Stage-X floor placement

MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum

Help Support MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Stefan_DR3

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 11, 2013
Messages
129
Reaction score
35
Location
Bytown, Upper Canada
I am considering purchase but it will be a blind buy for me as my dealer has no stock.

I have no cabinet to put the Center on like in the brochure pictures. I can use a simple amp stand to get it a few inches off the carpet. Is it going to be really compromised that close to the floor? I heard that wall mounting this speaker is very compromised.

Can the Stage-X be placed upside down? My amp is in the right corner of the room and current speaker cable will not reach the left rear of the Stage where its binding posts are. Flipping it would allow existing cable to reach. Just wondering if that will have impact on cosmetics or function?
 
1ec2ffa14466df3cea27db48f29460b5.jpg
 
Not sure about mounting it upside down. But you could always extend your speaker cables a few feet. The Stage comes with a bracket and could be mounted to the wall right under your screen if you so desire. But you are correct that it may compromise the sound. I'm not sure you want it too low like on an amp stand, though. You would be watching the screen and all the dialog would be coming from down below. I would try to figure out a way to get it up close to just underneath the level of the bottom of the screen. At that level and out from the wall almost as far as your main speaker panels would be ideal. The Stage is a difficult center channel to work with due to the back acoustic wave and it's odd shape. It's made to wall mount, but doesn't sound that well wall-mounted.
 
Why are you not getting the Stage X replacement? I think it's close to being available if not already. I looked at my Stage X and I see no reason why it would not work upside down
 
I'm not sure you want it too low like on an amp stand, though. You would be watching the screen and all the dialog would be coming from down below. I would try to figure out a way to get it up close to just underneath the level of the bottom of the screen. At that level and out from the wall almost as far as your main speaker panels would be ideal.

Thanks Rich. I think you are absolutely right. I can build a higher stand or even wall mount it as a last resort, or just find a different speaker.
 
Why are you not getting the Stage X replacement? I think it's close to being available if not already. I looked at my Stage X and I see no reason why it would not work upside down

B-stock. Stage would be half the price of the new C18, which is 2 months out and they did not offer any discount (I can get another pair of demo Theos for less!). It's crazy what they're asking for the new stuff.

Thanks.
 
It's crazy what they're asking for the new stuff.

Yes, it is. After a decade, the takeover of ML by Shoreview (or whatever they are called now) is complete. They have filled out the product line with numerous low end and mid-tier products, and they have doubled or more the prices on the high end products. It should not go unnoticed that these massive price hikes have come over a period of historically low overall inflation, and after they consolidated manufacturing at the Paradigm plant in Canada (which was supposed to cut manufacturing costs significantly). Not to mention cleaning house in Lawrence and letting go some longtime employees, which also undoubtedly resulted in significant cost savings. Assuming their sales haven't dropped off a cliff for gouging their loyal customers, they should be making a tidy profit margin by now.
 
Yes, it is. After a decade, the takeover of ML by Shoreview (or whatever they are called now) is complete. They have filled out the product line with numerous low end and mid-tier products, and they have doubled or more the prices on the high end products. It should not go unnoticed that these massive price hikes have come over a period of historically low overall inflation, and after they consolidated manufacturing at the Paradigm plant in Canada (which was supposed to cut manufacturing costs significantly). Not to mention cleaning house in Lawrence and letting go some longtime employees, which also undoubtedly resulted in significant cost savings. Assuming their sales haven't dropped off a cliff for gouging their loyal customers, they should be making a tidy profit margin by now.

Maybe you missed it but all the new speakers including the replacement for the Stage X have exactly the same list price of what it replaced. I think we can all agree that the new items are better in ever aspect. Prices are still high but for what you get in a electrostatic speaker compared to traditional speaker that is comparable they are almost always less in some cases by a lot. Unless you just want B stock or refuse to pay anything that is normal in this industry then yes prices are high.
 
and after they consolidated manufacturing at the Paradigm plant in Canada (which was supposed to cut manufacturing costs significantly). Not to mention cleaning house in Lawrence and letting go some longtime employees, which also undoubtedly resulted in significant cost savings. Assuming their sales haven't dropped off a cliff for gouging their loyal customers, they should be making a tidy profit margin by now.

I've seen it happen with many great British and Canadian brands as well. Always sad when an original factory is shut down and moved abroad to save money; maddening when prices don't drop and local dealers still push the stuff. Someone is getting rich and it's not the dealers, rather the extra middle men / distributors. I'd rather buy used.
 
Last edited:
Maybe you missed it but all the new speakers including the replacement for the Stage X have exactly the same list price of what it replaced. I think we can all agree that the new items are better in ever aspect. Prices are still high but for what you get in a electrostatic speaker compared to traditional speaker that is comparable they are almost always less in some cases by a lot. Unless you just want B stock or refuse to pay anything that is normal in this industry then yes prices are high.

The only decent looking StageX replacement is the C34A which is C$9000 for a single speaker. I can buy a PAIR of demo Montis for that much.

The C18 at C$4500 looks like more of a MotifX replacement to me, but I'm sure it's a bit better. I can get A stock StageX or demo pair of Theos for less. B stock would be refurbished by the factory like new for quite a bit less.
 
The only decent looking StageX replacement is the C34A which is C$9000 for a single speaker. I can buy a PAIR of demo Montis for that much.

The C18 at C$4500 looks like more of a MotifX replacement to me, but I'm sure it's a bit better. I can get A stock StageX or demo pair of Theos for less. B stock would be refurbished by the factory like new for quite a bit less.

Not sure what you are smoking but the new focus is exactly the same price as the Stage X and according to my dealer is much better
 
Not sure what you are smoking but the new focus is exactly the same price as the Stage X and according to my dealer is much better

When was the last time a dealer told you a new model *wasn't* much better than the model it replaced? Not exactly a reliable source of unbiased information.
 
Not to mention the C18 is not shipping for 2 months. So not sure under what conditions he has heard it.

It does look nicer and specs are a bit better though. I will consider it, even though the binding post location is still not ideal for me.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top