Two things: 1) These speakers retail for $2,000 USD/pair. 2) Red not your cup o' tea? That's fine. They are also available in a white gloss, a black gloss, and a walnut veneer.
Thanks Shaun :-) I'm pleased you don't consider yourself a "professional audiophile" LOL woofer diameter is often over-exaggerated - I mean who would say that they have a 4.5" woofer :-) - measure the cone diameter & add a few mm for the surround, which will also radiate sound but will depend on the surround geometry... ) one of many "sins" in loudspeaker measurement... Even fewer manufacturers will mention dynamic compression due to mechanical parts heating-up ) or phase response or power response - this is where an experienced listeners assessment is invaluable - www.klippel.de/know-how/measurements/sound-radiation-and-propagation/area-of-radiation.html
I find it frustrating I am only able to smash the like button one time...... You keep testing the speakers on my radar! Keep up the good work with these reviews.
@ Steve Miller....Abracadabra; you must have a stack of audio gear. However, flying like a eagle I dunno when you'd get the time to play with all the gear. 🎵 Sorry, couldn't resist...trying to be the joker, but sounding more like a space cowboy.🐗
Thanks for the review SEan. 2k, no bass, good aesthetics. Now I know what I do want for my money; it's clearer now the kind of sound I like. Thank you. As usual, very practical review.
Usher is definitely underrated, had the S520/SW520 combination for a number of years. Kick myself in the azz daily for getting rid of that setup. Wish their stuff was easier to get... kinda hard to find anymore
It is ironic that usher products are rarely seen in high-end audio stores in Taiwan, because usher products will make high-end audio in Europe difficult to sell. The owner of usher once vowed to take care of Taiwan's young ears first, without developing new ears. There is no need to say anything, so the price of usher in Taiwan is cheaper than that of European brands, and usher must set up its own store. I'm a honest Taiwanese.
Usher Audio BE-718 sounded better than some of the 5K speakers I heard at a show.. I sold mine and I was hunting for another pair of BE-718 and found another pair. The pair you're reviewing look like a pair of JA's Pulsar2 Graphene's almost identical, if this speaker is anything like the BE-718 it should be a hit!
Another great review... a bit out of my range at the moment. Enjoying Polk T50’s to start my journey from an early video of yours... one step at a time
So many great choices ar $2k and below. I'm enjoying my $374 a pair 2 week old Elac Uni Fi UB5 s right now watching the World Series. A lot I can do with the left over $1626.
I always really enjoy your final comparisons segments very much! It's really the best part of the review! Too bad no Elac for this roundup :-) I have the P3s but my living room is small so they are perfect for me. Can I send you some photos of my setup for some suggestions? Thank you!
Nice to be back Usher! Great review, Sean and I want you to listen and review the Wharfedale's new Evo 4 range, especially the 3 way bookshelf 4.2 model..
I would love to hear your take on the Technics SB-C700 standmount - Concentric design with a 6” woofer and .75” tweeter - Often compared to that very famous concentric design bookshelf with curved cabinet and similarly impressive industrial design - usually comes out the winner in a head-to-head comparison. It’s been out for a number of years now and also Stereophile Class A recommended component but not a lot of reviews on it.
You are referring to the Kef LS50 with the Uni - Q driver. You should know that the design is not new: it was patented by Tannoy (aka the Harbeth - killer) back in the 40's. Budget allowing, you should take a hard look at Tannoy. Don't look forward to a review of the Technics. Keep in mind that the very best speakers are never reviewed on TH-cam reviews, for reasons that I won't get into.
@@stevenholt5484 Thanks for your feedback. I'm also familiar with the concentric driver's history. I still would love to see Sean's one-take review of the Technics and perhaps of the new Tannoy Golds that were just introduced/reintroduced. Thanks again
👍👍👌👌👏👋👋 Well Sean let me tell you one of your best reviews I feel I know the speakers the way they sound the way they feel thanks to your excellent descriptive review you've reached the Pinnacle of your reviewing simply fantastic hats off to you a big fan Steve Costello...
