The Good:  Exceptional build quality; Great appearance; Produces a big sound; Incredible midrange performance; First rate driver integration; Very easy to listen to over any genre of music; Can play loud

 

The Bad: Difficult to audition before buying, Expensive shipping, Will not do your taxes or clean your dishes

 

The Bottom Line: If you find yourself saying: “I want a small speaker that looks good, sounds nearly as big as a floorstander, can play loud, can be used in rooms both big and small, is non-fatiguing, and can sound great with all types of music”, than Lenehan Audio’s ML1’s are right up your alley.

 

Specifications: $2,484 USD (shipped)

 

Cabinet: 18mm HDF composite, Differential Cancellation bracing.
Tweeter: 1 inch chambered textile dome.
Mid-bass driver: 5.5 inch Nomex cone.
Frequency response: 50 - 25.000Hz +/- 1.5db
Sensitivity: 86dB @ 2.83V/m
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, minimum 6.5 ohms @ 200Hz

Cabinet dimensions (HxWxD): 325 x 170 x 245mm (12.8 x 6.7 x 9.6")
Weight (per speaker): 11 kg (24lbs)

 

THE REVIEW

 

You’ve probably never heard of Lenehan Audio. In fact, there is a strong chance that a number of audiophiles within Australia are also unfamiliar with the name. Don’t let their obscurity give you a false impression of inexperience though. Mike Lenehan and his small team have been quietly crafting custom loudspeakers for 17 years. In 2005, Lenehan Audio initiated the ML1 project, which is essentially an effort to design a compact monitor that represents the culmination of all the lessons learned throughout nearly two decades worth of speaker building.

 

The ML1 was designed to be a premium transducer with no equal within its range.  If you were to note that such ambitions are certainly nothing new, I’d agree. Nor is the concept of creating a high performance two-way monitor particularly new either. After all, at least half a dozen or so monitors are released into the market every month of the year. Still, like all die-hard designers, Mike Lenehan feels that there is a void in the market that requires filling.  To paraphrase some text from the Lenehan Audio website:   The ML1 was developed to maximize the strengths of mini-monitors while eliminating the weaknesses associated with the design, compromises which typically entail limited bass output, bass extension, and power handling.

 

In other words, the ML1’s were designed to sound big, natural, play louder than most similar sized loudspeakers, and do so from a package that wont beak the bank.

 

Under the Hood

 

So what’s the mojo behind the ML1? The answer is simple. It’s all in the details. Start off with a smart design, throw in premium parts that are typically reserved for speakers in a whole different price range, give lots of attention to fine tuning and quality control, and you’ve got the basic ML1 formula.  Normally this is about the time when I would riff over the technical details curtailing the loudspeakers design, but since Mike Lenehan has done such a wonderful job citing nearly every aspect of the ML1’s design on his company website, I’ll let those with a thirst for juicy tech info to get their fill over there.

 

For the rest of you that are too lazy to click on the link but still want a basic run down of the ML1, here are the cliff notes. The ML1’s design starts off by using a cabinet constructed of HDF (high density fiber), a material that is more rigid and inert than the more common MDF (medium density fiber) board that is used to form the skeleton of most of today’s loudspeakers. HDF, though difficult to work with, offers superior damping and drastically reduces energy storage within the cabinet. To reduce resonance even further, The Lenehan team developed a bracing technique they refer to as “differential bracing cancellation”, which essentially uses a special configuration of braces composed of different materials to ‘cancel out’ opposing resonances within the cabinet.

 

Cool as that stuff may be, according to Mike Lenehan, it’s the new PRC crossover that is largely responsible for the ML1’s performance. From the use of hand wound inductors that weigh half as much as some compact loudspeakers themselves, extremely high grade capacitors, and high tolerance resistors, the ML1 is as pimped out as it gets for a speaker in this price range.

 

The final cherry on top comes with Lenehan Audio’s dedication towards quality control. All of their stuff is put together in-house and not on an assembly line. Before a set of speakers are shipped out to their new owners, the Lenehan team tunes each set within exacting tolerances.  Just how close you ask? Well, even the torque on the screws that hold down the drivers are pressured evenly.  Now THAT’s precision!

 

First Impressions

 

“Holy crap” must have been the first words that slipped out of my mouth as I hefted two beautiful aluminum flight cases out of their shipping carton. It became immediately clear where a good part of the shipping costs stem from. These speakers are packaged to withstand a nuclear blast. Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement, but the care and attention given to the ML1’s packaging is well beyond anything I’ve seen from a hi-fi product at or even near this price point. Great effort has been invested to ensure that the ML1’s will arrive to your abode in perfect condition, regardless of where your global coordinates may be.

 

Another “holy crap” moment soon followed as I laid my eyes on the ML1’s for the first time.  These are really beautiful speakers. Audiophilia reviewer Anthony Kershaw likened the workmanship to artisan quality, and I’ve have to agree. The ML1’s are offered in two finishes, Titanium Metalic and Radiant Ebony.  The speakers pictured in this review were finished in Titanium Metalic, which is essentially a dark piano gloss finish with light grey flakes. The result is a very regal look that exudes class and confidence. The magnetic grills are also a very welcome touch. It’s worth noting that the speakers look substantially darker in person than what is pictured on Lenehan Audio’s website.

 

DETAILED PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

 

Flowing in direct parallel to ML1’s appearance is a muscular, no-nonsense aural presentation that communicates power and refinement.  One of the first things anyone should notice within the first few moments of listening to the ML1’s is how they can effortlessly  toggle between tactile and dynamic musical passages without  sounding flustered and compressed.  Their ability to take control over the ebb and flow of the music at loud volumes without diminishing tone, imaging, or dynamics is typically a talent reserved for much larger loudspeakers.  This ability has nothing to do with big bass, and everything to do with recreating solid musical density.

 

Still, if you are expecting hi-fi spectacular from the ML1’s, than you may be disappointed with their sound. Instead of blowing you away with dazzling treble or chest thumping bass, Mike Lenehan chose to balance all of the aural virtues paramount to musical reproduction. With the ML1’s, you get a smooth top end that’s detailed, but not so much so that it detracts from enjoying recordings that were not given the audiophile treatment. You get strong and commanding bass, but it’s not so overdone that you will need to run a beefy solid state amp just to keep the woofer under control. Instead, the ML1 masterfully balances both extremes. You get the rhythmic and organic qualities that are coveted by the tube crowd along with the grip and linearity that is revered by the “tell it like it is” crowd. The result is a very satisfying presentation that is incredibly difficult not to enjoy, regardless of your listening bias and musical taste.

 

General Character:  The ML1’s take on a character that is dark and refined. Sorry rockers, but the ML1’s are not the type of speakers that will pull off the whole “It’s like the band is in my living room!” illusion. Instead, what you will get is closer to the classic ‘mid hall’ denotation, which invites you to listen into the music, instead of having it thrown within inches of your nose.

 

Treble: I absolutely love the tweeter Mike Lenehan employs on his ML1’s. It’s the first affordable soft dome I’ve encountered that mixes what I feel is the right blend of extension, detail,  and air, without ever falling into the over/under done category. It has enough resolution chops to showcase excellent recordings while at the same time possessing just the right touch of smoothness that allows you to enjoy less than perfect recordings. While my Martin Logan Vantages outgunned the little ML1’s in terms of resolution and transparency, the ML1’s held their own in terms of delivering the high frequency goods without suffering unevenness.

 

Midrange: Next to superb driver integration, the ML1’s midrange performance may be its most salient attribute. It is the definition of balance and spatial solidity. Quick, detailed, open, and organic, the ML1’s have no problems capturing the weight, sustain, and control of piano strikes, guitar strumming, or preserving the relationship between the harmonies of multiple instruments as they develop before you. Male vocals have just the right amount of depth while the power of large choir’s is well maintained courtesy of the ML1’s ability to deliver exceptional acoustic energy. If anything, the ML1’s only departure from linearity comes in the form of subtle organic shadings that are imbued into the sound. This gives the presentation a sort of refined character.

