• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Mirage M-460

Raynald

Raynald

Addicted Member
I was not wild about these when our store sold them as they leaned more towards the warm and full side rather than the detailed and transparent I was looking for. However, I remember when a friend who was into organ music came in we went through a huge number of possibilities before the 460 emerge the clear winner for the money. That made me appreciate them more.

There is no doubt they were a very well made speaker. These must have been one of the first post API designs. The 60 series was the affordable line when the M-1 was launched. I guess what struck me was that it seemed a bit of a lash up of many things the NRC had come up with for other companies. The rounded corners and inset non diffracting grilles were right off of the earlier PSB 30/40/50/70R series. The overall shape was very similar to several Luxman and rega NRC designs, not to mention the Energy 22. Speaking of the latter, does that sewn woofer ring a bell? How about the rear port?

The rear view does show just how massively built these things are. Very thick cabinet walls and two screwed braces, you don't see the second pair of srews for the second brace because of the flash glare, are in evidence. They are well over 30lbs each.

All these years later I would probably still not chose these as a main speaker, but they are lovely as a secondary/background choice. The spot these are in now was previously occupied by a pair of A25X and I have no regrets at all!

I would be interested in hearing from other 460 owners or owners of any of the 60 series (there was a double woofer 960? that I recall as a real monster). I would also like to hear from anyone who knows the story of the development of this series. It strikes me as a transition between the pre API SM types and the full blown high tech API designs of the 90, 90I and 95 series.
 

Attachments

  • Mirage M-460 001.JPG
    Mirage M-460 001.JPG
    107.2 KB · Views: 155
  • Mirage M-460 002.JPG
    Mirage M-460 002.JPG
    95.8 KB · Views: 241
  • Mirage M-460 003.JPG
    Mirage M-460 003.JPG
    107.4 KB · Views: 174
  • Mirage M-460 004.JPG
    Mirage M-460 004.JPG
    94.8 KB · Views: 169
Register to hide this ad
Not familiar with those, That tweeter sure looks like a Vifa, much like the one Paradigm used in their earlier models, Interesting to see the stitched surround woofer is it a 7" or 8" ? I saw a 7" Pro 22 with a black cone, stitched surround with inverted rubber but i can't for the life of me figure out where it came from:scratch2:
 
I had 360's for get-bys while my 'A' system was in transit and storage. After they played in for a few weeks they were quite the surprize in a good way, a superb little 2-way that did not sound small. A sonically transparent and lifelike example of the Canadian school of 2-way speaker design.
 
Last edited:
I have a set of 460's. They were my first real pair of speakers. I got them with a tax refund back in about 1990. I still have them, mostly for nostalgia and haven't had them hooked up for years. I do recall that we went through everything that Glenn Poor's Audio/Video had in the price range (around $600/pair as I recall) and these were the ones my wife and I agreed sounded best to us.
 
Mikey, I agree that tweeter has to be a Vifa. I think Rega Camber used the same one. The woofer is 7". Not knocking the speaker, it is great, but it really looks like it was built out of the spare parts bin!

I looked on the Mirage site, no info on any 60 series. Seems like an orphand series.

Pio, the 360 was a great speaker. I seem to recall it was better balanced. Smaller box, better controlled bass. It might have been the winner of the line. That was often the case with the Mirage and PSB entry level lines. The middle models were the nicest. The small ones were a little limited and the bigger ones just had bigger boxes/more drivers so something was lost
 
RayW said:
I have a set of 460's. They were my first real pair of speakers. I got them with a tax refund back in about 1990. I still have them, mostly for nostalgia and haven't had them hooked up for years. I do recall that we went through everything that Glenn Poor's Audio/Video had in the price range (around $600/pair as I recall) and these were the ones my wife and I agreed sounded best to us.
Click to expand...

Ray,
That was before you discovered the Bass List wasn't it? Just imagine what could be built for $600 today...OK, you already have.

For that kind of money, it's possible to build speakers that go way beyond what's being sold!

Best Regards,
TerryO
 
Old post but I picked up a pair of 260's on a whim this summer and was pretty surprised by the sound , very nice tweeter. So after getting a noise complaint in my apartment even though I had it on at pretty low levels on a saturday afternoon ( about 9 o'clock on the dial ) I decided to try the little 260's in my living room instead of my floorstander Energy 5.1e's . Well I was pretty impressed then . Again the tweeter seems to be a real winner and the bass punch is still there but doesn't have the low freq the big dual 8" have . So tonight I picked up a pair of the 360's to get a bit more low's . I gotta say I prefer the 260's , they seem to have a better tighter low end then the larger 360 and the tweeter is not the same ? I noticed it right away on listening.I tried lower stands same deal . The 260's for a small room at low levels really sound nice on decent metal stands . the grills suck and must be off on both models , mostly wood .Have a peek at the tweeter's are they the same ?
 

