Design | Media | Faq | Measurements | Purchase
After more than a decade of reviewing hi-fi on my channel, I’ve always felt there was still something left on the table when it came to achieving the most natural, open sound possible—especially in a boxed speaker. With Allie & Maddie, that realization was finally met. Without hesitation, I can say these are the most beautiful-sounding speakers I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
The Front Driver
At the heart of Maddie is the LGK 2.0 wide-band driver, handling the vast majority of the audible spectrum. By crossing it exceptionally low—around 300Hz—we avoid the typical crossover handoff in the critical 2–4kHz region. The result is a midrange that feels open, cohesive, and remarkably natural, allowing vocals and instruments to breathe without the usual sense of segmentation or edge.
The Woofer
Bass duties are handled by the M-165, a lightweight paper-cone woofer designed for speed, texture, and control. In this enclosure, it delivers confident extension down to a -3db of 40Hz, but its real strength lies in its cleanliness. Notes start and stop with precision, free of overhang, giving bass lines real shape and tone rather than a blurred, one-note foundation.
The Rear Driver
The rear-firing driver is Maddie’s secret weapon, operating purely as an ambience channel. Rather than reinforcing direct sound, it introduces a delayed, low-level arrival that enhances spatial depth at the listening position. This approach creates a sense of openness reminiscent of open-baffle designs, expanding the soundstage without smearing focus or pulling attention away from the main presentation.
The Crossover
The crossover in Maddie is where no compromises were made. Every component choice was driven by signal integrity, not convenience or cost. There are no ferrous materials anywhere in the signal path, only high-quality polypropylene capacitors and carefully selected air-core inductors in critical locations. Even the wiring itself is top level and treated with a KPIP treatment process. The result is a crossover that stays sonically invisible, preserving dynamics, tone, and coherence without imposing its own character on the music.
The Cabinet
With Maddie, the focus was placed squarely on the music signal—and nothing else. The cabinet is extensively braced to eliminate the bloom and resonance commonly introduced by lightweight, under-built enclosures. Each speaker weighs over 70 pounds for a reason: Panel resonance is simply not part of the equation. The interior is further treated with No-Rez to suppress and residual resonances and control internal reflections and standing waves, preventing blurring detail or disrupting timing. What remains is a quiet, inert structure that lets the drivers speak freely.
The Technology
Maddie integrates advanced technologies developed by Caelin Gabriel from Shunyata Research. Every internal conductor undergoes Shunyata’s KPIP v2™ process, a four-day kinetic phase inversion treatment that refines the conductor material at an atomic level. This dramatically reduces burn-in time while contributing to a more relaxed and natural presentation. In addition, Shunyata’s HARP technology addresses audio-band current resonances by acting as a current-mode diffraction device, improving coherency and perceived resolution. Together, these technologies lower noise and allow Maddie to reveal music with greater clarity and ease.
The audio samples below are microphone recordings of a loudspeaker (Allie) in a listening room. Maddie sounds nearly identical to Allie except for deeper bass extension. These clips are provided for equipment evaluation and commentary only. They are not substitutes for the original recordings. Please support the artists by listening to the official releases.
Where There is Smoke
When
My Mind Is For Sale
The Pot
Gravity
Frequency | Crossover
The Maddie model wasn't designed by numbers or measurements alone. The measurements were used only as a tool to quantify accuracy. We spent many hours listening, comparing components, and comparing room responses to balance the output from the front and rear drivers, creating the most realistic and involving presentation. The measurements also show only one aspect of the response at a time. One must consider the off axis responses and rear driver output that combine to create a more balanced overall in room response.
Maddie was designed around a very even, natural tonal balance, but we didn’t want “neutral” to mean sterile. Many loudspeakers measure flat and still sound closed-in or lifeless in a room. From the beginning, the goal was to preserve accuracy while also allowing the space and ambience within recordings to come through.
If you look at the frequency response, you’ll notice a gentle rise in the upper treble around 10 kHz. That wasn’t left there by accident. After a great deal of listening and experimenting with different crossover options, reducing it made the speaker technically flatter, but it also removed much of the openness and air that makes music feel present in the room. That small lift works together with the rear ambience driver to reveal reverberation, room cues, and the natural decay of instruments without making the speaker bright or harsh.
A key part of this behavior comes from the LGK wide-band driver. Because it comfortably covers so much of the audible range, Maddie can cross extremely low at approximately 300 Hz. This avoids the phase shifts caused by the typical crossovers. Instead of multiple drivers sharing the vocal range, a single driver handles it almost entirely, giving the speaker a cohesive tonal character from the midrange all the way to the top end.