Great job Sean. On the budget side, Edifice r2000db black lacquers look identically gorgeous. $250 and self- powered so of course not a proper direct comparison performance wise. Moving up the line I suspect a pair of Def Tech D-9 s are every bit similar and refined and styled at a much lower price point. Best, Mario
Just to clarify one thing: diameter of the speaker driver is measured from center of the mounting hole, where screw goes, to the the same opposing hole. It is also know as BCD - bolt circle diameter. And it is so because of the manufacturing reasons. And for that reason there is not a single speaker driver that has the same effective diameter as the one that's in the specifications, because it would be impossible. Exact size of the speaker driver is not really important to end user.
Yes,......I like or don't mind grills or covers on my speakers. It helps to keep the dust, bugs, spilled food, beer, wine, drinks and cats off of the important and expensive components.
Really good review Sean and the comparative at the end is an excellent way to highlight their properties in comparison to others of similar price. Would it be too much to ask to review a pair of Totem Mite Ts. This is a speaker with a similar layout of double midrange driver in a two way system. It is the closest configuration to my Proac EBTs. If you can’t I understand.
Really exclusive presentation ,love the design , some baby Rel subs would make for a classy style dinner party clean background music. Would be a beautiful compact presentation... ✌️
Another awesome review Sean. Are you on a record setting mission bro ? You just keep popping out review after review. I'm not complaining by any means I'm actually being complimentary. I'm so looking forward to your review of the Monster made in the USA speakers I know you have in the wings. Rock on \m/ bro.
The Dancer-2 minitowers from 8 years ago have better bass (2 x 7" mid/woofers) and meatier midrange with that same gorgeous finish as your review speakers. Sorry to see they haven't imported them yet.
I'm just starting to learn more about Usher Speakers...of course this is a lower end product of Usher but there dancer mini and dancer mini x are sweeet
Nice one, thanks for the review. Listened to a pair of Acoustic Energy 500 bookshelves at a show here... similar price to buchardt s400s which I currently own. Highly recommend checking them out if you get the chance.
Usher seems to be speakers that punch way way above there price range...the cost in the US is higher than other places in the world, if you can even find them at all inside the US...do a TH-cam search for the Usher dancer mini and dancer mini X...crazy good speakers...the detail and soundstage is incredible...this Usher speaker is a lower end produduct from Usher...
Many high-end audio shop owners in Taiwan have long eyes above their heads. The young salaried class wants to audition. They won't bother you, let alone turn on the young ears for audition. They are passionate about the pockets of rich people, and of course they have good stores. , I will welcome young people to audition, and even bring tea to young people, the usher shop welcomes young people to audition, this is what I know.
Hey Shaun,, thanks for all the efforts you put. one question,, any idea when the new double impacts review is coming out? I'm basically waiting for your review before I pull the plug on em'
Really enjoy your reviews. You really spend allot of time and cover almost everything from A-Z You provide so much information very through. I do have one question though i don't recall every seeing anyone doing a speaker review that demos speakers using the bi-amp feature? Is this just a marketing ploy?
Thank you for another great review!! This might be the only Usher Audio review in English!! Can you please review more Usher products like the S520 bookshelf speakers. They also make pre amps, power amps and integrated amps which are high quality and budget friendly.
@@RennieAsh actually very different. My Be718 uses Beryllium tweeters, where Be-10's I have uses diamond tweeters. Be718 in comparison is more forward, Be-10 has more depth. I feel Be-10 needs to be pulled further from wall to sound best tho, def need a bigger room to breath, IMO. Both sound crisp+fast+punchy. Be-10 do sounds wider and more relaxed.
I enjoy these reviews and your subjective opinions. I like it that you tend to be self-calibrating which cannot be easy. Even as to appearance. I do get a little weary of the industry's enormous *pile* of 'two porthole boxes." It's just me, I'm sure. But it's becoming kind of a quagmire of these speakers, an overgrown jungle of them. I'm not complaining. I'm just conveying what seems almost more like a choice of shape and color than of other factors. Is appearance a really big factor in purchasers' minds. I suppose so. We also seem to be in a changing HiFi economy, where manufacturers are aiming more for high sales volume. And that's fine. Speakers and amps that are, perhaps, 95% as good at 20% of the price can't be bad, but worrisome if you're PS Audio or McIntosh. That extra 3% generally costs a lot more. *I liken it to buying a Rolex when you just want to tell the correct time.* I'm wondering about the future of HiFi music as a fashion industry? "Can I get that in rose gold?"