Attachments

  • Picture 010 (Large).jpg
    Picture 010 (Large).jpg
    71.9 KB · Views: 44
  • Picture 009 (Large).jpg
    Picture 009 (Large).jpg
    51.3 KB · Views: 52
  • Picture 008 (Large).jpg
    Picture 008 (Large).jpg
    87 KB · Views: 58
  • Picture 007 (Large).jpg
    Picture 007 (Large).jpg
    55.8 KB · Views: 70
Last edited:
Oldish thread lives again...

I've had a pair of 460s for about 10 years now. They are a vifa tweet (still available as of 10/2/10 from mirage) the woofer however seems to be no longer available. These are still one of my favorite speakers of all time. These really disappear in a room, very smooth sounding vocals. They really seem to do well on jazz/blues.

Unfortunately, when we went on vacation we had a family member stay over to watch the dogs (should have just used a kennel). It seems one woofer now has a voice coil going bad. It makes a rattle like well... A bad voice coil... Only does it on very deep notes. I've looked for replacements, but none seem available.

I'm running them with a sub now crossed at 60 hz, and haven't heard a bit of rattle since. Kind of a shame though, they never really needed a sub.

I'd love to find another pair or even just the drivers as spares. Seems to be the same woofer in the 360. Anyone know what other models used that woofer?
 
I just sold those 460s to someone who is very happy with them. So much so he is now on the look out for a bigger pair of Mirage for his living room. Hearing my M3-Si also helped make him a big Mirage fan! He has a pair of Dyn cos and a few pair of older Celestions and Wharfdales and finds the 460 have the frequency extension but with additional detail and transparency.
 
Last edited:
Just Picked up Some M-460's

Got a pair at a local thrift shop for $40. The enclosures are a bit rough around the edges, but otherwise fine. Sound great - the bass has that good solid punch (nicely rattling the glass shelves in the wet bar next to my stereo)Tweeters are a bit less bright than the EPI 100's I also have currently hooked up. These things are solid ... and heavy.
 

Attachments

  • M-460_2_sm.JPG
    M-460_2_sm.JPG
    73.6 KB · Views: 46
  • M-460_1_sm.JPG
    M-460_1_sm.JPG
    79.2 KB · Views: 81
I am still using the little M260's and really don't miss the larger floor standers cause I can't crank them at all . But this is a cam recording , old camera so poor sound but they really do sound very nice . I think the M series are a real bunch of keepers :thmbsp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOvcrvHvTD0
 
Keepers, yes I think so.

I sorely miss my SM-1's but I think I like (silly as it may sound) the proportions of these M-460's better. I think these are quite comparible to Energy Pro 22's - it appears basically the same woofer - with the stitched rubber surround but with a Vifa tweeter instead of the infamously fragile (but great) dual hyperdome.

I wonder if I could redo these in wood veneer? - I would probably have to inset a solid wood trim-piece for the front nose - bevel.
 
Van_Isle said:
Keepers, yes I think so.

I sorely miss my SM-1's but I think I like (silly as it may sound) the proportions of these M-460's better. I think these are quite comparible to Energy Pro 22's - it appears basically the same woofer - with the stitched rubber surround but with a Vifa tweeter instead of the infamously fragile (but great) dual hyperdome.

I wonder if I could redo these in wood veneer? - I would probably have to inset a solid wood trim-piece for the front nose - bevel.
Click to expand...

I hear ya , I went from the large Energy 5.1e , a newer speaker with stitched rubber surrounds and a bunch of other stuff to these little Mirage . My good buddy has the Energy C6, and we both agree the older E series sounds better.But he was mighty impressed with the liquid tone from these M version puny little speakers . They don't have the low end grunt of the floorstanders but the sound seems to be more transparent , my M360's are the same , but I do prefer (as silly as it seems ) the M260's ? Never heard the 460's so can't really make a statement on them , but I like the M series for sure . I have lived with the Energy 22's and the ESM low rent version of the same , both great but find the mirage product more refined . But I am getting older so maybe the ears aren't what they used to be , well I know for a fact they aren't :no:
 
luvvinvinyl said:
Here is a brochure on the M-460
Click to expand...

I have noticed this about API product before , they state rubber surround but my older ESM's were foam (purchased new ) and my 3.1E were foam also , as are both pair of Mirage , but brochure said rubber ? :scratch2:
 
If you look here: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=324708 you'll see a close-up of a M-260 woofer with foam surrounds, and mention of refoaming a set of M-360's. Note that the M-260 woofer is a different texture cone material (i.e. none). That woofer and one I have seen in a single ESM-2 (or 3 ??) in a local thrift (it was foam as well) look a lot like the majority of API woofers I have seen (and own). I suspect that "specifications are subject to change without notice" is in play here.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom