The Official Martin Logan Speakers Thread

[mr peepers]

If there's room for an official B&W owner's thread, I think there's plenty of room for a ML thread.

I don't have anywhere near enough room for even the moderately priced martin logans, but I do have any Abyss sub and I absolutely love it.

I've been going back and forth between the Abyss or swapping it out for a Supercube I. I don't think there's anyway I could give up the abyss though anymore. Anyone looking for an awesome down/front firing sub at a moderate price tag, check this guy out. Even the little brother, the Dynamo, sounds exceptional.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by billt928

I have never found them to be harsh at any volume, but then I have lots of power driving them. The TGA7400 is rated at 400 Watts @ 8 Ohm's, 800Watts @ 4 Ohms and 1200 Watts @ 2 Ohms per channel.

I bi-amp the ReQuest, They are 4 Ohm speakers that dip down to 1.2 ohms. I have had many amps driving them over the last 8 years

1. Dual Sony TAN9000ES Bridged (could not deal with the Load) 210 + 210 W (8 ohms)
2. NAKAMICHI PA-7 II (sounded fantastic, wanted more power. I do miss the sound of this amp) 225 + 225 W (8 ohms) 325 + 325 W (4 ohms)
3. ATI AT2505 (Would run very hot due to the low Ohms) 250 x5 W (8 ohms) 375 x5 W (4 ohms)
4. Sunfire TGA7200 (Very stable with ML's) 200 x7 W (8 ohms) 400 x7 W (4 ohms) 800 x7 W (2 ohms)
5. Sunfire TGA7400 (Got such a deal I could not pass it up and I put the TGA7200 on ebay) 400 x7 W (8 ohms) 800 x7 W (4 ohms) 1200 x7 W (2 ohms)

ML are very revealing speakers, the most revealing I have ever owned. you will hear diffrences in wires

My Yahama M-80 would love driving those ML's also (it can handle a 1 ohm load). Richteer, those are very nice!!! How do they compare to your Spendors?

[richteer]

Originally Posted by crazyBLUE

THAT IS SWEET ! I'll bet with those tube amp's it sounds WONDERFUL !!!!

If I may be so bold, it does. :-)

Lights out, volume up. What a great way to spend a couple of hours!

[richteer]

Originally Posted by got rice

Richteer,
Thats some serious vinyl you have...What type of music do you listen to?

May I also ask, what kind of tube amps are those? I've only read about them never really listen to any.

Thanks for the complement. What you can see in that picture is about 75% of my collection (I have about 1300 records in all). I listen to most types of music, though mostly pop and rock. I have literally every letter of the alphabet represented, from Abba to ZZ Top. I also like listening to some jazz and classical music. So pretty much everything really, except hip-hop.

I don't mind you asking about my tube amps at all! My power amps (that you can see in the photo) are tube monoblocks called PrimaLuna ProLogue 7s (so each chassis is a mono amp). My preamp is a tube/MOSFET hybrid, the Audio Research SP-9 Mk 2. Finally, my frontend is a Forsell Air Reference turntable and arm, with a Lyra Parnassus cartridge. I don't listen to CD except as occassional background music.

Edit: More details about my system--and a few more pics--can be found the Rich Teer's Audio System thread.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by prerich

My Yahama M-80 would love driving those ML's also (it can handle a 1 ohm load). Richteer, those are very nice!!! How do they compare to your Spendors?

Perhaps I shouldn't say this because I'm still trying to sell my Spendors, but the Spires blow my Spendors out of the water. There's no comparison! Mind you, the Spires are 4 or 5 time the price of the Spendors, so I'd expect a significant performance gain!

Don't get me wrong: the Spendor is a great speaker, and if I had to go back to it I would. But it is totally outclassed by the Spire, in every way.

Anyone want to buy a pair of Spendor SP1s, in almost mint condition...?

[billt928]

Originally Posted by RIPSeanTaylor21

u should create a GALLERY!

Originally Posted by crazyBLUE

I AGREE !

I started adding one, I have added the gear list for the main system. still need to take some more photos and add the bedroom system with the Mits 65908 HDTV

[got rice]

Originally Posted by richteer

Thanks for the complement. What you can see in that picture is about 75% of my collection (I have about 1300 records in all). I listen to most types of music, though mostly pop and rock. I have literally every letter of the alphabet represented, from Abba to ZZ Top. I also like listening to some jazz and classical music. So pretty much everything really, except hip-hop.

I don't mind you asking about my tube amps at all! My power amps (that you can see in the photo) are tube monoblocks called PrimaLuna ProLogue 7s (so each chassis is a mono amp). My preamp is a tube/MOSFET hybrid, the Audio Research SP-9 Mk 2. Finally, my frontend is a Forsell Air Reference turntable and arm, with a Lyra Parnassus cartridge. I don't listen to CD except as occassional background music.

Edit: More details about my system--and a few more pics--can be found the Rich Teer's Audio System thread.

Rich,
Nice setup you have. Any Grateful Dead "Anthem of the Sun" in the vinyl collection? That would sound inspiring with your setup. I checked out your "audio" gallery and was really impressed. It is something to be proud of.
P.S. sorry for the delayed response, been kinda busy with work.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by got rice

Rich,
Nice setup you have. Any Grateful Dead "Anthem of the Sun" in the vinyl collection? That would sound inspiring with your setup. I checked out your "audio" gallery and was really impressed. It is something to be proud of.
P.S. sorry for the delayed response, been kinda busy with work.

