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First time HT build planned. Wondering about Nat P vs. Modula MT. Looks to me as though the Nat P's will cost about $50 per speaker more than the Modula MTs. I have heard that they play louder -- in my current room (wood/brick w/ paper thin walls ... and neighbors) that doesn't really matter. But I haven't really figured out other than that. What is the difference one hears between these?
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It's true that they'll play louder- the Nat P has twice as many woofers. If I recall correctly, their crossover uses a very similar approach, so I would expect to hear similar "sound quality" from each of them at moderately low levels.
The key point, and I think this is what you're asking, is how they interact with the room differently. The Nat P's MTM arrangement has more limited vertical dispersion, which should be of some help if you have hard wood, tile, or otherwise reflective floors.
With a speaker that's a good point source (The Modula MT is closer to this than the Nat P), you'll get cancellation at various frequencies when the sound is able to bounce from the floor to your listening position. This effect happens because the sound takes longer to follow the floor-bounce path than it does to travel in a straight line, so when the straight-line sound recombines with the floor-bounce sound at your listening position, the phase mismatch causes a peak or dip in the response. This tends to be the worst (in my experience) between 50 and 500 hz.
Another thing in the Nat P's favor is that it can be built in a floor-standing extended-bass-shelf (EBS) model. This lets it play a bit lower, so the "louder" comes into play as being able to pull off some moderate subwoofer-ish duty without falling completely apart. Folks here with their dual 15 inch subwoofers will laugh at my saying so, but I watch plenty of movies with my Modula MTs alone with no subwoofer, and I still worry that the bass will bother a neighbor in my apartment building. I definitely get usable output to below 40 hz. If you're only playing in the 70 to 80 db range, and your room isn't too large, to Nat Ps could be enough to let you live without a sub for a while.-Joe Carrow -
I am no expert, but I have heard both, I own nats, and also own two bookshelf's similar to the modulas (however cheaper crossovers). Are you planning to watch movies more or music more? In my opinion, I like the MT's better for movies and the MTM's for music. I think the smaller point source is good for surround sound and stuff. if you have a less powerful amp I would go with the nats however, the MT's run quieter and a mid-fi amp may not give you enough juice otherwise.
I also agree with what Joe said too.Comment
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Hmm thats odd I've heard people say that MTM's are better for movies and MT's better for music. Not that either are bad at both of those just what I've heard.Comment
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I'm not sure if I agree with the idea that something might be "good for movies" and not "good for music", or the other way around. In my opinion, accurate sound reproduction is of major benefit for either goal. I think your room size, source gear, and listening position are all larger factors for your choice than "movies vs music".
I can think of a contrary case, where perhaps you have a lot of people watching a movie together. Speakers that don't tie you down into a small sweet-spot will be better for a group setting. That means that big ESL panels (magnepans, etc) are probably not going to give great sound to everyone sitting side-by-side on a couch. Likewise, if you have stadium style seating and are fortunate enough to have fairly non-reflective walls and ceilings, then the limited vertical dispersion of an MTM would also be a negative point.-Joe CarrowComment
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Raptor, have you heard a real Modula MT or are you basing your impressions on the "similar" design you built?I am no expert, but I have heard both, I own nats, and also own two bookshelf's similar to the modulas (however cheaper crossovers).
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I am basing it on the real modulas
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-I have actually done side by side comparing and my "raptor MT's" are not a far cry from the modula MTs. The Modulas crossovers separate instruments a bit more. the biggest place they are lacking is due to the smaller enclosure, which is to be expected. Its a small quality hit I feel is equitable for a large price reduction. If you are not poor, the modula crossover is still a better long term investment if you have the money.
Both MTM's are good for movies and music, but with these peticular two I enjoy the MT's with movies.Comment
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At the Iowa Speaker DIY2006 held in Des Moines I heard both. I was impressed with the smoothness of the M/T's and the value for such an inexpensive speaker.
I'd recommend it as a budget speaker to build for small rooms or lower volume listening.Comment
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