Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Monsoon FPF - 1000 Speakers by ka7niq

Model:	FPF - 1000
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$1295.00
Description:	Planar Ribbon Hybrid Speaker
Manufacturer URL:	Monsoon
Manufacturer URL:	Monsoon

Review by ka7niq ( A ) on March 26, 2004 at 10:21:28
IP Address: 4.3.101.213

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for the FPF - 1000

I had high hopes for these, and I got a great deal on them off of EBAY.
Monsoon went out of business, so the price on these was quite attractive.
The ribbon drivers used in these speakers are old Eminent Technology designs.
Bruce Thigpen of Eminent Technology liscensed the technology for the ribbon midrange panels to Monsoon for use in the companies computer speakers, and in their High End efforts, the Monsoon FPF series.
The Monsoon 1000 is the middle of the ramge, using 2 6.5 inch woofers, crossed over to 2 Ribbon Midrange drivers mounted in a D'Appolito {MTM} alignment with a ribbon tweeter designed by Dragoslav whateverhisnameis based on the Eminent Technology patent.
The woofer to Ribbon crossover occurs at around 400 hz, and the mid to tweeter crossover occurs around 5 k.
There are Bi Wire Bi Amp terminals on the back with 5 way binding posts, and a reassuring "made in China" logo on the box.
Lets not beat around the bush, these speakers suck, big time.
No wonder Monsoon went out of business !
First, there are no extreme highs !
It sounds like The roibbon tweeter Dragoslav concocted out of the Eminent Technology patent is all done by 10 k or so ?
That robs em of top end air.
Then, bass is poor, and there isnt enough of it.
The midrange did give SOME glimpses of Transparency, but its level is several times hotter then its partnering drivers.
The combo of lillle bass, and no air up top gives a screechy, midrangy sound that is far from high end.
Upon advice from a person who helped out with the design, I placed a 4 ohm resistor in series with the tweeter in an attempt to make em more musical.
It didnt work.
The midrange element itself proved to be the culprit.
Now, i have enough experience around this stuff to know that even the finest drivers, used incorrectly can sound like shit.
But something is radically wrong in the midrange, and it imparts a shrill, metallic coloration to everything passing through it.
This could be crossover/level related, I dont know ?
I just know it aint musical by any stretch of the imagination.
Imaging is just so so , having the automatic dipole depth, but little seperation around instruments in the stage.
Violins were screechy, Saxaphones sounded more like Kazoos, female voice made us wince.
Musical, they aint.
I tried several different Dac's , including a Museatex Bitstream Dac modified by John Wright, and a thich, romantic sounding CAL Audio Labs tube dac with super rare NOS Tubes.
I have several wires,interconnects, amps, pre amps, etc, it didnt matter.
These things just need to "go away".
In 25 plus years of Audio, I have owned much equipment.
From VMPS Widerange Ribbons, Acoustat 1+1's, 2+2's, and Acoustat Model 8's.
Quad 63, Quad 57, Celestion SL 600's, Magneplanar Tympany 4a"s,Infinity QRS 1 d, Infinity Quantum Line Source, Infinity Preludes, ADS L2030's Telarc Monitors, Fulton Premieers, and my current B&W Matrix 801's series 2's with Van Alstine mods.
I just sold some Von Schweikert VR 2's, and my beloved big Horns, the Klipsch CF 4's that I used in my home gym {needed space for the squat rack}.
I know what a good sound is, and the Monsoon 1000's, in my opinion is to be avoided like the plague if a good sound is what you desire.
Oh, I almost forgot, I did remove the screens from the drivers as has been suggested by some.
They still sucked.
I must also add that 2 of my friends here in Tampa have the VMPS RM 40 speakers that use a ribbon midrange SIMILAR to these.
Brian wisely opted to use a different tweeter then the Monsoon tweeter.
The Ribbon panels look similar, but it is my understanding that Brian either modifies em, or has his ribbons speced out differently, perhaps using different magnetic gap spacing, and/or better magnets, etc ?
I dont know, but I can assure you this.
The Monsoon 1000 is no VMPS RM 40 !
I hear none of the screechy, piercing sounds from the 40's that I heard from these.
I only paid 300 dollars for the used and fully broken in Monsoon 1000's, so perhaps my mistake will keep some of you from disappointment ?
Having bought them w/o hearing on Ebay, I took a chance, and it didnt work out, no big deal.
I just wanted to add this "glowing review" to the audio database, in the hopes it may keep some unsuspecting audiophile from a lot of disappointment.
RIP Monsoon ... and good riddance too

Product Weakness: Tweeter "all done" at 10 k . phase and level problems.. weak bass ...
Product Strengths: You MUST be kidding ???

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Audire Monoblocks, Precision Fidelity M8, Sumo Andromeda
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Klyne, Quad 99, Audcom Tube Modified
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	CAL Transport , Oracle Musatex Dac
Speakers:	B&W Martix 801 w/ Van Alstine Mod
Cables/Interconnects:	Tara, Audio Quest , Vampire , etc
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	everything
Room Size (LxWxH):	12 x 14 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	Live End / Dead End.. Diffusors
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Powervar , Homebrew
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Tweeter "all done" at 10 k . phase and level problems.. weak bass ...
Product Strengths:	You MUST be kidding ???