 

Bass: For a pair of compact monitors, the ML1’s sure pack a lot of low end gravitas. Flowing right in line with the midrange’s character, the bass is quick, tactile, robust, slightly organic, and holds to the tradition of delivering solid acoustic energy without sounding overly loud or muscle bound.  While other similar sized and similar priced monitors are rated down to 50Hz, the ML1’s are among the only monitors I know of that can hit those low notes with convincing authority. The truth is that despite what specifications may lead one to believe, most compact monitors begin to lose authority around the 70 to 80Hz mark. This inability to reproduce low end notes with good energy ultimately makes them sound like exactly what they are – small monitors. The big accomplishment with the ML1’s is that they sound nearly full range up until their frequency limits. Within those limitations, you will be treated to exceptional bass that will keep up with any kind of music you enjoy.

 

Imaging: They are mini-monitors, so you know these things caste a wonderful stereo image! Although the ML1’s do not rewrite any playbooks in terms of imaging, they nonetheless deliver the kind of satisfyingly wide soundstage that you would expect from such a design. Just don’t expect them to produce a grandiose wall to wall soundstage. Instead, the ML1’s focus more on soundstage depth, locking vocals and instruments into place between the speakers, and providing great separation that leaves the soundstage well defined and undisturbed. However, one uncommon talent they do retain is the knack for recreating great soundstage height. Most monitors are exceptional at the reproducing the horizontal plane, but usually fall short when capturing the vertical image.  Not the ML1’s. This additional soundstage height helps to further the illusion of a larger speaker at work. They also do a good job casting a coherent off-axis soundstage, which allows you to enjoy your music even as you move around the room.

 

Dynamics: This area has always been the downside of mini-monitors. Their small size and inability to move the air required to successfully deliver palpable dynamic scale has always been something of an Achilles heel to the design. Mike Lenehan aimed to remove this limitation in his ML1’s, and I would say that for the most part, he succeeded. As mentioned earlier, one of the more impressive attributes of the ML1’s is how naturally they can handle sudden dynamic swings without confusing or flustering up the presentation.  Even as you increase the volume, so long as you feed the ML1’s the right amount of current, they will play far louder and cleaner than most other speakers their size.  No, you still won’t get the visceral sensation of drum beats pounding on your chest, but if that’s your fancy, you shouldn’t be looking at monitors in the first place. That’s floorstander territory.

 

What they aren’t

 

Since there is no such thing as the perfect transducer, there will always be people who will find a fault in just about any piece of hi-fi. While the ML1 is as well rounded as it gets for a speaker of its type and price point, there are still a few things that it won’t do.

 

For starters, the ML1’s will not caste a “Live, from your living room” type of sound.  Instead, the speakers are voiced to remain neutral throughout their entire frequency range. I would encourage anyone who prefers a more up-front sound that contains sharp and detailed treble to look into offerings from Mark and Daniel.

 

And though the ML1’s retain a strong talent for sounding a lot bigger than they are, it is important to keep your expectations of their output realistic. While I am truly impressed by what Mike Lenehan has been able to accomplish with just a set of 5.5” woofers housed in a small cabinet, one has to remember that they are still mini-monitors. Don’t expect them to shake walls or to pound your chest with relentless low end grunt.

 

Otherwise, the only other mentionable compromise I can think of regarding the ML1’s has nothing to do with their performance and everything to do with the fact that unless you reside in Australia, auditioning  a set before buying may be nearly impossible. The good news is that ML1 offers a generous 21 day trial period as a safety net. The bad news is that you will still have to buy before you try.

