Usher Audio SD-500 Loudspeaker
The first thing I heard through the Usher Audio SD-500 loudspeaker was the sound of Tony Dungy’s voice on Sunday Night Football. Watching television is a great method of speaker break-in because, for me, it’s the furthest thing from critical listening fare. Still, accompanying Dungy’s comforting drawl I couldn’t help noticing a realistic ambient din from the sparsely populated stadium. The feeling of air and space was immediate. Listening to the sound of an empty stadium, a sign of the times, and a neat first impression, but could the SD-500 impress with music as well? And who is Usher Audio anyway?
Usher Audio Technologies
Taiwan-based Usher Audio has been active in the North American market for some time, although they have been out of the spotlight for a few years. Founded in 1972, Usher has gradually built a substantial footprint in Taiwan, with a recently completed manufacturing facility and multiple retail stores. The company is engineering oriented, manufacturing drivers, speakers and electronics in house. Usher also seems to specialize in exotic driver materials. The first Usher speaker I encountered many years ago was the 718-Be “Tiny Dancer” which featured a beryllium tweeter. The premier Dancer series now features the Diamond DMD tweeter, a metal dome with an amorphous diamond coating on both sides. The SD-500 is the newest, smallest and most affordable Usher speaker to utilize the flagship tweeter. The model shipped to me was in Makassar Ebony Gloss which adds a $200 premium over the standard finish pair (MSRP in a standard finish is $1950/pair).
The complete Usher lineup is distributed in the US by Katli Audio of Southern California. Owner Fred Kat was incredibly helpful in arranging a review. Katli carries some seriously high end electronics and speakers, yet Kat seemed stoked to talk to me about one of his entry level products. Quite refreshing.
Specifications
The SD-500 is a compact 2-way monitor that pairs the aforementioned Diamond DMD tweeter with a 5-inch paper cone woofer. Sensitivity is a standard 86 dB with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Low frequency extension is claimed to be 45 Hz, which seemed fair after casual testing with a tone generator. The cabinets are ported, with a horizontal slot port elegantly integrated into the bottom of the front baffle. Each speaker weighs a confidence inspiring 19 pounds. The ol’ knuckle rap test correctly foretold I would not notice cabinet resonance at any volume.
With a retail price of $1950 to $2150 (depending on finish) the SD-500 occupies the premium end of the competitive mid-range standmount market. A lot of performance and (for better or worse) personality can be built into a compact speaker for this price. I expect speakers in this segment to stand out, not just to be polite.
Design
The industrial design of the SD-500 makes just as strong a first impression as the tweeter. This is one speaker which begs to be prominently displayed. The design is fundamentally classic with premium touches throughout, such as elegantly chamfered edges on the front baffle and magnetic grille, embossed metal nameplates and extra stout binding posts. The ebony veneer on my review pair was a deep brown with bold grain contrast and a downright opulent gloss coat.
The sloped front baffle is a great feature that in addition to optimizing the time alignment of the drivers helps the speakers seem less conspicuous and ‘in your face’ regardless of how far into the room they are positioned. This unpretentious effect is a nice foil to the otherwise luxurious appearance.
Review System
I drove the Ushers with my familiar Parasound HCA-750 Power Amplifier which delivers an ample 75 watts per channel. Sources were my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Turntable, Schiit Modi DAC and Yamaha DVD-S1700 universal player. Instead of swapping various power amps I took advantage of the gear I had on hand, experimenting with the middle of the chain. Trying different preamps, DACs and phono stages demonstrated the SD-500 is revealing of the entire playback chain and allowed me to experience different aspects of the speaker’s personality.
As far as power, 75 watts seemed to be the sweet spot but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have more. My only regret is not having a tube amp on hand; despite their moderate sensitivity I suspect the SD-500s would mate well with a tube amp given their intended use in smaller spaces.
I can confirm dropping in a preamp with a tube buffered output imparted a nice dimensionality to the sound.
