Step 1. In 60Hz high-pass mode + Dynaudio sub, the Move presentation was a virtual syndication of my SuperMon Mini. Two areas of minor divergence were the lower and mid treble where the smaller Alpair had the edge; and tone density where the bigger Alpair pressed a small advantage. To notice required real familiarity with my status quo. The smart money suspects that Norbert's Mini from the prior page would really duplicate my domestic setup to merely change looks whilst bagging a €1'400 savings over Move and €200 over my Koreans. If we let the spoil sport, Captain Obvious would remind us that actively crossing out and over to a sub makes it sensible to physically shrink our mains as much as current driver tech allows. The latter point factored when I eliminated the subwoofer.
Step 2. Without it, my Korean micros in free space are incomplete on my type music. Because I have a sub, I chased the honey-I-shrunk concept very deliberately. Just how small could I make my mains without sacrificing quality? These were the answer. They perform commensurate with the bigger downstairs system simply scaled back to suit this smaller room with its lower SPL. In 2.0 stereo mode it might suffice on my desktop if that were closer to the front wall. Otherwise the Mon monitor lacks LF reach and power; or limits me to just chamber music. Here Norbert's comparatively ballooned cubic inches from bigger enclosure volume with its larger driver stepped forward. With them the sub no longer was essential, just an occasional asset with 25Hz signal, stricter control over dry synth bass and—in theory though not at my SPL—to build in more dynamic headroom. For the majority of my library and this space, Move solo sufficed. LF augmentation was a mere potential eventuality. That only smarts the coffin brigade who believe otherwise. Regular civilians delight in a smaller form factor and are shocked by its self sufficiency. If you're hazy on the sound, recall the best headfi you've heard. That's the type immediacy, speed and data density you'll project from inside your skull to now between your room's sidewalls. It's exactly how I curated my current speaker systems. 4 years ago I met Raal's true-ribbon SR1a open-baffle headphone. Its finger-in-the-socket electrified dynamics and full-bandwidth clarity and textural perspicacity had me revisit my three speaker systems. I wanted them as close to the speed and lack of energy storage of on-ear ribbons as my limited budget, space and access could manage. One might even say that the future of high-end audio depends on it. Today's music consumer grows up around headfi. Full bandwidth, high resolution and zero room distortion are taken for granted from day one, not aspired to. The quality of those transducers and associated portable players keeps improving, their price of admission dropping. Unless SpeakerFi can beat headfi at its own game then add extras to become desirable, why would modern music listeners pursue big ugly expensive speakers? If you wondered the same, Lindemann's Move is one realistic and very reasonable answer. If you insist on 25Hz bass and are more of a banger, add Groove. I just don't see bangers appreciating Move's special virtues in the first place.
Step 3. In one corner, Lindemann's Groove with built-in amps and active crossover = €6'500. In the other corner, €2'500 for my active crossover + €2'800 for my stereo amp + €1'290 for my subwoofer = €6'590. Sans associated cabling, these figures match. Comparing my 2.1 system to the Move/Groove 2½-way stack on sonics too added up on par, albeit in different currencies. My system with 2.5MHz direct-coupled class AB amp was more articulate and extended in the bass, its 60Hz transition leaner and more groomed for speed and resolution. Norbert's system with its 100Hz transition and class D power was warmer, softer and fuller. Even though only the bass makers and drive electronics changed, they made for different tunings. I reckon that the greater majority could fancy the German stack for its thicker more air-moving bass textures and comfier demeanour. Plus, that combo requires just one small footstool between to support a variable-output DAC. My assemblage either wants three shelves or one double-wide version, speaker stands then a separate subwoofer. Lindemann's footprint is less intrusive. In many homes that alone spells victory. Included is 100% [!] noise-free operation sadly far from common with active speakers but here ticked off to perfection; and that ±4dB range of bass tweaking to help attain our ideal in-room balance. For my ears and room, the default of no cut/boost was just right. Input sensitivity relative to volume setting on my COS D1 with its 16V max output on XLR seemed standard. My volume sat at ~50% just slightly higher than where it usually hovers to leave plenty of untapped headroom.
I couldn't use these included Schuko/EU-terminated Isotek power cords with our UK wall plugs and my 'alien' US power distributors. I used some Gen1 Crystal Cable instead.
The upshot of this round was plain. Norbert's voicing from his active higher handover hinge and lengthy experience with Ncore tuning felt expertly tailored to already satisfy with sub Redbook files. While I preferred my own setup for its higher emphasis on resolution and energy—core criteria in my choice of Kinki amp and matching cabling—I'll call the German combo a sonic relative. How about combining it with the stablemate music:book Source II streaming DAC used over its coaxial input?
