The Best Open Baffle speakers yet? Macaria, by MACO

[@hificave]

ok ok, GOOSE BUMPS, is TWO words. No affiliation with MACO.

[@saverioricchiuto5386]

Grazie. The perfect video after eagerly watching the whole FIY open baffle series + Deckware + Liionidas reviews. I loved the “up and downs” of the journey, the trial and errors, the discovery and learning process… not simply “this is the next best thing”. You are definitely the best positioned one to review these Macarias.

[@hificave]

Haha! It’s a lot of fun!

[@audiorick841]

Glad you got both the granite and the walnut. Rare do we get to hear a review comparing sonic differences between two finishes of the same speaker. Well done!

[@lazdow9229]

Your channel is hands down my favorite hifi channel. I eagerly wait for each next installment because the craft of what you present is superior to everything else out there. Thank you for all of your hard work and content. Absolutely fantastic!

[@hificave]

😳

[@Justwantahover]

Point source treble and med is essential for a holographic image. And the dipole open baffle sound also helps with the imaging.

[@davidbee8178]

Thank you for covering these speakers in such detail - especially the Walnut vs Granite angle. I first saw these a few months ago when Maco displayed them at an audio show and have been curious about them ever since. At that time, the Audio Junkie thought they might have super potential - apparently he was right :-)

[@LeonFleisherFan]

You've definitely made me curious! Keep up the great work!

[@hificave]

🍻

[@Scottlp2]

Thanks for reviewing these.

[@ericelmore887]

I really enjoyed the sound of these speakers at the capital Audio fest. In both rooms they were using solid state but had a lampizator tube which sounded nice . The NAT S1 HPS SINGLE ENDED was the best sound amp at the show. If you get a chance check any amp of NAT you talking about holographic and great tone this amp has it in spades. Ask Jay iyagi about NAt. Another level. I’m saving my Pennie’s for a pair

[@RLM-TV]

Great video, subscribed.

[@stijnvanderlooy5311]

Wow. Great review. Will Check out more of your vids

[@harvestgroup644]

I’m enjoying your videos, great detail and sense of humour.. super talent 🙌🏾

[@hificave]

Wow! Thank you.

[@shaynakash4222]

I truly understand what you're talking about,I have a vintage altec Lansing valensia speakers,they do the exact same thing .....

[@mannytheseacow7381]

What jumps out at me about comparing these to your DIY speakers is the crossover. Could it be the crossover is affecting the driver response you are comparing to the F15/W15 combo? Also curious if you experienced as much interference between drivers with the Liionides design where the drivers are separated vs. sharing one large plate baffle? These are cool though, either way. Nice review, as always, Loic.

[@hocheye]

I love OB speakers, I had a pair of Hawthorne audio drivers, and made my own baffles. They were very good until we renovated our house, much to bright on hardwood and no curtains. A good sub with OB speakers is amazing! Now not saying you need one with these. At that price they should do my laundry also!! Not many can afford these including me.

[@hificave]

A sub can always enhance the experience, in the case of the Macarias, the music feels deep and very dynamic with lots of punch. A subwoofer could bring that extra low 18-30hz amibent effect and room presence.

[@devilspin6649]

How would these stack up against Pure Audio Project or Spacial Audio?

[@hificave]

Its not the same flavor. You know my opinion based on this video. Honestly, cant go wrong in either choice

[@BillKilbourne]

Great and passionate review! Have you listened to the Pure Audio Project Trio/Classic OB speakers? If so, your thoughts on how the two compare?

[@mudibluz2006]

I would be interested if you could review the caladan open baffle that new record day says is his reference! The mcco looks sexy

[@hificave]

I would love to get my hands on caladan!

[@scottchristopherwilkie1664]

Would also love to hear you review the Caladans🎉🎉

[@abxaudiophiles]

That's for the beard, not the review.. HA.... Great Job bro....

[@hificave]

Woooah!!!! A super thanks!! Man. Thats not necessary. Now someone will say you are affiliated with Maco and thus now paid me for a review.. under beard pretext. 😜🤪

[@dstathisfying]

Great video. Careful with the A'bunadh😉

[@PaoloCaminiti]

Nice. Didn't this woofer need watts to drive the double voice coil?

[@hificave]

Yes it does.. but somehow these work well or maybe its the decware amp, (actually in memory the Tori mk5 drove the liionidas with w15 pretty good too). Or at the time when I first tried the w15, my expectations going into were different and was expecting big bass with little to no, amplifier effort, and now, after owning a pair of w15 for a while. I knew what to expect.

