Tag Archives: Ubsound Multico

Opinion 1

Not that I’m complaining too much, but you have to admit that lately on our audio market there has been relatively little in the way of introducing new products. Of course, every now and then a distributor boasts about something new in its portfolio, but in fact there is hardly any such thing. A medicine, which, minimally dosed, in a way limits us to choosing a particular product from the always known, which is the fruit of stagnation in the desire to expand the offer by audio dealers, often not meeting our expectations, unfortunately. Fortunately, despite the above-mentioned situation, a little is happening, a perfect example of which is today’s hero in the form of a manufacturer of loudspeakers. And not just any manufacturer, as it comes from Italy, known for its interesting audio design. Who is it? Well, today we are going to take a look at a kind of novelty on our market, that is the Ubsound Multico ML68 floor standing loudspeakers, whose appearance in Poland and in front of our eyes we owe to the distributor Audio Anatomy.

Briefly, the theme of our Italian heroines is as follows. We are dealing with medium-height handcrafted floor standing loudspeakers equipped with four 2-way dynamic coaxial drivers. Three drivers can be found on the front, and one down fire on the base of the tower separated from the ground by four rather high feet. As you can see, this is not a traditional driver application, but the manufacturer stands that this solution is by no means an accident, but rather the result of – unfortunately for the homemakers – the company’s secret HDNSS (High Definition Natural Sound Signature) audio technology, based in part on Manfred Schroeder’s assumptions regarding the loudspeaker’s internal resonance and acoustic isolation. Following the manufacturer’s information, the cabinets are finished with multiple paint layers consecutively applied. At the bottom of their front side, we find a 45-degree curved asymmetrical bass-reflex, while the back side features a stick-on nameplate and a recessed set of loudspeaker cable terminal cups. Presented in this way, the maidens are ideal partners for virtually any kind of amplifier, as they boast an efficiency of 93dB at 8 Ohm of impedance.

The loudspeakers described today intrigued me very much because of their unconventional design. It is not often that someone has the opportunity to deal with such an, let’s not deceive, „exotic” solution based on four self-sufficient, two-way drivers. I was quite concerned about the coherence of their sound performance. Admittedly, the manufacturer in its proclamation to a potential customer mentions a proprietary solution to the matter, but it is one thing to promise something and another to put it into practice. Fortunately, as the Italians promised, they did it, and to my positive surprise, they managed to deal with the issue. With which results? Well, from the very first moments spent with the music version of the Multico ML68, you can hear the intention of showing the listener what is meant by softness and unobtrusive painting of the soundstage world. Without being tiring in the long run, such as the sharp edges of an over-inflated double bass or the offensive high frequencies cutting the space. Yes, many inexperienced music lovers may like those tonalities, but let’s not kid ourselves: music is supposed to soothe, not exacerbate ADHD symptoms. And if this is the case, it will probably come as no surprise to anyone that such an approach to the subject has been accompanied by the engineers’ planned common-sense austerity in over-chiselling every stage entity. However, I would like to immediately reassure the reader that this was not an emotionless message like after taking a sedative, but a look at the music from the perspective of an interesting live projection, i.e. more organic spots friendly to our hearing, rather than audiophile-style, often senseless, involuntary splitting of hairs into four. Boredom? Not at all, as, despite of any suspicions, the calm music charmed me all the time, and the sharper music never exceeded good taste.
Whether it be any kind of vocalization or jazz in the broadest sense of the word, without seeking applause in the senseless delivery of each individual sound detail, the Italian loudspeakers were always able to bring out the real intentions of the artists. Artists, who – very importantly – without the use of a scalpel, but nevertheless clearly defined tonalities, were able to show the artistry of their soundstage work without any problem. Not only as individual entities on a soundstage that was sensibly, in terms of breadth and depth, constructed, but also, or perhaps above all, coherently and in a shared understanding of each other. Contrary to appearances, showing the listener to get the right flow from the musicians is not that easy. And certainly not when forcibly separating the sound details from each other. After all, the essence of a good reception of musical material, apart from subjective phenomena, is also to show the listener their full understanding of instrumental cooperation, in which, in my opinion, our heroines Multico ML68 clearly excelled.
On a slightly different note – I mean to describe the performance in all the superlatives – the music from the aggressive side of the acoustic spectrum, especially the electronic music, was also interesting. This was, indeed, slightly controlled, but still a veritable frenzy. No painful, but still full of expressive swishes and well supported by the lower range. Perhaps this could be perceived as too conservative for orthodox worshipers of this type of self-abuse, but I assure you, for the normal listener the spirit of this type of music was clearly preserved. In my opinion, the energy sprinkled with a pinch of sonic nostalgia was just a different perspective on this kind of project. And if you don’t like it, simply look elsewhere. After all, no one has yet been born to please everyone, which the Italians are perfectly aware of, having decided to engineer music in the spirit of romanticism, deliberately avoiding a variety that is equally interesting.

