Полочная акустика — Scansonic HD MB1 B

The MB1 B is the small stand-mounted monitor in the MB series of Scansonic HD, whose parent company DANTAX Radio A/S is based in Pandrup, Denmark. DANTAX dates from 1969, acquired the driver maker Scan-Speak in 1977 and added Raidho in 2009. Scansonic states that the goal was a small speaker that does a limited job very well, and the series continues upward with the MB2.5 B and MB3.5 B floor standers, the MB6 B and the MB8B with twin 8 inch woofers. The original MB1 was drawn up by Michael Borresen, and Benno Baun Melgaard reworked it substantially into the B version. The maker price list gives 15,999 to 17,999 DKK depending on finish.

Key specs that matter

For treble Scansonic uses a small planar unit that Scansonic calls a ribbon, a scaled-down relative of the Raidho tweeter in which a wavy, tightly spaced voice coil is applied directly to the membrane. Below it sits a 5.25 inch mid and bass driver with a carbon fibre cone and no conventional dust cap. The crossover hands over at 2,600 Hz and is described as a minimum phase network. Scansonic quotes 45 Hz to 40 kHz, a sensitivity of 86 dB and an impedance of more than 8 ohm. Each cabinet is 178 mm wide, 312 mm high and 286 mm deep, with a weight of 6.1 kg. Finishes are black silk, white silk and matte walnut.

Engineering and use context

Viewed from the top, the cabinet follows a curved, boat-hull outline with an elongated D cross-section instead of parallel side walls. Scansonic combines extensive internal bracing with a carbon sheet laminated onto the top panel to make the box stiff and quiet. The reflex port is on the front baffle and is fitted with inlays meant to reduce port noise, and because it breathes forward the maker says the speaker can stand close to the wall behind it. Machined feet of aircraft-grade aluminium screw in and out so the cabinet can be levelled on a stand or shelf. The narrow rear panel forces the two-way binding posts into a vertical stack. Optional stands with single or twin pillars and safety bolts were offered for the model.

Pairing

Scansonic asks for a quality amplifier delivering more than 50 W per channel. The MB10 subwoofer from the same range can be added to a system built around the MB1 B for extra low-frequency output. Compared with the Raidho X1t from the sister brand, the MB1 B is rated 2 dB more sensitive and its lower -3 dB point sits 25 Hz deeper.

Alternatives

The Scansonic L-5 Compact Monitor is the brand's smaller and far cheaper bookshelf model from the L-Series.