There are a lot of pages


Starting with Norway
See leading Hi-Fi expert Hakon Rognlien review of the Model A https://rognlien.wordpress.com/2017/12/17/stereo-monopulse/

"like a million for just a dime - I compare this reasonably priced speaker with anything money can buy"

"They deliver deep and mighty, with beautiful vocals - not something you normally find at this price bracket, if at all - a product to die for"

 

Over 1,000 postings, mainly in Norwegian, are on the hi-fi forum hifisentralenforum. We have no input.

A Model S standmount version (Then called the Model C) is on avforum-monopulse-heaven

Ole Iacob Norman reviewed this in - Norwegian

"Other speakers sound blurred and hazy by comparison"(What Hi-Fi)

Realism you can almost touch

 

A real "audio soul" review by Matej Isak for Mono and Stereo high-end magazine

"Does the impossible for such small loudspeakers - a full and rich sound which is never tiring."

"The sound is stunning. Sheer speed and integrity."
(Hi-Fi+)

 

Some magazine comments - further below for 40 others

Hi-Fi Choice

The Model A speaker at its second 'Best Buy' award from the prestigious Hi-Fi Choice.

Remarkably impressive coherence, accurately and convincingly defining the position of a performer in space.
What Hi-Fi

The MonoPulse Model S loudspeaker was given the top five star rating by What Hi-Fi.

Extraordinary powers of timing and resolution ... almost ridiculously good. Music is delivered with a precision that makes other loudspeakers sound blurred and hazy by comparison. The presence is enough to warrant five stars on its own. Five stars

Hi-Fi +The MonoPulse Model A received a fantastic review in Hi-Fi +.

Sheer vividness of their music making … the shock of reality …the sheer speed and integrity. Plenty of deep bass extension.
A genuine audiophile product at a very realistic price.

Hi-Fi news

Keith Howard, consultant Technical Editor for the prestigious Hi-Fi News, about the Model S.

Its fundamental honesty of sound is its key attribute and opens a window on a musical performance in a way that slugged-sounding speakers - of which there are still too many - never can. This is what real high fidelity is all about.

Many comments from buyers around the world.

All unsolicited. Countries include Portugal, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, USA, China, France, Germany, Norway, Spain, Holland, Australia and Slovenia.

Unsolicited e-mails from a knowledgeable customer, David Harvey, who recently purchased a Model A. First :-

A friend came over recently and had a listen and was speechless when I played some carefully selected CDs and records- he was particularly struck by some classical guitar pieces which sound extraordinary. He said that the notes seem to hang in the air if that doesn't sound too odd and heard things he'd never noticed before- fingers on strings, an intake of breath, squeak of a chair..

now just hanker to listen to music and especially as the complete system makes things so damn musical its hard not to

Then:-

A few thoughts about the speakers now that my system is as I want it and can therefore be considered 'finished'.

I have a big room and the Model As suit it very well. It is driven by a Musical Fidelity amp of some vintage and which has been upgraded by the estimable John Sansom who trades as JS Audio and who was engineer at MF for many years. The pre amp has tubes and the dual mono power stage produces something in the region of 250wpc into 8 ohms. I have tried the speakers with lower powered amplification and the results were excellent but now, fully run in and with the upgraded amp similarly ready to give of its best the results are, frankly jaw-dropping. The sound fills the room with extraordinary scale in a way I haven't heard from any stand mounted speaker and few floor standers and then not at anywhere near this price.

Allan suggested that I wouldn't need a sub woofer and I can confirm that is exactly right as on certain pieces, the earth or at least the room, heck the house, just moves. You feel the music through to your core but not ever at the expense of control. By experimenting with Allan's handy foam rectangles I have, or so I thought, got to a place when the speakers don't boom on me. My problem is that it is a sprung wooden floor and the room 'plays' particularly at higher levels and with music with low frequency energy- though of course some 'thinner' recordings still sound thin but that is hardly the fault of the Monopulses. However it isn't something that bothers me as all spaces have different sounds - some concert venues I have been to have very poor acoustics. 

Clarity is excellent, the leading edges of notes in particular are razor sharp. Plucks and taps hang in space and if playing at volume, can be felt as well as heard. Not that it sounds too harsh- unless fed with an overly bright source but rather the definition and space around the players/instruments is extraordinary; depth and width are apparent but not in a false or synthetic way it seems entirely natural- dependent at least on source material. My vinyl collection has also had a resurgence as the As coupled with my highly modified Thorens deck delivers an especially sweet and convincing sound. I have spent a fair bit of time cleaning records whilst listening to freshly cleaned LPs bought for pennies in charity shops- 5 for a pound and some gems amongst them! 

The Model As replace speakers which were renowned for their midrange clarity but by comparison they sounded very forward in the mids which makes me realise that the Model As are in fact much better balanced. I listen to a fair bit of Jazz as well as complex orchestral, acoustic and rock and the As seem to be as happy with one type of music as another. Vocals are handled naturally both female and male voices being clearly rendered. 

My speakers have walnut tops and tails and look very smart in their black cloth livery and the carrying handles makes moving them risk free and a very simple matter.

In conclusion I am highly delighted with my Model As and would recommend unreservedly.

Best wishes, David”

 

Christian Stam, Norway 9 July 2021

Hello Allan! All fine with me, and I enjoying listening to model A*. I use an ARC VSI60 Amp, and I think that is a very good match!! So I am happy!😊☀️

Tommy Vestsk, Norway

I got a hold on a set model A used for a very nais price. Im stil blown away! This speakers play bether then many speakers i heard that cost 10times more. I absolutly love them! I use them with a cayin amp. first time ever that i trew a way the boxes. And they are green, green!! My wife altso love them.

David McCrea

I Bought Your Speakers Many Years Ago Made By You. And To This Day I Just can Not Believe How They Perform So Perfectly. Sound Is Sound As Is Should Be. Thank You For What You Do !

Andy White

Hi, I’ve just won a pair of Monopulse Model A speakers on eBay and just wanted to feedback how pleased I am with them. I have been wedded to a certain brand of transmission line speakers for many years, and all I can say is wow! I’ve never heard speakers deliver such timing and imagery. I have spent the last few days rediscovering my music collection all over again. Thank you.

Mr. Paul Gjerden, Norway. Translation below.

'Det ordet som best beskriver opplevelsen er "nærvær". Lyden er gjennomsiktig og detaljert, diskanten er klokkeklar. Bassen er presis og dyp, nesten utrolig til å komme fra en 6,5 tommer. Det er ingen søt glasur over lyden, gode innspillinger lyder godt, dårlige innspillinger lyder - mindre bra. Og det er krefter i overskudd til å drive en 90 dB høyttaler. Jeg er veldig, veldig fornøyd!'

'The word that best describes the experience is "presence ". The sound is transparent and detailed, the treble is the bell. The bass is precise and profound, almost unbelievable to come from a 6.5 inch. There is no sweet glaze over the sound, good recordings sound good, bad recordings sounds-less good. And there are forces in the surplus to operate a 90 dB speaker. I am very, very happy!'

Ian Christiansen, Norway

"Hi Allan, Thank you for excellent speakers and outstanding service. It has been a pleasure buying from you.
Perfect for me that likes the speed and timing so much. I have started to play old records we have not listened to in years, after the kids are in bed, instead of the usual zapping the channels of the TV all evening.

Best regards, Ian "

A posting in the Norwegian forum hifisentralen.no

"Everybody knows wanting to upgrade. I have now taken "3 steps back" from MUCH more expensive.  I cannot remember relaxing as much and enjoying the music - with a system that cost the list price of the cables I used.  This is the music pleasure I've been looking for. That Monopulse could deliver at its price is ridiculous indeed."

Followed by an e-mail to me

Allan: “I have rediscovered some of the childlike joy of listening to music. Much thanks to your MonoPulse. It’s remarkable how the joy can appear out what seems like nowhere when the synergy of a system is right, regardless of price tag”. Thank you for making great speakers available at a cost normal people can afford.

Engineer Mike Smith, purchased un-auditioned

"Allan what can I say, the speakers are amazing. It's been worth the wait. Thank you once again Allan"

Gordon Anderson and Neil Wallace

"Stunning, fast and agile, well beyond what any other manufacturer offers for anything like this price. I have had over 60 pairs of speakers and these offer all of what I want. To say I am pleased is an understatement!" Gordan

"A constant grin and almost a tear on some tracks. I was a musician for 35 years and strived to find hi-fi that would produce the timbres of different instruments, but speakers have always been the final let down - till now. I look forward to many happy listening hours, knowing my search for speakers is now over. Thank you for such a lovely musical experience." Neil W.

Neil directly purchased Model S speakers.

"Just a quick note to let you know that the Model S speakers arrived safely and sound great!
After using them for two days I am extremely impressed with the ease in which they present music - effortless! I am using them with a Musical Fidelity amp (X-150), Apple TV and Spotify via Airplay - its a truly impressive set up that gets right to the heart of the music. Congratulations for producing such fine speakers."