 

The ML1 versus The One

 

When the ML1’s arrived to my door, I knew that a comparison between them and my set of 20^th anniversary monitors from popular Canadian manufacturer, Totem Acoustic, was inevitable. Although the ML1’s are disadvantaged in price, both speakers nonetheless act as perfect ambassadors to their respective creator’s philosophy in sound and music. Though physically similar in size, the two transducers are quite opposite of one another in general design. Mike Lenehan built the ML1 with the goal of eliminating cabinet resonance, whereas Vince Bruzesse tuned ‘The One’ to take advantage of it. Still, there is a shared goal of crafting the best loudspeaker possible for the money, and both the ML1 and The Onereflect each designer’s perspective and passion. So how do they compare?

 

First, let’s start off by focusing on some of The One’s talents. The One’s most salient attribute is their ability to sound free from their own enclosure. This unique disappearing act helps enable The One to project an incredibly holographic soundstage. When set up correctly, this soundstage will wrap around you and deliver an all encompassing experience that is very impressive and convincing. They simply communicate the music in a very expressive and involving manner. Best of all, The One’s will sound great regardless of where you sit or stand in the room. Their off-axis response is among the best I’ve heard from any speaker at any price point. You can stand to the side of or even behind the speakers and still get a very coherent and enjoyable presentation. Freaky!

 

Surprisingly, The One’s also seem to display slightly better dynamic chops than the ML1’s. Although the dynamic prowess of the ML1’s is among the best I’ve heard from a monitor in their class, The One’s take it up another notch by actually being able to startle me during transitions into sudden dynamic riffs. The careful use of an aluminum dome also helps to give The One better snap and clarity in the treble region, which allows instruments to take on more realistic grit and bite. The ML1’s use of the fabric dome also has its advantages in that it sounds more natural with vocals and is also less critical over recording material.  Both speakers offer superb midrange, with The One’s sounding clean and quick footed, while the ML1’s take on a meatier and richer tone. The same differences extend to the bass regions as well.

 

However, when it comes to sounding big and playing loud, the ML1’s quickly make The One’s sound every bit their size. Even though The One’s are slightly more dynamic and recreate a bigger soundstage, the ML1’s retain a more muscular presentation which gives the music a lot more authority and weight in a way that few other compact monitors can match.  While the One’s are exceptionally quick, agile and raw, the ML1’s are rich, muscular and sophisticated. Not only does this result in a more refined sound, but the voicing also gives the ML1 a big advantage in terms of versatility.

 

Simply put, the ML1’s are easier to work with. To attain great sound from The One’s, you will need to pay careful attention to equipment matching and set-up within a room. The ML1’s are far less demanding. Just give them some good power, tube or solid state, it doesn’t matter, and pick the best spot you can find in the room and then let the music play. It’s really that simple. Best of all, their smooth demeanor allows you to enjoy a wider breadth of recordings, meaning that you won’t have to shop specifically for ‘audiophile approved’ material to enjoy your pricey stereo system. Honestly, that alone is music to my ears.

 

The Wrap Up

 

What can I say? Now that I got a taste of that Australian goodness, I’m hooked. The ML1’s balance of musical virtues without inciting obvious vices is an extremely impressive accomplishment, especially at their price class. Although there are plenty of manufacturers working diligently to compete in this class, they will have to worker harder than hell to beat these things. If you are in the market for a kick-ass pair of speakers in this price range, take a chance and bring home a set of ML1’s. You’ll be glad that you did.

 

 

 

Associated Equipment

 

Source: Lector CDP 0.6 MK III CD-Player; Ayre CX-7e CD-Player
Integrated Amplifiers: Karan Acoustic KA I-180; McIntosh MA7000; Vista Audio i34

Cabling: Morrow Audio MA3 interconnects; Morrow Audio SP3 speaker cables

Other Speakers Used: Martin Logan Vantage; Totem Acoustic The One; Totem Acoustic Sttaf; Wilson Audio Watt Puppy ; Mark and Daniel Maximus Mini

 

 

Lenehan Audio

http://www.lenehanaudio.com.au/

 

36 Nind St

Southport QLD Australia 4215

mike@lenehanaudio.com.au