M1

Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Main system: Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (i5, 256GB SSD, 40GB RAM, Tahoe 26), 4TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 3, Audirvana Studio, Qobuz Sublime, Gustard U26 USB bridge, LHY Audio SW-8 & SW-6 switch, Sonnet Pasithea; Preamp: Hattor Audio ARP-S; Active filter: spl Audio Crossover MkII; Power amplifiers: Vinshine/Kinki Dazzle & Audiophonics NCx500 on subwoofer; Loudspeakers: Qualio IQ [on loan]; Subwoofer: sound|kaos D15; Cables: Exact Express Flame, Furutech; Power delivery: 2 x Kinki/Vinshine Tai Hang on amps and source stack, Furutech DPS-4.1 between wall and conditioners; Equipment rack: Artesanía Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc amp stands; Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, AudioQuest FogLifters; Room: 6 x 8m with open door behind listening seat; Room treatment: 2 x PSI Audio AVAA C214 active bass traps
1st upstairs speaker system: Source: Shanling EM7 into Soundaware D300Ref SD transport to Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio iCon 4SE & Gradient Box 2; Amplifier: Kinki Studio EX-B7 monos; Loudspeakers: sound|kaos Vox3awf; Subwoofer: sound|kaos D12 on twin Nord Acoustic NC500 monos; Cable loom: Exact Express Earth; Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra, Akiko Audio Corelli Corundum & Castello Solo; Equipment rack: Hifistay Mythology Transform X-Frame [on extended loan]; Sundry accessories: Furutech cable lifts, Furutech NFC Clear Lines; Room: ~3.5 x 8m
1st upstairs headfi system: DAC: Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Headphones: Raal 1995 Magna, HifiMan Susvara
Desktop system: Source: HP Z2 workstation Win11/64; USB isolator: LHY UIP; LAN distributors: LHY AS6 Pro & SW6-SFP; Ethernet reclocker: Stack SmoothLAN; DACs: Gustard R26II & Audalytic DR70; Preamp: Topping A900; Speaker amps: Topping B200 monos; Headphone amp: Enleum AMP-23R; Loudspeakers: Virtual Hifi Viper; Headphones: Final D-8000, aune SR7000, FiiO FT7, HifiMan Susvara Unveiled
2nd upstairs headfi system: Shanling EM5; Headphones: Meze 109 Pro, Fiio FT3, HifiMan HE1000 Unveiled
2nd upstairs speaker system: Source: smsl PL200T CD transport; DAC: Shanling EM7 w. 1TB microSD; Crossover: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box II;  Amplifiers: LAIV Crescendo Chorus monos; Loudspeakers: MonAcoustic SuperMon Mini with Dynaudio S18 subwoofer
2-channel video system: Source: Oppo BDP-105; All-in-One: Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe; Loudspeakers: ModalAkustik MusikBoxx; Subwoofer: 2 x Zu Method; Power delivery: Furutech eTP-8, Room: ~6x4m
Review component retail: €6'850/pr monitors, €3'695 sub, add €1'000 for motional feedback, €1'600 for upgraded AudioTechnology woofers

D for Dutch dipole. I'd just published a syndication for Hans Beckeringh, on their MOB3 speaker written by Warsaw correspondent Dawid Gryzb. The response was unexpected. "I read in your reviews of the Qualio IQ and ModalAkustik MusikBoxx speakers that you are enthusiastic too about Mundorf's AMT dipole. We use that in our C1 model. We use the larger version in our High-Line models which we consider even better—and designer Andreas Rullmann agrees as he thinks it his finest tweeter design. We combine this amazing dipole 25D AMT with a custom-made AudioTechnology mid/woofer also on an open baffle combined with a very fine passive filter—a bit like Qualio but with a deliberately smaller baffle. We currently sell our High Line systems mainly in the Netherlands because we consider it important that our speakers be properly installed and driven accompanied by sound acoustic advice to the clients. At the moment we haven't yet found international dealers who really understand open-baffle systems and are willing to promote them with proper care. We are however looking into how we could start selling our High Line models globally and are currently gaining experience with the MOB models. Personally I think that our M1 monitor/subwoofer system might align with your preferences given your IQ and MusikBoxx ownership. That's why I am curious whether you would be open to reviewing our Daudio M1 system. This link is presently in Dutch only but you can translate it in your browser. I look forward to your response."

