My SUMMITS went bananas today!

This is it. My tax return money will most likely go straight to Martin Logan for new panels purchase($1800???). I must really and unconditionally love ML, since their products had failed me too many times (in most expensive way) and I still maintain this one way love intact. ML speakers can bring so much joy and also be a lot of pain.
I do:
- not smoke
- keep away from dust
- vacuum regularly
- not abuse

yet, already had to: change Vista panels (after 5 years), Vista woofers 3x, Vista psu, Stage psu, solder Stage panel wire and now am on good way to change Summit panels(manufactured end 2005). All "accidents" unrelated to place or associated equipment.

At the end I get myself thinking: it's all my fault; that's how you end up buying USED equipment!!!!!
Or may be it's just bad luck!

How old are they?

Original Owner?

Number of hours on panels?

Seems odd.

GG

MrBT said:

Or may be it's just bad luck!

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it appears you've had more than your fair share of it !!

Hola. Both panels at the same time? This is very difficult to happen. Perhaps is other problem. Contact Martin Logan Service Dept. They will guide to to find the culprit testing some electronic components built in your Summits. When you have a panel failure, usually is part of the panel that is not working. If both are dead, them to me, looks a power supply issue. Well it looks that you have your experience with ML. Happy listening!

You have not stated what the problem is. "Went bananas" is not a problem description.

Gordon,

How old are they?: late 2005

Original Owner?: No

Number of hours on panels?: unknown

Seems odd.: I agree

twich54 said:

it appears you've had more than your fair share of it !!

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Just filling up statistics of failures so you guys don't have to

roberto said:

Hola. Both panels at the same time? This is very difficult to happen. Perhaps is other problem. Contact Martin Logan Service Dept. They will guide to to find the culprit testing some electronic components built in your Summits. When you have a panel failure, usually is part of the panel that is not working. If both are dead, them to me, looks a power supply issue. Well it looks that you have your experience with ML. Happy listening!

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Roberto,
I served my time on long phonecall conversations with ML in the past troubleshoting speakers but this one probably will not be that easy since both speakers have been showing the same issues. Obviusly you're right about PSU boards and ML service rep will start troubleshoting from sending me a new PSU board (hope it'is still $90). Last time troubleshooting with ML I ended up with two fully functional Stage PSU boards . I also have one spare Vista PSU, maybe it's the same one (anybody can confim this before I start dismantling speaker to pieces?) Anyway, It will not hurt calling ML.

Bernard said:

You have not stated what the problem is. "Went bananas" is not a problem description.

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Bernard,
You are totally right, It's not a correct description of a problem

so, here it comes:

A couple of months ago one panel started popping. Popping sound was coming from lower part of panel and like every 15s pop, pop, pop...etc. Very faint but audible. This was first warning that something was going wrong. Tedious vacuming didn't help. It didn't bother me much but I knew that time is slowly comming to either do shower fun or new panels.
Since poppling started volume balance started shifting slightly. One speaker started sounding louder or other quiter. It was just so slight that only because ML electrostats "displays" so precise image you could tell. It was also fluctuating (from time to time) from center to left: vocals which supposed to be in center started appearing between center and left speaker. Now, this started to sound very familiar to my past experience with bad VISTA panel, which suddenly decided to be quiter by 5db.

A couple days ago playing Ola Gjeilo - PIANO IMPROVISATIONS started annoying my left popping speaker and also my ear with BUZZING noise at certain piano notes.

Yesterday annoyed with image shift and buzzing started troubleshoting and testing one speaker at a time with some higher volume resulted in distorting/buzzing and cutting out sound from each speaker respectively.

At this point speakers are playing normal quietly but rising volume to my normal listening levels results in distortion....

"went bananas" I mean everything that possibly could go wrong with panel....maybe except catching fire

Hola. Can you just change your Summits for other speakers like your Vista, and play them at the same volume level? Just to make sure that you have a bad speakers, not the amp. Happy listening.

I've done it already just to be able to make my system playable. I'ts always good to have some spare ML speakers handy

and yes, it plays very nice with Vistas. Damn, I forgot how great these speakers are.....

Tomorrow it's time to call Martin Logan....we'll see what they'll say...

Thanks Roberto,

Hola. It looks to me that you have again a power supply issue. Happy listening!

