ML Motion 15= Gateway Drug

Hello, everyone. This is an introduction, as well as an attempt to start a discussion about the "low end" of Martin Logan products. The majority of posts here focus on the electrostatics ML is renowned for, but I'm more into smaller setups. I recently became acquainted with a pair of Motion 15s, and I have to say that I'm shocked at how vastly superior they are to my previous speakers. As I've gotten to know them, and have heard more from my music than ever before, I've also come to demand more from the entire experience. The ML Motion 15, as an introduction to really good sound, is nothing short of a gateway drug to more and more audio goodness.

I'm currently using the Motion 15s in a long, narrow space that is about 12'x25'. The speakers are facing my listening position on the long wall, about 10' or so away from me. Because of this odd room layout, I'm not always sitting in the sweet spot, so I'm perhaps not getting everything from the speakers that I could be. I'm also one of those Philistines using Sonos Connect:Amp to feed run-of-the-mill iTunes downloads to the M15s, so that is another area where I'm perhaps handicapping the speakers.

With this as background, I'm a bit torn as to how to get more oomph from the system as it stands. The Sonos Connect:Amp will support a subwoofer, but I'm not too keen on adding one simply because of aesthetics and placement. I'm curious about upgrading to the Motion 35XT, but I'm disappointed to see that speaker is not available in white. (In my room, the white color really helps them look smaller and "disappear" into the wall behind them.) So then I wonder if upgrading to a Peachtree amp with its potentially superior DAC could be the answer, using a Sonos Connect instead of the Connect:Amp. This would make the living room zone of my Sonos system a bit less integrated, since I'd have an extra remote for the Peachtree, but it might be worth it for better sound.

So, naturally there are pros and cons. Which would you suggest? 1) Subwoofer? 2) Larger Motion 35XTs with no subwoofer? 3) Upgrade the Sonos to something with a better DAC and a little more power?

Thanks for any input you may have, and happy listening!

Brad

I have a Peachtree DAC-It I'm thinking of selling. I used it when a Sonos Connect was my primary streamer. I've since moved to a Bluesound Node and no longer need it.


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Brad,

I suggest getting a sub first. I have LX16s* and XT35s, plus sub. Even the XTs need a sub, IMO. LX16 w/ sub are not quite as good as XT35 w/ sub, but the difference is not that big in my setup. And LX16 w/ sub is clearly better than XT35 solo. Again, that is in my setup, which is probably quite different from most people's setups. Aside from being “better”, LX16 w/ sub definitely has more oomph, as you put it. I expect that to be true in any room.

Your speakers sit on a cabinet and are very close to the wall. That is not ideal for a speaker, especially one which produces more bass. You may already have the better speaker for your room.

* The LX16s are the predecessors of the 15s. The 15s have the nicer shape with the slanted top. Other than that both speakers are the same.

Thanks for the reply. Regarding placement near the wall, it seems like most "real world" applications don't have room for speakers mounted 2-3' off the wall. It seems like front ported speakers would be more common, but then again, the wall will reinforce the speaker's bass no matter where the port is. I suppose that with a speaker close to the wall, then it does make more sense to find a suitable sub since the speaker is not in an ideal location. Thanks!

I realize this is an older thread, but having just received the same speakers, and paired them with a Polk Omni A1 Play-Fi amp, it sounds like my initial set up may be similar to yours here. I've currently got the cabinets set up as my main computer speakers, about a foot forward from the wall. Unfortunately, my current desk requires them to be placed slightly above my ear level when seated.

With all that out of the way, and understanding full well that these are not optimized 100% as they are, they are simply incredible! I have only had them for 4 days so far, but as they've been playing in, their sound continues to get better and better. I am literally shocked at how smooth their response is, to say nothing of the level of bass extension possible with these small-ish 5 1/4 inch drivers. The ribbon tweeters are nothing short of works of art. I've given thought to adding a small sub to give a tiny boost to the 20-60 Hz range, but I am getting an amazing response from these as they are, with just a touch of eq all the way down into the 40 Hz range. My listening tastes don't involve bass heavy material on the whole, but the blend and tonality these have even in the lower range is startling. My wife actually asked if they were playing with a sub or not when she first heard them. (They aren't as yet anyway.)

We're so far very happy with these little gems. May likely look to add a small tube amp down the road, but initial impressions are all positive so far. I can recommend the Motion 15's without reservation.

I would support option 3.

I would recommend Crown by Harman CT 4150. It’s a four channel power amp with variable gain control. This amp is a professional amp. CT 4150 has very good specifications. Available at B & H.

Since it is a four channel power amp you can even attach your older pair of loudspeakers. Employees at B & H can help you with selecting professional speaker cables and interconnects. i am not knowledgeable in this area.

What i do know is that CT 4150 is a very good amplifier. i reached this conclusion after reading the amplifier handbook, having listened to a previous model of this amplifier at an audiophile friends home and finally Harman group manufacture Crown amplifiers and they also build Mark Levinson amplifiers.

A word of caution namely listen to this amplifier before you decide to opt for it. I have not heard the latest "Recording and Broadcast" power amplifiers by Crown.

Hope your Sonos has a pre-amplifier out RCA? Only then can you attach Sonos to CT 4150.

M15 said:

I would support option 3.
Hope your Sonos has a pre-amplifier out RCA? Only then can you attach Sonos to CT 4150.

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I wouldn't recommend doing this. The DAC in the Sonos is pretty bad. I run my Connect into my Marantz NR1603, and that seems to be a winner.

TDIMike said:

I wouldn't recommend doing this. The DAC in the Sonos is pretty bad. I run my Connect into my Marantz NR1603, and that seems to be a winner.

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Many thanks for your constructive critique. Will now prevent bbray from being mislead.

M15 said:

Many thanks for your constructive critique. Will now prevent bbray from being mislead.

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No problem. And really its all subjective...you might like it. I found it to be pretty weak.