USHER Be-718 DMD
Stand mount monitors
These small speakers have made it to the list of legends during their lifespan. For their asking price they represent an excellent buy - no wonder that they are the best selling model in the Taiwanese Usher's catalogue.
Function and form
The Be-718 DMD's tweeter, in the upgraded version, is made of vaporized diamond and is responsible for most the heroic deeds that the speaker does. The midrange driver has 18cm paper cone.
The craftsmanship is very good; the compact Be-718's cabinets weight 17.2kg and are a sandwich of 25mm MDF and real wood side panels. Consequently they are acoustically very dead. The speaker supports bi-wiring. The bass reflex port is of a slot type and fires forward.
Bass management
Like with many modern bookshelf speakers also the Ushers exhibit unusual amount of bass. The specifications read 42Hz-35kHz and I can only acknowledge that they don't lie. The bass is well contoured and defined so I could follow the bass lines of Pink Floyd in A Momentary Lapse of Reason, no matter how loud I was listening.
Clarity & delicacy
Unlike the Usher's flagship, the BE-10 Dancer, the BE-718 DMD is supplied with protective grilles. I recommend to take them off as I found the grilles to slightly veil the otherwise open and sparkling sound. If you share your flat with a cat, then, and only then, put the grilles back on the speakers.
Tonal accuracy
I said that the Ushers were open and sparkling. This results into tons of natural detail that is well integrated in the music, not the detail for the sake of the detail. This level of resolution also supports great imaging with sharp focus without the speakers ever sounding thin or etched. The diamond DMD tweeter needs quite a long burn-in period, so if you set out for auditioning the Ushers at a dealer then make sure that you are listening to a properly 'worn out' pair.
Spatial resolution
The forward-firing reflex port makes the Be-718's placement in a room easier. Be careful about pushing them too much into the corner but unlike with many competitors the sound was balanced even when the speakers were closer to the walls than usual. However, like with all speakers it is better to give the speakers room to breath to prevent collapse of realistic soundstage due to reflections.
Recommended resellers
Horizon Trading Prague, Praha, +420 222 715 959
PP HiFi Studio, Otrokovice, tel. +420 603 581 305
SK: Nisel SK, Bratislava, tel. +421 905 203 078
Manufacturer's website: http://www.usheraudio.com.tw
Associated components
- Sources: Ayre cx-7e
- Amplifiers: Audio Research SP17 a SD135
- Interconnects and speaker cables: Nordost Valhalla
- Speaker stands: Usher RWS-708
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