Usher DMD tweeter upgrade: worth it?

I currently own both the non-USA Be-718s with the beryllium tweeter, and the DMD tweetered 718s with the GR Research crossovers. They are both driven by Wyred 4 Sound amps. The two systems are in different rooms - the rooms have quite different acoustic signatures.

To my ears the Beryllium tweeters are sweeter, smoother, but have less detail. They work better in my living room, which has reflective surfaces (one wall is glass doors), is open on one side to a kitchen, and is primarily used for listening to music. The DMD tweeters do more of the things audiophiles seem to like - sharper imaging, more detail. I use them in a smaller, better damped room, which is a den/home theatre. For dialogue in movies they are definitely preferable - the extra clarity is welcome. With both sets of speakers I also use REL subs - excellent integration and only fleshes out the sound all the more.

The crossovers, which I hoped would improve definition in the midrange and bass, seem to make little difference. I doubt I would be able to tell the diffence in these frequencies if listening "blind" to the US vs nonUS versions. Perhaps they are influencing the high frequencies too - with the results mentioned above.

I would add that the dedicated Usher speaker stands made a big difference. Across the frequency range they brought added definition and punch, with no negatives. Previously I used 30+ kilogram steel/sand weigthed stands with bituminous dots between speaker and top plate. Also experimented with cinder blocks and heights. The Usher stands are beautifully put together and actually made the difference between a good speaker and one that I find fully satisfying.

Hope this is helpful.

I purchased the DMD Be718s, the GR crossovers, and the two sets of stands from KCAudio (hifi223)- his service was excellent!

Cheers, Rob.

Hi Nandric, Yes, I expected the crossover to have a more dramatic impact - it would be nice to think all those high quality parts made a difference. And to be fair KC (hifi223), an Aussie dealer for Usher, feels they made a big improvement. I know he owns some pretty amazing ultra-high end tube gear, so perhaps with his system the differences are highlighted.

My comparison is not very reliable, since the pair with the GR crossover also have the DMD tweeter, so I can't isolate the effect of the crossover - I'm just assuming that the audible difference should be in the midrange and bass (since that's what Usher USA suggest) and to my ears the difference is slight. Definitely there's a difference in the higher frequencies and I'm attributing that to the DMD tweeter, but perhaps the crossover is playing a role too (for better or for worse).

Still, I can't imagine anyone would fail to notice the improvement provided by the stands. In Australia the stands cost about the same as upgrading the crossover, so if someone had that kind of money to spend on an upgrade then I'd go for the stands first. The stands have two height settings and I found the lower of two suited my setup best. Also, they look better in real life than they do in photos.

And of course you're right about the name - it has a strange history.

All the best,
Rob

Hello Again. An update, and a substantial change in my opinion. I recently replaced the DMD tweeters with Beryllium ones, while retaining the GR-research crossovers. So now I have two pairs of Beryllium tweetered 718s, one pair with the standard crossover, and one with the GR-research USA-spec crossover.

Verdict: The GR-research crossover is a spectacular improvement. All the virtues I heard previously were due to the crossover. In fact with the Be tweeter in place, the gains are all the more evident. More detail, more transparency, better imaging, and (for me surprising) clarity in the upper bass - there are no downsides. I am able to interchange the two sets of speakers, and, at least in my system, there is a marked difference in favour of the GR-research version.

The corollary of the above is that in my opinion the DMD tweeter is markedly inferior to the Beryllium model. It adds a layer of grain, and a distinct harshness to some instruments - most evident with violins, both solo and massed, and trumpet - for example, Miles Davis' recordings. The effect is one of congestion; there is less "air" around players. Practically the results saw me turn down the volume, and shorten listening sessions. Ultimately, the DMD equipped set (with GR-crossovers) were relegated to my 2.1channel home theatre set-up, where they were fine for movies. I repeatedly trialled them in the main music system, but always reverted to the Beryllium set-up, usually after only a day or two - even without the GR-crossovers, these were distinctly preferable.

In summary - With Beryllium tweeter and GR-crossovers the Be-718s live up to all the wild praise of the early USA reviewers. Finally I can hear what all the fuss was about. With Beryllium tweeters, but only the standard crossover = nice, very smooth and easy to listen to, but a little slow and unfocused. With DMD tweeters (and GR-crossovers), more snap and some of the detail is there, but with a harshness that, to my ears, makes them tiring and unlovable.

I purchased the Beryllium tweeters through KCAudio (hifi223). His service was perfect. Westan, the Australian distributor, have only a few sets left in stock. If you want to purchase a set you need to quote the "sensitivity" of your DMDs - this is found on a label affixed to the rear of the tweeter. The tweeters are easily removed - you only need a 2mm Allen key - no soldering required.

Rob