In the centre of the baffle, at a good 90 centimetres high, sits Scansonic's well-known and proven ribbon tweeter, which is also manufactured in-house. This shimmering silver tweeter takes care of the transmission of frequencies from 2,600 hertz. The ribbon's aluminium foil weighs just 0.03 grams. It is designed to ensure an airy and precise high frequency response. The tweeter is framed by two mid-range drivers, which are identical in construction to the bass chassis. They take care of the sound conversion down to 250 hertz. They are allocated their transmission ranges by a phase-optimised crossover equipped with selected components. After completion, each loudspeaker is meticulously checked both technically and visually at the factory before it is carefully packaged and sent on its journey to its future owner.
Welcome to the listening room
Scansonic is one of the manufacturers that devotes due attention to the subject of placement. After all, it is the placement that determines whether the reproduction is average or truly convincing. In the case of the MB6 B, it is primarily a question of the distance from the rear wall. If it is positioned 70 centimetres from the wall in the listening room, the bass is lean, precise and fast. If the distance is reduced to 40 centimetres, the foundation worth listening to is added. Given their discreet appearance, you wouldn't believe the energy these speakers can generate in the lower octaves. In addition to the room, the upstream electronics are of course also responsible for the sound result. More important than the actual selection is the proper installation. This includes a sensible power supply, stable positioning of the components and suitable audio and loudspeaker cabling. Incidentally, this is almost impossible without a competent specialist dealer.
Once we had worked our way from the rough set-up to the final parking position of the Scansonic in small steps, we were able to start the listening tests. We started by listening to "Going Home", an album that guitarist Arne Jansen and cellist Stephan Braun have dedicated to the music of Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits. Such endeavours often turn out to be a crazy idea. But to our great astonishment, the duo succeed in creating wonderful, fragile interpretations of songs that most of us know inside out. Even decades later, "Romeo And Juliet" can still be given a new, sensitive flavour. The Scansonic creates a three-dimensional space for the two musicians, with the reverb disappearing further into the depths than with other loudspeakers. The resolution of the tweeter is outstanding, as the reproduction of even the smallest nuances impressively demonstrates.