[@PaoloCaminiti]

@@hificaveHow do they compare to the Leonidas is indeed an interesting question, I keep wondering why people keep using 15" for mid/highs when a 8" should be the sweetspot for voices and resolution and be able to blend to a woofer anyway. Perhaps the Leonidas wider baffle can't match the Maco on disappearing? PS I got the Sarah on order (2 years away probably) can't wait for your take on it!

[@MusicLover-01]

Amazing review 👏 👌 I agree that this structure could be groundbreaking. My concern is that those bass drivers don't do mid bass as well as the fullrangers and you move to a less refined sound i.e. they steal some magic a from the fullrangers. If the bass drivers are crossed over low sub 100hz and the 15s cover the presence range this could be mega. I have the PAP duet and this isn't an issue with the bass driver as they are highly refined and work crossed over at 200hz. However, the bass is far from sub woofer levels! You get 30hz but its rolled off and there is no room pressure meaning you hear it but you don't feel it! I am either going to suplement with an 18 inch bass driver in a U baffle as a dedicated sub or play around with these other bass drivers crossed low but I'd need a new baffle! Most likely sub I think 😅 I'm running mine two way active with Tubes at the top and solid state covering bass and mid bass and its lovely minus the bass impact.

[@RobertSchmitt-u7l]

Best with vintage alnico full range, multiple full range if you want the bass, at lower wattage per driver, it would have such low distortion and very high loudness. The ones with the long sweeping speaker cones, depth towards the voice coil, you get best midrange. Tube single ended triode amplifiers only.

[@colinbrophy4182]

Really wish you also had tried the least expensive plywood version. I imagine they would be more in line with the walnut ones. I actually like their looks the best.

[@rossquick5305]

The Roger Waters Amused to Death album was mixed with a company called QSound. That whole album has sounds popping out all around you. QSound, I believe, used some particular types of phasing techniques. So, that holographic sound, how much has to do with the speaker, speaker setup and or Qsound mixing, I’m not sure. Qsound, I believe, went out of business when 5.1 Surround Sound came onto the market. I have many non-QSound songs that give an amazing holographic sound that I have no idea how it works. An example is the track Ufos off the self-titled album by the band Amplifier. Around 52 seconds in, a sound appears out of the front of the right speaker and whizzes around your head.

[@Justwantahover]

Play "Brand New Car" by the Rolling Stones and hear how good the recording is. Bass is heavy!

[@Pete.across.the.street]

Like the skinny baffles, bottom mounted too

[@gee3883]

How do you think these would pair with an ICEpower 1200AS2 based amp? I love the idea of the decware just can't justify the cost at this time ( dam house remodelling eh ) thanks for the vid.

[@bmg102]

Another awesome review. Those speakers could sell on looks alone. I would be tempted to go for these if I had not already upgraded speakers only a few months ago (to F-15s in Caintuck Audio baffles, also with a Decware Sarah amp). For a next-level experience, you should try these speakers, or your DIY baffles, with BACCH-dSP. There is a plug-in version available that can be run in demo mode to get a taste of what the software can do. My F-15 baffles coupled with BACCH-dSP are mind-blowing.

[@hificave]

You have my attention!

[@labalo5]

Bacch is crazy. Can’t wait till my Sarah comes in to pair with bacch sp

[@sean_heisler]

@@hificavethat should be your next move, Loic. The BACCH system is a complete game changer for soundstage.

[@dougg1075]

That’s the price range I’ve never bought at but always considered would be my end game level.

[@jamiesmith6838]

I would put an analogy between baffled speakers and non-baffled speakers correlating as sealed headphones and open backed headphones. Classic Open back headphones lack the restriction and back driver reflections of typical sealed headphones. The two variations can be bass dependent on application and design?

[@walterpen371]

Someday I'll book an sppt. to hear these for myself. From what you're saying, these $10 - $20 grand speakers can and will kick most speskers to the curb (within the same price range). Imagine a comparison to the Magnepan 3.7i w/ separate subwoofer along with separate crossover unit. Now keeping the same amps. and cables hooked up. I believe the maggies require 12 - 20 watts (tube) and 300 watts min. S.S. This would be a real interesting comparison.

[@hificave]

Magnepan. Is a different world. The stack of electronics required to max their strengths is just very different then the stack required to push strengths of high sensitivity full range open baffles. One day, I will dive into magnepans more.