I hope the manufacturer’s message is clear from my text. We listen to music as friends, not its opposite likewise an eternally aggressive mother-in-law. Of course, both types of music have their purpose, but we have to choose during the eventual purchase decision concerning the loudspeakers evaluated today. However, I recommend calmness, because if you listen to both types of the aforementioned music, and are not unconditionally turned on one of its trends, the black Madonnas coming from Italy, naturally in their own style, but calmly cope with practically every kind of music. Without being presentational in the extreme, instead maintaining the emotions contained within.

Jacek Pazio

Opinion 2

We seem to be saying all the time that we are trying to keep up to date with what’s going on in the audiophile world, but once again it has turned out that, despite our best intentions, it is impossible to grasp this multitude and variety of goods that are called luxuries. Fortunately, the audiophile microcosm is constructed in such a way that sooner or later someone will do the homework for us and from the segment we are interested in will find something that will arouse our genuine interest. That is what happened this time, or rather, for the second time, as Audio Anatomy from Krakow, after the earlier discovery of NIME Audiodesign and their futuristic Mya monitors, gained another Italian brand, Ubsound, for its portfolio, debuting on our market, from whose catalogue we tested Multico ML68 loudspeakers, surprising in some aspects.

According to the manufacturer’s assurances, the Ubsound Multico ML68 are „multi-coaxial loudspeakers designed and handcrafted in Italy in the heart of Milan. These high-end loudspeakers have been specifically designed for audiophiles, professionals and discerning Hi-Fi customers.” So seemingly nothing controversial that could not be verified, which we decided to do out of sheer curiosity. And indeed, the address of Ubsound’s head office is just 6.5km, or less than an hour and a half’s walk, from the very centre of Milan, which we conventionally took Castello Sforzesco to be. As for the handcrafted workmanship, we have no reason to believe otherwise, although looking at the product and considering the distributor said to be the same satin black as the Lamborghini, it is hard not to get the impression that the phrase „Italian workmanship” brings to mind slightly different, less austere, not to say minimal, associations. Even the entry level Feel series catch the eye with their sensual reds and exciting yellows, while here we have a conservativeness that is hard to explain rationally. However, since you don’t judge a book by its cover, this is neither the time nor the place for further complaints.
We’ll talk about the sound itself in a moment, so for now let’s focus on the details. As we were able to show you during the unboxing session, the ML68 floor standing are quite small, not exceeding one metre in height equipped with four 21cm 2-way coaxial drivers (each), three of which are located at the front and one at the base blowing into the ground. Therefore, instead of the standard small spikes, the Italians used 4cm high bushing feet, which are reinforced with steel cores. Interestingly, in the promotional materials, one can come across a declaration that the ground-playing driver also improve the soundstage not only in terms of bass, which does not raise any objections, but also in terms of midrange and treble, which, especially when placing the Multico on plump carpets or moquette, I would approach with some doubts. However, leaving aside possible doubts, it is worth mentioning that each driver has an external dedicated anti-vibration wooden ring.
Looking at the front finishing for a while, it is impossible to ignore the aluminium brushed signboard screwed above the drivers and the single bass reflex outlets located at the base, which are curved upwards at an angle of 45° inside the cabinets. A glance at the rear panel, on the other hand, brings another surprise of mixed feelings, because while we do not require special sophistication from the nameplate, although contact with the Xavian XN250 Evoluzione, where this detail was made of embossed leather, left us with very pleasant memories, the cable terminals in the 85kPLN+ loudspeaker could be a bit better than those used by the Italians, as the last time I encountered a similar design in the Eltax Liberty 3+ (costing <1.5kPLN at that time) a quarter of a century ago, and that in a bi-wire version.
As for the basic technicalities, apart from the high efficiency of 93dB and friendly 8Ω impedance, not much is known. All that is known is that the key to the project is the HDNSS (High Definition Natural Sound Signature) audio technology, based on several criteria and associated secret algorithms based, among others, on the work of Manfred Schroeder already at the design stage emphasizing physical and acoustic-dynamic phenomena and not, as it is usually the case, mainly electroacoustic ones.

