Description

The vocals are vivid and lifelike, and the interaction with the clearly positioned instruments is a pleasure to hear. During a listening session at the Jazz Cafe Meg in Kichijoji (Tokyo, Japan), jazz critic Mr. Yasushi Terashima praised our speaker, saying, ‘’ This speaker from Niigata produces a sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard. The snare drum and brushes are crystal clear. That, alone, makes this speaker worth owning. This is the speaker for listening to jazz!’’ He was so impressed that he placed an order on the spot. (We had a tough time painting it in the same yellow as the Lamborghini Countach, as requested/ as specially ordered?)
In a bold move, I asked Mr. Terashima if he could give the speaker a name, and to my surprise, he named it ‘’JazzAudioFan’sOnly’’ which is also the title of one of his own CD releases.
The speaker is equipped with the Super 8, a full-range unit developed for jazz enthusiasts by Audio Nirvana, a company based in St. Louis, USA— the birthplace of jazz. The company president, a true audio enthusiast, was dissatisfied with a certain Japanese speaker unit and decided to develop his own, which led to the founding of Audio Nirvana.
 

Memories of the Jazz Cafe MEG (Blog page)

 
・This is a powerful, yet delicate speaker unit that expresses a strong, full-bodied sound and subtle nuances at the same time.
However, it was relatively unknown in Japan until it was introduced to me by a local jazz fan. He said ‘’This unit is perfect for playing jazz, but it won’t work with a bass-reflex design. The only way to truly bring it to life is with a backloaded horn by Hasehiro.’’, and he passionately requested the development of a jazz-specific backloaded horn speaker. He also requested specific features, such as ‘’ a total height of 60cm, a compact depth, and an affordable price.’’
As a result, a mid-sized backloaded horn speaker, the UMU-191M JazzAudioFan’s Only was born.
This time, with a new unit installed, it has become even better for enjoying jazz music.
The speaker has a full-bodied, powerful, and direct sound.

・The 20cm full-range unit from Audio Nirvana, developed in St. Louis, USA, and designed specifically for jazz, is paired with an ideal horn design that expands in a hyperbolic shape, creating a clear and expansive sound.

・The high frequencies of metallic instruments like cymbals, hi-hats, and vibraphone are incredibly lifelike, allowing you to enjoy a heart-pounding performance with great clarity

(1) Jazz-Specific Speaker UMU-191M Mark3 JAZZ Audio Fan’s Only
Hasehiro Audio Official Demo Video – YouTube

The metallic sound of the hi-hat and the delicate vibrations of the brushes come across with realism, while the resonance of the wooden bass is powerful, and even the vibration of the stings is vividly noticeable. The saxophone with its horn structure, creates an airiness that feels exactly like it would in a live performance!
The breath of the performer is amplified by the long horn, producing pleasant, uplifting sound.
The atmospheric quality of the saxophone’s sound is a unique feature of the hyperbolic exponential horn design, and cannot be achieved with a bass-reflex or sealed system.

The piano also has crisp, clear notes and you can feel the energy of the performer as they strike keys with force. The female vocals come across with stunning vividness. As noted in Mr. Terashima’ specialist magazine review, ‘’The unique feature of this speaker is its realism in female vocals. The true art of listening to vocals is bringing her close and having her whisper in your ears, feeling the breath -when you experience that, you know it’s the best.’’. He was so amazed by these effects that it filled him with wonder.

UMU-191M Mark3 Jazz Audio Fan’s Only is, as its name suggests, a speaker we confidently recommend to jam lovers, providing an unparalleled, lifelike listening experience.