Kevin McHale directly purchased Model A speakers.

" I am very pleased with my As. They are a very dynamic and lively sounding speaker, and make a very realistic and 'alive' sound with a huge amount of detail. The bass goes deep and they sound good at low and high volume. But they are not harsh or fatiguing. I particularly like the fact that they work well with my modestly powered Altmann BYOB amp, which is a 10W battery powered amp, but which creates more than enough volume for me through the As. A happy customer!"

Russell Baston ordered two pairs of MonoPulse speakers – without hearing either.

It was a pair of Model As for himself, and a pair of Model Ss for his father.

From: Russell Baston
To: <info@monopulse.co.uk>

I am discovering things, even not run in yet, there is a sense of ease and "rightness" to the sound that allows the equipment to disappear and just leave the music.

Just one example re the accuracy of the speakers. I was listening to the SACD recording of the Mozart Requiem, by Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, No.82876 58705 2, and I thought it sounded "odd", as if the choir was standing right up to the back of the orchestra. In the booklet it had a photo of the recording session, and where was the choir standing --.

You were right about "no sub woofer needed". The bass is very pure, solid and clean but only there when it should be.

My Dad is absolutely delighted with his speakers. He can listen for hours with no fatigue and is literally rediscovering most of his music. He does know a bit about it having been an organist and choirmaster for 20 years. The "room filling" abilities of such relatively small speakers is amazing! If you get any enquiries from people in my area I would be happy to give them a listen.

Thank you again. Russell."

Many Norwegians - and many pairs of MonoPulse hi-fi speakers.

How Hans Kise bought one pair unauditioned - and his two friends heard them and ordered.

From Hans.

"Good morning Allan,

The loudspeakers arrived Friday at 1430. Well ahead of scheduled. See pictures!

Two Hi Fi friends came later to see and hear. They were impressed. I’m playing as much as I can using the classic Marantz. When listening to music, I use the tube amplifier. During my friends visit we also used a small single ended tube amplifier with only 5 watts. And a rebuild / modified GRAAF GM20 OTL amplifier.

More later Allan. I’m enjoying the wonderful sound.

Regards, Hans."

 

Then, 12 weeks later.

"To: info@monopulse.co.uk Subject:
RE: Model A

Hello Allan,

Some members of Oslo Audio Society came to se me and listen to MonoPulse last Saturday. They were impressed! Really liked what they heard. We used both my 2 x 40W push pull amplifier and a small wonder using a single “rare” British tetrode (5B/255M) in a single ended configuration giving 6W output.

Wonderful sound and enough power for the Model A.

I haven’t taken the time to experiment with placing the loudspeakers in different positions. It’s soon winter time and not so much to do outside the house. More time for HiFi!

Best regards, Hans"

 

And 18 months later two of his friends ordered MonoPulse Model As - one a professional musician:

We delivered the latest restyled models, which they had not seen. They were in all black. The reaction?

"From: Kim.
To: Allan Hendry
Subject: Re: MonoPulse.

Hi Allan
I have been in Oslo today to pickup the speakers
They are simply beautiful - very good work, thanks !
My girl did immediately state, "Yes, they are nicer than the old ones."
I was a bit worried, but this is very nice - so the boss has accepted them already from pure looks.
Also after about 2 min 40 sec out in the first song she commented on some instruments in the song she had not heard before.
But I had them a bit to narrow spaced, I feel that they like to have a bit of distance between them. Now I have them a bit wider than my old speakers. They do deliver from the very first second a better defined sound than what I had before, "its more real". Sound is wider, with details that are focused/clean and easy to pickup/listen to.
Also it feels like my tube amp don't struggle to control the sound, songs where the old speakers did get mushy in. The bass is firm now but still don't miss anything in the delivered sound pressure.
All I can say is thanks, and for sure I will use lots of time to enjoy this new investment in life quality.

Thanks!

Kim B

and

Hello Allan.

I hope you have had a nice Easter-holiday. I have had a superb holiday listening to my new speakers!!

Thank you!

Best Regards from Sverre Caspersen


The reaction from the original buyer?

"Hello Allan,

The Monopulse community in Norway almost exploded. It was trippled in a few days.
I got a few photos from one of the new owners. He is so lucky with what he is hearing. So is everyone wisiting my place. Including the "hig end" members of Oslo Audio Society.
What shall I tell when I'm asked about the price of the speakers? Will you continue to sell them on the same conditions as we got?
Thank you for the sound and good music Allan.

Hans.


Then from someone who ordered after seeing the Norwegian web threads:

"Allan,

I got a very nice surprise when I got home after job. UPS had been on my door, and left the speakers at the postal office. I went there and picked them up, got home, unpacked them connecting to the amplifier - and there was sound ;)

It was amazing - right out of the box - I'm so impressed with the deep bass these speakers deliver - tight, fast and very precise. And the same goes upwards the frequency scale. The soundstage is big. Brian Bromberg's Wood & Wood II are so realistic, you can hear the man drag his hand over the strings, knocks gently on the wood and there is that growl in the bottom. I have been using AKG K-501 and Sennheiser HD650 for more serious listening, and the MonoPulse speakers makes it so real in my listening room. Eva Cassidy, Steely Dan, Jamiroquai – you name it – they all sounds great.

And the look stunning! My wife even likes them! I have shown her speakers from the last 6 editions of Stereophile, not a single one was approved based on their look. Yours are allowed to stay.

Thank you so much for your great work!
Best regards Morten"


And another month later:

Hello Allan,

I received the speakers today. You were right, the look and sound great!

It has been a pleasure doing business with you!

Best Regards, Per Christian

Many Norwegians have bought MonoPulse speakers, and the forum they have created now extends to many pages.

This is one of the latest reactions - this time about the Model S:

Hello Allan,

After spending a couple of days in Denmark, the S twins was delivered to my private address. They where quickly installed and connected to my tiny tube amplifier and my old Thorens 150 record player. What a fantastic experience! They sounded clear and precise and the bass sound was perfectly balanced. I am very satisfied with your product, and my records have never sounded as pleasant as this before.

Thank you very much! Best regards, Roy"

We will end with the original buyer 4 years on, upgrading to our latest Model A - and using a 6 watt single-ended amplifier!

Hello Allan,

The Model A is really impressing myself and everyone coming in to listen. My push pull amplifier has been put aside for a while when the small 6W single ended is doing the job.
The sounding is so beautiful and the low end is really present despite some people saying that this amplifier is missing bass.
Many people are curious about what drivers you are using in the A. Can you share some secrets with us Allan?

I'm wishing you a Merry Christmas and a successful New Year. Best regards, Hans

An American with a "small" apartment in New York.

Ali Elim ordered a pair of MonoPulse Model Ss without having heard them.

"Hi Allan,

The speakers arrived tonight, a day early.

In a word, I am thrilled: the bass is totally adequate despite the tiny boxes and the speakers have that rare ability to disappear and create a sound stage.

Listening to the 1959 DECCA recording of Ruggiero Ricci playing Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole, but with no particular attention to placement (3m apart and about 3.5m from me) there was brilliant imaging.

One day I have to visit you and you have to explain how that is accomplished.

I have at least 20 pairs of speakers (including such oddities as Apogee ribbons, Acoustat electrostatics, JR149s, Celestions, '70s Gales with chrome end caps, even '70s self-amplified Philips motional feed back speakers) and very few accomplish that trick.

Ali."

Being English, we'd thought what he said was an apartment would be small. But Ali later made us realise its size. He'd added:

"the living room alone is 3000 square feet. It is a testament to the speakers that they sound great in this large, reverberant space.

Ali."

And another American decided to buy a pair of Model Ss

"From: Bill Safran
To: Allan Hendry
Subject: Re: ebay

Allan,

I thought that you would want to know that I installed the speakers last night and was absolutely blown away by the imaging...it has completely transformed my system!

Regards, Bill."

Or Tamas Katona, who bought a pair from Budapest

At first we thought the couriers had lost them - but:

"Hi Allen,

Problem solved, packages delivered this morning. Packing was great, no harm, safe and sound. I checked speakers with my current system (Heybrook C2/P2, Marantz CD-17mk2, DIY CAT5e cables) and I was astonished by them. Wow. What a wide imaging they have! Very clear, nice sounding speakers.

You are a genius.

Cheers, Tom."

Or Drewe Marrs, who bought a pair from Melbourne, Australia

It was a long way and, two weeks later:

"hi Allan, i received the speakers a few days ago and i have to say, they are fantastic!
regards, Drewe."

A father and son - in different countries

The first to buy, unauditioned, was Chris, a technical author based in Stuttgart.

"To: MonoPulse
Subject: Re: Order for a pair of Model S speakers.

