Getting a
speaker this small to play at a realistic volume is much easier if it doesn’t
have to work too hard to recreate bass, and M&K suggests crossing the sound
over to a subwoofer at frequencies as high as 200 hertz. I used my regular
reference sub, which happens to be an M&K MX-350, and was able to set up my
B&K processor to give me the preferred 200 hertz setting. This gave the
MP-4512 plenty of headroom, and even silly movie soundtracks such as U-571 can
play loud without strain.
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M&K’s MP-4512 speaker not only includes the front three channels of a
surround system, but it also has side-mounted drivers to emulate the effect of
surround speakers. This one speaker can substitute an entire 5.1 surround
system. |
With the three main speakers placed only inches
apart, you might expect the resulting sound to be essentially mono, but the
MP-4512 is actually able to deliver a tasty, if somewhat smaller than usual,
helping of spaciousness. The narrow spacing does ultimately limit the size of
the soundfield, but this proximity does have some advantages in that you no
longer have to worry about setting the delay for each channel, and the
soundstage will stay focused even if you are seated pretty far off
center.
For me, however, the primary appeal of this speaker was not so much
its five-channels-in-one party trick, but more importantly its outstanding
sound. This really is the antithesis of the cheap and nasty little satellite,
and it manages to sound like a highly refined and much more costly design. With
dialog, these speakers display exceptional clarity, yet remain entirely free
from any nasty high frequency effects.
While it might not get your audiophile
buddies rushing over to check out your new surround-sound rig, the M&K
MP-4512 is a great solution for people who want really good sound, and a pretty
good surround effect, without getting tossed out of the house. As Martha would
say, “It’s a good thing.”
RATING: EXCELLENT
Description: M&K MP-4512 single speaker surround system
High Points: Rich and refined sound; good off-axis performance; can play loudly
Low Points: Surround effect is inconsistent; smallish soundstage
Contact: Miller & Kreisel Sound Corporation,
818.701.7010
www.mksound.com
Price: M&K MP-4512 $650
