arena Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 has anyone heard martin logan or other electrostatic speakers? just wondering how you think they stack up against dynamic speakers. ------------------ two channel old schooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwatkins Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 Yep - went through a stretch where I thought that was the next step in the newest and best. I have had Magnepans and believe that in my brief ML auditions they are very similar. First of all - I went to electrostatic because they could fit in my space. I remained a loyal horn fan, but found I did not have the right room for my true desire - Klipschorn or Altec VOT. The stats could fit in my space and I got a very good used deal on the speakers. My thoughts - first - stats require lots of 'good' power. They are not what can be described as efficient in the same terms as horns, especially compared to quality horns (expect to spend bunches on the speakers and bunches on equipment to support). Second - My ear says that the stats may well have the best mid frequency reproduction I have ever heard. They define seamless in these middle frequencies. Third - in the bass there are multiple ways the manufacturers have addressed - ML mostly uses a hybrid approach - cones for the low bass and ribbons for the rest. I think this is probably better for my ear than the Maggies. Bass reproduction is surprisingly good. Comparative - ribbons are much more dynamic (IMO) than cones for highs and mids. The stats are less directional than comparative horns and take the cone 'smoothness' to a different level. All considered though, I find good horns to still be crisper and quicker from the high mids to high frequencies - all this being done with greater efficiency and a significantly better price point. If you thrive on the sound of the mids - stats are a great way to go. I retired my maggies because I was trying to make them replace my desire for Klipschorns - that is a mistake. They simply are not the same sound as horns. That said, I really think that if you like the sound of cones, good stats take that sound to an extraordinary level. Geez- probably more of my opinion than anyone cares to hear.... ------------------ Hwatkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 HW, I think you summed up what I was thinking about Electrostatic speakers. Great post. Electrostatic were the only other speaker I considered when auditioning speakers many years ago. I thought they sounded incredible but I didn't have the height requirements for room placement. Some day when I buy a new home with Cathedral celings I'll probably have to own a pair. Another really good pair of speakers are the B&W Nautilius series. I forget which model but they look weird and cost 10k for the pair. They sounded incredible but I would put my K-horns or cornies against any of these speakers. I think we all here sounds different therefore there isn't one design that dominates all others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 I don't think Martin Logans are the best stats, I think Quads and Accoustats sound better, those Dutch ones that came and go too. I think good stats have outstanding clarity but lack bass and dynamics. I think they sound like horns with poor dynamics. The only speakers I've ever cared for besides horns are stats and Chang's B&G planar magnetics. I think Maggies are mediocre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted July 9, 2002 Share Posted July 9, 2002 I listened to a pair of Martin Logan SL-3000s driven by a McIntosh integrated amp (MA-6100?) and Mac DVD player. They sounded a lot like La Scalas with a HUGE soundstage. I liked them a lot. I would allow them in my house. I liked them a little better than a pait of Apogee Divas a friend had; they were hotter at HF. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Well, years ago, one of my family members was a audiophile, this is the 80's, so they had ML's with a HUGE 2000 watt amp. I don't remember it will though. You can kiss tubes bye-bye. Electrostatic speakers aeem very 80's, when everyone wanted to have an excuse to have a 10kW. amp in their house. I think practicality has swung back and people are getting back into horns a little more that in the last 20ish years. ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_tx_16 Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 My cousin's dad went crazy when he started making big bucks at Compaq, so he went out and got themost expensive setup at Tweeter... a like $100,000 Martin Logan system, sounded great! But for the price, I would have rathered some RF speakers They sure were antimidating looking, especially the center, it is like the size of the grill on a Ford F-150! LoL I think they rock, i would love to have a pair, my friend who works at Tweeter won a pair that MSRP'd at $15,500, in a drawing for all the Tweeters in Texas. They were show room speakers, but he was happy none the less LoL. I would like a nice MartinLogan system, mostly for the looks, and the bragging rights. Yes, takes a load of great, clean power for them to shine. ------------------ -justin SoundWise Support A technical help site created by me and my fellow Klipschers promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5 s>This message has been edited by justin_tx_16 on 07-10-2002 at 02:15 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzannucci Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Horns are good for somethings but nothing matches the sound stage and speed of a good ribbon or stat. when they are operating open backed such as Apogees and higher end Martin Logans. Their drawback is loudness (of which I need periodically) and their power consumption (at least ribbons). A pair of ReQuests are 91db so that isn't too bad. Now the flip side of the coin is that horns can be dynamic when loud though their cohesiveness between the drivers lacks in comparision to a driver that almost runs fullrange. Also there is a level of coloring with horns which is very evident when listening though some worse than others (though MLs do sound like plastic sheets). Peter Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Damn, I need to see Tweeter. Well, thats how the Bay Area Porsche and Ferarri dealers stay open, people (spending without thought) get rich and have to blow it all as quickly as possible! I would save up and buy a 300' yacht, and all the German cars I could. ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 k - "I would save up and buy a 300' yacht..." Now you're talking. A nice Feadship with an elevator, a HT, and room on the top deck for a helicopter!! Doug ------------------ My System Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Not to mention, room for a BIG HT. I hate the crampt little yachts, even 100+ foot ones can be life that, just big and open. ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 Quote: "Electrostatic speakers seem very 80's" This would be me picking another nit but electrostatics were at the peak of their popularity in the late 60's and in the 70's. That is not to say that they are extinct now of course. ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2dx Posted July 10, 2002 Share Posted July 10, 2002 I use a pair of Carver Platinums in the living room. I've owned them since '90, and had the smaller Silvers before that. The Platinums are tall and imposing, but not deep. Each has a 60 inch ribbon and four 12" free air woofers. Crossed over at 125 cycles. They have superb imaging, almost eery. And real bass slam. The downside is that without serious power the dynamics aren't there. You really need the horsepower. I use a pair of bridged Carver M 4.0t amps @ a kw each. Quite a difference from my '54 khorn that is VERY content with a 25 watt Williamson tube amp (Heath W5M). I like them both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted July 11, 2002 Share Posted July 11, 2002 I have a pair of Aerius I Logans. I purchased them a few years ago under the recommendation of the Sound Advice salesman. I wanted the KLF 30's but the salesman and a buddy of mine convinced me the logans were ****. Although they are a great sounding speaker, they seem generic compaired to the KLF's. I did go back a year later and purchase the KLF's. KLF's are more dynamic and can handle a good drunken volume well. Still have the Logans, but am looking for a buyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted July 11, 2002 Share Posted July 11, 2002 I've heard M-L's a number of times - mostly discontinued models (Aerius, SL-3, Quest, etc). My impressions are in keeping with the concensus here; fast, open, with fantastic midrange. But to me, the top end was too beamy in the vertical plane, and the bass dynamics were MIA; in other words, no slam, Mam. So, while impressive and gorgeous to behold, M-L's strong points were offset by their weaknesses. I'll keep my 'horns. ------------------ JDM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted July 27, 2002 Share Posted July 27, 2002 I just heard ML earlier this week. They are real SS power hungry. The guy I know has ADCOM electronics with Sony digital front end. Real nice sounding, maybe just a bit lacking in dynamics(slower transients than hhhigh efficiency speakers) since they need so much power. For the money I would go with LaScalas or RF7s. I am reasonably intrigued by the Legacy speaker line designs and use of the ribbon tweeters; hard to find a way to listen to those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Warren Posted July 28, 2002 Share Posted July 28, 2002 a tympani on an electrostat sounds (to me) like someone whacking a sofa with a salami. electrostatic headphones are a different matter however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted July 28, 2002 Share Posted July 28, 2002 "a tympani on an electrostat sounds (to me) like someone whacking a sofa with a salami." The Koss Model 1A with its coated stator plates and 17Kv of bias had enough excursion and area to produce some good bass. Of course you needed over 1KW per channel to get good dynamics. And the amp had to be able to drive electrostats. I'd rather have a pair of Cornwalls with a good 50W amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted July 29, 2002 Share Posted July 29, 2002 Is it just me, or is the concept of electrostatic and Kw's of power very 1980's? I mean, the last house we lived in was build in 1985, and if you turned on all the build-in lighting, you closed in on 5000 watts. In our new house, we have flourecents, and about 500 watts with 20 lights on. Also, 1.8 liter turbo compared to a V-8. ANYWAY Where does 1000, 2000 watts of power go? Is it all heat? ------------------ Receiver: Sony STR-DE675 CD player: Sony CDP-CX300 Turntable: Technics SL-J3 with Audio-Technica TR485U Speakers: JBL HLS-610 Subwoofer: JBL 4648A-8 Sub amp: Parts Express 180 watt Center/surrounds: Teac 3-way bookshelfs Yes, it sucks, but better to come. KLIPSCH soon! My computer is better than my stereo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_tx_16 Posted July 29, 2002 Share Posted July 29, 2002 check out stereophile this month. front cover about the MBL 111. and don't miss the section about expensive speaker cables and power cables ------------------ -justin SoundWise promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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