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Post by MartinT on Sept 25, 2022 15:45:32 GMT
A bit of nostalgia. I was in Houston visiting my sister during Easter 2008 and I bought a copy of The Absolute Sound from Barnes and Noble. Inside was a review of the Usher Be-20 speakers by Chris Marten. I was intrigued and a bit smitten by his excellent review. I resolved to return to the UK and see if I could demo them. One thing led to another and I ended up trading in my JM Lab Mezzo Utopias for a pair of Be-20 that I had to special order from Taiwan as there was no stock and no demo speaker (I actually listened to the Be-10). Below is the very issue that precipitated my purchase of my end game speakers, the longest lasting component in my system. Here's the original review: www.usheraudio.cz/data/test/test-en-be20-tas.pdf
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Post by wannarock2 on Apr 15, 2024 14:02:27 GMT
Usher Speaker Taiwan Factory
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Post by mattspl on Apr 15, 2024 17:01:32 GMT
Gorgeous speakers.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 15, 2024 18:54:58 GMT
Nicely made, aren't they? Some of the techniques are really clever.
I look at mine and still love their stature, but most of all I love their sound.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 21, 2024 17:07:04 GMT
I've been thinking about that Usher video above and my Be-20 speakers, which are much larger than the model featured (ML-802).
I can't help feeling amazed that I had the opportunity to buy back in 2008 speakers that I suspected, but certainly didn't know, would probably be my life speakers. As Tony once said to me "you'll be buried in those Ushers, Martin" - well, that'll leave one spare! Not only did I deliberately push the boat out for the larger Be-20 (I demo'd the Be-10), but I'm thinking about the workmanship that went into them from fabricating that gorgeous curvy enclosure to making the drivers and building and finishing them. Not to mention shipping them to the UK to fulfil my custom order. How did I acquire such serious build quality for such a relatively low price? I happened to come across some money that year, I happened to move into my own house becoming, once again, single and I hit upon a relatively short spell when Usher was actually represented in the UK. It all started when I was at my sister's in Houston and bought a copy of The Absolute Sound.
Here I am, 16 years later, and the same speakers just have not stopped improving with the system. If I were to be looking for a viable alternative now, which would be the Wilson Sasha at a minimum, I would be looking at whatever the UK markup would be on $52,000 US list price. And they would barely match the Ushers in capability rather than pull forward.
I made the purchase bargain of a lifetime that day - all the planets aligned for me. I said it elsewhere and I never take it for granted: "how lucky am I?"
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