[@DaleCrommie]

Tempting, but too rich for me. I am inspired, now, to use 3 layers of MDF, and encase the board with Lii 15 in the middle, and create a sandwich situation. I would like to use HDF, but no lumber yard carries this item. I would love to find the butcher block that Loic found. Ideas, and more ideas.😄

[@davidbee8178]

It's possible that you might have better results with high grade MARINE plywood with 3 1"inch layers (or thicker if available) all glued together with glue covering every square inch surface between the layers.

[@scottchristopherwilkie1664]

Use HDF or Baltic birch instead

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

Great review. I was looking forward to this. Honest, entertaining and informative. Plus you have experience with this type of speaker. Did you try an in room frequency sweep to see how low they go? Just curious, as my OB do not play flat without DSP and at best only touch 35 after falling off at 40. So great candidates for sub reinforcement which I have yet to build. I just am confused about how a small baffle can do anything below 50 just based on the physics of cancellation kicking in around 100 Hz.

[@hificave]

Its in the w15 driver. Its built exactly for this purpose. I use two in my reference system in very small baffles, and can make my house shake if I want them to.

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

@@hificave Makes sense. My 18s can shake the room. Just not below 40Hz. I use Spectroid on my android phone while playing pink noise and see where they drop off.

[@starker1971]

Well I guess I'm on track. Playing my computer into a cheap amp driving ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 (UB52-BK). The water drop is well behind me. This with the speakers pointed right at my ears at about 2 feet away. Probably too close to be determinate. Will try again in a bigger room. I suppose I must get so a showroom so I learn any contrasts in the higher classifications.

[@hificave]

Its a lot of fun!

[@starker1971]

@@hificave Do also check out Too Much Rope at 1:02 There is a great Left to right pan that reminds me of Santa's Sleigh :)

[@dougspitler3843]

Always enjoy your videos as I am an open baffle, 300B guy myself. However, I just listened to Late Home Tonight through Qobuz on my PC with 30-year Dell desktop speakers and was surprised to hear the water drops on my right shoulder. They must have done that manipulating the phasing, not with great soundstage. It happens.

[@hificave]

Yes, but if your soundstage is off, it wont land on your shoulder.

[@RobertSchmitt-u7l]

Non ridgid baffles need to be tuned. like guitar builders, the resonance is Helpful to sound. The key is balancing front and rear separation, wave timing, combination of the inverse waves with baffle size and distance from reflecting surfaces. I do think hardwood slabs would be best. It just takes a jig saw and a hand plane really. I would not even care about sawmill marks. It can be finished however way you want. Hand split and hewn would be best imo. For all the guys that have that bushcraft and outdoor urgency in them, it would be a very very cool extended weekend project. with a large dried log and a hand saw, wedges and an ax, and some talent and attention to detail and determinance.

[@hificave]

Rare to find commenters as enlightened as you. Thanks for this.

[@CC-bg8gf]

Bonjour et merci pour cette vidéo. How directional are these Macarias? How big is the sweet spot? Thanks.

[@hificave]

Two people can sit side by side, in my room sitting 7-8 feet away. That will increase in larger rooms with more space between the speakers and seating position.

[@zahivigiser9223]

Hi:) what about the 16,000 Hz...? How does it affect the high frequency? Isn't it a little bit low...?

[@hificave]

If your super sensitive to high frequencies, i guess…

[@zahivigiser9223]

Thank you for your answers 🙏 . I mailed the company couple times in the last week but they don't answer...how can i get in contact with them...?

[@MrFabio79g]

hi Hi Fi Cave but do MACOs have Lii Audio drivers??? Thank you

[@hificave]

Custom drivers made for Maco.

[@Philo1]

Hey Loic, guess the next ones are The Caladans ? :)

[@hificave]

Dont know, never spoken to them before. Hopefully one day.

[@annebokma4637]

Why not build two baffles and have one stand over the other? That way you wont get resonance interfering

[@notathang8087]

I raise you my Legacy WhisperXDS w/ 4x15” 20hz-250hz, 250hz-20Khz 4x7” midwoofers + dual AMT Tweeter/Midrange

[@Silverlining1111]

@16:00, so true. 👍

[@malaisi44]

Hola amigos , tengo estas bestias , configurado con F18 fullrange y W15 para graves. Escena sonora y timbre, real !!!

[@windv]

How low are they going with this woofer?

[@annebokma4637]

If only they didn't look so much like the "regular" drivers...maybe the comments wouldn't be mainly about the price Can these be driven active?

[@hificave]

Driven active? Can you elaborate?