Hi Allan,

Just to let you know that the speakers arrived safe and sound early yesterday morning. Thank you for the unbelievably fast turnaround!

I couldn't resist trying them out immediately, everything the same as with the old speakers. My first reaction, when I tried them with a piece of music that I know very well, I can only describe as absolute amazement! It sounded like a completely new piece of music. I had never heard base and drums so tight and clear!

Needless to say, I spent the next couple of hours absolutely fascinated, trying all types of different music, before I could tear myself away to go and buy my new cables. Having finally set them up with new cables, I spent hours trying all the different types of music that I have: Classical, jazz, rock and heavy rock. All sound superb on these speakers...and this is still with my old Pioneer amp. So far, I can't fault them in any way. Basically they have complete transformed the listening experience. The bass and drums are so tight and clear, the whole mid range is so detailed that in some pieces of music I hear things I've never heard before, and the sound stage is tremendous. It's just like being at a live performance in some cases. And I still have to experiment with the height of the spikes, positioning, angles, etc. So far, it's all been without proper optimisation. This will be interesting. It was definitely the right decision to buy them!

Thank you again for everything Allan. I'm absolutely delighted. Now I have to get some more music!!

Very best regards, Chris."

After that, and on Chris' verbal recommendation, his father John, in Southampton, also bought a pair of 62Ss unauditioned.

This one is from an annoyed customer - at first.

He'd been promised delivery on a Tuesday - and by the afternoon was phoning us. We said the delivery company had never failed a next day.

But this time it was to fail. On Wednesday we traced the speakers to an Edinburgh depot - and got a promise of Thursday PM - and Mr Southall had taken up chasing personally - to find them in Cambridge.

He phoned to demand that whoever in MonoPulse was responsible for the chaos was dealt with. We were worried about what frame of mind Mr Southall would be in when he came to judge these speakers.

On Monday we received this e-mail

"Thanks for the loudspeakers which eventually arrived on the Friday. They are now run in - and listening to my collection has been taken to a new level of enjoyment. You have designed and manufactured a truly fantastic product - controlled yet detailed, truly holographic with excellent imagery and focus. All the family have been very impressed.

Congratulations and I trust you will sell many pairs.

Regards Chris Southall. You may use my reference if you like."

P.S. The delivery problem was due to a wrong bar-code label put on by the carriers.

A hi-fi professional buys unauditioned.

But with some encouragement from Hi-Fi News.

"I read various articles and reviews concerning the Monopulse range of speakers. What I read did arouse my curiosity mainly due to my becoming bored with many safe accurate sterile designs out there over the years. The current trend is for over bright treble peaky speakers that impress for 2-3 days then start to get on your nerves. I especially enjoyed what Hi-Fi News had written about the Mono-pulse saying things like “this is what hi fidelity is all about. Exciting, electrostatic detail” etc…

The review got my curiosity going so much I decided to take the plunge. I was feeling flush at the time so decided against all my wisdom (must demo a set first etc) to purchase a set without listening to them first.

My risk paid off! I don’t usually do this. In fact I’ve auditioned carefully the rest of my system. But the MonoPulse 32 was everything I hoped for, and at the same time not what I had really expected. Clear, detailed, big soundstage, pace, dynamic and sweet.

During the next week I played them and in the first fifty hours they really improved. I just keep playing them almost 24 hours a day. I listened to most of my collection. Put simply they restored my passion for music. A sound full of life energy and colour there was nothing sterile about them. I was so impressed! I suddenly had a full range speaker on my hands that would dig deep and go low but in a way that had life and texture to the bass. The top end extended forever and was sweet never at all bright or aggressive. The midrange on the S is full bodied and majors on timing and detail. I could go on and on using jargon and saying this and that, but basically the S restored my faith and passion in hi-fi.

I have some silly priced speakers knocking around and a serious high end system and these show the competition a thing or two! I have nothing to gain in feeding back this whatsoever. Just thought I would share something that revived my passion.

Shane."

Neville Robinson bought a pair

"To: info@monopulse.co.uk

Subject: you bet you won't have any complaints about buying un auditioned!!!!!

I should have done this before, but kept forgetting.

Fu****g brilliant. There are so many things I could say. Nothing has the same clout!!! My system is now top notch beacuse of a pair of 32s.

Every one who hears them are blown away, that includes b&w owners.

Keith Howard says that my system works very well, that is praise indeed and by some margin:-)

Kind regards Neville Robinson.

Martin Apthorpe at first thought he didn't like one aspect of the Model Ss

"Good Afternoon,

I recently acquired a pair of your S speakers. First of all, these are excellent. I’m using them with a 35 wpc valve integrated (a Tube Technology Unisis) and I can honestly say that they do things that none of my previous speakers have managed. A good look at your website led me to try placing the speakers much further apart than is usual and this has worked very well indeed. I’m very impressed by how natural they sound (and by how much they make some pretty expensive competitors sound like ‘boom and tizz’ merchants). Imaging and soundstage are outstanding.

Anyway, an excellent speaker – My understanding of loudspeaker design is fairly limited, but you have clearly got some very significant things right. The only criticism I can think of is that the treble (in my room and with my system) lacks a little sparkle and presence (note that I avoid the word ‘brightness’, which is a failing of too many speakers these days). I can’t fault the quality, but feel the need for a little more quantity. Do you have any tips that might help ameliorate this? A friend (who has rather more technical knowledge than I) suggested that if all else fails, a small adjustment to the crossovers would work. I’m not sure how you would feel about this, but if a little soldering and basic component replacement is all that would be required, then I have the expertise to hand…..

Many thanks for your time and my congratulations on an excellent design. I wish you every success.

Regards Martin Apthorpe"

We said OK - but check changes with us in case they could damage the HF unit or the amp - then.

"Hello Allan

Many thanks. Good news – having sent the email yesterday, I decided to go back to basics and check everything in the system.

The real revelation came when I changed the interconnects between my mc step up transformer (a recent addition) and the amplifier. This, as it turns out, is where the problem was. Best guess is some kind of impedance mismatch, which sucked away a lot of the HF. So no need for any DIY after all.

Wow! Any thoughts of criticism have been thoroughly banished – they sound amazing. I have never heard an acoustic guitar so faithfully reproduced. My previous speakers were Linn Isobariks (curate’s egg – some considerable strengths and some irresolvable weaknesses), but the Ss outclass them in every way.

I can’t tell you how pleased I am.

Many thanks for your reply. Regards Martin."


And he posted this on Hi-Fi Wigwam.

" Wow! Initial impressions were extremely positive - the first disc I played was a Spanish guitar recital. I was struck by how natural the guitar sounded and how easy it was to follow the intricate runs and subtle changes of rhythm. The guitarist was there in the room and the speakers had done a disappearing act. The subtle harmonics from the plucking of the strings were so clear that I found myself guessing how long the guitarist's fingernails were!

Soundstaging and imaging are absolutely top drawer, far better than any of my previous speakers. The music seems to hang in the air in three dimensions - every little detail is easily followed has a definite place in the soundstage.

Jazz fared equally well - 'Blues for Yolande' from 'Coleman Hawkins Meets Ben Webster' caught the growl of Hawk's sax perfectly and really brought out the contrasting, sweeter tone of Webster's instrument. This is a favourite track of mine (I always use it at demos of new kit) and I haven't heard it sound this good before. Female voices (from Angela Gheorghiu to Joni Mitchell, Janice Joplin and Billie Holiday) were handled with relish.

Rock, pop, blues, folk, you name it - nothing tripped the speakers up. They really do seem to be all-rounders. There is something quite disarming about the sound of the Monopulses. I can't put my finger on it - they just sound right. The website talks about the drive units being 'in full impulse and time alignment'. I'm struggling to understand the finer technical points, but there is something in the theory - imaging, timing and a general sense of coherence are the order of the day.

Dynamics are good too, being realistic without any sense of over emphasis. Where some other speakers seek to impress by trying to drive the 'thwack' of a drum into your ears like a train, the Monopulses allow each sound to breath naturally. I'm driving them with a Tube Technology Unisis Signature. A marriage made in musical heaven - they really could have been made for each other. The Monopulses really excel with classical music - the tonal differences between instruments are extraordinarily well reproduced. The upper register of a violin, played at high volume, can be enough to make ears bleed in some systems. The monopulses manage to maintain a firm hold on the sound, never becoming 'screechy', but at the same time never sounding dull. Anyone who has ever heard a violin played on a overly bright system will know how painful it can get..... Combine all that with the superb imaging and soundstaging and there are no more boxes left to be ticked.....

If you happen to be near a dealer who stocks Monopulse, I would recommend giving them a try. The fact that the 62A are such a good match with the Tube Tech bodes well for compatibility with other tube amps, I suspect, but in any case you won't need a powerhouse to drive them..... The 62A are no longer available in the UK, but the 42A has had some great reviews - If they are anything like as good as the 62A, then they will be worth investigating.

Speaker hunt over: I'm keeping these

Cheers, Martin."

One out of the blue

"Hello,

I set them up in my system (Pathos classic 1 hybrid amp & BAT VK5D cd player).

They are simply fantastic & are far superior to my previous speakers which are PROAC response 1SC monitors. They excel in all of the following areas:
Clarity
Realism ( vocals & instruments )
Instrument separation
Base response
Soundstage

They seem to handle all types of music equally well. I am playing familiar cd's & I am amazed at how much better they sound. Even at the price of £900 new they are great value. I will recommend your speakers to any audiophile I know.

Keep up the good work. Regards, Ian Berkoff."

From Vikash Teeluck

"To: info@monopulse.co.uk Subject:

Dear Allan,

I am sending this note to say thanks.

I have been running the Model S via exposure int amp +musical fidelity tube buffer + myryad cd player and the sound is outstanding.

It is a week since the system is up and running.. I have listened to almost any type of music and the speakers are excellent throughout.

Best wishes, Vic."

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The 40 other media reviews.

Hi Fi+ by Paul Messenger

Hi-Fi +“EQUIPMENT REVIEW: The MonoPulse Model S."

MonoPulse is one of Britain's smaller speaker makers, but has a very distinctive range of speakers, and enjoys a steady demand (especially from Scandinavia), and seems perfectly happy to remain a small operation.
In a business dominated by wood-veneered boxes, it's a pleasant change to find a cloth-covered speaker in a selection of colours.
Another distinctive (and welcome) touch is a carrying handle, usefully integrated into the back panel and facilitating moving the speakers around for best imaging and bass evenness. Neater still in my view is the floor-coupling arrangement, using chunky outriggers. These are retracted for packing and transit, but each may then be pulled out to expand the footprint. Thumbwheel-equipped spikes are then attached at the ends, keeping the enclosure's port (that fires downwards through the base) clear of the floor. Said port is tuned to a claimed 39Hz,

The key technical feature here lies in offsetting the drivers with respect to each other and the listening zone.  The two drivers are electrically linked via what's described as a 'patented asymmetric' crossover network, the objective being to maintain accurate impulse synchronicity and precise musical leading edges through the crossover region. The driver line-up consists of a 160mm (nominal frame diameter) bass/mid unit with a polypropylene cone, plus a 28mm fabric dome tweeter that operates above 3.5kHz and is fed via a fourth-order (24dB /octave) crossover network. The manufacturer's specified 87dB sensitivity is confirmed in our tests, which is a good figure in view of the speaker's fine bass extension to 25Hz (-6dB) in-room).

The manufacturer claims that this design delivers superior leading-edge definition, and I can't disagree with the assertion that the Model S has fine overall coherence, and in this respect is somewhat reminiscent of that achieved by loudspeakers using single full-range drivers. Stereo imaging is precise right across the soundstage, and even shows reasonable depth perspectives despite the forward tonal balance.
One obvious if perhaps somewhat surprising strength lies in the bass region, which is also impressively smooth, even and deep. This ensures that the speaker provides a firm underpinning to bass-rich material without any of the boomy exaggeration that is regrettably all too common, especially amongst modest port-loaded designs.

This is certainly not a speaker that's been designed either by committee or computer programme, and that alone must be a good thing. The presence forwardness ensures plenty of explicit detail when playing at low late-at-night levels.  Add in the fine overall coherence, precise imaging and the even and extended bass and it all adds up to a very neat overall package.

HI-FI WORLD - MonoPulse refreshes its top-of-the-range, Model A loudspeaker.

"a wide stereo image and an almost holographic feel from the right recordings."

On the face of it you wouldn't think there was much connection between loudspeakers and phased-array radar systems. Well, think again - or just have a chat with Allan Hendry. For it was Allan's work on radar equipment in the aerospace industry that started him thinking about loudspeaker design and how it could be improved.   It took him 10 years but he finally came up with his solution - and the MonoPulse brand was born, and has become an established brand.

The design rests on in the importance of correct phase relationship between the drive units in a loudspeaker. ln the MonoPulses this is optimised through the precise positioning of the mid/bass and tweeter drivers and their integration through the crossover network to achieve genuine wave-front time-alignment through the entire audible frequency range.

The MonoPulses major on three attributes - timing, detail and stereo imaging.  Voices are especially well presented with a wide stereo image and an almost holographic feel from the right recordings. Barb Jungr's vocals on 'The Men I Love' floated serenely into the room with her distinct intonation and style portrayed admirably.  lt's a style the speakers seem to particularly thrive on as Sinead O'Connor sounded similarly impressive. Transients are fast and clean - the MonoPulses giving the leading edge of notes a real zing. Bass goes commendably low with the port adding extra reinforcement to the eight-inch mid/bass unit. Charles Mingus walking bass lines came across well and the MonoPulses never sound stressed or as though they were reaching the extremes of their ability.

Mono & Stereo - England holds quite a few unique audio jewels.

"Listening to MonoPulse S speakers leaves you in special harmonious mood."

MonoPulse S speakers. England holds quite a few unique audio jewels that are many times hidden from us. There are quite a few amplifiers, speakers, cables and other accessories that are less known to the majority of audiophiles and music lovers. I wouldn't say that MonoPulse is not recognized. They have already got some accolades in the UK audio press, but I'm not sure they're known to the many of audio lovers worldwide.

Contemporary Art Deco?
Elegant use of materials and construction hides the real value of materials used and gives the S a kind of classic-timeless appearance. I always check aesthetics of new gear with my wife for a second opinion. She gave an instant nod to the elegance and freshness of the S speakers.

Class A friendly I will leave the specs to speak for themselves, but let me note just the 87dB efficiency. Minimal recommended power for tubes amp is 18 watts and for solid state around 35 watts. This puts them into very interesting position. 18 watts might not get you pure triode class A, but 35 watts of transistor power will open up the world of pure class A. Lately quite few of legendary companies are bringing back this topology and MonoPulse have a great advantage here.

The S speakers disappeared unlike many I have heard over the years. I’m not sure what is the exact reason or technical solution behind it, but they manage to fill out the room around them without giving out their exact position. Salute! This works great for stereo and I vividly daydreamed about surround setup with MonoPulse S speakers. This would make any videophile more than happy and fans of SACD recordings (for example 2L recordings) would jointly embrace them without much consideration.

Conclusion Alongside remarkable disappearance of speakers, MonoPulse strikes you with rhythm and pace of the music that is rarely found in this price range At a few moments I would swear that its micro dynamics are coming from a horn based speaker. These two aspects alone are more than worth considering when you're in the need of new speakers. These are not full flagged large dynamic speakers like my listening reference Acoustic Preference Maestozo 2. MonoPulse never even try to be more then what they are. They succeed to marry the two above mentioned characteristic in such a way that it's both instantly captivating and hard to forget. Listening to MonoPulse S speakers leaves you in special harmonious mood, like long decayed notes from masterfully played piano maestro does. Don't bypass these speakers.

HI-FI CHOICE - MonoPulse breaks the rules on stereotypes.

Fine 'sweet spot' focus and coherence, with good definition

Hi-Fi ChoiceThe basis of MonoPulse loudspeakers, lies in applying audio lessons that were learned worked with phased-array radar systems, the prime purpose being to reproduce transient leading edges accurately. This imposes some constraints on the driver layout. These are solved by placing the inset tweeter beneath the mid/base drive unit. This goes some way to explaining the decision to go for a fabric covering over the front and sides of the enclosure. One worthwhile consequence is that the speakers are, therefore, available in a wide range of different colours, perhaps chosen to match carpeting or curtains.
Despite its very slim appearance from the front, the Model S still has room for a 160 millimetre bass/mid driver with a visible (through the fabric) come diameter of 110mm. The tweeter has a relatively large soft-dome diaphragm. The enclosure is reflex-loaded by a downward-firing port in the base, metal fet keeping the port clear of the floor, with or without the use of thumbwheel-tightened spikes. Electrical connection is via twin terminal pairs.

Sound quality.
Sitting in the prime listening position, I was very impressed by the sound quality of the Model S. The MonoPulse is deliberately designed as a 'sweet spot' loudspeaker, and will, therefore, show expression and time coherence in a relatively small listening zone. Imaging is impressively spacious, with excellent focus and coherence. Different in nearly every respect from the stereotypes, the MonoPulse Model S has unusual styling and presentation and its sonic performance orientated towards a sweet spot listener. It certainly represents an interesting alternative.

HI-FI WORLD - A major upgrade of the Model S.

"MonoPulse's Model S has had a major upgrade."

Hi-Fi WorldIt has now been optimised for use with valve amplifiers, particularly using vinyl sources. The 8 ohm minimum impedance, touched five times across the frequency spectrum, gives an easy and balanced drive, while the 30kHz top end response is perfect for the wide bandwidth of modern vinyl. The 300 watt maximum power handling means they also show grace under pressure.