The result is a presentation that approaches the continuity of a point-source design. Yet because the driver itself is small and lightweight, it avoids the beaming effect often associated with larger wide-band drivers, maintaining consistent tonal balance even as you move away from the center listening position.
Frequency Response
This measurement shows the 1-watt/1-meter frequency response taken at the height of the LGK wide-band driver. The LGK exhibits a small peak around 10 kHz. We evaluated the speaker both with and without a notch filter to flatten that peak and ultimately preferred the sound without the additional filtering. One reason is the natural off-axis behavior of a 3" wide-band driver. Compared to a typical tweeter, the top octave rolls off more quickly as you move off-axis. With the speakers aimed slightly away from the listener, that natural roll-off helps produce a very balanced in-room response.
Crossover Response
This graph shows the individual responses of the front-firing LGK wide-band driver and the lower M-165 woofer. The original design produced a more textbook flat on-axis response, but listening tests and in-room measurements led us to revise the crossover. One reflection that exists in virtually every listening environment is the floor-bounce reflection. In many two-way speakers this cancellation occurs in the 150–300 Hz region, and there is little that can be done about it. With this design, the crossover frequency falls within that range. We adjusted the crossover so the lower woofer operates slightly higher in frequency, increasing output in the region where the floor reflection typically reduces energy. As a result, the on-axis measurement appears mildly elevated through that band, but the in-room response is smoother and the perceived tonal balance is more natural.
The Rear Driver
This graph compares the on-axis response from the front of the speaker with the output measured behind the cabinet. The rear-facing LGK driver contributes additional rearward energy, creating a sense of spaciousness similar to what is often heard from open-baffle designs. In a typical listening room, the in-room response naturally tilts downward from bass to treble because higher frequencies are absorbed and scattered more readily by the room and furnishings. The rear-facing LGK helps restore some of that lost high-frequency energy into the room’s reverberant field. The result is a more open and lifelike presentation without altering the direct sound arriving at the listener.
Horizontal |Vertical
A loudspeaker doesn’t exist on a test stand — it exists in a living room. Because of that, how a speaker behaves off-axis can matter just as much as its on-axis response.
The horizontal measurements show a very smooth, controlled falloff as you move away from the center listening position. Instead of the sound changing character, it simply becomes quieter in a natural way. This helps preserve tonal balance throughout the room and allows reflections from your walls to reinforce the presentation rather than smear it. The result is a stable, believable soundstage and a center image that locks in place.
The vertical behavior is just as important, and this is where many designs struggle. With Maddie, the response remains consistent whether you’re sitting, standing, or even listening from an unusual height. We’ve had the speakers sitting directly on the floor playing music and still maintained a solid center image at the listening position — something you rarely see from traditional multi-way designs.
In practice, this means Maddie is far less sensitive to placement and seating height. You don’t have to be frozen in one exact chair to get the experience. The speaker works with the room instead of fighting it.
Horizontal Off Axis
The horizontal off-axis response is smooth and well controlled. Because the 3″ LGK wide-band driver has a smaller radiating surface than larger full-range drivers, its off-axis response doesn’t fall off dramatically. This means you don’t have to aim them straight at you to hear the top octaves. It drops off more in a more controlled fashion than a typical dome tweeter minimizing side wall reflections in rooms with more limited treatment. The result is a controlled dispersion pattern that balances clear direct sound with a natural in-room presentation.
Vertical Off Axis
In many conventional two-way speakers, the woofer and tweeter are crossed over in the 2,000–3,000 Hz range. At that frequency range the wavelengths are short, so small changes in listening height place one driver slightly closer to the listener and the other slightly farther away. This difference in arrival time can produce phase rotation and vertical lobbing, causing the response to vary as you move above or below the listening axis. Maddie uses a much lower crossover point of approximately 300 Hz. At this frequency the wavelengths are over four feet long, so typical changes in listening height create only a small phase shift between the drivers. As a result, vertical cancellations are greatly reduced and the tonal balance remains consistent over a wide range of listening heights.
Impedance |Spectral Decay
Maddie presents a friendly, real-world load to an amplifier. Rated at 6 ohms with an 87 dB sensitivity, it isn’t intended to be a flea-watt speaker, but it also doesn’t demand extreme power to come alive. In our listening we had excellent results with solid-state amplifiers in the double-digit watt range, and the speaker pairs especially well with tube amplification starting around 35 watts per channel. For more detailed pairing suggestions, be sure to visit the FAQ section.