I just hope you're right Roberto.

Thanks

Called Martin Logan and they are not really sure weather it's bad panel or powert supply. As a matter of fact opinions were divided into 50/50 chances :ROFL:

Too bad this math doesnt apply here because in reality its $230 for both psu or ten times more for panels $2299.

Obviously, as it was predicted in above posts I ordered two power supply boards. If it turns out to faulty panels I don't know what will I do. $2299 is a lot.

Buying used speakers a couple years ago I put in calculations potential panel change cost BUT NOT 2.3x HIGHER!!!!!:devil:

Note to ML: We need a Lay-Away program on New Panels

MrBT said:

Called Martin Logan and they are not really sure weather it's bad panel or powert supply. As a matter of fact opinions were divided into 50/50 chances :ROFL:

Too bad this math doesnt apply here because in reality its $230 for both psu or ten times more for panels $2299.

Obviously, as it was predicted in above posts I ordered two power supply boards. If it turns out to faulty panels I don't know what will I do. $2299 is a lot.

Buying used speakers a couple years ago I put in calculations potential panel change cost BUT NOT 2.3x HIGHER!!!!!:devil:

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Mrbt. Maybe I'm misreading but u seem too willing to accept the issues u have had with a happy face. Id b mad as Hell quite frankly. You go to the experts and are given a 50/50 solution. Then if there recommended solution doesn't work are left forking over even more money. This doesn't seem right to me. Given your history with the product I think they owe u a little bit of goodwill here. Just my opinion. Even if they were used the product should not be defective after 7-8 years. In any case good luck.

timm said:

Mrbt. Maybe I'm misreading but u seem too willing to accept the issues u have had with a happy face. Id b mad as Hell quite frankly. You go to the experts and are given a 50/50 solution. Then if there recommended solution doesn't work are left forking over even more money. This doesn't seem right to me. Given your history with the product I think they owe u a little bit of goodwill here. Just my opinion. Even if they were used the product should not be defective after 7-8 years. In any case good luck.

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Timm,
Have you ever warched the Pink Panter movie? Remenber Imspector Dreyfus with his Twitchy Eye and hysterical lough? Well..... That's how I am at the moment.

ML will be crediting me for power supplies if they turn out to be good. Credit will go towards panels purchase.

At this point, after so much work I put into my ML system , what other choice do I have but to pay.....

Back in a good days ML service used to throw me some freebies saying: "since you've been experiencing so many problems with our products......"

MrBT said:

Timm,
Have you ever warched the Pink Panter movie? Remenber Imspector Dreyfus with his Twitchy Eye and histrrical lough? Well..... That's how I am at the moment.

ML will be crediting me for power supplies of they turn out to be good. Credit will go towards panels purchase.

At this point, after so much work I put into my ML system , what other choice do I have but to pay.....

Back in a good days ML service used to throw me some freebies saying: "since you've been experiencing so many problems with our products......"

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If you have to go the panel route... do you get any warranty? If not - I would try to get it and I would discuss all of the problems.... how you have been a patient loyal customer etc.... You deserve at least an extended 5 year warranty in my opinion if you get the panels...

timm said:

If you have to go the panel route... do you get any warranty? If not - I would try to get it and I would discuss all of the problems.... how you have been a patient loyal customer etc.... You deserve at least an extended 5 year warranty in my opinion if you get the panels...

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If my memory serves me well there is 5 years warranty on new panels. At least this is what I got for purchase of new vista panels.
I guess ML knows excactly what lenght of warranty to provide on their products. During first five years chances are very slight of something going worng with panels unless it's manufacturing defect. I'd feel much more comfortable having 10 years warranty for the premium I may have to pay these days for new panels.

"....... how you have been a patient loyal customer etc......"
If I'd bought all of my speakers brand new from authorized dealer, I'd probably make a big fuss about it. However, I do not think buying used make me an ideal, loyal customer completely.
oh...wait, I bought a couple ML speakers brand new with warranty and one of them is subwoofer ABYSS , which already had replaced driver under warranty.

Check this poll : panel life expectancy

Fixed!!!

Power Supply boards in both speakers were fried. Well.....fried is not really accurate description. I'll post some interesting pics later on.....

Glad to be able to keep $2300 in my pocket but for how long?