Hi-Fi News - Restored Pulse.

Major upgrade to MonoPulse Model S.

MonoPulse's Model S has witnessed some key upgrades. The top-end frequency response now extends to 30kHz while the load impedance in made easier, touching a minimum of 8 ohms across the entire bandwidth. This is all in aid of furthering the speaker's compatibility with lower-powered valve amplifiers.

On the other hand, the Model S now enjoys a higher 300 watt maximum power handling, ensuring it's just as suitable for use with substantial solid state amps. Cake all round.

WHAT HI-FI - Awards. Best of both worlds?

Five stars

Model A wins top, five star, award. "fabulously, uniquely brilliant."

What Hi-FiMONOPULSE IS serious about its timing. The company's idea is to get the leading edges of all notes, from the entire frequency range, to the listener at the same time. It's what single-driver speakers are famed for, but MonoPulse uses two precisely placed drivers in conjunction with a specially designed crossover to create a 'single impulse wave front'. The result should be a rhythmically seamless presentation. It is.

Astonishing precision results in excitement by the bucket-load. Play the scuzz-rock/disco-pop mix of Marmaduke Duke's Everybody Dance and the As astonishing precision results in attacking excitement by the bucket-load. Every note begins with pinpoint precision, but there's no sacrifice in texture or natural note degradation - these aren't clinical to the extent of sterility.

A joyful presentation. The As are chunky and full-bodied with sensational bass punch, depth and definition. Vocals are equally impressive - full of life and nuance. The overall presentation has excellent width and three-dimensionality. Dynamics, both small-scale and large, are a joy, and although the rhythmic integration of instruments is seamless, it doesn't prevent separation in the soundstage, allowing you to identify individual strands with ease.

The As combine the best of a single-driver with the best of a more traditional multi-driver array. But care is required with positioning. MonoPulse recommends that 85cm between each speaker and a wall. We'd add that toeing them out a little more than usual helps them sound their best.

If you can overlook the odd manufacturing flaw, the MonoPulses are fabulously, uniquely brilliant.

WHAT HI-FI - Model A grips and controls information like the Stasi.

Precise speakers with a wide range of talents, timing being the most immediately impressive.

What Hi-FiTHE MonoPulse As' specification (28mm soft-dome tweeter decoupled from the rest of the cabinet, offset mid/bass driver on the front panel, in a quest for class-leading time alignment) looks exiting.

Marmaduke Duke's Heartburn is a rapid, clattering test of timing and detail resolution, but it's meat and drink to the MonoPulses. The soundstage the As present is open, expansive and utterly coherent, and they present the song in fast, fluent and rhythmically adept measures. They're unflustered by dynamic shifts and, thanks to a midrange that's fluid and expressive, grant singers all the anima they require. Low frequencies may not have the out-and-out extension of some, but they're punchy, controlled and tonally articulate.

Superb sound The real party piece, though, is the way the As enter individual notes and sounds - these speakers grip and control information like the Stasi, and have the precision to make a tune as unruly as Four Tet's Wing Body Wing sound organised and cohesive. As a listen they're endlessly satisfying.

WHAT HI-FI - Ultimate Guide. MonoPulse Model S, five star holder.

Five stars

What Hi-FiMonoPulse is a company dedicated to an idea. While some speaker manufacturers concentrate on creating a certain kind of frequency response, MonoPulse concentrates on timing. What is timing? Well, if one driver is moving forward and the other moving backward at exactly the same instant, the ‘leading edge’ information of each sound – some in the frequency range of one driver, some in the range of the other – will hit your ears at different times.

If you can only do one thing... MonoPulse says it has designed a speaker in which the drivers move in absolute unison. And it’s worked. In terms of timing alone, the Model Ss are almost ridiculously good. Music is delivered with sublime rhythmic precision, a shapely sense of phrase and beat that makes other loudspeakers sound blurred and hazy by comparison.

From the jangly ‘60s inflections of The Shins’ Wincing the Night Away to the testosterone-fueled bombast of Nick Cave’s side-project Grinderman, the S’s vibrancy, accuracy and rhythmic presence is extraordinary enough to warrant five stars on its own. So the Monopulse Ss are not a typical, jack-of-all-trades all-rounder. If you were feeling cynical, you could say they simply do one thing well – but in the sense that Jimi Hendrix did one thing well. They do that one thing so staggeringly well that you could spend years enjoying that one talent. In short, these are great speakers.

Verdict. If you didn't know how critical timing is to a speaker's performance, the Ss will show you."

WHAT HI-FI - Pulsating Floorstanders really do rock our world.

Five stars

Model A wins top, five star, award. "Add class-leading sound staging to the plus points"

What Hi-FiWHAT MAKES THE Model As special? Well, the MonoPulse name gives a clue. The company's big thing is about responding to the leading edge of notes as accurately as possible. To this end these floorstanders use an unusual configuration of crossover and have offset drive units to aid time alignment - the 28mm soft-dome tweeter is on top of the cabinet, the 20cm mid/bass sits conventionally on the front panel. The idea is that both drivers move together at every transient, giving a more precise, coherent sound wave.

When it comes to timing, detail resolution and stereo imaging, the As have little to fear from any rival. These MonoPulses are immensely musical speakers that latch onto a rhythm track with breathtaking confidence."

HI-FI CHOICE - MonoPulse Model S speakers revised.

Stereo images are well formed and focused

Hi-Fi ChoiceAllan Hendry's MonoPulse loudspeaker designs were developed by applying lessons he learned when working on phased array radar systems. MonoPulses come in two distinct ranges, the larger A Models, and the more compact S Models. We originally reviewed this pair of Model Ss in issue 304, with somewhat mixed results, but it has returned updated.

Despite its very slim appearance from the front, the S still has room for a 160mm bass/mid driver with a large diameter voice coil. The main tweeter has a relatively large 31mm soft dome diaphragm. Tthe 62S has the fine crossover zone coherence that makes the larger models in the MonoPulse range such an interesting proposition. Smooth and lucid. Reflecting the fine coherence, stereo images are well formed and focused. The modifications have significantly improved the S.

HI-FI WORLD - Pulse Rate - A review of the Model A.

"a fabulously integrated big and relaxed sound."

Hi-Fi World

Allan Hendry of MonoPulse is hi-fi enthusiast since his early days, Allan worked in the aerospace industry, and it was this work that made him think about loudspeaker design and in particular the necessity of phase coherence from the drive units. Allan investigated the impulse response of a wide range of loudspeakers and came to the conclusion that it was vital to time-align the treble and bass drivers in order that an impulse sent to both drivers would arrive simultaneously at a measurement microphone set in front of each unit (and therefore, at the listeners ears). Also that the connection of tweeters out of phase to compensate for the phase inversion of a second order crossover network causes more problems that it solves. Finally, that maintaining phase coherence in a loudspeaker becomes more difficult the more drive units you add.

With this in mind, he picked up pen and paper and the result is the MonoPulse range of loudspeakers, with the name being a nod towards the impulse-correct designs he intended to create. There are two models on offer (plus matching centre channel and rear surround items) - the Model S series and the 'Audiophile' Model A which uses an 8" (200mm) main driver with a Kevlar cone and a four layer voice coil, together with a 28mm tweeter claimed to extend to 30kHz.

The A's design crosses over to the tweeter at 4kHz. In keeping with the time domain accuracy, the crossover uses a second order filter on the bass driver, but a fourth order design on the tweeter. The tweeter is suspended separately at the top, isolated it from the main driver and cabinet, and set back by the time alignment.

The cabinet itself is covered with cloth which is available in ten different colours, including Black, two different Blues, Red ,Green and Burgundy. The steel hoop can also be specified in Gunmetal, Black, Sand, Bronze or Burgundy. Build quality is very good and I personally like the styling. .

SOUND QUALITY
A decently sized main drive unit usually means a decently large soundscape and this is indeed the case with the MonoPulse Model As. Their eight inch bass/mid unit endows them with a lovely, properly grown up sound that gives the bass and midrange a great sense of depth, ease, warmth and detail. That is not to say that the As are all soft, warm and fluffy at the low end as they certainly are not - bass lines were deep, confident, pacy and blessed with fine rhythmicality. However, whereas some designs with smaller drive units can give a similar effect with an underlying sense of 'see how hard I'm working to give you all this!' the As never seemed under duress.

Another most notable feature of the Model A's performance was their transient response. Allan's work on the phase coherence of the design has resulted in a loudspeaker with no hesitancy or wallow. Big-sounding unstressed loudspeakers can often be rather flabby in timing terms but not so the As; drum strikes are swift and snappy, bass guitars are detailed and well defined, and every instrument stands out from its cohorts. Although the image generated by the MonoPulse does not quite envelope the listening area from side to side in a way that some designs can, they still have a fine sense of spaciousness between them, and order everything very neatly in this space. Additionally, they do give fine front to back depth to the proceedings.