That was easy: "Yes³!"

1/ I had experience with Mundorf's big dipole AMT in Virtual's radical Cobra monitor. 2/ I love open-baffle mids. 3/ I'm sold on stereo 2.1 with active bass. Hence my affirmative in triplicate. After three decades on this beat, I know what I like. If you're still hazy on the 'd', perhaps call it short for dubious or daft, here's my dipole take. Lose the box. Say good-bye to enclosure resonances and undue pressurization on the cone's rear plus propensity for its inward radiation to leak through the membrane smeared in time. Stop murdering half the generated acoustic energy with an expensive Magico-type sealed box. Instead play the room like a musical instrument. Benefit from figure-8 cancellation to eliminate the reflective sound sources of your sidewalls. For a classic sub, shun ports and passive radiators. Go with a force-cancelling twin-woofer design like my Dynaudio S18. For a more exotic sub, go RiPol aka Ridthaler Dipole as I do downstairs with a sound|kaos of twin 15-inchers each driven by 700w/4Ω power. For ultimate dynamic expression and resolution in the upper ranges, apply an active high pass to the monitor. By neither doing nor seeing low bass, that now should be visually compact and attractive. Et voilà, 'd' for discerning, discriminating and Daudio M1 dipole.

The many reasons why a 2.1 music system isn't dumb but decisive include that active adjustable bass beats passive fixed bass. With a dipole's acoustic short circuit where long/low wavelengths wrap around its baffle to cancel out, raw cone surface becomes the antidote to lesser room gain. The late Siegfried Linkwitz still added DSP compensation. As with horn speakers forced to operate into the bottom octave, full-range dipoles get big—they need big even paralleled big woofers—and tend to soak up power to reach low. A classic sealed sub across the bottom 2-2½ octaves shrinks cone surface needs. Activating it with a dedicated bass amp adds adjustability whilst reducing load burdens on the main amp driving the open-backed upper 2/3rds.

With Daudio's à-la-carte concept including options for motion feedback and upgraded AudioTechnology woofers, my needle of sense'n'sensibility redlined. Add white dress code. Now you have all my reasons for accepting this solicitation with great personal excitement. 'D' for do me. If you're not yet 'D' for due diligence, revisit Dawid's review. Read up on the brand's background. It'll spare us duplication. To extricate a salient detail, Daudio's principals weren't born yesterday. Respectively, they are from the model years '62 and '64; like me. They've been around the block a few times. This suggested maturity beyond youthful excess and bookish idealism. It promised hard-earnt experience and ability to differentiate what matters after having tried a lot and along the way discarded less effective or ultimately flawed solutions. Add Dawid's most positive MOB3 findings. This gig was looking very promising.

At left a glance at Daudio's maiden model, the W1 with wire-suspended dipole AMT and RiPol bass system turned 90°. My eyes call it impeccably groomed simplicity and clever integration of important decisions executed to a high level. Back on the M1, filter frequencies are 120Hz/2'400Hz with 89dB sensitivity for the monitor whose passive filter uses silver/gold Mundorf oil caps and matching silver/gold/copper hookup wiring. Dimensions for this 8.4kg stand-mount are 20x4x30.6cm. The 31.2kg sub is a 36cm³ cube. The motion feedback option is based on a 1970s' Dutch Philips concept which I first heard in a modern adaptation in Grimm's subwoofer. Again, everything about the Daudio M1 made perfect sense. As always, the final proof would be in the listening. But my real question was, what had taken me this long?

The sequence of events leading up to it now were unchoreographed. Dawid had accepted an Aalborg invite to Børresen's launch party for their €1M flagship speaker. He subsequently wanted to replicate some of the experience with a radically smaller wallet and room. It had him seek out Daudio for an open-baffle loaner. His write-up had led to their syndication request. That had triggered me being pointed at the M1. Thanks to our man in Warsaw!