Ed Momkus’ January 2023 Dagogo Review: The Townshend Maximum Supertweeter Unveiled
In January 2023, seasoned audiophile Ed Momkus took to Dagogo to share his experience with the Townshend Audio Maximum Supertweeter, a device that promises to elevate any hi-fi system by extending its high-frequency reach. Known for his discerning ear and thoughtful analysis, Momkus approached this review with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, having recently been introduced to the concept of super tweeters through a pricey Japanese model from Kan Sound Lab. The Townshend Maximum, with its sleek design and bold claims, offered him a chance to dive deeper into this niche audio territory. Here’s what he discovered.
Momkus began his journey with a crash course in super tweeter theory, learning that these devices—often ribbon-based like the Townshend—aim to reproduce frequencies well beyond the human hearing threshold, up to 90 kHz in this case. The Maximum Supertweeter, armed with a pure aluminum ribbon and neodymium magnets, integrates seamlessly with existing speakers via a simple parallel connection and a six-position level switch. Intrigued but unsure of what to expect, he hooked up a pair to his main system and let the music play.
What he found was nothing short of eye-opening. “Faster response, smoother top end, and more defined bass and mids,” Momkus noted, marveling at how the Supertweeters didn’t just tweak the treble but transformed the entire soundscape. The high frequencies gained a silkiness that avoided harshness, while the bass and midrange tightened up in ways he hadn’t anticipated. It wasn’t just about hearing more—it was about hearing better. The transients, those fleeting edges of notes, snapped into focus with a clarity that made his familiar tracks feel fresh.
Perhaps the most striking revelation was the sense of space the Maximum Supertweeters brought to the table. Momkus described a “much greater sense of space” that stretched in every direction—between performers, above them, behind them, and in layered depth. The soundstage didn’t just widen; it deepened, giving his music a three-dimensional quality that felt almost tangible. “It’s like the room expanded,” he wrote, a sentiment that speaks to the Supertweeters’ ability to unlock hidden dimensions in recordings.
Momkus’ experience aligns with Townshend’s pitch: the Maximum Supertweeter doesn’t just add sparkle to the highs—it enhances the whole spectrum by delivering harmonics with precision and speed that conventional dome tweeters can’t match. Even with CDs, limited to 20 kHz, he noticed a newfound naturalness, attributing it to the ribbon’s lightning-fast response. The bass detail, in particular, caught him off guard, proving that these little boxes punch well above their weight.
By the end of his review, Momkus was a convert. The Townshend Maximum Supertweeters didn’t just replicate the Kan model’s magic—they carved their own niche with a blend of refinement and immersion. For audiophiles chasing that next level of realism, he concluded, these Supertweeters are a worthy contender—proof that sometimes, the smallest additions make the biggest difference.
