Morel EM1308 VS MDM55

[ronzeman]

I have no info on the EM1308 other than Morel says it is the replacement for MDM55. The response curves look very impressive. Anyone heard or used the EM1308? Feedback appreciated.

[Jed K.]

Looks like the only change is the faceplate, but I'd love to have Morel confirm this.

here's a thread we talked about the new version a bit:

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=206164

[morel]

Hi All,

Along with the EM1308's improved dispersion recess faceplate,
inner treatment of the rear chamber is different as well,
enabling the overall improved performance.

The main audible difference is the bottom range of the EM1308,
which is much more present then in the MDM55.
The EM1308's sensitivity is a bit lower due to the different loading of the flanges. In turn, off axis dispersion is way better.

The new model was released after an extensive period of R&D
as well as listening tests.
I assure you it much more then just swapping faceplates.

EM1308 replaces the MDM55 in a manner of representing our latest achievements in the narrow range of soft dome midrange units,
but as I have noted in a previous thread, we have no plans to discontinue the MDM55.

Ziv/Morel

[augerpro]

Thanks Ziv for the info.

This reminds me...I just got a pair of MDM55's yesterday and I was wondering if anyone has ever taken the back off to see what, if any, improvements could be made to the dampening?

[Jed K.]

Maybe DLR would like to do an experiment on that?

[ronzeman]

Here is my new Morel 1308 Midrange driver in their baffle. The tweeter is a Dynaudio D28-2. These are part of my recent upgrade - update project to my 33 year old AUdionics (radford) TL90 speakers.
(No it's not real granite....just corian)

[bilavideo]

There's more to the difference between the MDM55 and the EM1308 than the size of the faceplate: There's also the price tag.

Whether you're getting them at their list price or getting them on sale, the 1308 costs $56 more than the 55. Does it sound $112 better? That depends on your needs.

For most of the midrange spectrum these two drivers serve, the output is roughly identical. Sporting identical magnets, voicecoils, diaphragms and the like, they hit the same notes from about 600 Hz on, though the 55 is actually more sensitive from about 900 Hz to 9k. It's a difference of about 1 dB.

Where the 1308 earns its money is in the low end. The 55's Fs is 320; the 1308's is 280. If you're crossing really, really, really low, you'll want to pay that extra hundred for the 1308. In fact, from about 600 to 300, both drivers lose a lot of sensitivity but the 1308 holds a little more of it, by between 1 and 4 dB at the low end.

For me, it's not worth the extra freight. I'm not interested in hearing a middie pretend it's a woofer any more than I'd want to hear a woofer pretend it's a tweeter. My woofer's range extends to 1k but I cut it off at 42k Hz. I use the middie to fill the gap right up to about 5k, where my tweeters take over. I've got ribbon tweeters for the high fringe. I've got subwoofers for the low fringe. Everything in-between is operating in its comfort zone and doing what it does best.

[gowa]

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/picture.php?albumid=46&pictureid=1072

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/picture.php?albumid=46&pictureid=1071

[Jed K.]

Was that the same batch Gowa? Or did you purchase one and then a year later test another?

[gowa]

Was that the same batch Gowa? Or did you purchase one and then a year later test another?

Same.

[critofur]

I have some of all three types.

I hadn't realized the 1308 was good lower. Says the chamber is Aluminum, I thought the chamber on the other models was plastic - I'll have to go back and check. Perhaps the aluminum chamber and faceplate provide some improvement to cooling/power handling...

I should do distortion measurements between the 1308 and 558...


Along with the EM1308's improved dispersion recess faceplate, inner treatment of the rear chamber is different as well, enabling the overall improved performance...
Ah... This implies to me that we could perhaps do a similar thing to our 55s / 558s. :)