So much theory. And how does it relate to practice? I dare say nothing, because if someone, after overly mysterious references to the use of truly cosmic technologies and complicated calculations, expected a strictly technical, analytical, or even laboratory sound, then they may be sorely disappointed, because the sound of the ML68 is the opposite of such a signature. It represents the camp of sound that is fully musical and at the same time homogeneous, where the accent, instead of resolution and details, is placed on cohesion and fluidity of transmission. In addition, the presence of as many as four 21cm drivers in each loudspeaker means that despite their relatively small size, the Ubsound towers play a surprisingly large and free sound, capable of embarrassing many and much more powerful competing models. It is worth bearing in mind, that due to the use of coaxial drivers, the Italian loudspeakers do not even try to fit into the canon of a conventional point source, going rather in the direction of live aesthetics, where space is more important, both in width and depth, as well as freedom of articulation, rather than defining apparent sources with hundredths of a millimetre accuracy.
In addition, we will be able to get to know their full potential after about 150h of running in, because taken straight out of a common cardboard box, fortunately additionally reinforced with chipboard molds, the Italian towers are too conservative and distant. Fortunately, hour after hour they come to life, imbuing the message with a juiciness and innate enthusiasm capable of rousing even the most dreary and sluggish listeners. Interestingly, they do not need any especially refined and elaborate audiophile realizations to do so, as even Madonna’s „Ray of Light” and Yello’s „Touch” can at first blush with the momentum and spectacular characteristic of club and concert events. Surprisingly, it is precisely on the electronics that a certain dream and expressionism of individual „instruments” and vocalists is least noticeable, as the Ubsound towers’ computer-generated soundstage is surprisingly faithful and palpable. Half-jokingly and half-seriously, someone could even say that the Italian loudspeakers convert this thoroughly digital input on the fly into an analogue one, which is much easier for the listener to assimilate, so that instead of working hard on constant analysis, our brains can switch over to a relaxed mode of blissful laziness, just letting bypass what our ears and other organs collect furtherly without even the slightest treatment.
On the other hand, on recordings that are decidedly less processed and devoid of synthetic pulsations, such as the phenomenal album „Pieśni Współczesne (live at Cavatina Hall)” by Miuosh with the Silesian Song and Dance Ensemble, the impression of participation only intensifies. One because of the aforementioned lack of any problems in conveying the momentum of the performance – the larger the line-up, the more strongly Multico catch the wind in their sails – and two because of the phenomenal depth of the soundstage, which only emphasises the realism. Just note the multi-planarity, the complexity of the performance apparatus, which on one hand sounds like a single organism, but has no problems at all in isolating individual soloists and instruments, but not by the principle of soulless extraction, but by an entirely natural, that is in line with what occurs in the real world when observing, as a spectator/listener, stopping your gaze at a given point and catching focus on it.
And what about intimate compositions? No less interesting, as, for example, on Björk’s ’Gling-Gló’ with Tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar, the aforementioned dream and expressionism of the individual instruments can bring to mind omnipolar constructions. However, after a moment of acclimatization, this very way of presentation quickly becomes completely natural, as the piano has its own dimensions, the drums also do their job, and as their edges cannot be shaved, unless someone suffers from hyperacusis, even sitting in the first row of a jazz club, one will not notice such details either, i.e. everything is in the best possible order – in line with nature, and the fact that it represents a slightly different point of view than the majority of 'conventional’ designs available on the market is another story.

