Martin Logan vs Final Sound?

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DPD

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Has anyone had a chance to hear the speakers from Final Sound (http://www.finalsound.com/) and compare them to Martin Logan?

I'm considering getting one of their center channel offerings and mating it to my Sequels, but also just wondering how they compare, in general.

The allegedly less demanding impedance seems to be the most compelling factor of interest to me right now.
 
jtwrace recently switched from ML's to Final Sound and seems to like them very much. You might want to send him a PM for his thoughts.

GG.
 
Final sound

Hi - I have heard Final electrostatics on a number of occasions and even the large panals are weak on bass - although first rate on midband and controlled, balanced treble. Smaller panels such as used for the centre are fine for speech but if you are planning to play surround music (SACD or DVD-A) it might lack impact. But I'm sure ther's room for (another) sub in your room?

DingMac_UK
New to the club with ML Clarities!
 
Some find the Finals to be amazingly coherent, and I do not doubt that one bit. I have yet to hear one, but my local neighbor (Cherian) has one in his place (and he has MLs also). He prefers the MLs, but I dont think he's set up the Finals with a sub and tweaked them like he's done for the MLs, so I think he has some reservations with his current judgement. Clarify that with him if you run into him on these boards.

If you're really interested in the Finals, I know someone on another board who is selling a full 7.2 setup for $2250 (Chicago, IL).

Here's a list of his FS setup:
7.2 Setup #2 (Sold as a Package $2250)
Final Sound 700 Fronts
Final Sound 700 Center
Final Sound 200 Sides
Final Sound 500 Rears
2 Final Sound S100 Subwoofers (8")

Joey
 
If you're really interested in the Finals, I know someone on another board who is selling a full 7.2 setup for $2250 (Chicago, IL).

Here's a list of his FS setup:
7.2 Setup #2 (Sold as a Package $2250)
Final Sound 700 Fronts
Final Sound 700 Center
Final Sound 200 Sides
Final Sound 500 Rears
2 Final Sound S100 Subwoofers (8")

Joey

I can't seem to find any of these models listed on the Final site. Are these discontinued models?
 
7002.jpg

700c.jpg

7001.jpg


It must be one generation back...
 
yes, those are not current products. The for sale items that is.
 
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All the ones Joey listed use the Final sound control center (Last generation). I'm not a fan of the control center. You can not change the speaker wire. The control center just gets in the way because you have to bring all the amp power to the control center and the speakers are then plugged into the control center. All speakers come with 30 feet of speaker wire you have to tie and put away. However this is a very good price for a 7.1 final sound system.

I however still like the hybrid design of the MLs better. MLs have much better bass response. If you plan to add a GOOD sub with the Finals then this should be fine. Please note I have listened to the Final Sound Subs and they are not very goods. Just my 2 cents.

I just sold my Final’s to a friend. I will use the proceeds for a CJ amp.
 
Thanks for all the replies. They've been very informative.

But can anyone comment on using a Final center with the Sequels?

Would this work reasonably well, or is this asking for trouble?

Center channel would primarily be for cinema/TV, as I don't tend to enjoy the multi-channel effects on the few SACDs that I own that are mixed as such.
 
Having been fortunate enough to actually have two sets of Finals (600i and 1000i) and two sets of ML's (Vantage and Summit) at the same time, I would say that if you like one, you will probably not like the other.

The Finals reminded me a lot more of old quads or magnepans. Yes a bit (tiny bit) more coherent than the Summits, but no where near the dynamics, soundstaging or tonality.

Because these panels act a lot different, I would not mix a final center channel because it doesn't react the same as the ml speakers, so I doubt that you would get perfect integration....

Everyone here that heard both speakers side by side came away liking the Summits a lot better...

The finals are more polite, not as much detail. But that might be just what you want!
 
Having been fortunate enough to actually have two sets of Finals (600i and 1000i) and two sets of ML's (Vantage and Summit) at the same time, I would say that if you like one, you will probably not like the other.

The Finals reminded me a lot more of old quads or magnepans. Yes a bit (tiny bit) more coherent than the Summits, but no where near the dynamics, soundstaging or tonality.

Because these panels act a lot different, I would not mix a final center channel because it doesn't react the same as the ml speakers, so I doubt that you would get perfect integration....

Everyone here that heard both speakers side by side came away liking the Summits a lot better...

The finals are more polite, not as much detail. But that might be just what you want!


Jeff,

With all respect...I couldn't disagree more. I believe that you have NOT heard a proper setup Final system. I personally have owned the Summits and now almost every current Final. I use the 1000i and I just don't understand how you can make the statements above. I think you NEED to come to NC to hear them...
 
Sorry, but I'll stick to my guns.

I've had plenty of people out here to listen and they all agree with me.
If you love your Finals that's great, but I would postulate that you didn't have the Summits set up or used them with good enough gear to reveal what they can do.

I had the Finals for six months now, and I spend 8-12 hours a day in my studio listening to music. I've used the Finals with about a dozen different good amplifiers and they just don't really float my boat. I wrote a pretty good review on them because I do think that sound does appeal to someone.

I have friends that still think the original Quads are the best sounding speakers made.

While I did my Final review, I had the Summits and Vantages here, as well as a pair of original Quads, some Magnepans (1.6 and 3.6) and my old pair of Apogee Calipers that still sound pretty good considering.

So I think I did my homework.

But the bottom line is what you like best. If the Finals do the job for you that's all that's important. I have no idea what you are using for components, what kind of music you listen to or for that matter how well you can hear. I just got my ears checked last week and I can still hear up to 18k.

