Can Impression 11A or Montis handle Rock well?

Really thinking about purchasing one or the other (prefer to try 11A) but still saving up.
I mostly listen to classic rock and the like and so at times like to crank it up - can they handle the volume?
I'm not talking about concert levels but "relatively loud" - should I have concerns?
Thanks
Mike

Will they do 100 db as a Klipsch. NO ! (albeit the best way to hook up a Klipsch is speaker wire a foot short of the speakers posts), but they will do 85 to 90 WELL.. Are they gonna give you that LIVE in your face sound ..NO! That being said a stage sound and performers nuances will be heard and placed well. You will get the recording as mixed where instruments will be spaced and separated.. I just had Guns and Roses playing and it was amazing as the recording was done well..

Vocals and such will be centered and drums ..You should get a lot of right and left guitars and effects.. Even outside the speakers.. Now that speed rock where its double kick drums you ARE gonna NEED a sub to feel that..

I've found that the larger the panel, the better they do rock with volume. That being said, it all depends on the quality of the recording. There are some old AC/DC tunes that were recorded well and sound awesome, and some newer hard rock that sounds like crap with ML's. If you love classic rock, spend some time listening to many levels of ML before you buy...or buy a good cone and dome speaker. IMHO...

Dan

I feel like I can get my Ethos up to concert ear splitting levels and they don't have the largest panels.

I'm running an amp with 500W at 4W into them and they seem at least to me to get plenty loud or at least louder than I need them to get.

Then again my speakers are only about 6' apart and I'm only back about 9' from them.

I listen mostly to classical and jazz, but I have a rather extensive collection of classic rock. I find the Montis work well for rock as long as you don't want to play too loud. I can play them as loud as i want to, but I would call that level "moderately loud". As far as bass is concerned, I have the bass level set at +1.5. I have not tried it, but you may get significant bass boost if you advance the setting. In my room, moving past +2 seemed unnatural. I used to have Infinity IRS Gammas. They could rock your world with 2 x 12" servo controlled bi-amped bass per channel and dipole planar magnetic drivers down to 120 Hz Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here...oh yeah. I can get some of that from the Montis, but not at ultra loud shakin' the room levels.

jtucker said:

I listen mostly to classical and jazz, but I have a rather extensive collection of classic rock. I find the Montis work well for rock as long as you don't want to play too loud. I can play them as loud as i want to, but I would call that level "moderately loud". As far as bass is concerned, I have the bass level set at +1.5. I have not tried it, but you may get significant bass boost if you advance the setting. In my room, moving past +2 seemed unnatural. I used to have Infinity IRS Gammas. They could rock your world with 2 x 12" servo controlled bi-amped bass per channel and dipole planar magnetic drivers down to 120 Hz Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here...oh yeah. I can get some of that from the Montis, but not at ultra loud shakin' the room levels.

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Welcome to the machine shakes the closet door in my hallway and my fireplace grate vibrates. It's possible that my room is helping the bass along.

FYI, I have my bass set to about -2.0db on my speakers.

Mike, the others have given you a good ideal as to what to expect. Your relative volume level will depend on your room and the amplification your driving them with.

Given the pricing that's out there right now the Montis (in your case) is the way to go IMO, for it leaves you with some extra $$ for a nice sub or two.

twich54 said:

Mike, the others have given you a good ideal as to what to expect. Your relative volume level will depend on your room and the amplification your driving them with.

Given the pricing that's out there right now the Montis (in your case) is the way to go IMO, for it leaves you with some extra $$ for a nice sub or two.

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It is a great price right now!

Also to be clear, an electrostatic membrane does have limits in dynamic range and a cone is only limited by the range of its driver. A pair of 102 db/watt Klipsch speakers will blow the walls down without much power driving them. ESL's can hit their travel limits sooner.

I fully expect that my current room helps with my volume substantially. In a larger room they would less effective.

I listen to plenty of classic rock and crank it up loud. I have never felt my Summits or Ascents lacking in any way. Not only can they handle it, but in the right setup (proper amplification and well-treated room), they absolutely excel at it. Caveat: they are incredibly revealing and a poorly recorded performance will sound awful.