[@annebokma4637]

@@hificave active crossover, tubes for mid-high and transistor for low? End of the week, second language, brain weakening.. 😁 hope this is more understandable 🙄😜

[@legione1capone]

Well slap me silly and call me sally! Great review Loic! Seriously, you covered everything and then some. They sound like one hell of an open baffle. I think i would like them very very much.

[@bengleason508]

What about other Open Baffles you have heard online? ;)

[@hificave]

The headphone adventures!

[@jessicaembers924]

Rolling STONES? Ruby Tuesday is my favorite.

[@goodsound4756]

Interesting, but prices for OB went up "audiophile" quickly.

[@hificave]

interesting, certainly things have become very expensive, this hobby used to be unattainable for the average working person in the 80s and 90s, today the low cost options are becoming so good, I wonder if this contrast is maybe creating a bigger opinion in people when they see these prices. I am fascinated by how many seem to think that making a box should always cost more than making a baffle. the material cost does not always translate to more simply because it is a boxed speaker. There are so many boxed speaker brands in the "high end" realm that have a cheap glossy finish or veneer over an mdf cabinet of maybe 250$ in material including bracing, with 40$ worth of fluffy wool inside, 100$ crossover and 300$ worth of drivers that cost 7 to 10k usd (factoring assembly and QC labor, cost of business operations, R&D, distribution, sourcing & warehousing costs) and nobody comments on their price (why is GR research doing such good business at "upgrading" all these hi-fi brands?) And most of these do not look as polished as the Macaria's and sound inferior at the same time. Fascinating.

[@cybergod77]

How does it stack against the Lii-Song?

[@hificave]

I prefer MACO overall.

[@Whitefox-pc7lp]

are those not Lii drivers? sure do look like them.

[@mannytheseacow7381]

Watch the video.

[@spudpud-T67]

Who needs these speakers, I'd rather just listen to your review of them.

[@sarkardragon]

9500 is a little too high, sadly 😢 Maybe one day 😂

[@hificave]

99% of us can say that about 99% of the things we want in hi-fi. 🤓

[@sarkardragon]

@@hificave that is right, I dream with the MBL omnidirecional speakers, but It Will be only a dream too😂😂😂

[@hifiplayground]

The question is did you get any money from maco for this video?

[@hificave]

The question is, did you watch to the end? I dont get a penny. Ever.

[@hifiplayground]

@@hificave ok thaks for answer

[@hificave]

this entire channel is costing me thousands of dollars to execute vs the few dollars I get from youtube advertisements (I am losing money). I have so far received no compensation from any sponsor or supplier. I have gotten a couple super thanks from subscribers, 10$ here 20$ there.

[@hifiplayground]

All good just wondering why you are so over enthusiast about maco 😁. I cannot believe that they are so much better than your build. F15 adaptation is ok w15 is the same. But still kosts way to much. I want to realize w18 f18 s8. Like dr ee

[@justlovelyaintit]

So these aren' t full range?

[@hificave]

around 30hz to … 15k? Ish..

[@justlovelyaintit]

@@hificave Ok.But two drivers in one speaker.Not one full range unit.

[@hificave]

@@justlovelyaintit the bass driver is crossed at 300hz the top driver does the rest.

[@billbones1000]

Think I'll make a set of baffles out of concrete......as simple as building a form!

[@hificave]

Make a video! 😎

[@ketkroketdumont8238]

My wife doesn't like big speakers so i cant have big good speakers in the living room like these.

[@hificave]

Same here. Thats why i built a cave…

[@WoodstockG54]

You should try them on a gram or 2 of shrooms. 😊✌️🖖

[@hificave]

🍄😎 its epic!

[@WoodstockG54]

@ More than epic, it’s celestial.

[@hificave]

@ you sir, are a poet! Lol

[@miker7808]

@1:03 😂

[@hificave]

HAH!!

[@joerglehmann7853]

laber, laber laber

[@victorjohnson7512]

If you want to here some guy talk, this is your video. No sound test of the speaker was included. Waste of my time.

[@hificave]

Hahahahaha! You need youtube sound test?? Lol Dont forget to subscribe!!! And sign up to Patreon.

[@ClearOutSamskaras]

I have no interest in strong bass.

[@hificave]

Ok, noted.

[@kotomysz3844]

Talking head. Next narcisus.

[@stevieg2755]

Too much %™™%™ that

[@hificave]

🍻

[@canepaper967]

At least disclose at the beginning that maco is paying you for this review...

[@Scottlp2]

And you know this how?

[@hificave]

They arent. I get the same thing regardless of what they sell: Not a single penny.

[@toddd7444]

hope the Mundorf caps??????????????????????????????????????????