yo!
these speakers are ridiculous! er, i meant ridiculously PRICED! i bought them for only SGD199 and was amazed at what they can do!!!

midrange and treble: they are in the 'bright' side but not in the annoying way. the 'brightness' of the M1's are very delightful and makes instruments (specially string and brass instruments) sound very involving. my stardust album of willie nelson never sounded so 'real' before. there's a certain pint of 'brilliance' in the way M1's present the upper midrange and treble and they do it in a very MUSICAL way. it's like looking at a slightly (color) SATURATED picture; or adding another half teaspoon of sugar to your usual cup of coffee.

bass : i am using them right now with my Yamaha AX-570 (100watts/channel) and have tried cranking up the BASS to a 3o'clock position. eureka! the BASS are now there and it's not just BASS... IT IS VERY GOOD BASS!!! i listened to COREY GREENBERG'S EDEN with a solo electric GUITAR on the stereophile test cd 2 with the bass at 3o'clock and it was very very delightful and amazing! the level of 'there'ness of this test track as opposed to my own superzeroes and other more expensive speakers i've auditioned is remarkable! i guess it's that added pint of brightness of these speakers that make them musical. (note: i haven't completely burned them in yet!!!).

my wife actually heard this 'sibilance' right away when she was listening to Vanessa Williams' Color of the Wind (SONY/Walt Disney Love songs collection CD)- she knows the sound of this track with the superzeroes and she actually used the word 'huskiness or hoarseness'. but then again, it is to their advantage. i am not able to position them against a wall to reinforce the bass, so i am not able to listen to their normal bass. for now, i am using them with my BOSE' bass box (the bassbox is good but the sattelites are really non-audiophile). although i listen to them by themselves whenever possible - depending on the music.

imaging? IT'S TIGHT! very tight indeed! i've been RElistening to my cd albums since i bought them - and it's like i'm listening to them with NEW ears! you have to give a listen to these able speakers.

this review does not tell anyone that they are better than my superzeroes but it's only that it is really very different the way they portray the music. i planned to used them as my surround speakers but i'll have to use them as my LR speakers in the meantime until i replace my BOSE with a more decent sub.

for people with tight, or VERY TIGHT budget, these speakers are EXTREMELY RECOMMENDED! for SGD400, it can support your DTS/DD home theater and they will never let you down! EXPECT AMAZING THINGS FROM THESE LITTLE SPEAKERS - not as little as superzeroes though 2:)

for the price, it will leave you smiling... i am until now!!!
for the performance, it will leave you astounded... and i still am.

After reading the raving British press on the M1's, I was anxious to give them a try. Last week, I acquired a pair that were previously used as dealer demos, so they were well broken in. On first hearing, it was readily apparent that the Brits have been WELL justified in their praise! The highs and upper mid range are absolutely STUNNING, no doubt due to the fine fabric dome tweeter. Te lower register is full and tight, and with ample bass response for a small room. Although I wouldn't characterise the bass as "powerful" given the diminutive size of the M1's, it is sufficient to provide a very satisfying overall MUSICAL performance. I tried them both on stands and in a bookshelf situation. On stands (24" but should be a bit higher) they imaged great and were smoothly balanced on vocals like Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable" CD. In the bookshelf, they were still very good, but somewhat diffused in the imaging department. (I drove the M1's with a Denon CD player, VTL preamp and VTL poweramp, with audioquest ruby interconnects and Kimber speaker cable.) In summary, if you are looking for a very musically satisfying small speaker, the Tannoy M1's will deliver! They're not ProAc Response 1's or Dynaudio Contour 1.8MkII's, but at about 1/10 the cost, they are a must hear.

Seen it, Heard it, Bought it and Loving it. A well built box, and the definitechoice at its price range.