Thanks to everyone who replied
Yes "Welcome to the machine", Pink Floyd, Led Zepellin, even Steely Dan..
I like to get the volume up now and then.
What will happen if it's too loud, will it distort? (Break?)
I love the sound of Logan's, just never pulled the trigger.
Ironically I have a pair of Cornscalas (a Klipsch Cornwall variant)
If it can play around 100db now and then I should be all right (The Logans)
*** Also what do you think a "Good deal" would be for the Montis?
Would the 11A play louder than the Montis? (I can get a pretty good deal on a new pair of 11A's)
***One more quick question - what cone and dome speaker would you chose if you had to pick one instead of the Logan's? Have you ever thought of going back to cones and domes? If so why??
Thanks
Mike

Mike in NJ said:

I like to get the volume up now and then.
What will happen if it's too loud, will it distort? (Break?)

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I think that will entirely be determined by the quality of the amplification you use. In other words, the demands the speaker puts on the amplifier may be exceeded long before the speaker itself reaches its limits. I know with my Summits and Ascents, you will be in pain long before the music starts breaking up. I have a 140 wpc CJ tube amp on the Summits right now, and it is rock solid, but at one point I had Sanders Sound 800 wpc monoblocs on them. I've got a Pass Labs X350.5 on the Ascents. With quality amplification, you can go as loud as any normal person would want without having the sound distort.

Having Klipsc now you better listen to the Logan's FIRST! NO they will not do what Klipsch do.. Blood less listening that is.. You can only get so much out of membrane where a horn sounds LIVE and real in a room away. Logans DO NOT.. Logan;s are a sweet spot two channel speaker.. Nothing can do what they do but rock right they can but Klipsch thay are not !

I've heard Logan's quite a few times and always loved their highly dense soundstage, highly resolving and emensly musical presentation.
The Klipsch are musical and jump out at you with their dynamics.
But I really find the Logan's very envolvng musically - and I only sit in the sweet spot when listening- if they can play loud when called upon I will get them because their speed and immense sound staging are addicting..

Whats loud to you? What equipment do you plan to run? Remember with ML you need better ancillary equipment . . Be prepared to buy better gear or ML will reward you with GARBAGE in Garbage out.. Good luck and we;come to the club

I suppose 100db, 105db peaks.
I will be running a music reference rm200 tube amp (going straight through a NAD dac that has volume).
I also have 12 SET amp, and an musical fidelity int amp that has 150 watts.
I spoke to Roger majeski from music reference and he said his amp would work well.
I also have an audible illusions tube pre amp needs tubes for a pre amp.
Mike

Might want to stick with Klipsch 105db :yell: I have never heard a ML set up done correct for that matter any speaker set up do 105db at listening chair sound well
when the image and stage is done correct they are so distinctly clear that 80 to 85 db is usually fantastic.. that's bass that you feel too..

Mike in NJ said:

I suppose 100db, 105db peaks.Mike

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Mike, I trust you know that you are risking permanent hearing damage / loss as a result of those peaks.

And Chris is correct. 85db is plenty with a transparent system.

Gordon

Perhaps I am overestimating the DB levels then.
I have a pair of tonian labs tld1 speakers that use a 8" fostex driver and they go loud enough except for peaks, then they start to distort a little.
If the logans could do better with deeper bass I would be good.
I've been in this hobby quite awhile. Just never had logans .
Had B&W, Wilson. Magnepan, Kef, Audio Physic, Piega, Harbeth, Tannoy, Rogers, Merlin, just never Logans..lol

Mike in NJ said:

Perhaps I am overestimating the FB levels then.

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you are ........

Had B&W, Wilson. Magnepan, Kef, Audio Physic, Piega, Harbeth, Tannoy, Rogers, Merlin, just never Logans..lol

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it obvious that you are probably impossible to satisfy ...........

twich54 said:

you are ........

it obvious that you are probably impossible to satisfy ...........

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LOL, and after being out of audio for 25 years, I spent about a week putting together the system I have now and am completely happy with.