Is there a mini system you can put together for brighter sounds, for example Klipsch bookshelf but what Amp though and power. I tried Cambridge Minixl system and that was too sharp an tiring and I did not enjoy :( Denon CEOL N9 was clear but lacked something overall thin on mids. Q acoustics speakers very thick treble. So far I enjoyed ELAC, Jamo and Klipsch sounds ...
Usher? Yeah. You probably know Mark (dorokusai) Nxxxxr, formerly of Polk A. He had some Ushers he liked and would often bring to audio gatherings. Polk Fests, around the period that they got hot.
I realize the adante's are much larger but just going off of the overall sound quality wouldn't The elac be a no-brainer at $1,500 a pair compared to these Usher's
Depends on what you want. Big scale and dynamics? The ability to dole out palpable bass with excellent power handling? The Adantes have it all over the Ushers in that regard. But they won't touch the top end performance of the Ushers, and one could argue that the timbre of the Ushers will be slightly more natural. The Adantes also need careful attention when it comes to placement and equipment matching. The Ushers? Not so much (beyond the benefit of connecting them to high-end gear). So as always, it's all a matter of what you're looking for and what you can accommodate.
The German Canton speakers have always measured the external driver size. However, their woofers make excellent bass no matter what the size. If you want honesty in driver sizes then buy Paradigm, but then again you will pay for them. My Monitor 11 speakers have three 6.5" woofers, and a separate mid and tweeter. The bass is so enormous I don't use a sub woofer with them, but also drive them with 200 watts/channel at .05 % THD. You see real full range speakers need a real amp to drive them. You pay for what you get.
A little dip as you would expect.... Say whaaa... Nice thoughts though. Unless you have kids that are going to be touching them I don't see how they would get fingerprinted a lot
Two things: 1) These speakers retail for $2,000 USD/pair. 2) Red not your cup o' tea? That's fine. They are also available in a white gloss, a black gloss, and a walnut veneer.
Zero Fidelity the red is absolutely beautiful in person though!
Thanks Shaun :-) I'm pleased you don't consider yourself a "professional audiophile" LOL
woofer diameter is often over-exaggerated - I mean who would say that they have a 4.5" woofer :-) - measure the cone diameter & add a few mm for the surround, which will also radiate sound but will depend on the surround geometry... ) one of many "sins" in loudspeaker measurement... Even fewer manufacturers will mention dynamic compression due to mechanical parts heating-up ) or phase response or power response - this is where an experienced listeners assessment is invaluable - www.klippel.de/know-how/measurements/sound-radiation-and-propagation/area-of-radiation.html
You are on a roll. Excellent review.
Beautifully made. Like always great review
I find it frustrating I am only able to smash the like button one time...... You keep testing the speakers on my radar! Keep up the good work with these reviews.
Another great review Sean. You must have a lot of fun playing around with all that gear, I know I would like to.
Thanks man.
Thanks. I consider myself fortunate to be able to spend time with so many exceptional hi-fi components.
@ Steve Miller....Abracadabra; you must have a stack of audio gear. However, flying like a eagle I dunno when you'd get the time to play with all the gear. 🎵
Sorry, couldn't resist...trying to be the joker, but sounding more like a space cowboy.🐗
nostro1001 That's very clever. LOL I have an old stereo system and have only recently added a iMac when my CD player died.
That is on sharp looking speaker. Love the finish work, and the dual binding posts. Thanks for another great review man!
Thanks for the review SEan. 2k, no bass, good aesthetics. Now I know what I do want for my money; it's clearer now the kind of sound I like. Thank you. As usual, very practical review.
Usher is definitely underrated, had the S520/SW520 combination for a number of years. Kick myself in the azz daily for getting rid of that setup. Wish their stuff was easier to get... kinda hard to find anymore
It is ironic that usher products are rarely seen in high-end audio stores in Taiwan, because usher products will make high-end audio in Europe difficult to sell. The owner of usher once vowed to take care of Taiwan's young ears first, without developing new ears. There is no need to say anything, so the price of usher in Taiwan is cheaper than that of European brands, and usher must set up its own store. I'm a honest Taiwanese.
Usher Audio BE-718 sounded better than some of the 5K speakers I heard at a show.. I sold mine and I was hunting for another pair of BE-718 and found another pair. The pair you're reviewing look like a pair of JA's Pulsar2 Graphene's almost identical, if this speaker is anything like the BE-718 it should be a hit!
Another great review... a bit out of my range at the moment. Enjoying Polk T50’s to start my journey from an early video of yours... one step at a time
usher makes great speakers. thanks for the review.
its a pretty speaker, i usually dont like metal mesh in front of my tweeter but this is tastefully done :)
So many great choices ar $2k and below. I'm enjoying my $374 a pair 2 week old Elac Uni Fi UB5 s right now watching the World Series. A lot I can do with the left over $1626.
I always really enjoy your final comparisons segments very much! It's really the best part of the review! Too bad no Elac for this roundup :-) I have the P3s but my living room is small so they are perfect for me. Can I send you some photos of my setup for some suggestions?
Thank you!
Nice to be back Usher! Great review, Sean and I want you to listen and review the Wharfedale's new Evo 4 range, especially the 3 way bookshelf 4.2 model..
I would love to hear your take on the Technics SB-C700 standmount - Concentric design with a 6” woofer and .75” tweeter - Often compared to that very famous concentric design bookshelf with curved cabinet and similarly impressive industrial design - usually comes out the winner in a head-to-head comparison. It’s been out for a number of years now and also Stereophile Class A recommended component but not a lot of reviews on it.
You are referring to the Kef LS50 with the Uni - Q driver. You should know that the design is not new: it was patented by Tannoy (aka the Harbeth - killer) back in the 40's. Budget allowing, you should take a hard look at Tannoy. Don't look forward to a review of the Technics. Keep in mind that the very best speakers are never reviewed on TH-cam reviews, for reasons that I won't get into.
@@stevenholt5484 Thanks for your feedback. I'm also familiar with the concentric driver's history. I still would love to see Sean's one-take review of the Technics and perhaps of the new Tannoy Golds that were just introduced/reintroduced. Thanks again
You knocked it out of the park.
👍👍👌👌👏👋👋
Well Sean let me tell you one of your best reviews I feel I know the speakers the way they sound the way they feel thanks to your excellent descriptive review you've reached the Pinnacle of your reviewing simply fantastic hats off to you a big fan
Steve Costello...
Thanks man! That's always the goal!
@@ZeroFidelity you're very welcome Sean you hit every point of the review process well done once again
Great job Sean. On the budget side, Edifice r2000db black lacquers look identically gorgeous. $250 and self-
powered so of course not a proper direct comparison performance wise. Moving up the line I suspect a pair of Def Tech D-9 s are every bit similar and refined and styled at a much lower price point. Best, Mario
Just to clarify one thing: diameter of the speaker driver is measured from center of the mounting hole, where screw goes, to the the same opposing hole. It is also know as BCD - bolt circle diameter. And it is so because of the manufacturing reasons. And for that reason there is not a single speaker driver that has the same effective diameter as the one that's in the specifications, because it would be impossible. Exact size of the speaker driver is not really important to end user.
Yes,......I like or don't mind grills or covers on my speakers. It helps to keep the dust, bugs, spilled food, beer, wine, drinks and cats off of the important and expensive components.
Really good review Sean and the comparative at the end is an excellent way to highlight their properties in comparison to others of similar price. Would it be too much to ask to review a pair of Totem Mite Ts. This is a speaker with a similar layout of double midrange driver in a two way system. It is the closest configuration to my Proac EBTs. If you can’t I understand.
Really exclusive presentation ,love the design , some baby Rel subs would make for a classy style dinner party clean background music. Would be a beautiful compact presentation... ✌️
Another awesome review Sean. Are you on a record setting mission bro ? You just keep popping out review after review. I'm not complaining by any means I'm actually being complimentary. I'm so looking forward to your review of the Monster made in the USA speakers I know you have in the wings. Rock on \m/ bro.
Hi sir I do enjoy your review a lot I would like you to review the aerial and amphion bookshelf speakers
The Dancer-2 minitowers from 8 years ago have better bass (2 x 7" mid/woofers) and meatier midrange with that same gorgeous finish as your review speakers. Sorry to see they haven't imported them yet.
I'm just starting to learn more about Usher Speakers...of course this is a lower end product of Usher but there dancer mini and dancer mini x are sweeet
Just moved into a new house, and as soon as I unbox my Elac UF5s… yeah, I'm going to measure the woofer! LoL 😂
Would love to hear your take on Acoustic Energy 500's.
Yes compair. Very good
Nice one, thanks for the review. Listened to a pair of Acoustic Energy 500 bookshelves at a show here... similar price to buchardt s400s which I currently own. Highly recommend checking them out if you get the chance.
Usher seems to be speakers that punch way way above there price range...the cost in the US is higher than other places in the world, if you can even find them at all inside the US...do a TH-cam search for the Usher dancer mini and dancer mini X...crazy good speakers...the detail and soundstage is incredible...this Usher speaker is a lower end produduct from Usher...
From your description they seem like the Usher S520 I used to own, perhaps more refined though, there seems to be an Usher house sound.
Just visited my local dealer to visit the Harbeth P3sers I want to buy. God, they are tiny but the sound really fills a room. I want em so bad!!
Many high-end audio shop owners in Taiwan have long eyes above their heads. The young salaried class wants to audition. They won't bother you, let alone turn on the young ears for audition. They are passionate about the pockets of rich people, and of course they have good stores. , I will welcome young people to audition, and even bring tea to young people, the usher shop welcomes young people to audition, this is what I know.
There's a laser beam emanating from the tweeter. Got it!
Hey Shaun,, thanks for all the efforts you put. one question,, any idea when the new double impacts review is coming out? I'm basically waiting for your review before I pull the plug on em'
The current ETA is mid-November. I've been swamped by other gear, and accommodating a big set of towers requires a bit of schedule maneuvering.
@@ZeroFidelity I appreciate your reply and I praise your efforts.. Thank you Shaun,, can't wait to see it
Really enjoy your reviews. You really spend allot of time and cover almost everything from A-Z You provide so much information very through. I do have one question though i don't recall every seeing anyone doing a speaker review that demos speakers using the bi-amp feature? Is this just a marketing ploy?
Wow! That color though..
Man I want to like these but you said it's not good for the type of music I mostly listen to. Well thanks for another great review.
Itsbest to find out now instead of after you buy them.
@@progressiveguy9959 True.
Thank you for another great review!! This might be the only Usher Audio review in English!! Can you please review more Usher products like the S520 bookshelf speakers. They also make pre amps, power amps and integrated amps which are high quality and budget friendly.
What's a great choice speaker in 3-4k pr range for rock music?
I have Usher's Be-10 and Be-718
Do they have a similar sound characteristic aside from more bass in the big one?
@@RennieAsh actually very different. My Be718 uses Beryllium tweeters, where Be-10's I have uses diamond tweeters.
Be718 in comparison is more forward, Be-10 has more depth. I feel Be-10 needs to be pulled further from wall to sound best tho, def need a bigger room to breath, IMO. Both sound crisp+fast+punchy. Be-10 do sounds wider and more relaxed.
Maybe their including the surround in the driver size since a large, compliant surround can increase bass extension.
If it doesn't move, then I don't count it! :D
I don't see any US routes to purchase Usher.
I enjoy these reviews and your subjective opinions. I like it that you tend to be self-calibrating which cannot be easy. Even as to appearance.
I do get a little weary of the industry's enormous *pile* of 'two porthole boxes." It's just me, I'm sure. But it's becoming kind of a quagmire of these speakers, an overgrown jungle of them. I'm not complaining. I'm just conveying what seems almost more like a choice of shape and color than of other factors. Is appearance a really big factor in purchasers' minds. I suppose so.
We also seem to be in a changing HiFi economy, where manufacturers are aiming more for high sales volume. And that's fine. Speakers and amps that are, perhaps, 95% as good at 20% of the price can't be bad, but worrisome if you're PS Audio or McIntosh. That extra 3% generally costs a lot more. *I liken it to buying a Rolex when you just want to tell the correct time.*
I'm wondering about the future of HiFi music as a fashion industry? "Can I get that in rose gold?"
