. That opportunity finally arrived yesterday and I headed to the Gold Coast with my amp, my DAC and my digital source paraphernalia to see what the synergy would be like.

In the interest of keeping things brief... the speakers are excellent, but it's the speakers PLUS THE TOPPERS which delivered by far the most absorbing, entrancing, beautiful music listening experience I have ever had where live performers were not in the room. Without the toppers, the ML2s are everything ljmac said. With toppers, they cease to exist in three dimensional space. You can still hear characteristics of the speakers (like their quite understandable inability to plumb down towards 15Hz) and the electronics (like the slight upper-bass thickness of the Audiophilleo/Metrum combination) but the imaging and soundstage becomes utterly believable. Close your eyes and the instruments and voices are there, and so are you, but the room and the speakers aren't.

The level of detail and accuracy unleashed by the ML2 with toppers is better than anything I have ever heard, yet it was completely smooth and not in the slightest fatiguing. I would have listened for many more hours if I had the chance. A Mozart string quartet in 24/192 resolution from 2L recordings literally gave me goosebumps and made my breath catch in my throat. Regardless of genre or recording quality (even some 256kbit AAC files) the system delivered music.

I've asked Mike to provide me with a package price for ML2s like Bill's (Duelund bypass caps), toppers (final prototypes still being worked on) and ML2 stands (currently in design phase) so that I can start negotiating with SWMBO. Hopefully their smaller cabinets and sleek lines will get them past the hurdle that tripped up the ML3s.

Thanks
Bill

[richidoo]

Nice review!

Bill, what are "the toppers" he's talking about?

[bhobba]

Nice review! Bill, what are "the toppers" he's talking about?

Evidently its top secret right now exactly what it is - I know very little anyway.  All I can say is I have heard them as well and with the toppers the ML2's are IMHO better than my 5 times the price ML3's without them.

Thanks
Bill