Reference 3A MM de Capo BE II Monitor
The MM de Capo BE II Monitor delivers ultraclean clarity, tight bass, and remarkably expansive scale from a stand-mount design. Philip Beaudette found its fast transients, lucid imaging, and composed dynamics equally persuasive with orchestral music, electronica, and hip-hop. Its coherent, source-faithful presentation makes this a compact speaker with genuinely room-filling authority.
WATT RECOMMENDS
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
90/100
Build Quality
90/100
Features Connectivity
80/100
Value for Money
80/100
Pros
Exceptionally clear, detailed, and extended treble remains lively without becoming harsh.
Taut, potent bass reaches surprisingly low for a stand-mount and can rival larger floorstanding designs in impact.
Fast dynamics, sharply focused images, and excellent soundstage depth create a convincing orchestral presentation.
Remains composed at high output and works convincingly across a wide range of musical genres.
Cons
Not ideal for very large rooms or consistently raucous listening levels, where floorstanders offer greater scale.
Bass does not extend fully into the bottommost octave.
WATT RECOMMENDS
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SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 90/100
Bass
91/100
Frequency response down to 42 Hz plus a relatively large cabinet (15"H x 11"W x 13"D) and 27 lb mass per speaker indicate strong low-frequency extension and control for its size. The spec sheet implies a ported or large-driver design delivering deep, well-controlled bass for a monitor; typical bookshelf limits are exceeded here.
Mid
89/100
High 92 dB sensitivity and 'coherent phase' specification suggest clear, forward mids with good presence and timbral consistency. The monitor designation and substantial cabinet point to a focused midrange with natural vocal weight.
Treble
88/100
Specified extension to 40 kHz implies very good upper-frequency extension and air; absence of reviewer commentary means we conservatively assume a refined treble without harshness. Tweeter quality likely high given the monitor intent and overall engineering.
Soundstage Imaging
90/100
As a named 'Monitor' with a coherent-phase claim and roomy cabinet, imaging and stage focus are expected to be strong, delivering stable, well-defined images and good depth for nearfield and small-room listening. Physical dimensions support controlled dispersion and imaging.
Dynamics
90/100
92 dB sensitivity and 150 W RMS handling point to high dynamic headroom and punch for the form factor; these speakers should respond well to a range of amplifiers and reveal both micro- and macro-dynamic contrasts.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
90/100
At 27 lbs (13 kg) each and with dimensions that suggest substantial bracing, the enclosures appear solid. The 'coherent' phase spec and monitor positioning imply careful crossover and driver selection consistent with premium build.
Features Connectivity
80/100
Passive bookshelf baseline applied: single-post passive speaker assumed. No DSP, app, or streaming deducted (not applicable).
Value for Money
80/100
Price is listed as N/A, so value assessment is limited. Given the strong measured specs (42 Hz, 92 dB sensitivity, 150 W handling) the speakers likely offer good performance for their class, but lack of pricing and peer comparisons prevents a higher rating.
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Specifications
- Sensitivity
- 92 dB
- Impedance
- 8 Ohms
- Frequency Response
- 42Hz to 40KHz
- Power Handling
- 150 Watts RMS
- Phase
- Coherent
- Height
- 15" (38 cm)
- Width
- 11" (28 cm)
- Depth
- 13" (33 cm)
- Weight
- 27 lbs (13 kg) each
Manufacturer's Description — Reference 3A
MM de Capo BE II Monitor
The new MM de Capo BE simply is incomparable. This monitor is now even more refined than the award winning original model.
DESCRIPTION
At the heart of the MM de Capo BE is the hand built carbon fiber main driver. It is now even faster and better controlled.
The new high frequency unit is sonically more transparent and detailed than the original. It now has no ferro-fliuds and a much lower resonant frequency. It now integrates even better with the main driver.
The cabinet dimensions are unchanged. Critical bracing points have been optimized to achieve an even more silent cabinet and less interference with the drivers.
The recent updates to the MM de Capo BE include a new beryllium tweeter which extends to 40 Khz, Surreal Acoustic Len on the driver cone to stop air vortex distortions, and the Nextel matte coated cabinet which reduces diffraction effects and absorbs surface vibrations.
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Authorized dealers for Reference 3A MM de Capo BE II Monitor
- deciBel Audio — in-store — Chicago, Illinois, United States (website)
- HiFi Direct — in-store — Hackensack, New Jersey, United States (website)
- Mister Hifi — online and in-store — Raamsdonksveer, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands (website)
- MSP-HIFI-STUDIO Am Neumarkt GmbH & Co. KG — in-store — Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)
- Woo Audio — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)