CLX vs Super Summit

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IWalker

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We had a discussion about this a while ago, but try as I might, I can't seem to find it with the search (I can even find it using google...but it won't take me directly to the thread)

What are the differences going to be? (hypothetical answers are fine, as long as they are labeled as such) I remember seeing a picture showing a Electrostatic panel next to a dipole woofer...and it would require a sub to get the lowest frequencies. Was that the CLX or the Super Summit?

If noone wants to discuss this again...could you point me towards that thread I can't seem to find?

Thanks!
 
We had a discussion about this a while ago, but try as I might, I can't seem to find it with the search (I can even find it using google...but it won't take me directly to the thread)

What are the differences going to be? (hypothetical answers are fine, as long as they are labeled as such) I remember seeing a picture showing a Electrostatic panel next to a dipole woofer...and it would require a sub to get the lowest frequencies. Was that the CLX or the Super Summit?

If noone wants to discuss this again...could you point me towards that thread I can't seem to find?

Thanks!

Upgrading already? :)
 
The super Summit is vaporware at the moment and only speculation. It is thought it may be a smaller version of the Statement E2 with the latest technology.

The CLX is still a thought and a experiment. It is "thought" to be similar to the CLS series and possibly ties with the Decent i. If you looked at the prototype of the Decent i you saw the volume went to 11 not 10. Although this does bring up memories of "This Is Spinal Tap", it is "believed this may be the future setting for the CLX when used in combination with the Decent i. There is nothing concrete about either one of these.

Gayle, former President, CEO and founder of ML, has stated he always wanted to do another version of a full panel and this may part of his vision but nothing is set in stone.

I hope this helps a bit


Jeff:cool:
 
Thanks Jeff, It does very much. Thank you. I think the pictures I saw might have been photoshop renditions of someone's idea of what they might look like.

As for upgrading...speakers would be at least a couple of years away (likely more than that) but I always like thinking ahead to make sure my whole upgrade path ties together! After going with jtwrace to a few different area (charlotte) audio stores this weekend (listened to an all McIntosh system driving B&W 802Ds) and hearing the A/B difference between a 12w/ch triode Cayin tube amp, and their 200w/ch SS amp on Von Schweikert VR4 Jrs, my itch for AES Six Pacs has become almost unbearable. And after listening to his brand new summits, I have a real feeling that I'm missing something in the very low end (that contributes a lot to the overall sound)...so have an itch for some good subs.

I'm thinking the Six Pacs are going to be the first purchase...and then maybe a house. The subs will wait till I have a place to play them that won't get me evicted.
 
I'm thinking the Six Pacs are going to be the first purchase...and then maybe a house. The subs will wait till I have a place to play them that won't get me evicted.

Exactly! I don't even use a sub in my condo because the rumbling travels through the concrete floors ... BUT, Viva La Concrete because the cinderblock firewalls keep everything very quiet. Only the sound escaping under my front door gives away that I'm jamming to tunes.
 
HI All,
I questioned Martin Logan with some vigor a couple of weeks ago about the CLX. Jeff's statements are consistent with the sense I got from my conversations with ML.

They have not made a commitment publicly to the CLX's. However, apparently, one of the new subs has a CLX position on their controls. Does this mean something, the man asks? Inquiring minds need to know.

Sparky
 
IWalker,

I also live in Charlotte and have heard the Mac/802d set up at Sound Systems as well as the VR4-Jrs (different store located on Providence Road) my question is how did you think the VR4-jrs compared to logans? The Mac/802d is the best set up I have yet to hear but at a price way out of my league. The VR4jrs sounded good to me but curious as to your thoughts. I have gone to several Tweeter locations to listen to Vantages and have mixed feelings but feel it is largely due to placement, set up etc. Have you heard a great logan set up in Charlotte?
 
Thanks Robin! don't know why I couldn't find it!

Honestly, I went home and listened to my Quest zs in front of less than $1000 worth of gear, and greatly prefered it to the all mac gear in front of the 802Ds. They were carefully set up in a decent sized room, with absorbant panels lining the room...but I didn't get nearly the sense of detail and image that I get from my logans. They were playing a Chesky recording through them as well...so that was most likely not the issue. I should be getting the CD for christmas, so I'll do a comparison to memory there. I think the summits I heard at jtwrace's house (with some great gear...pass labs, camelot, etc) are a significant step up again from my Quests.

The VR4 Jrs were hooked up to Cayin gear (the tube amp is $1200) in pretty much the worst room possible, and with just average music...so I really only thought they sounded ok. I'm conditionalizing this MUCH more than the 802D setup, though...because that was in a dedicated music only room with $40000 worth of gear hooked up to it.

The only thing I got out of the VR4JR listening was that the tube amp, even at only 12w/channel made a HUGE improvement in the sound over the 200w/ch solid state they had. It really was night and day.

Based on that comparison, I'd pick the vantages over the VR4 Jrs no question. (though it would be only fair to give a more ideal audition to them)

The open airy "delicacy" of the electrostatics is what does it for me, I think...and I've never heard a box speaker that could come close in that regard. It feels like the music is just there, all around you, with each detail being presented with such ease. Every other speaker I've heard makes me turn my head and listen "harder" to try to extract the details of things I can "kind of" hear. Hard to explain, but that's how it feels.

Just my preference and experience! Hope it helps!
 
CLX more than a rumor

Well, here's my $.02 based upon conversations I've had with the Martin Logan folks at CEDIA and subsequent.