The spectral decay measurement helps explain why Maddie remains composed and easy to listen to over long sessions. The LGK wide-band driver has an extremely low moving mass — less than the weight of three paper clips. Because the cone is so light, it can start and stop very quickly, producing very little stored energy or ringing. Notes don’t linger after they should, and transients remain clean and believable rather than edgy or sharp.
Together, the controlled impedance behavior and clean decay mean Maddie isn’t just compatible with a wide range of amplifiers — it stays relaxed, coherent, and non-fatiguing even as volume increases.
Impedance Curve
The impedance curve indicates an easy-to-drive load with minimal variation across the operating range, making the Maddie compatible with a wide variety of amplifiers including tube, solid-state, and chip-based designs. The speaker maintains an average impedance above 7 ohms, with a minimum impedance of 5.3 ohms at 105 Hz. The impedance plot also identifies the port tuning frequency at approximately 34.5 Hz.
Spectral Decay
Because the driver stops moving more quickly after each note, low-level details are easier to distinguish from one another. Subtle textures in vocals and acoustic instruments are less masked by the energy of the previous note, which helps preserve articulation and separation. This behavior is often heard as improved intelligibility and a more natural presentation rather than simply sounding brighter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Purchasing a loudspeaker doesn’t have to be confusing. Danny and I have worked to answer the most common questions we’ve received about Maddie in the section below. If you still need help or don’t see your question listed, feel free to email info@gr-research.com and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
Can Maddie play extremely loud?
We’ve played Maddie comfortably into the low-90 dB range before hearing audible distress. While the 3" wide-band driver is exceptional at many things, it’s not a miracle worker when it comes to remodeling walls or shaking the clothes off your partner on demand. If extreme volume is what you’re after, speakers like the Brute or Bully may be a better fit. For listeners who spend most of their time in the 80s with dynamic swings into the 90s, Maddie handles that territory with ease and composure.
What kind of amplifier pairs well with Maddie?
We think Maddie sounds great with your choice of either solid-state or tube amplifiers. Solid state typically reveals a bit more detail and grip, while tube amplification tends to sound sweeter and slightly softer.
Specifically, we’ve had great success with very affordable amplifiers like the Douk A5 at reasonable volume levels, and we absolutely love how Allie sounds when paired with the Miller Audio Dynaco ST-70.
Maddie presents a friendly, real-world load to an amplifier. Rated at 6 ohms with an 87 dB sensitivity, it isn’t intended to be a flea-watt speaker, but it also doesn’t require extreme power to come alive. In our listening, solid-state amplifiers in the double-digit watt range performed very well, and the speaker pairs especially nicely with tube amplification starting around 35 watts per channel.
How About Speaker Placement?
Our preferred method for dialing in Maddie is using LOTS (Loudspeaker Optimization Techniques for Soundstage). Check out Ron’s video tutorial, but the main takeaway is simple — give Maddie room to breathe. Because of the rear-firing driver, placing the speaker too close to the wall will compromise both tonal balance and staging.
We strongly recommend at least 3 feet of space behind Maddie to achieve the correct tonal balance and to minimize phase interactions.
How deep can Maddie play bass?
Maddie will have little trouble reaching into the low 40 Hz range in most rooms, which places it in the category of benefiting from a subwoofer to cover the bottom octave. Of course, every room is different, and only you can decide how much low-frequency extension you need to be satisfied.
For an excellent pairing, we suggest taking a look at our SUB-Series kits.
What are those weird-looking binding posts?
Those are tube connectors developed by GR Research. Instead of traditional binding posts, tube connectors provide a direct, low-mass connection to the speaker cable, reducing contact resistance and unnecessary metal interfaces in the signal path. Most banana plugs work with this design, while spade connectors are not supported. For those who want a purpose-built solution, GR Research also offers speaker cables terminated with the correct male tube connectors for a secure and optimized connection.
Is Ron (NRD) profiting from this collaboration?
No. Early on in the design process, Ron made the decision to remove himself from any financial interest in this project. He does not receive compensation or profit from Allie or Maddie sales — all proceeds go to Danny and GR-Research. That decision was important to Ron so he could remain honest with both the product and the audience.
What’s Maddie’s return policy?
GR Research is a small, direct-to-customer manufacturer. Each speaker is built and packed individually, and because of the size and shipping costs involved, we are not able to offer a no-questions-asked home trial like large online retailers.
For that reason, we ask customers to order with the intention of ownership rather than short-term auditioning. We work hard to provide detailed measurements, descriptions, and support so you can make an informed decision before purchasing. If you have questions about setup, room compatibility, or amplification, we are happy to help before you place an order.
Our goal is simple: we want every customer who purchases a pair to be confident in their decision and enjoy them for years to come.
