Hello from Ireland!
- Thread starter Chris K
- Start date
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... I'm glad that I can join ML Owners site ...:music:
Bernard
Well-known member
Hi Chris. Welcome to the site. You should post your system in the "Members' Systems" section.
Hi Chris, welcome to the ML site. That is one lucky baby to have Stats in his or her room.
Leporello
Well-known member
New member finallly made it through the spambot hoops.
I live in Albany, NY (the state capitol). Some time probably in the early to mid 1990's I went to one of the Stereophile sponsored high end audio shows in NYC. In the Sound by Singer exhibition I was entirely blown away by a system that included ML CLS II's, and some kind of subwoofer. I happily filled out my survey and gave it my vote for "best sound at the show". (I think it did receive some mention in this vote, though not the winner).
Fast forward a few years. CLS II's were supplanted by IIa's then IIz's. Prices were becoming more and more astronomical and above my budget. I began wishing I had afforded the original CLS's at a mere $3k. It became evident ML wasn't interested in making or selling too many full range ESL's. Used ones were extremely hard to come by. My local Tweeter's (RIP) had a pair of Ascents, floor demo, best speakers in the house IMO, at a good price. They didn't sound quite right to me at the store, but the room obviously had major issues.
Got them home. They do have some of the ESL magic but they never thrilled me. No matter the room placement and with or without the floor spikes, bass sounded muddy to me. Voices have a distinct lower-midrange coloration (perhaps the aluminum coned Ascent i successor was an improvement in these regards).
Fast forward to just a few weeks ago. The eBay saved search I had for "Martin Logan CLS" went off--happens once or twice a year--and I put in a bid and won. I hadn't quite gathered from the description these were not only with new panels, the panels were wrapped up in ML's packaging and I had to install them myself. So the most important components were new out of the box.
Before any break-in, or serious placement efforts (in fact for a while I was running them in front of the unused Ascents) I've fallen in love all over again.
Before the Ascents I lived for many years with Acoustat I + I's. They had some nice qualities but when fed material with real deep bass in it (more common as digital media began to take hold) they would overload and crackle at moderate listening levels. Also, pretty bad Venetian blind effect. I thought this was because even though relatively narrow they were still flat. Probably true but I also now think the periodic "cubed louver" construction of the stators had something to do with it (Bragg effect). Despite these limitations I recall they had more of the ESL magic than the Ascents. But despite the objections of some ESL purists, I think curved panels are the way to go.
I'm attempting to sell the Ascents now so if anyone disagrees with my appraisal above and is interested I would be happy to arrange to communicate privately. I did try clicking on the banner ad from Overture Audio in Wilmington, DE (assume this ad is sponsored by MLO but these days on the Web you never know). I wasn't thrilled with their best offer but may go with it if all else fails.
My main musical interest is classical, all types (chamber, small orchestral, large orchestral, opera, choral, etc.). I also enjoy jazz. I attend chamber music concerts regularly and try to make it to a live opera now and then. I play classical piano, not overly well. I have a background in physics and electrical engineering, which gives me a jaundiced view of people who claim they replaced the power cords on their ESL's with $300 boutique cables and were blown away by the improvement in sound.
Somewhat lengthier than most of the introductions here, but I think it gives you all a pretty good idea of who I am--definitely a real person.
p.s. I think I posted this to the wrong thread. Is there an easy way to move it up to the root?
I live in Albany, NY (the state capitol). Some time probably in the early to mid 1990's I went to one of the Stereophile sponsored high end audio shows in NYC. In the Sound by Singer exhibition I was entirely blown away by a system that included ML CLS II's, and some kind of subwoofer. I happily filled out my survey and gave it my vote for "best sound at the show". (I think it did receive some mention in this vote, though not the winner).
Fast forward a few years. CLS II's were supplanted by IIa's then IIz's. Prices were becoming more and more astronomical and above my budget. I began wishing I had afforded the original CLS's at a mere $3k. It became evident ML wasn't interested in making or selling too many full range ESL's. Used ones were extremely hard to come by. My local Tweeter's (RIP) had a pair of Ascents, floor demo, best speakers in the house IMO, at a good price. They didn't sound quite right to me at the store, but the room obviously had major issues.
Got them home. They do have some of the ESL magic but they never thrilled me. No matter the room placement and with or without the floor spikes, bass sounded muddy to me. Voices have a distinct lower-midrange coloration (perhaps the aluminum coned Ascent i successor was an improvement in these regards).
Fast forward to just a few weeks ago. The eBay saved search I had for "Martin Logan CLS" went off--happens once or twice a year--and I put in a bid and won. I hadn't quite gathered from the description these were not only with new panels, the panels were wrapped up in ML's packaging and I had to install them myself. So the most important components were new out of the box.
Before any break-in, or serious placement efforts (in fact for a while I was running them in front of the unused Ascents) I've fallen in love all over again.
Before the Ascents I lived for many years with Acoustat I + I's. They had some nice qualities but when fed material with real deep bass in it (more common as digital media began to take hold) they would overload and crackle at moderate listening levels. Also, pretty bad Venetian blind effect. I thought this was because even though relatively narrow they were still flat. Probably true but I also now think the periodic "cubed louver" construction of the stators had something to do with it (Bragg effect). Despite these limitations I recall they had more of the ESL magic than the Ascents. But despite the objections of some ESL purists, I think curved panels are the way to go.
I'm attempting to sell the Ascents now so if anyone disagrees with my appraisal above and is interested I would be happy to arrange to communicate privately. I did try clicking on the banner ad from Overture Audio in Wilmington, DE (assume this ad is sponsored by MLO but these days on the Web you never know). I wasn't thrilled with their best offer but may go with it if all else fails.
My main musical interest is classical, all types (chamber, small orchestral, large orchestral, opera, choral, etc.). I also enjoy jazz. I attend chamber music concerts regularly and try to make it to a live opera now and then. I play classical piano, not overly well. I have a background in physics and electrical engineering, which gives me a jaundiced view of people who claim they replaced the power cords on their ESL's with $300 boutique cables and were blown away by the improvement in sound.
Somewhat lengthier than most of the introductions here, but I think it gives you all a pretty good idea of who I am--definitely a real person.
p.s. I think I posted this to the wrong thread. Is there an easy way to move it up to the root?
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