Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearl Edition speakers. (Oh dear...)

[chebby]

Last week I put in a maximum bid of £30 on a pair of Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearl edition speakers. ('Light wood' finish.)

Litlle did I ever think I would win them. Well I have. For £28.

With £15 delivery thats £43 in total.

I sent a long list of questions about condition etc to the seller and he satisified me they are in excellent condition except for a few nicks on the veneer around the back out of sight. Original boxes, grilles, grille cloth, badges, tweeters, tweeter covers, bass drivers, rubber surrounds, bi-wire bridges etc. all present, correct and (apparently) in excellent nick. Seller has 100 percent +ve feedback so I am hoping for the best.

Will report back when I get them.

 

[Anonymous]

Bargain. I head the MS20i Perls many years ago and liked them. Should be a bit bassier than the nSats but it won't be as accurate! Aluminium tweeter too so could be interesting with the Naim!

 

[the record spot]

Memories of the mid-90s of this very publication waxing lyrical about the MS25i which were apparently superb. I wasn't quite so crazy on their appearance (I ended up with the Mission 733i not long afterwards, another underrated star) but not surprised in the least the range is still highly regarded. £40-odd? Bargain.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:I have heard quite a few in my time and their name for being... well... metallic sounding is mostly imagined.
Hmmm, not my experience I'm afraid.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:

With any luck my 1st impressions should be in this evening.

The seller lives about 45 minutes drive from here and has offered to deliver them himself after he finishes work. (I guess he will make a small profit out of the £15 delivery minus a bit of petrol.)

I don't mind. Less risk of damage from Royal Mail/Parcelforce, less waiting, and I get to inspect them before he leaves.

Not quite sure what the plan is yet...

(a) Beginnings of a second system.

(b) Replace the N-Sats outright (not that likely)

(c) use them as temporary speakers whilst I sell my N-Sats and put the N-Sat profits towards something like EB1s (or EB2s) or whatever. N-Sats will take a while to sell and EBs take a while to build so I will need speakers in the meantime.

Plan (c) is looking good to me.

and if the EB1's are anything like the DM1's you will be in for an absolute treat.

 

[drummerman]

I got mine brand new a year or so ago, still wrapped in the boxes, never used for a similar price.

These were used when I auditioned Naims XS system. Good speakers.

 

[drummerman]

No, I didn't get either the XS (and player) nor AVI's. I use the MS's with Denon components.

It was some of the most captivating music I've heard at the dealer with Naims and MS. Unfortunately, when I had them here, things where far less clear cut and I couldn't justify spending so much for little gain.

They are what I'd call honest or neutral and relatively uncoloured speakers. The tweeter is a good one. I remember particularely the difference when I had a pair of RS6 here, it wasn't subtle. I would'nt expect them to be better than your Nsats but for a second system, even a quality one, they should do the job without problems.

Let me know what you think.

regards

 

[Andrew Everard]

drummerman:I got mine brand new a year or so ago, still wrapped in the boxes, never used for a similar price.

These were used when I auditioned Naims XS system. Good speakers.

Not surprised you liked them with the XS - after all, the speakers were developed on the end of Naim amplification.

 

[Anonymous]

What's your aim of replacing the nSats, Chebby? What do you want to improve or change?

I saw mention of you trying the Spendor SA1s; what did you think? They divide opinion.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the SA1s certainly aren't a cheap prospect when sat next to monitors like the nSats. I was persuaded to spend £1,100 when I got them but I'm not sure I would have bought them at £1,300 despite the change of costs bourne by manufacturers in the current market.

So, how are the MS 20i Perl LEs?? They're a stunning buy for what you paid. Wouldn't it be poetic if they were keepers after all the cash you've spent.

 

[DIB]

I bought a pair of MS20i's back in the mid 90's, part of my first "proper" system and only sold them last year after 12 years great service. I think I sold mine for about the same price as yours, I reckon you've got a bargain.

.

 

[the record spot]

chebby:Metal tweeters don't scare me. I have heard quite a few in my time and their name for being... well... metallic sounding is mostly imagined. (Same as people assuming all turntables must be warm sounding.)

