Micca MB42X G2 Budget Speaker Review

[DanielT]

Nice with your tests of speakers, so thanks for this one Amir.

A nice speaker. Maybe it will be sold in several countries of Europe, if the demand exists/increases?

Is the dip around 2 kHz as wide and large enough so you can say that Micca MB42X G2 has a BBC dip? If so, they can be seen as a cheaper and better (lower distortion) alternative to the BBC LS3/5A (plus clones thereof).

 

[beagleman]

Nice with your tests of speakers, so thanks for this one Amir.

A nice speaker. Maybe it will be sold in several countries of Europe, if the demand exists/increases?

Is the dip around 2 kHz as wide and large enough so you can say that Micca MB42X G2 has a BBC dip? If so, they can be seen as a cheaper and better (lower distortion) alternative to the BBC LS3/5A (plus clones thereof).

My first thought was, this is a mini Wharfedale 12.1 for a good bit less money

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Hmmm…. I was going to get the wife a dozen eggs for Valentines Day but these speakers are a little cheaper cheaper

 

[DSJR]

If you think that's crazy, see <https://www.dansette.com/shop>!

Twenty five years ago, my next record player, a Hacker GP42 bought in December 1970 and which my Dad was keeping until he passed, sold at auction for a fiver This had a proper 7W transformer coupled valve amp in it too and a nice oval Celestion-made 10" x 6" speaker in the front as well.

Sincere apologies folks for the thread diversion. Us oldies can't always help ourselves...

 

[Power Pop 23]

"anti-showroom sound" for 100 USD ?

pinch me....

thank you Micca, @amirm, and @KrzyMoogle

 

[DSJR]

Nice with your tests of speakers, so thanks for this one Amir.

A nice speaker. Maybe it will be sold in several countries of Europe, if the demand exists/increases?

Is the dip around 2 kHz as wide and large enough so you can say that Micca MB42X G2 has a BBC dip? If so, they can be seen as a cheaper and better (lower distortion) alternative to the BBC LS3/5A (plus clones thereof).

Not sure the BBC had this dip early on unless it was a design shortcoming. The original Spendor BC1 and the LS3/6 derived from it were as flat in the lower kHz region as an early 70s speaker allowed and pretty good over the ~4khz crossover region if heard on the super-tweeter axis. The 'BBC Dip' I believe came later on, when sound editors wanted a dip for listening comfort with the then new poly-coned models (certainly why the LS5/9 measures as it does as a pal was on the engineering staff at the BBC and heard a few samples as the model was developed, not so sure the larger LS5/8 however).

Forget the LS3/5A as a 'high fidelity' speaker please. It never was intended for that purpose (discussed many times and my reasoning comes from an original design-team member) and was initially adopted domestically because it was so darned small in 1974 or thereabouts.

 

[kemmler3D]

Pretty impressive... But as they are passives I might still recommend JBL 305p mk2 in this budget range, since the price would tend to even out once amps are accounted for.

But if someone is trying to do a budget surround system or they already have an amp... This is probably the value champ.

Also seems like a plausible target for a DIY upgrade kit. "Just" 3D print a new baffle with WG and swap it in, and you could correct the major flaw of this speaker without upsetting the value proposition. It would cost maybe $15-20 per pair in materials to do that.

 

[thewas]

"BBC"/presence dip is rather around 3 kHz, the typical 2-way 2 kHz radiation discontinuity dip is and sounds quite different.

 

[SMc]

Pretty impressive... But as they are passives I might still recommend JBL 305p mk2 in this budget range, since the price would tend to even out once amps are accounted for.

Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers | Micca Electronics

www.miccatron.com

"The PB42X is how we take an already great product and make it even better. It is the natural extension of the MB42X’s success – everything we love about the MB42X is there, and now powered. The frontier of affordable high quality sound is pushed ahead even further with the addition of high quality amplification."

$139.99/pr at Amazon.

 

[a4eaudio]

Pretty impressive... But as they are passives I might still recommend JBL 305p mk2 in this budget range, since the price would tend to even out once amps are accounted for.

Someone mentioned an ($400?) active speaker earlier and how this might "even out". That seems to assume someone doesn't already have an amp. I think I have at least 15-20 amps (counting all of the little Class-D modules) sitting around my house.

Edit: I do see your qualification "if they already have an amp"

...
Also seems like a plausible target for a DIY upgrade kit. "Just" 3D print a new baffle with WG and swap it in, and you could correct the major flaw of this speaker without upsetting the value proposition. It would cost maybe $15-20 per pair in materials to do that.

Yes, there does seem to be an opportunity here.

 

[a4eaudio]

Make them powered for $15...

TPA3116D2 2x50W Class D Stereo Amplifier Board with Volume Control

TPA3116D2 2x50W Class D Stereo Amplifier Board with Volume ControlThe board's design, with the popular TPA3116 chip, delivers Class D efficiency and high-quality clean sound reproduction. Pause the music and notice no hiss or hum. Turn the amp board on/off, with the included volume control, and...

www.parts-express.com

 

[restorer-john]

Danny is going to have a field day with these. At least a $200 crossover upgrade, a roll of no-rez and at least 4 tube connectors for bi-wiring.

 

[uwotm8]

$139.99/pr at Amazon

JBL 104-BT cost exactly the same - better look, worse FR (but does it really matter much in such case is arguable)

 

[gvl]

But as they are passives I might still recommend JBL 305p mk2 in this budget range

Hiss is not everyone’s cup of tea.

 

[Hiten]

Can a diy passive subwoofer be added to this ?

 

[staticV3]

Can a diy passive subwoofer be added to this ?

The MB42X G2 is a passive bookshelf speaker like any other.

If you have an Amp capable of driving both stereo speakers and a passive subwoofer, then yes you can add one to these.

 

[crappypanther]

Looks really nice

 

[pathtonowhere]

I'd get the Edifier MR4 any day at $80 here in Eastern Europe. The Miccas can play 2-3dB louder and a few Hz deeper, but the tweeter dispersion flaring is atrocious. Also, you need an amp for them. Edifiers win by a great margin for me. And this is at the US price, because the Miccas cost a lot more here, almost double the Edifiers. I could even call the Miccas pretty bad value at the price I could get them here.

 

[Esprit]

But as they are passives I might still recommend JBL 305p mk2 in this budget range,

I don't know how different this* amplified version is but on Amazon the JBLs cost around €300.

*https://www.amazon.it/LONPOO-LP-42X...0&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d&th=1

 

[somebodyelse]

I don't know how different this* amplified version is but on Amazon the JBLs cost around €300.

*https://www.amazon.it/LONPOO-LP-42X-Diffusori-connettività-telecomando/dp/B09537VLQ7/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=KFgkV&content-id=amzn1.sym.a1e3bb32-6a04-41ad-b4a0-af9d96cfb1b0:amzn1.symc.fc11ad14-99c1-406b-aa77-051d0ba1aade&pf_rd_p=a1e3bb32-6a04-41ad-b4a0-af9d96cfb1b0&pf_rd_r=4PB18HCYYCJ6MHA6AMFA&pd_rd_wg=5SkTS&pd_rd_r=00452241-dc15-4316-a01b-28d243874dd0&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d&th=1

Different drivers with a different spacing in a different enclosure. It might measure similarly, but no more likely than any other similarly sized speaker.