How is this compared to SVS Ultra?
Is there a mini system you can put together for brighter sounds, for example Klipsch bookshelf but what Amp though and power. I tried Cambridge Minixl system and that was too sharp an tiring and I did not enjoy :( Denon CEOL N9 was clear but lacked something overall thin on mids. Q acoustics speakers very thick treble. So far I enjoyed ELAC, Jamo and Klipsch sounds ...
Are you going to review Tannoy speakers?
Whenever Tannoy is interested in sending me something to talk about!
Oh ok! Is that how you gotten other speakers brands been done too?
@@rangeend5773 Yep. I sit back. They reach out. I review.
Ok, That’s makes it easy!
I have Usher Mini Dancer DMD 2 and I would like Diamond midrange drivers
That would be nice! And expensive!
The be10 has a beryllium midrange apparently. $$ though
looks like Joseph Audio Pulsar
Btw lol agreed, lying about woofer size is eventually going to affect your relationship with your customers and your prospective girlfriends
Is that really even a 5 inch woofer?
Wonder how it compares to my Usher BE-718 Tiny Dancer...
Would love to see measurements of this one as the 718be measured pretty flat from memory.
So how exactly does one measure the size of a woofer? From the outside of the surround or whar?
Outside of the surround. Or to put it even more simply: If it doesn't move, it doesn't count.
@@ZeroFidelity For decades the basket is also included in the measurement
Usher? Yeah. You probably know Mark (dorokusai) Nxxxxr, formerly of Polk A. He had some Ushers he liked and would often bring to audio gatherings. Polk Fests, around the period that they got hot.
Yep. Quite a few Polkies had em'.
Diamond coating like the B&W 800 series?
There's a slight difference, but both B&W and Ushers diamond materials are man-made in a controlled laboratory process.
@@ZeroFidelity vapour deposition I'm guessing
triangle is better?
I realize the adante's are much larger but just going off of the overall sound quality wouldn't The elac be a no-brainer at $1,500 a pair compared to these Usher's
Depends on what you want. Big scale and dynamics? The ability to dole out palpable bass with excellent power handling? The Adantes have it all over the Ushers in that regard. But they won't touch the top end performance of the Ushers, and one could argue that the timbre of the Ushers will be slightly more natural. The Adantes also need careful attention when it comes to placement and equipment matching. The Ushers? Not so much (beyond the benefit of connecting them to high-end gear). So as always, it's all a matter of what you're looking for and what you can accommodate.
@@ZeroFidelity Thanks Sean! Makes sense.
The German Canton speakers have always measured the external driver size. However, their woofers make excellent bass no matter what the size. If you want honesty in driver sizes then buy Paradigm, but then again you will pay for them. My Monitor 11 speakers have three 6.5" woofers, and a separate mid and tweeter. The bass is so enormous I don't use a sub woofer with them, but also drive them with 200 watts/channel at .05 % THD. You see real full range speakers need a real amp to drive them. You pay for what you get.
Just like the klipsch rp 600m. They don't even measure 6 inches. 🤭
At this price range, competition= Buchardt
SVS Ultra for less.
A little dip as you would expect....
Say whaaa...
Nice thoughts though.
Unless you have kids that are going to be touching them I don't see how they would get fingerprinted a lot
Have the Harbeths got chicken pox?
Front ported!
I hate the large DIAMOND DMD on the tweeter plate
haha The text is rather... prominent... isn't it ?
Zero Fidelity compensating for the small size of the woofer maybe haha
there was only one bleeding speaker here and that was you, good grief !!!!!!!!!!!!
I would love to see him review a raspberry pi streamer like Digione.
Just to be sure....a Diamond doesn't 'shine' it reflects 🤣
Was waiting for somebody to say that. Didn't take long! :D
@Jason Reyes I couldn't resist 🤣🤣🤣
I've never heard that from a girl before I feel sorry for you mate, usually say I'm not taking that monster ha ha
Are you exaggerating about your woofer...
genesis777 it’s prob a lil tweet tweet 😂😂😂
These speakers look terrible