Mating a larger unit to a single tweeter can often be a hit or miss affair but MonoPulse has done well here. There is no sense of disjointedness between the two drivers and the As have a well defined and crisply spry top end.

CONCLUSION
In a world of loudspeakers populated by the equivalents of high-revving four cylinder engines, the MonoPulse As are a relaxed and smooth V8. They have a fabulously well integrated and big, relaxed sound that is also well defined, yet one that times with positively metronomoic precision. These are rare qualities to find together in one loudspeaker and, as a result, the As are something of a breath of fresh air into the loudspeaker market. combine this with their easy load and wide range of intereor-friendly finishes and they make a very strong case for themselves. Well worth checking out.

HI-FI CHOICE - MonoPulse Model A speakers offered as prize.

Hi-Fi Choice

Monopulse hand-builds all its loudspeakers, to ensure the product is bespoke as possible. But it's not just about hand-built cabinets and fancy finishes; MonoPulse supremo Allan Hendry worked with pulsed phased-array radar systems before retiring and concentrating on his first love, loudspeaker design.

All of which means the MonoPulse designs are packed full of innovative, clever technology, the kind that wins Ultimate Group Tests in fact.When we reviewed the A in HFC 302 we gave it a richly deserved deserved Best Buy thanks to its fine performance, coupled with excellent dynamic headroom. And, as you might expect from such a phase-corrected loudspeaker, the temporal coherence was superb.

Hi-Fi News - Colourful Bargain.

Stylish MonoPulse improved.

Hi-Fi News"Striking British loudspeakers from MonoPulse are now improved as power handling rises. The flagship Model A, has its maximum power increased to 550W.

HI-FI WORLD - Pulse on the Wire

Hi-Fi WorldNews comes to us of MonoPulse's revised Model A loudspeaker, a striking looking design that has just been improved. Power handling is upped to 300W RMS, whilst the cabinet is revised - with a more angled appearance. What is retained are the ferro-fluid cooled HF units separately mounted.

HI-FI CHOICE - Elegant MonoPulse Model S..

Compact speaker owes much to its larger siblings

Hi-Fi ChoiceDespite (or because) it has dared to be different, new kid on the block MonoPulse, has succeeded both in presentation and engineering. The application of phased array radar principles to loudspeaker design might seem unusual, but it has been the core foundation of the company's approach. No doubt, due to the fact that this was the field in which principal Allan Hendry spent much of his working life. Applying this to loudspeaker design imposes significant constraints on driver distribution, which in turn is probably responsible for the the decision to go for a fabric-covered presentation,, which also allows for a wide choice of ten different colours.

MonoPulses come in two distinct forms, the much admired larger Model A and the more compact Model S. Despite a width of only 170mm, MonoPulse has managed to squeeze a 160mm mid/bass driver with large diameter voice coil into the floorstanding enclosure.Model S. In the interest of time alignment, the main is mounted above the tweeter and is reflex loaded by a downward-firing port in the base. Metal spikes keep the port clear of the floor, with or without the use of thumbwheel-tightened spikes. Electrical connection is made via twin terminal pairs. The main tweeter has a relatively large 28mm silk dome diaphragm.

Room measurements indicate - and listening tests confirm - that it delivers a fine performance through the bass and broad midrange.

LAB REPORT. Happily the bass extends usefully down to 30Hz or so, with the port tuned to 45Hz, and the amplifier load looks relatively easy to drive.

VERDICT. This exceptionally elegant floorstander uses a waveguide to reduce the crossover frequency and improve voice integrity. The result is lively, with a sweet top end and fine coherence when carefully sited.

HI-FI CHOICE - Best Buy. MonoPulse Model A.

Unconventional loudspeaker design is the name of the game

Hi-Fi ChoiceIt's less than five years since we first encountered MonoPulse, as a relatively new brand with a number of interesting and unconventional ideas about loudspeaker design. Patron and hi-fi enthusiast Allan Hendry, worked for many years on pulsed, phased array radar and, after his retirement, applied his appreciation of the importance of phase relationships to loudspeaker design. These applied especially to the relative positioning of the drive units and their integration through the crossover network, in order to achieve genuine wavefront time-alignment through the entire region.

As part of the time alignment, the two drivers are mounted on separate baffles, so the bass/mid driver fixing is slightly nearer listeners than the Morel sourced 28mm soft domed tweeter. This also provides mechanical and acoustic isolation between the drivers.

SOUND QUALTY. Remarkably impressive coherence, especially through the voice band, which seems to be MonoPulse's particular stock in trade. This in turn helps to sharpen the image focus and precision, more accurately and convincingly defining the position of a performer in space. That's by no means the A's only strength. The large main driver helps deliver fine performance through the bass and mid band, with good overall balance and ultimate bass extension.

Best of all is dynamic expression, which is comfortably ahead of the pack and further enhanced by the superior timing and across-the-band time coherence.

LAB REPORT. Sensitivity is a pretty generous 90dB.

VERDICT. Splendid dynamic expression and wonderful time and coherence. Fine bass to mid balance and dynamics. Remarkably impressive coherence through the voice band.

(In this group test the MonoPulse Model A, with an 88% score, was well ahead of the 80% scored by the more expensive Dali Mentor 5.)

WHAT HI-FI - Ultimate Guide. MonoPulse Model S, five star holder.

Five stars

What Hi-FiMonoPulse is a company dedicated to an idea. While some speaker manufacturers concentrate on creating a certain kind of frequency response, MonoPulse concentrates on timing. What is timing? Well, if one driver is moving forward and the other moving backward at exactly the same instant, the ‘leading edge’ information of each sound – some in the frequency range of one driver, some in the range of the other – will hit your ears at different times.

If you can only do one thing... MonoPulse says it has designed a speaker in which the drivers move in absolute unison. And it’s worked. In terms of timing alone, the Model Ss are almost ridiculously good. Music is delivered with sublime rhythmic precision, a shapely sense of phrase and beat that makes other loudspeakers sound blurred and hazy by comparison. The S’s vibrancy, accuracy and rhythmic presence is extraordinary enough to warrant five stars on its own.

So the Monopulse Ss are not a typical, jack-of-all-trades all-rounder. If you were feeling cynical, you could say they simply do one thing well – but in the sense that Jimi Hendrix did one thing well. They do that one thing so staggeringly well that you could spend years enjoying that one talent.

Verdict. If you didn't know how critical timing is to a speaker's performance, the 32Ss will show you.

Hi-Fi News - Slim City. MonoPulse Model S.

If you're looking for a speaker to take you direct to the core of the music, few rival this revamped MonoPulse at the price.

Hi-Fi NewsThe Model S uses a 160mm Audax Kevlar-coned bass-mid driver (which has adhesive pressed between the back of the pressed steel chassis and magnet assembly to enhance the unit's ruggedness and possibly suppress structural resonances); and an aluminium voice coil, strontium magnet, silk dome tweeter; which is claimed to extend the response out to 30kHz.

In order to achieve time alignment of the drivers along a slightly uptilted listening axis (to suit typical seated ear height), the bass/mid driver is located above the tweeter - an arrangement we don't see so often today but was once popular, for example, with Mission.

What earns it a place in my my affections is its essential lucidity and vitality.

HI-FI CHOICE - MonoPulse Model S

MonoPulse's new baby features its unusual crossover and styling

Hi-Fi ChoiceRelatively young as hi-fi companies go, MonoPulse was founded by one Allan Hendry who spent much of life in electronics working on pulsed, phased array radar systems, and then decided to to apply the knowledge he'd gained to his lifelong passion for hi-fi and loudspeakers. The relevance of radar to loudspeaker design may not be immediately apparent, but Allan is particularly conscious of the need to maintain the correct phase relationships between the bass/mid driver and the tweeter through the crossover region, in order to reproduce the leading edge of an impulse accurately, and that's reflected in both the crossover network design and in the unusual way the drivers are positioned and spaced.

The MonoPulse stereo models come as the Model S and the Model A. Both eschew the usual real or imitation wood finish, and are clad all over in cloth, with ten different colour options available, from the sober to the mildly outrageous. Crtainly unusual, but rather attractive.The Model S has a 160mm frame, Kevlar-cone main driver. The tweeter is a 28mm soft dome device, mounted quite low down, below the bass/mid driver. A reflex port into the base of this enclosure, and held an appropriate distance off the floor by little feet with spikes. The small main driver enables the enclosure to be very slim. Connection is made via twin terminal pairs.

MonoPulse places its main emphasis on maintaining integrity and phase coherence through the crossover region, and it's true that the Model S is largely successful in this respect. Voices - both speech and singing - sound impressively vivid, coherent and expressive, highlighting the accents and tonalities of different individuals in a most persuasive way.

WHAT HI-FI - Model S top, five star, award.

Quicken Your Musical Pulse.

