{"id":4342,"date":"2014-05-15T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2014-05-14T20:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.abtec.co.nz\/blog\/?p=4342"},"modified":"2014-05-15T08:00:17","modified_gmt":"2014-05-14T20:00:17","slug":"digital-designs-m151-passive-monitor-speaker-product-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/digital-designs-m151-passive-monitor-speaker-product-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Designs M151 Passive Monitor Speaker Product Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Some days writing reviews can be a &#8220;Walk in the park&#8221; so to speak, however when it comes to writing reviews on products that a company made their name from can make it a touch harder. Sometimes to a point that you have to start the review all over again&#8230; This has been the case with this said review!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD5.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4404\" title=\"DD5\" src=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD5.jpg 600w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD5-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The design of the <strong>DD-M151&#8217;s<\/strong> are nice and simple with slight changes from the the last series of <strong>M151&#8217;s<\/strong> that had a piano black finish to a more modern brushed aluminium look, they still have the same 2-way layout as the old series but as the old saying goes &#8220;If it ain&#8217;t broke, don&#8217;t fix it&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Monitor<\/strong> covers now attach via magnets making them not only easier to add or remove but also give the <strong>Monitors<\/strong> a cleaner look without the covers, this to myself is a very cool feature as I like to be able to see speaker drivers but at the same time having a quick solution to cover them up when little poky fingers (children) are about as there is nothing worse than seeing a tweeter or dustcap pushed in by your own child.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD4.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4405\" title=\"DD4\" src=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"650\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD4.jpg 600w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD4-276x300.jpg 276w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Where to start with the <strong>Sound Quality<\/strong> of the <strong>DD-M151 Monitors<\/strong>!?! Well lets start from the beginning&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Out of the box no time was spared to have the <strong>DD-M151 Monitors<\/strong> hooked up to the <strong>ABTEC HK Receiver<\/strong>, however due to a review being written on the <strong>DD-IW6.5&#8217;s<\/strong> they didn&#8217;t get much play time till after said review was finished. Since then they have been played daily and have finally been run-in ready for a proper listen.<\/p>\n<p>As with the <strong>IW6.5&#8217;s<\/strong> the first thing I noticed with the <strong>DD-M151&#8217;s<\/strong> was the crisp clean sound from the Silk-Dome Tweeters, I can not start to explain the clarity these tweeters produce to a point that would do them proper justice! The 5&#8243; woofer also surprised me with the amount of bass they could produce, as 5&#8243; woofers aren&#8217;t known for bass and I&#8217;m not saying it was ground-pounding bass but they surely don&#8217;t lack at all on the bass end of things!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD3.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4406\" title=\"DD3\" src=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD3.jpg 600w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD3-300x213.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD6.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4407\" title=\"DD6\" src=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"747\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD6.jpg 600w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD6-240x300.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Features :<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tweeter : 1\u201d Natural Silk Dome, Cavity back<br \/>\nWoofer : 5\u201d driver, low distortion shorting ring motor design, high Performance Cone.<br \/>\nEnclosure : Like the other components, the <strong>DD-M151\u2019s<\/strong> enclosure has an important role in shaping the overall sonic response. In order to provide more stable performance, the <strong>DD-M151\u2019s<\/strong> enclosure employs MDF walls and unique interior reinforcement designed to absorb vibration generated under extreme conditions. We also utilize a tuned rear ports to extend the reproduction of very low frequencies<br \/>\nSpeaker Terminals : 5-way binding post speaker lead input terminals.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Specifications:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Driver(s) Woofer 5\u201d, Tweeter 1\u201d Silk Dome<br \/>\nImpedance 4 Ohm<br \/>\nType Two-way Passive Speaker System<br \/>\nProgram Power : 100 Watts<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4408\" title=\"DD1\" src=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"690\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD1-260x300.jpg 260w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Yet again I used two completely different songs\/genres for testing\/listening to the <strong>DD-M151 Passive Monitors<\/strong>, The first song was <strong>Hybron<\/strong> by <strong>Dark Elixir<\/strong>. The reason I chose <strong>Hybron<\/strong> was that it has alot of tracks layered which some <strong>Speakers\/Monitors<\/strong> can sometimes struggle with, however the on the <strong>DD-M151&#8217;s<\/strong> I could hear and pick each individual sound out from the rest making me appreciate the song to the point that I sat in the <strong>Audio Lounge<\/strong> and listened to <strong>Hybron<\/strong> a few more times.<\/p>\n<p>The next song I listened to on the <strong>DD-M151 Monitors<\/strong> was <strong>Estranged<\/strong> by <strong>Guns and Roses<\/strong>, there are several reasons for choosing <strong>Estranged<\/strong> as it has not only been one of my favourite songs since I was a teenager but it also has a\u00a0very moody-melodic piano building up into wailing guitar solos that are very different for modern rock and covers a very broad range on a musical scale. With the <strong>DD-M151&#8217;s<\/strong> playing <strong>Estranged<\/strong> at levels probably too loud for a &#8220;regular retail store&#8221; I found that with my eyes closed listening to an old favourite song was no long a musical experience but also an emotional one too!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4409\" title=\"DD2\" src=\"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"659\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DD2-273x300.jpg 273w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>My overall opinion of the <strong>Digital Designs M151 Monitors<\/strong> are that they are an amazing set of <strong>Monitor Speakers<\/strong>, especially when you take into account the <strong>Price Point Vs Sound Quality<\/strong>. I would run a subwoofer with the <strong>M-151&#8217;s<\/strong> if running them in your lounge or a large room but in a smaller room would be fine by them selves. At the price point they could not be beaten, in-fact I have just bought another pair in &amp; would happily buy a matching pair of Floor-standers if <strong>Digital Designs<\/strong> made them.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some days writing reviews can be a &#8220;Walk in the park&#8221; so to speak, however when it comes to writing reviews on products that a company made their name from can make it a touch harder. Sometimes to a point that you have to start the review all over again&#8230; This has been the case [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4342"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4342"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4342\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4418,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4342\/revisions\/4418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}