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Thread: New Direction

  1. #1
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    New Direction

    Picked up a pair of Martin Logans today.........Iam goin to need a bigger amp.

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    Well, its been a few days now with the ML's and I'am about to make a U-turn on the interstate, and drag the maggies back out. Can't quite get use to the ML's sound. A bit to bright for my old ears. The Mags sound (I hope I dont get crucified here) more natural to me. I'll tinker around a bit longer but I thinks that these ML's need a bigger area.

  3. #3
    Suspended topspeed's Avatar
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    Perhaps the "brightness" you are experiencing is a byproduct of placement? Have you tried tweaking the speaker or listening position, perhaps address room interaction? Narrow panels tend to beam and many people notice the discontinuity between the panel and the dynamic woofer. That said, you'll get better advice on panels from e-stat or geoffcin, two mod's here at AR that are both panel lovers. Consider pm'ing them.

    Hope this helps.

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    First off, I took over the kids room for a second system, I put up a LCD on the wall and loaded it up with man stuff. Now the wife can watch HGTV and all the other goofy crab down stairs. The walls upstairs are knotty pine, and with that said, I know I have a beaming problem. Its only that the Maggies handled it better. The two powered subs in the ML's are too much for the room. I've backed off on the bass and treble of my Mac and it helps. These two speakers are night and day. Its just that the MG's sound better during playback of cd's and vinyl, I guess Ive grown to take the MG's for granite. Like I said, Ill play around with them some more before I pull up my tent pegs

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    Which ML's do you have? I wouldn't have guessed them to be too bright with Mac. If all your walls are wood, you might try something behind the speakers to stop the back reflections.

    I think Maggies are a pretty good speaker for the money but not to my liking. I do however really like ML's. ML's give a presence to the sound stage like no other speaker I've heard. The thing I couldn't get used to is the lack of physical sensation a dynamic driver gives. I kept turning the ML's up louder but not feeling it. I haven't had any of the new ones with the powered bass in my home, those may do better. They sure sounded good when I've heard them else where.

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    Man of the People Forums Moderator bobsticks's Avatar
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    Try a mild diffusion technique behind your mains.

    What amp are you using? I'm running MLs bridged off an MC7205 and have no problems but integration took a bit of time.

    I will say that the current Summits do a better job of integrating the subs than previous models, but even with that it can be tricky. I ended up using a Paradigm Servo 15, and that sounds like an odd solution (to go for more sub) but I found I got a more even response accross the full spectrum. I just raised the crossover point on the 15, keep the volume relatively low and bypass the MLs built-in units.

    On the other hand, maybe you just love the Maggie sound...and there suire ain't nothin' wrong with that.

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    Actually I went into the stereo shop to look at the Rega P3's believe it or not and also the VPI Scout with cartridge and as I was scopeing them out, my eye caught the shape of a Krell Showcase on the shelf. As I skided over there I came face to face with a pair of Sequel 2's, trying not to look to interested I manage to blirt out "How Much" and before I knew it we were loading them on my truck. So there you have it. I sneaked them into the house under cover of darkness so that the wife would not see, and thats it.

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    I did cut out the ML subs and used the Phase Tech sub I used with the MG's and it sounded better to me.

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    The Sequel 2's are older than I thought, so they could suffer some of the weaknesses of their generation.

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    Their about 13 years old according to the paper work, they had the panels replaced two years ago. They are clean as a whistle no blems that I can spot. Some ole lady only played church music through them on sundays I was told.(LOL) The fact of the matter is that I wanted to dip my foot into the water but did not want to get my wallet wet,

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    LOL. I know I suffer the weakness of my generation, Its called Tightwad.

  12. #12
    Music Junkie E-Stat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by meltdown
    Well, its been a few days now with the ML's and I'am about to make a U-turn on the interstate, and drag the maggies back out. Can't quite get use to the ML's sound. A bit to bright for my old ears. The Mags sound (I hope I dont get crucified here) more natural to me. I'll tinker around a bit longer but I thinks that these ML's need a bigger area.
    First of all, both choices are great speakers. Electrostats, on the other hand, are more particular about the amp that drives them due to their nasty reactive load. Some amps (good ones at that) just don't deal well with that kind of load. It is all about matching.

    As for brightness overall, I really like the fact that my 'stats have an HF level control. Sometimes I find that useful depending upon the recording or whether I'm running my tubes in triode or tetrode.

    rw

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    I can't blame you, I'd love to find a deal on a pair of ML's. If I could get a pair reasonable enough I could afford to have them around so I could listen to them on occasion. I mean they wouldn't be my main speaker but I could bring them out for a switch once in awhile.

  14. #14
    Forum Regular hermanv's Avatar
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    Mr P. is right, the M-Ls require an absorbent panel on the wall behind them. The M-Ls will also need to be further into the room than many other conventional speakers.

    The M-Ls are not forgiving of excess treble in the rest of your system. Whereas I'm told Maggies are a bit rolled off at the top of the spectrum.

    Mine took work to integrate to my system and room, they usually repay that effort with good sound for the price.
    Herman;

    My stuff:
    Olive Musica/transport and server
    Mark Levinson No.360S D to A
    Passive pre (homemade; Shallco, Vishay, Cardas wire/connectors)
    Cardas Golden Presence IC
    Pass Labs X250
    Martin Logan ReQuests.

  15. #15
    Music Junkie E-Stat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hermanv
    Whereas I'm told Maggies are a bit rolled off at the top of the spectrum.
    Only the older non-ribbon tweeter versions, like the MG-IIs I had back in the seventies. That is not true of the current 3.6 and 20.1 models which have extension beyond 20k.

    Another cause for false brightness is untrapped RFI where power conditioning and better cabling of all sorts can help.

    rw

  16. #16
    Forum Regular hermanv's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by E-Stat
    Another cause for false brightness is untrapped RFI where power conditioning and better cabling of all sorts can help.
    rw
    My interconnects needed upgrading to bring out the best in my M-Ls and reduce the worst. I hesitate to even mention cables, on certain forums that can get you embroiled in a flame war.
    Herman;

    My stuff:
    Olive Musica/transport and server
    Mark Levinson No.360S D to A
    Passive pre (homemade; Shallco, Vishay, Cardas wire/connectors)
    Cardas Golden Presence IC
    Pass Labs X250
    Martin Logan ReQuests.

  17. #17
    Music Junkie E-Stat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hermanv
    I hesitate to even mention cables, on certain forums that can get you embroiled in a flame war.
    I am unconcerned about that and I hope others would be too. This is a place where ideas are exchanged. Anyone who cannot respond in an adult manner will get booted. It was the cable debates that originally brought me here. I found it simply amazing how much ink was devoted by those who believe cables cannot affect the outcome. Remember mtrycrafts? He would relate absolutely no experience on his part - only to parrot study results.

    Without flaming, I was able to get him to admit to that which he really didn't want to say: No proof beyond cheap crap

    I had another enjoyable *discussion* with a guy named Woodman who claimed that "the very idea of a power cord can actually have an effect on the performance of the component that it is supplying A-C power to is outside the realm of possibility, that's why.. Yet his experience with such, like Mtrys was completely absent. His argument was entirely based upon speculation with his experience repairing TVs. Nice try. That's like the completely humorous "Russell wire links" that have no substance at all other than a Stereo Review test that validated one gauge of zip cord vs. another. So what?

    I invite reasonable discussion.

    rw

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