What Hi-FiMonoPulse is a company dedicated to an idea. While some speaker manufacturers concentrate on creating a certain kind of frequency response, MonoPulse concentrates on timing. What is timing? Well, if one driver is moving forward and the other moving backward at exactly the same instant, the ‘leading edge’ information of each sound – some in the frequency range of one driver, some in the range of the other – will hit your ears at different times.

MonoPulse says it has designed a speaker in which all the drivers move in absolute unison. And it’s worked. In terms of timing alone, the Model Ss are almost ridiculously good. Music is delivered with sublime rhythmic precision, a shapely sense of phrase and beat that makes other loudspeakers sound blurred and hazy by comparison.

The 32S’s vibrancy, accuracy and rhythmic presence is extraordinary enough to warrant five stars on its own. You could say they simply do one thing well – but in the sense that Jimi Hendrix did one thing well. They do that one thing so staggeringly well that you could spend years enjoying that one talent."

If timing is your main musical concern, you simply have to check these out.

Verdict. Extraordinary powers of timing and resolution; available in more than ten colour combinations. If you didn't know how critical timing is to a speaker's performance, the Ss let you know explicitly. Five stars

HI-FI CHOICE - MonoPulse Model A awarded Best Buy.

Hi-Fi ChoiceThe man behind MonoPulse, hi-fi enthusiast Allan Hendry, spent much of his working life on pulsed phased-array radar systems. This has made him particularly aware of the importance of phase relationships. He’s applied that understanding to his loudspeakers, using the geometry of the enclosure as well as the design of the crossover network to maximise the phase coherence through the crossover zone.

The Model A has a generous bass/mid driver which features a large diameter voice coil that confers exceptionally high power handling. The bass enclosure is heftily constructed in MDF and covered in a wide choice of coloured fabrics. A reflex port fitted into the base is held several centimetres off the floor by some very well founded and purposeful spikes, and the whole thing feels very solid and stable. The two drivers are mounted on separate baffles, so the bass/mid driver sits slightly nearer listeners than the 28mm soft dome tweeter. Connection is made via twin terminal pairs, allowing for bi-wiring or bi-amping.

SOUND QUALITY. The first thing one notices when placing and connecting up the Model A is just how coherent and ‘real’ it sounds. It might not match the strict tonal accuracy and neutrality of some of its immediate competitors, but no time-smear, combined with a vigorous dynamic delivery, provides more than ample compensation. MonoPulse uses the phrase ‘transient synchronism’ to describe its particular strength, and that’s as good as any to describe the crispness and clarity with which individual instruments are defined. Timing is truly exceptional, and percussion in particular is notably well defined, making even drum solos unusually entertaining and musical!

Hi-Fi News - February 2006. By Keith Howard.

Current Affairs.

Hi-Fi News"In 20 years nobody has tried to verify if speakers draw unexpectedly large currents on music signals."

The MonoPulse is even better behaved, with no excess current episodes recorded on either music tracks."

hi>fi+ - Paul Messenger

Hi-Fi +EQUIPMENT REVIEW: The MonoPulse Model A Loudspeaker.

The man behind the brand is Allan Hendry, a hi-fi enthusiast of long-standing, but one who has spent much of his working life as an engineer working in the field of pulsed, phased-array radar systems. That background, in which phase relationships and coherence are a prime ingredient, provided the inspiration to experiment with loudspeakers, and to try and achieve a design which placed the maintenance of phase linearity high up the list of priorities, including the problematic crossover transition. The ultimate consequence was the decision to manufacture the range of MonoPulse loudspeakers for commercial sale.

The range today basically consists of two models, code named Model S and Model A, both based around a common engineering theme but growing progressively larger. The 20 litre Model S was the first to come to my attention, some two and a half years ago, and about six months back I tried the larger 40 litre Model A for the first time. Both impressed me a great deal with the sheer vividness of their music making – “the shock of reality” was how I described that original Model S.

The whole thing sits on little steel feet that accommodate 8mm spikes and keep the ported base clear of the floor. Although it’s quite tall and not particularly deep, the whole thing feels reassuring stable. In engineering terms this is a large, 40 litre two-way, port-loaded through its base. It has a 200mm bass/mid driver – significantly larger than today’s norm. This uses a moulded frame and doped paper cone, and is positioned vertically very close to the 28mm fabric dome tweeter. The latter is mounted on its own sub–baffle, set back by a small but precise amount, in order to establish the precise phase integrity.

The spec claims a generous sensitivity of 90dB, alongside an easy (minimum 7 ohms) amplifier load. Both these claims were confirmed on test, indication that this speaker should make a find partner for low power valve amps. The port is tuned to 37Hz, which should ensure good ultimate bass extension.

A remarkable immediacy of a performance that clearly has minimal time-smear and fine transient integrity. MonoPulse calls this aspect of the performance ‘transient synchronism’, which is as good a buzz-phrase as any for something that really does bring a crispness and a very welcome dose of realism to the proceedings. Furthermore, by preserving good leading edge integrity, dynamics somehow seem to sound punchier and more believable. In some respects I am reminded of the very special immediacy that one finds with speakers using single full range drivers, and if the A doesn’t go quite that far in terms of absolute coherence, it doesn’t sacrifice performance at the frequency extremes in the way that single-driver systems invariably do.

If superb transient integrity is its main claim to fame, there’s very little to criticise elsewhere in the performance. The whole mid-to-treble balance and transition now sounds beautifully smooth and well ordered. Interestingly, and tending to confirm the claims regarding superior phase coherence, the image focusing is very sensitive to head position, rather in the manner of panel speakers. If imaging’s your thing, take extra car in setting up these speakers, making sure they’re truly vertical, similarly oriented and exactly equidistant from your listening seat. The payoff makes the effort well worthwhile.

The very essence of this speaker is simply that it makes listening to any source unusually easy and interesting. Speech is very intelligible, even at low listening levels, and individual accents and inflexions come through very clearly. Music sounds beautifully coherent and free from artifice, so that one is rarely conscious of any intrusion from the speakers themselves, while the brain focuses instead on the subtlety and delicacy of the music making process. All kinds of music seem well served, the A proving just as adept at conveying the texture of orchestral strings as it is with punchier and more percussive pop and rock material – indeed, drum solos come across as particularly convincing.

This is a genuine audiophile product at a very realistic price.

WHAT HI-FI - Model S top, five star, award.

Get your finger on the 'Pulse.

What Hi-FiIf your first thought was 'MonoPulse who?', you're not alone. This is the first time we've come across this manufacturer, and we're glad we did. "Don't worry if the blue cloth/silver metal look of our pair isn't to your taste, because the company is flexible when it comes to colours. Build is fine, but these speakers lack some cosmetic polish compared to industry majors. But that's where the negatives end"

"Dynamics and detail impress. MonoPulse puts a great deal of emphasis on getting the phase accuracy between the mid/bass and the tweeter spot on. It's succeeded, with the result that Ss latch on to the leading edge of every note with breathtaking confidence. "They time superbly, and can deliver a complex rhythm track such as Gorillaz's Dirty Harry in as surefooted a manner as any speaker at this price. Detail is impressive and dynamics vivid. Carefully matched, the Ss give the class champions something to think about."

"Verdict. Great for the money. A fast, dynamic sound; tracks rhythms superbly; fine integration between the drive units. Five stars

HI-FI CHOICE - MonoPulse Model A, by Paul Messenger.

Unusual in every respect, does MonoPulse challenge stereotypes?

Hi-Fi Choice A relatively new name on the scene, MonoPulse loudspeakers were conceived and created by hi-fi enthusiast Allan Hendry, who spent much of his professional life working in pulsed-array radar systems. That experience made him particularly conscious of the importance of phase relationships, and he’s subsequently applied that know-how to the integration of bass/mid driver and tweeter through the crossover region."

"The result was the creation of a range of MonoPulse loudspeakers. We reviewed the first of these, the MonoPulse Model S, with very positive results. So this time we’re checking out the top-of-the-line Model A, a radically styled 40-litre two-way floorstander that comes in a wide range of colours and finishes. A reflex port is fitted into the base of the enclosure, firing downwards and held about five centimetres off the floor by some very well founded and purposeful spikes. As part of the time alignment, the two drivers are mounted on separate baffles, so the bass/mid driver fixing is nearer listeners than the 28mm soft dome tweeter. This also provides some mechanical and acoustic isolation between the drivers. "The two separate grille cloths are available in a variety of colours. Connection is made via twin terminal pairs, allowing the bi-wiring or bi-amping."

"Sound quality. MonoPulse refers to a concept it calls ‘impulse synchronism’ as the key ingredient that distinguishes its loudspeakers from its rivals. And, as soon as the speakers were connected up, it was immediately obvious that they offer something very special in the way the leading edges of voices and musical instruments are defined. As a direct consequence, music is delivered with a dynamic vividness, integrity and sheer excitement."