No worries. You gotta make money while there's stilll some to be made!

No Greatful Dead in my collection, alas. I keep meaning to check them out, bu haven't got around to it yet.

[Uniquely]

I've never heard Martin Logan's..... but I've always found them quite beautiful to look at. I've also have this question pop to mind when I see them...... what purpose do those grill panels serve as far as audio quality goes? Are the tweeters in an ML at the top of the grill panels or down low in the base?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by richteer

No Greatful Dead in my collection, alas. I keep meaning to check them out, bu haven't got around to it yet.

For some strange reason I don't have any Grateful Dead in my collection either and I've never had the urge to check them out. Very odd indeed as, like you, I have every letter of the alphabet represented. Maybe it's time!

John

[billt928]

I do and also have many live tapes from tours

[richteer]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

I've never heard Martin Logan's..... but I've always found them quite beautiful to look at. I've also have this question pop to mind when I see them...... what purpose do those grill panels serve as far as audio quality goes? Are the tweeters in an ML at the top of the grill panels or down low in the base?

The whole panel is for the mid-range and tweeter, so with my Spires, everything above 320 Hz is handled by the (roughly) 12" x 48" electrostatic panel. The result is that the sound is wonderfully coherent, because one very light driver is handling a wide frequency range.

The cabinet you see at the bottom of my speakers holds the 10" aluminum cone bass driver, which handles everything below 320 Hz.

[Driver_King]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

I've never heard Martin Logan's..... but I've always found them quite beautiful to look at. I've also have this question pop to mind when I see them...... what purpose do those grill panels serve as far as audio quality goes? Are the tweeters in an ML at the top of the grill panels or down low in the base?

When you say grill panels, do you mean electrostatic panels?

[billt928]

Originally Posted by richteer

The whole panel is for the mid-range and tweeter, so with my Spires, everything above 320 Hz is handled by the (roughly) 12" x 48" electrostatic panel. The result is that the sound is wonderfully coherent, because one very light driver is handling a wide frequency range.

The cabinet you see at the bottom of my speakers holds the 10" aluminum cone bass driver, which handles everything below 320 Hz.

My Request panels are 16"x47" with a 12" woofer

[Oddiophile]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

I've never heard Martin Logan's..... but I've always found them quite beautiful to look at. I've also have this question pop to mind when I see them...... what purpose do those grill panels serve as far as audio quality goes? Are the tweeters in an ML at the top of the grill panels or down low in the base?

The metal grill is called a "stator", there are two stator's front and back. sandwiched between the two stator's is a thin piece of Mylar. The transparent Mylar vibrates and creates the mids and highs. The Mylar is lighter then the air that it moves so it is capable of creating a much more life like or holographic sound. The horizontal bars you see spaced out across the panel are called "spars", these are used to keep the Mylar tight and from hitting the stator's. There is nothing like the sound of an electrostatic speaker.

[billt928]

Originally Posted by Oddiophile

The metal grill is called a "stator", there are two stator's front and back. sandwiched between the two stator's is a thin piece of Mylar. The transparent Mylar vibrates and creates the mids and highs. The Mylar is lighter then the air that it moves so it is capable of creating a much more life like or holographic sound. The horizontal bars you see spaced out across the panel are called "spars", these are used to keep the Mylar tight and from hitting the stator's. There is nothing like the sound of an electrostatic speaker.

I agree 200%, but need a good amp thats stable down to 1 ohm. If you plan on any loud volume levels

Note: also took some quick phone cam shots of the gear and added to the gallery, need to get some new batteries for the dig cam

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by Oddiophile

The metal grill is called a "stator", there are two stator's front and back. sandwiched between the two stator's is a thin piece of Mylar. The transparent Mylar vibrates and creates the mids and highs. The Mylar is lighter then the air that it moves so it is capable of creating a much more life like or holographic sound. The horizontal bars you see spaced out across the panel are called "spars", these are used to keep the Mylar tight and from hitting the stator's. There is nothing like the sound of an electrostatic speaker.

Excellent explanation.... thanks! You never know until you ask right?

[got rice]

Originally Posted by richteer

No worries. You gotta make money while there's stilll some to be made!

No Greatful Dead in my collection, alas. I keep meaning to check them out, bu haven't got around to it yet.

Originally Posted by John72953

For some strange reason I don't have any Grateful Dead in my collection either and I've never had the urge to check them out. Very odd indeed as, like you, I have every letter of the alphabet represented. Maybe it's time!

John

Ahh... Gentlemen you are really missing out, even if you don't listen to the Greatful Dead you are doing yourself an injustice. This is the only band I seen lead an audience from a total transient state and move them into a fully energized group filled with raw emotion. Their ability to jam for 3 hrs contiuously while playing 10 songs within the same jam session is truly amazing. The instrumentals are second to none.

RIP Jerry

[clone]

i have a cinema, aeons and 4 script i's with a paradigm sw. i just bought an integra 7.9 and am having problems setting my audio. still tweaking. plan on working on it saturday.

[Big Daddy]

I own the Martin Logan Logos center channel speaker. I bought it from Digital Ear in Orange County, CA in 1998. It cost me $1,895, including sales tax. As you can see from the picture, the speaker is curved to give it a controlled and wide dispersion pattern to avoid the problems associated with horizontal center channel speakers. Because the Martin Logan Logos speaker uses an internal power supply to energize its electrostatic cells with high-voltage DC current, it must be connected to an AC power source.