Couldn't agree more. The number of comments/inaccuracies around these pop up frequently and it's good to hear someone else find they're anything but a harsh listen. Partnered well with complimentary equipment, metal dome tweeters blend in nicely.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

The MS20i pearls are just gems, and for beer money - I also have a pair of the MS25i (non pearl) and the ms20s win convincingly. They also killed my RS6s for accuracy, hence why I no longer have them. I paid £45 for my MS20is - an absolute steal.

 

[Anonymous]

Great news, Chebby. I'm tempted to keep an eye open for some myself! Any chance of some piccies?

So does this change your strategy, or even complete it?

 

[drummerman]

Glad you feel similar about them as I do. I've mentioned them a few times here but it looks like you created a shortage of pearls on ebay for a while to come ...

They are not perfect and look so so (higher/wider than deep) but I never felt they are the bottle neck in the many systems used in and then there's the affinity with Naim which we both agree on and was commented on by AE.

 

[DIB]

They look absolutely pristine, very nice indeed.

I just looked back at my Ebay feedback from last year and 18 months ago I sold my black pair for £22.77. However they were not in the same condition as yours appear. Looking back now, considering how much I ended up getting for them I should have just kept them as spares. Never mind. Enjoy yours.

.

 

[drummerman]

Nobody could ever accuse you of not doing your homework

 

[Anonymous]

Very nice, thanks.

 

[drummerman]

I think what makes these speakers good is not necesseraly any specific area they excell in but a lack of annoying traits and tonal anomalies.

 

[the record spot]

chebby:The more I research the history of various brands, the more it seems the number of designers responsible for all the best stuff from the last 30 years (including right now) could be accomodated in a small minibus!
You're not half right. I quickly looked up Henry and Farad Azima - they who were at the helm, or as near as dammit to it, back in the 80s and 90s. Henry designed the 752s I currently use, but netscientific has a pretty decent listing of patents and concepts applied for by Farad.

Then, you've got guys like Peter Comeau, now at IAG but who was responsible for - amongst others - some of the loudspeaker designs at World Audio (a lot of kit stuff, but including the highly regarded WT25T floorstander) and the legendary Heybrook HB1 which came out in the 80s and will still go well with higher end gear now. Tim de Pavaracini is another, but if you can afford his gear, you're doing alright!

And yes, I think a minibus is probably about right!

 

[plastic penguin]

Firstly - well done, Chebby. I've heard some really good things about those MSs, mainly from drummerman.

Interesting - RS touched on the subject of the hard spherical tweeter. Many on here dislike the perceived edginess it can expel over the 'soft' dome version or inverted tweeter. Personal view is, any speaker, regardless of configuration, can sound brilliant if matched correctly. Very obvious comment, nonetheless, immensely true.

 

[the record spot]

Just to clarify, I'm more than happy with the mesh dome tweeter the Missions have - I've had those with both the 751 and the 752. Neither sound bright and in general, I'd say, pretty much as you've done PP, that as with anything else systems related, it all comes down to matching the components when it comes to separates. Personally, I'd have no qualms recommending them to anyone. The more recent trend with some manufacturers (Dali, XTZ, Klipsch) is to go for the ribbon tweeter.

 

[Anonymous]

the record spot:Tim de Paravicini is another, but if you can afford his gear, you're doing alright!Funnily enough he was at HiFi expo in Helsinki to-day giving a presentation of his gear. Wonderful stuff, and I thought his speakers amongst the best there.

 

[drummerman]

Grottyash:the record spot:Tim de Paravicini is another, but if you can afford his gear, you're doing alright!Funnily enough he was at HiFi expo in Helsinki to-day giving a presentation of his gear. Wonderful stuff, and I thought his speakers amongst the best there.

There is an active standmount coming out which features TdParavicini designed solid state amplification

http://www.unityaudio.co.uk/product.php?pid=396

 

[Richard Allen]

drummerman:

There is an active standmount coming out which features TdParavicini designed solid state amplification

http://www.unityaudio.co.uk/product.php?pid=396

If he's involved anywhere in the design, it's gonna be good.