I have M1 as the rear surround for my HT for a few weeks, where I use M3 (the floor stand) for main, and MC for Center. So far, I am very pleased with the HT and M3 for audio only.
Then I made an experiment, using M1 as main, did the A/B comparison of M1 and M3, The verdict : I will give M1 a true 6 stars since I have already give M3 5 stars. They are nearly identical in audio presentation, except tighter bass for M1 and stronger boomy M3. Both are beautiful speakers, well built, and budget price. If M3 is good value for money, M1 is excellent. For less than USD150. It's really a sensible investment. BMW 302 and 601 are just as good as M1, but they cost twice or more.

The M1 surely outperforms any of the 3-4 ways mass produced Japanese speakers which sounds loud and electronic. M1 is simply simple, and simply musical, no colouring, no harsh brightness, simply great for the ear and soul. I put on
"Light House Family" on a Sunday afternoon, I fall into sleep (not it sounded boring), it just relaxed me. Making reading with background music a true enjoyment as well.

For the audio presentation, I give M1 5, for the price, I give 6.

For the budget enthusiast, these have got to be the best bang for the buck! Get a good receiver and dvd/cd player with proper interconnect and any modest sized room will be filled with great sound.
I will be upgrading to the M2's for fronts and moving the M1's to the back when it's feasible.

Even the wife's pleased with the price/performance of these little solid babies.

I have tannoys M1 for a year. Now I can say they`re the best pair in this size and price. They got EISA Award in 1998. Try it in Marantz-Yamaha system and you`ll find I`m right.

Performs to the limit of this type of design

Only those inherent to small speakers, and nothing severe

I picked these up today to slot into my second system in my study/office (Pioneer integrated amp and CD).

I've heard many small speakers of this general design over the years, but in recent times I've seen (and heard) nothing to better the M1 model. They produce good quality, lifelike and enjoyable sound for a remarkably low price. They are also easy to position, and respond well to average equipment whilst being able to produce good results when attached to more upmarket equipment. I'd hesitate to call them "hi-fi", but in their price range they earn a decisive 5 stars for both value and overall sound.

Amongst their competition the small Gale speakers did not impress due to their rather grainy sound. They are perhaps a little less coloured than the Tannoys, but I prefer enjoyable, sweet colouration to bland boxiness anyday. The small NAD speakers sound like every part is made of cardboard, which is not far from the truth. B&W and the other brands listed above are all very capable but don't compete in terms of price.

For good sound on a budget, or a system which will fit into a small room and fill it with pleasant noises, the Mercury M1 speakers still remain an excellent investment 2 years after they captured this end of the market.

Similar Products Used:

Gale, B&W, NAD, Mission, Mordant-Short and other bookshelf speakers

I have nothing but praise for the M1, not just because I've owned a pair for the past couple of months, but because it has exceptional articulation and resolution for a small speaker at its price point (or price points up to four or five times higher).Good 24-inch stands are essential, and a decent subwoofer helps smooth out the mid-bass and lets these little gems truly sparkle. For those who find the M2 too large or too expensive, the M1 is a terrific alternative.

initially a very impressive and lively sound

after longer listening, a lack of transparancy becomse very annoying. This 'narrow sound' as I would call it will not dissapear with other equipment: first I connected the speakers to my Kenwood m600 amplifier, then I tried the denon f10 receiver and finally my harman kardon 655 with a denon multibit cd player. All combination were not satisfactory. After a few days intense listening and moving them around the room and other rooms, I decided to switch to the B&W 302's. Much more natural and open sound, a relief !!
Recently I bought a pair of mission 700's and now I can compare the three with a long listening experience. Of these three,my preference goes to the Mission with its very precise and colourfull sound.

I am afraid I cannot really recommend these speakers (see weaknesses). Try the missions or the B&W 302 instead.....

Similar Products Used:

B&W dm2-2, mission 700, B&W 302, BNS E2

midrange.treble and considerable bass from small cabinet

none

i have had these speakers for over two years now and i still love them.i use them as my rear speakers on my yammy 596 but i occasionally plug them into the back of my rotel 970bx amplifier just to hear their sweet song.
they dont make speakers like these now .the mx1 which replaced these are no where near as good.
if u see a pair on sale cheap them i suggest u buy them.thay will be a collectors item in a few years time.

Similar Products Used:

mission700