The Micca M-8S finally arrives after 8 months of continuous engineering and design improvements. After going through a wide selection of drivers and multiple rounds of driver parameter and crossover design refinement, after months of listening tests and measurements, we are excited to bring to market an exceptionally well performing in-wall speaker at a fraction of what similar products cost.
In-wall speakers are much more convenient and unobtrusive in every-day life than normal speakers. They do not take up any additional space, and blend well with a variety of decor. Everything is hidden behind walls so there is no unsightly wires running everywhere and nothing to trip over. They are much safer with children and pets, both in terms of not falling over on them, and not prone to being damaged by their curiosity.
The design of the M-8S takes full advantage of the unique benefits afforded by in-wall installations. In-wall speakers are "infinite baffle" by design, and thus offer all of the associated benefits: smooth and predictable response, no baffle diffraction, no enclosure standing wave, and no excursion compression.
Engineers of the M-8S started with a tried and true 2-way design. They chose an long-throw 8" woofer driver as it represented the ideal performance sweet spot. Traditional speakers often sacrificed their woofer size in order to keep enclosure size and cost down, choosing woofers (or mid-bass drivers) in the 4 to 6.5 inch range. This limitation does not exist with in-wall speakers as even the tightest standard stud spacing of 16-inch centers can easily accommodate an 8" woofer. Of course, larger isn't always better, as it becomes harder to produce good midrange response from a driver that is 10 inches or larger. An 8" woofer then represented the ideal balance between superior bass output while still retaining excellent midrange performance at a reasonable cost. The cone of the woofer is an orange-copper tone with a light shimmer from mica flakes. It is such a striking look against the otherwise black and white frame that some might choose to leave the grills off.
For upper midrange and treble reproduction, the M-8S uses a 1" coated silk dome tweeter. Silk tweeters are prized for their neutral and detailed reproduction of upper frequencies without any of the ringing or harshness typical of hard dome tweeters. This smooth and natural response is due to the inherent self-damping characteristic of the tweeter's material and dome shape. The tweeter has a tri-star diffuser for improved off-axis response, which in combination with the pivoting design generates a larger sweet spot for multiple listeners in a room.
The M-8S has a 12dB/octave crossover network built with high quality mylar capacitors, thick gauge inductors, and audio grade resistors. The crossover circuit also incorporates a compensation network for a flat and smooth response curve. The speaker wire connection is made through gold plated terminal posts, ensuring secure connections for complete peace of mind.
The audio quality of the M-8S can best be described as neutral and balanced, lending itself to the widest array of possible music types. While certain speakers are voiced to be best at particular styles of music, it is far more versatile to produce a neutral speaker and let the user apply a tone curve through electronic means to generate the style of desired sound. The M-8S was designed from the start to be transparent, accurate, and completely adaptable. It's bass output is robust but not boomy or overpowering, providing well controlled bass output with excellent attack. The midrange shines by bringing out the most intimate qualities of male and female vocals, with every detail of the singer's voice faithfully reproduced. The treble is balanced and smooth, with an airy quality that adds just the right amount of sizzle without signs of strain or harshness.
We invested a significant amount of resources into the design of the M-8S. We are so confident that the M-8S will delight their owners that we had a large quantity of these speakers made in the very first batch. This allowed us to bring the M-8S to market at a cost far below what you would have to pay for similar quality speakers from the brands that spend more on marketing than they do on engineering. Don't pay more and don't settle for less - have a listen!