Something seems to me that this very naturalness is what may initially pose the biggest problem in accepting the Ubsound Multico ML68 as they are. Instead of breaking the individual components into atoms and wondering what the bass sounds like, what the midrange is like and what is going on up top, we simply switch on our favourite repertoire and enjoy the music. I emphasise the music and not the separate components or individual sounds and nuances. Therefore, if you would like to go back to the basics, to the sources, when the overriding value was the music itself and the pleasure of listening to it, these Italian loudspeakers will more than meet your expectations. If, however, you want a meticulous analysis and critical listening, where detail and, to a certain extent, the equipment reproducing it are of primary importance, this could be the wrong address. However, in order to be sure, it is enough to make an appointment with the distributor for a presentation or, even better, to take the Italian towers to your place for a weekend and judge by yourself whether this is our fairy tale or whether the search for the Holy Grail will continue.

Marcin Olszewski

System used in this test:
Source:
– transport: CEC TL 0 3.0
– streamer: Melco N1A/2EX + switch Silent Angel Bonn N8
– DAC: dCS Vivaldi DAC 2.0
– Master clock: Mutec REF 10 SE-120
– reclocker: Mutec MC-3+USB
– Shunyata Research Omega Clock
– Shunyata Sigma V2 NR
– Preamplifier: Gryphon Audio Pandora
– Power amplifier: Gryphon Audio Mephisto Stereo
– Loudspeakers: Gauder Akustik Berlina RC-11 Black Edition
– Speaker Cables: Synergistic Research Galileo SX SC
IC RCA: Hijiri Million „Kiwami”, Vermouth Audio Reference
IC XLR: Tellurium Q Silver Diamond, Hijiri Milion „Kiwami”, Siltech Classic Legend 880i
Digital IC: Hijiri HDG-X Milion
Power cables: Hijiri Takumi Maestro, Furutech Project-V1, Furutech NanoFlux NCF, Furutech DPS-4.1 + FI-E50 NCF(R)/ FI-50(R), Hijiri Nagomi, Vermouth Audio Reference Power Cord, Acrolink 8N-PC8100 Performante
– Table: SOLID BASE VI
– Accessories: Harmonix TU 505EX MK II, Stillpoints ULTRA SS, Stillpoints ULTRA MINI, antivibration platform by SOLID TECH, Harmonix AC Enacom Improved for 100-240V, Harmonix Room Tuning Mini Disk RFA-80i
– Power distribution board: POWER BASE HIGH END
– Acoustic treatments by Artnovion
Analog stage:
Drive: Clearaudio Concept
Cartridge: Essence MC
Step-up: Thrax Trajan
Phonostage: Sensor 2 mk II

Polish distributor: Highendalliance / Audio Anatomy
Manufacturer: Ubsound
Price: 86 000 PLN / 18,000 USD (pair)

Official technical details:
Maximum power input: 400W
Suggested power input: from 20W to 360W
Impedance: 8 Ohm
Sensitivity: 93dB (2,83V/1m)
Frequency response: 21Hz – 26.000Hz
Maximum harmonic distortion: < 0,5%
Bass-reflex: front, asymmetrical and 45° curved
4 independent 2-way coaxial dynamic driver: 21cm (8.3 in) Ø
Positioning: floor standing tower
Total dimensions (L x H x P): 26 x 92 x 31 cm
Feet height: 4 cm
Weight: 20 Kg (each)