As with any large corporation Martin Logan is going to protect strategic information. At the same time they also want to fuel the fire of speculation provided that the speculation is not counter productive to the business. I am certain that Martin Logan will remain tight lipped about the introduction of the rumored CLX. That being said, it was a Martin Logan Marketing Director who steered me toward the Descent i at CEDIA and pointed out the crossover setting in the photo I published below. Ladies and gentlemen, the Descent i shown at Cedia was far more than a prototype. I believe it was from an actual Pilot run, and as such, most likely represents a product very close to actual release. That being said, I suspect that the artwork on this part indicates a real upcoming product.

I'm curious to see what Martin Logan has up their sleeves for this years CES...
 

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Thanks for the reply IWalker, what kind of music do you listen to on your logans?
 
Hmm, I listen to a little of everything, but would say that I enjoy mostly Jazz, classical, soft rock (james blunt, etc.), vocals (michael buble, harry connick jr) etc. Certain well recorded rock (pink floyd) I like as well. I don't generally "rock out" to my logans...I do more of that in the car. I generally like to relax more when I'm at home and have my full range of music to choose from.

The only ML setup I'm familiar with in Charlotte besides mine is jtwrace's. He's got amazing solid state gear, from wall socket to speaker...and then summits(brand new) to play them through. It really sounds fantastic. A big step up from mine, and I think mine sound great. I believe that an area dealer (freeman audio, if my memory serves me) may be getting some summits soon, though I have no idea how well they will set them up.

What kind of music are you looking to listen to? About the only type of music I don't 100% recommend logans for is heavy rock, with a lot of electric guitar, as the stats tend to over-resolve the distortion of the guitar, which can get a little grating. And, the midbass sometimes sounds thin, which takes away some "body" from that type of music.
 
Also, my setup is far from ideal...it's what one might refer to as a "budget" logan setup...but you're more than welcome to come listen anytime (as long as I'm free) to see what you think. I live uptown, in the 4th ward. PM me if you're interested.

I've got a pro-amp driving the logans, and a pro type DAC through a tube buffer (from either a DVD player or my computer sound card)...so far from what you'd consider hifi. They're pulled out a few feet from the wall, but I have wood floors, no room treatments, yet I still personally preferred them to the much "nicer" McIntosh/B&W setup I heard.
 
mostly acoustic rock, ben harper, jack johnson, david gray but also classic rock like the zeppelin, floyd, the dead, i have just been frustrated with Tweeter, i have visited several stores and each audition is very different, i heard Norah Jones on Vantages driven by a Yamaha receiver and it sounded better than a Krell/Vantage set up in a different store?? Each store has them set up differently and all the sales people give me different info. Some have them close together some far apart, all of them have them close to the front wall. They all say they are way better than the Klipsch RF-7s that I currently own, but Tweeter also sold me the RF-7s years ago and went on about how much more versitile they were than the logans at the time. I am quite sure that the Vantages will best my RF-7s for acoustic/folk music like David Gray and Jack Johnson but fear I will lose some energy for music like the Grateful Dead. I don't listen to any heavy metal or really hard rock but I feel like the Klipsch forum members listen to more music in my genre. Norah Jones is a close as I come to Jazz and I never listen to classical. The VR4-jr seem to me to be a better all around speaker but the Vantage does some much better as well. I am still undecided.
 
Regarding the CLX and Super Summit. . .

I have absolutely no hard evidence or insider information, but I would have to agree with MiTT that the CLX has to be more than just a thought and an experiment. I base this on the information MiTT gave, as well as the fact that they practically promised Tom a CLX audition for the ML Forum get-together next year. These two facts coming from different sources leads me to believe this is a real product that we will see released next year.

As for a "Super Summit," I have no idea but it kind of makes sense that they would take their technology gains and put them into producing a great speaker in the $15,000 to $25,000 price range. After all, in today's world of high-end audio, how many quality speaker companies top out their range at the $10,000 price point?

Who knows? Only time will tell. But gee, ain't it fun speculating. Personally, I have my heart set on a pair of CLX's and a more robust center channel than the Stage (although if ML doesn't get off their butts and release one soon I may just have to hire JonFo).
 
The CLX is supposed to be coming out soon, so I assume that it's closer to production than the Super Summit.

The Super Summit is moreso in the developmental stages than the CLX. Per Stesom inquiring first hand with ML (in person), the SS is supposed to be very similar to the Statements in design and implementation.... and is priced around the $17K mark.

Signed,
Joey's somewhat evidence-based hypotheses
 
I have absolutely no hard evidence or insider information, but I would have to agree with MiTT that the CLX has to be more than just a thought and an experiment. I base this on the information MiTT gave, as well as the fact that they practically promised Tom a CLX audition for the ML Forum get-together next year. These two facts coming from different sources leads me to believe this is a real product that we will see released next year.

Rich, I didn't want to spill that can o'beans, but I do suspect that those who are going to the national GTG will be in for a treat if the stars are all aligned.:D
 
Rich, I didn't want to spill that can o'beans, but I do suspect that those who are going to the national GTG will be in for a treat if the stars are all aligned.:D

Yup yup! That's what I'm looking forward to.. and the Statement e2 audition!

Joey :rocker:
 
Update on CLX

Well folks,

Recently had a conversation with some folks at ML. Anyway, appears a new CLX is in the prototype stage utilizing new x-stat panel technology, etc. It will be similar to the CLS, size wise, with the ability to tie into the new ML subs. I assume from the conversation that there will be no integrated "cone type" driver with the CLX and it will be designed to interface with the outboard ML subwoofer. See previous post with picture of ML sub x-over. Thought you inquisitive minds would like to know.

GG
 

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