Listening
On paper the SD-500 sure seems to be all about the tweeter. Indeed it is a convenient package to bring the ultra-premium Diamond DMD tweeter to a larger international market. Speakers with a hyped tweeter technology, especially an exotic hard dome material generally get me worried. I love high end sparkle but treble that is too forward or edgy makes me squirm in my listening seat. Before getting to in-depth listening impressions I'll be clear: I was pleasantly surprised that the Diamond DMD tweeter wasn’t the least bit harsh. What a relief.
The SD-500 brought a fresh perspective to my favorite albums and made discovering new ones a more immersive experience. A handful of recordings helped me understand the particular virtues of these speakers.
One of my reference recordings for its sense of space is the Cowboy Junkies 1988 sophomore release The Trinity Session (RCA), which was recorded after hours in a gothic revival church. The recording took place almost entirely in one session using a single mic and DAT recorder. Trigger alert—this is one recording where the original CD sounds better than its vinyl counterpart. I own both and I've compared them. The band’s desolate readings of country and folk classics audibly fill the large church and the beautiful reverb adds to their haunting power. To be sure, it’s a simple recording that sounds great on most equipment, but the DMD tweeter takes it to the next level.
You Already Know, the debut record from drummer and Washington University professor Ted Poor appeared on Impulse! last year. It's a profound debut that definitely sounds like it belongs on Impulse!. The album is an intense melodic conversation between Poor and Andrew D’Angelo on saxophone or bass clarinet. The complex melodies driven by Poor combined with the intentional space for implied piano chords has a serious head nodding effect. Through the Ushers, Poor’s kit—from the kick drum up to the cymbals—was convincing and D’Angelo’s reeds had a rich tone and tangible presence. A powerful experience.
I used plenty of orchestral music to test the dynamic prowess and high volume composure of the SD-500. One standout was Osmo Vanska and the Minnesota Orchestra’s Sibelius: Symphony Nos. 1 & 4 (BIS). The stormy energy of the opening movement of the first symphony gets me fired up every time. The angry brass in Vanska’s brisk performance can easily sound grating on lesser equipment but with the SD-500 I was encouraged to lean in. Dynamic range was respectable given the Usher’s compact size and uncomfortable SPLs were required for the soundstage collapse and obscure the tight orchestration. The scale of the presentation was perfect for an appropriately-sized listening space.
For acoustic and rock music the bass output of the SD-500 is just fine. Still, that doesn’t encompass the entirety of my taste, so I gave them a workout using some bass heavy electronic music. Critical listening ran the gamut from ambient to dub. Aphex Twin and Carbon Based Lifeforms were in the downtempo rotation with Smith & Mighty and Noiseshaper thrown in when something more energetic was in order. The small, lightweight woofer is easy to control, offering articulate low frequency reproduction. Total bass output was satisfying for me but a subwoofer would not be out of the question.
Bass is not much of a physical experience with these speakers due to the woofer diameter and cabinet size. This aspect of the low frequency performance of the SD-500 actually changed my listening habits while they were in my system. Because low frequencies did not resonate through my house as much, I was comfortable giving the Ushers more juice late at night. A wonderful gift to night owls.
The SD-500 is just as sensitive to recording quality as to the quality of associated equipment. Easy program material, without exception, sounded fantastic. Chamber music, acoustic jazz, vocals and audiophile releases are a treat. Less than stellar quality recordings and low resolution digital music were hit or miss. They run into trouble with dynamically compressed recordings, regardless of nominal resolution. This is not likely to detract anyone shopping for compact monitors in this price range but it is a consideration.
Conclusion
It is a major accomplishment the resolution from Usher’s Diamond DMD tweeter doesn't come with any fatiguing brightness. The tweeter is also well integrated with the woofer and the overall result is a sound that is highly detailed and spacious yet still laid back. This combination makes for an extremely satisfying speaker that is easy to live with for the long term. The stunning fit and finish only sweeten the deal. The Usher SD-500 is an excellent speaker for high performance systems installed in small to medium spaces. To be displayed with pride, listened to with rapture. Highly recommended for connoisseurs of 2-way monitors.
Further information: Usher Audio