Hi-Fi News - July 2005

Phase change.

Hi-Fi NewsYour speaker's drive units may be connected out of phase. It isn’t faulty – it was designed that way. But, asks Keith Howard, is this really a good idea?

If you are familiar with the design of loudspeaker crossovers, you will know it is common practice to internally connect up drive units with opposite polarities. Average hi-fi users, with the familiar warning about connecting speakers to the amplifier with consistent phase (red erminal to red terminal, black to black) ringing in their ears, will find this odd.. It turns out that the knee-jerk reaction to consider it strange may be the right one. Some loudspeaker designers have come to the conclusion that it is a bad habit the audio industry should break. Talking to a succession of speaker designers in recent months, they have mentioned a factor which isn’t often heard about – loudspeaker impulse response - and the impulse response of a typical multi-way loudspeaker is not a pretty sight.

"MonoPulse speakers have been designed with impulse response firmly at the top of the agenda. "Allan Hendry [see the March issue review of the MonoPulse Model S] justifies his unusual choice of crossover filters on the basis that it allows the bass-mid unit and the tweeter to be connected in phase. "If you put an impulse into a speaker with opposed driver polarities, then as one diaphragm moves forward, the other will move back – an intuitively undesirable situation, particularly given the established significance of leading-edge transients in music.

The ENGINEER

Hi-fi entrepreneur Allan Hendry's loudspeakers garner high praise from music buffs .

MonoPulse, a loudspeaker company that is attracting rave reviews from the critics. Is it a consortium of of German PhDs perhaps? In fact the answer is Allan Hendry, an engineer turned hi-fi entrepreneur. The name MonoPulse relates to the radar technology he was involved with."

The specific technical issue to which Hendry turned his attention is the time domain accuracy of a speaker. They look as they are intended to function, style does not compromise function.

Hi-Fi News - MonoPulse erratum

Hi-Fi NewsRegrettably, due to a production error, the final paragraph in Keith Howard's review of the MonoPulse Model S loudspeaker was omitted from the March issue. 'Its fundamental honesty of sound is its key attribute and opens the window on a musical performance in way that many slugged-sounding speakers – of which there are still too many – never can. This is what real high fidelity is all about, and it will deservedly win the Monopulse Model A many friends.

HI-FI CHOICE - MonoPulse Model S

Hi-Fi ChoiceIndependent loudspeaker specialist MonoPulse has upgraded its distinctive speaker range for 2005."

Each custom-built pair comes in a choice of colours and finishes."

Hi-Fi News - MonoPulse Model S, by Keith Howard

With an unusual crossover design and distinctive looks, this loudspeaker preserves musical 'attack' above all else.

Hi-Fi NewsIn a world of clones – which might be considered evidence of convergent evolution or lack of imagination, depending on your frame of mine – it is a pleasant change to encounter a loudspeaker that’s a little different, outside and in. The MonoPulse Model S, designed and made in the UK by Allan Hendry, is nothing if not distinctive, from the stretched cloth covering that defines its appearance, to the philosophy that underlies its creation.

Hendry’s guiding design principle is the maintenance of leading-edge information – the ‘attack’ portion of musical notes that is known to be so vital to our perception of each musical instrument’s distinctive character. "To achieve this, he deploys an unusual form of asymmetric crossover.

Buyers can choose from a variety of fabric colours for the cabinet covering. If you move house or redecorate then the covering can be changed to suit.

It seems to have an unusually ‘quiet’ cabinet for a floorstanding speaker in this price category. Despite the relatively large area of the cabinet’s panels there is little sense of it contributing unwanted output, the sound being free of tell-tale boxiness. This helps you appreciate the Model Ss even response down to what are quite low bass frequencies for its size. At the other end of the frequency range the decay spectra confirmed that the tweeter, despite its soft dome, is free of the diaphragm resonances that used to add a sibilant tizz to drivers of this type. As a result, the Model S's treble is clean and detailed. Set up as I’ve described the Model S gave a fine account of itself, at least as good as any speaker I’ve heard at this price. Its fundamental honesty of sound is its key attribute and opens the window on a musical performance in a way that many slugged-sounding speakers – of which there are still too many – never can. This is what real high fidelity is all about, and it will deservedly win the Monopulse Model S many friends. Keith Howard.

Hi-Fi News verdict: This distinctive British-made two-way majors on a transparent, honest, musically involving sound. Good bass extension.

Hi-Fi News - MonoPulse Model A, by David Alcock

Fancy electrostatic sound from a sharp-looking conventional speaker? Meet the MonoPulse Model A.

Hi-Fi NewsCould it be that this unconventional looking two-way floorstanding is every audiophiles dream? Slim and unobtrusive, the Model A initially looks like a panel speaker, yet the aesthetics derive from designer Allan Hendry's belief that to work correctly speakers must not only be time-coherent but also phase-coherent, too.

The Model A has two clear elements to its design. The 200mm mid/bass is mounted at the very top of its enclosure, bringing its centre point as close together as possible to that of the tweeter, while the tweeter itself is set back from the main baffle to time align the two drivers. It offers 90db/W/M sensitivity (particularly suited for use with valves and class-A amps) and a power handling of up to 550 watts."

"These speakers have to be positioned very much as you would electrostatics, with the As being positioned in the location vacated by my reference SL-3 speakers. The Monopulse clearly tells you when you hit the right spot, the images locking into space. It brings the kind of resolving capability and imaging one would normally associate with small electrostatics like the Martin Logan Aerius i to a far wider audience."

"The ability of these speakers to capture subtle nuances and inflections in vocal performances is outstanding. True out-of-the-box imaging was apparent from the first notes heard, with the lateral stage extending well beyond the outer edges of the speakers and giving the illusion of imaging beyond the physical room boundaries. It is highly transparent throughout the critical midrange and high frequency band. If these abilities are high on your list of priorities for your next pair of loudspeakers, then the Model A should be a mandatory inclusion on your shortlist. And, thanks to its lower cost and ease with which it can be driven, I feel that it brings the kind of resolving capability and imaging one would associate with small electrostatics like the Martin Logan Aerius i to far wider audience. From me, that is more than enough to elicit a firm recommendation. David Alcock"

HI-FI CHOICE - Pulsating Sound

New Flagship MonoPulse Model A

Hi-Fi ChoiceMonoPulse has introduced a new flagship speaker. The new MonoPulse Model A with a new bass driver said to give greater extension and control, and a claimed sensitivity of 90dB.

HI-FI CHOICE - By Paul Messenger.

MONOPULSE Model S. A radical look and sound from a newcomer with bright ideas.

Hi-Fi ChoiceA brand new name on the scene, MonoPulse was founded by long-time hi-fi enthusiast Allan Hendry, who has experimented with speakers for decades, but until recently, earned his living in electronics, working on phased-array radar systems. It's experience that may not seem to have much relevance to speaker design, but it has made him particularly conscious of the phase relationship between bass/mid driver and tweeter through the crossover region. That's very much reflected in the way the network is designed and the drivers are spaced. A reflex port is fitted into the base of this enclosure, firing downward and held an appropriate distance off the floor by some very well founded and purposeful spikes – the footprint might be modest, but stability seems good here, helped by the 12kg total weight.

There are many exaggerated claims for superior performance in this business. Happily, the MonoPulse fully lives up to its claim that it will supply superior stereo precision and focus. The sound is pretty well balanced overall, and delivers a coherence and timing that's positively electrifying.

A vivid sound that gets you close to the music It's a vivid edge-of-seat experience, which somehow seems to 'direct-couple' the music to the brain much more effectively than most. Playing Christy Moore's Live At The Point, it was almost as though one had been transported to that famous Dublin venue. The exceptional image precision, alongside the fact that small head movements result in significant shifts in the perspectives, are very reminiscent of what one hears with wide-range electrostatic speakers – and a sure sign that this speaker does indeed have phase accuracy that's very rare indeed in a regular box speaker.

This Model S is an exceptionally creative design, not just in its unusual appearance and methods of construction, but more especially in its vivid sound quality, which simply gets you closer to the music than most of the competition. HFC

HI-FI WORLD - Pulse Power

Hi-Fi WorldMonoPulse is a new British loudspeaker company which wryly states that 'the answer to life, the universe and everything is a combination of precise detail and clean, undistorted bass power', which its new Model A loudspeaker delivers.

Hi-Fi News - New brand steals limelight

Hi-Fi NewsNew speaker manufacturer MonoPulse has launched a range of speakers.

Using two offset drive units and sophisticated crossovers, the MonoPulse units are designed to express transient sounds with great accuracy. Bi-wire terminals and adjustable M8 spikes come as standard.

HI-FI CHOICE - Finger on the Pulse - Speakers from Allan Hendry

Hi-Fi ChoiceSpecialist privateer speaker manufacturer Allan Hendry has announced details of his latest project - five loudspeakers called MonoPulse, available from a small number of dealers.

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