It's all subjective, but I don't understand why you are out here trying to argue with the summit owners about how your finals are "better"

I don't need to fly to North Carolina to hear a pair of Final speakers when
I have two sets here.
 
Is the analogy of Finals being Quad-like a fairly common one?

Because I have heard Quads, although it was probably almost 20 years ago now.
 
Sorry, but I'll stick to my guns.

I've had plenty of people out here to listen and they all agree with me.
If you love your Finals that's great, but I would postulate that you didn't have the Summits set up or used them with good enough gear to reveal what they can do.

I had the Finals for six months now, and I spend 8-12 hours a day in my studio listening to music. I've used the Finals with about a dozen different good amplifiers and they just don't really float my boat. I wrote a pretty good review on them because I do think that sound does appeal to someone.

I have friends that still think the original Quads are the best sounding speakers made.

While I did my Final review, I had the Summits and Vantages here, as well as a pair of original Quads, some Magnepans (1.6 and 3.6) and my old pair of Apogee Calipers that still sound pretty good considering.

So I think I did my homework.

But the bottom line is what you like best. If the Finals do the job for you that's all that's important. I have no idea what you are using for components, what kind of music you listen to or for that matter how well you can hear. I just got my ears checked last week and I can still hear up to 18k.

It's all subjective, but I don't understand why you are out here trying to argue with the summit owners about how your finals are "better"

I don't need to fly to North Carolina to hear a pair of Final speakers when
I have two sets here.

Yup, to each his own. I had Quest Zs...and regularly listened to summits, and demoed Vistas and Vantages a number of times...and always came away thinking "wow, that sounds great on well recorded music" ... and started buying music based on how well recorded it was, cause I just couldn't stand listening to a lot of other music that I had enjoyed up till that point. (Others have disagreed with me on this point already) So...I started listening to basically just vocals and jazz...

Also...I kept looking for the next thing to add to my system. Kept looking to fill in deficiencies I felt existed in the sound. I never really just sat down and enjoyed the Quest Zs, or even the Summits. I got the 400is (which I chose, because I had my DIY midbass arrays already constructed) and I haven't thought about touching my system in months. (though I am assembling the 2nd servo sub tonight...for sake of symmetry more than a perceived need) All the music I used to love listening to doesn't sound thin...so my taste in music is being shaped by my taste in music now, not by my speakers. Having heard Jason's 1000is with his current setup (which is light years beyond mine) I FAR prefer the finals to summits he used to have. But everyone is going to have a different preference. Just as everyone doesn't like the sound of stats...some people might not like the sound of the finals as much as the MLs.

One thing that I believe strongly, is that Final does themselves a gross disservice with the subs that they sell. When jason was demoing one with the 1000is, it just made the whole system sound flabby and incoherent, and lifeless. It was far better without a sub at all....though even the 1000is shoudln't be run full range, imo. He got a decent servo sub instead, and the difference is night and day. It's amazing what a bad subwoofer can do to your system.

It's definitely interesting to read tonepub's impressions, since my are the polar opposite, and therein lies the limited benefit of speaker reviews (whether in a magazine or on a board like this) ... you get the impression of the reviewer, based on their tastes...not your impressions based on your tastes.

Definitely try to demo both...with the music you like...and see what you think. Depending on where you are, finals might be hard to find...but you're welcome to listen to mine, or jasons I'm sure (which I'd recommend), if you're ever in the charlotte area.
 
IWalker, i happen to agree with your assesment of the Vantages. I have put off purchasing MLs because my auditions have been so inconsistant. I happen to like lots of different types music and don't want to have to limit my music selection based on my speakers. I have Klipsch reference RF-7s and while the MLs do a lot of things better on certain tracks I feel that they have a lot more limitations with regards to they types of music that i could play. Where can I audition Final Sounds? Also what is their price range?
 
If you're in the NC area, I can point you in the right direction, but I'm not sure outside of that. If you call final sound usa's headquarters, I'd bet they could tell you though.

Price range is from $2000-$11000 (300i-1000i) - but I think the 600i ($6000) or 1000i ($11000) are the way you generally need to go, unless you want to do something seperate to deal with the midbass. I'd still mate with a good sub (the ML subs are great, imo)
 
I am in Charlotte and the 600i looks most apealing based on size. How large is the sweetspot on the 400s?
 
I think the sweetspot on any of them will be very similar...depending on setup. And I've found that they have a big advantage in this category over my old quests. But again, that could be the setup. I find mine to be quite wide now...but with the limitation that if you stand up reasonably close to the speakers, you will hear significant drop off...something the 600i would do much better with than the 400is.

Being in Charlotte...you have easy access to the 400is (budget DIY system) and/or 1000is (high end system)...so have a decent range to see what they're all about. Very well could be your taste, or very well could not. Send me a PM if you're interested in an audition.
 
I think it is critical to the discussion to point out that I believe Jtwrace is a dealer of Finals.

This isn't to imply he isn't being above the board, or honest in his opinion (I think he is a man of integrity) but that it hasn't been mentioned in the thread, and is of material value to the discussion.

-Allen
 
I think it is critical to the discussion to point out that I believe Jtwrace is a dealer of Finals.

This isn't to imply he isn't being above the board, or honest in his opinion (I think he is a man of integrity) but that it hasn't been mentioned in the thread, and is of material value to the discussion.

-Allen

I have in other threads...
 

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