Price Paid:  $750.00 from Tweeter Etc....in Boston

Summary:
I have owned these speakers going on 2 years. I currently use them as surround speakers. They are the perfect height for surround speakers with no stands. I highly recommend them to anyone considering them. The bipolar design is excellent for a surround that envelops you. I stopped using them as mains due to the recent purchase of Mirage OM-7's as replacements. As mains they were a lacking on the bass (though a sub will take care of that.



Equiptment:


Sony TA-E900ES Surround Processor
Adcom 5500 Amp
Adcom 5503 Amp
Mirage OM-7 Main Speakers
Mirage 895is Surround Speakers
Mirage Substrata 1000
AR S112PS Subwoofer (for rear channels)
Boston Acoustics VR14 THX Center
Sony KP-61V80 Projection Television
Sony DVP-S530D DVD Player
Harmon Kardon HD-710 Cd Player
Monster 2500 Line COnditioner
Monster Interconnects and speaker wire
Phillips Pronto Remote

Summary:
I bought these speakers 6 months ago second hand. I had been using a pair of EPOS ES14's but a bass drive unit was distorting and the company were unable to provide or recommend someone to fix the unit. I borrowed the 895is's froma second-hand dealer. My first impression was that the were lifeless and boomy. I perservered with them and through adjustement with placement arrived at a sound that I felt was the best I had ever got out of my system. They need space. I would recommend 60cm from side walls and 70-80cm from rear walls. I use them on a solid concrete floor which I am sure improves the bass control. Midrange can be greatly affected by adjusting the speakers so that they fire parallell to the side walls rather than have them toed into the listening position. I am sure that speakers of this calibre can only perform saisfactorily with good quality partnering. I use a LINN SONDEK LP12, NAIM Pre and Power Amps and a Marantz CD63 KI Sig with MUsic Fidelity D/A. The choice of speaker cable is also significant. I have used three types to experiment, NAIM NAC4, QED Quodos and best of all in this set up CHORD Rubra. This is a silver plated cable, slightly thicker then bell wire. It is very transparent and best of all has control in the bass. I you are considering these now discontinued speakers I would advice giving them time to impress, experiment with placement and don't expect them to shout out at you how good they are - they won't. Just listen. I have given them a value rating of 3 stars. This is because Of there retail price which I beleive was somewhere in the region of £1000+. I am delighted with them but having paid only £400 so I should be. I was unable to compare them with similar priced speakers so I would be only guessig at how they compete on price

Strengths:
The 895is have a very spacious sound due to the bipolar effect. The treble is sweet and bass is well extended. The lowest I have heard outside of a dem room. The speakers are able to create a large scale sound. They seem to be good with all kind of music but excel with acoustic.

Weaknesses:
Placement is essential and it is worth seeking a dealers advice. Little info given in the manual. They can easily boom and sound dead. Time spent in adjusting their placement will be rewarded as long as you have the space!

Similar Products Used:
AE 109's