System #254 (Odyssey, Stage & Ascent)

1. Member Name: Adam

2. Location: Winchester, Virginia

3. ML Model(s): Martin Logan Odyssey, Stage, and Ascents

4. Year Purchased: 2003, 2007 and 2008

5. Mods/Changes: No Mods. Updated Transformers direct from ML

6. Associated Electronics:
Amps: 2 Classe CA-201s Bridged (1200WPC) and Emotiva XPA-5 HT Amp
250WPC
Source:
Denon 3930Ci MOVIES
Marantz SA-11S1 CDP
Pre: Parasound 2100S
HTProcessor: Emotiva MMC1
HD: Toshiba HD-A2
Protection: Panamax M5400-EX
Power Cords: Signal Cable

HT speakers: Infinity IL 20 Surround Back and Beta ES-250 Surrounds.
Subs: Velodyne SPL-1500R up front and CHT in the rear. Two others not
in use are Velo SPL-1500R and Infinity SW12

7. An image of your system.

:welcome:

Adamo, great looking system, glad to see it up here.

As usual, let us know more about what you like to watch and listen to. Also, more pictures too, we are ho's for the photo's. I'd like to see the source electronics. Tell us about the journey that led you here.

Happy Listening!

Looking into the theater

Wow, I just realized I spelled Ascents with two "s"s and no C....Typo!

Closer shot of the Classe and SPL1500R

rear looking at CHT/one of the two grafik Eyes/rear shot/Indiana Jones

The Main component Cabinet front and rear

MiTT said:

:welcome:

Adamo, great looking system, glad to see it up here.

As usual, let us know more about what you like to watch and listen to. Also, more pictures too, we are ho's for the photo's. I'd like to see the source electronics. Tell us about the journey that led you here.

Happy Listening!

Click to expand...

Hey MiTT! Thanks! My system seems to be ever evolving as are most of the members' here. I started out with Infinity Betas (360/50s/10s all around) and three Infinity SW-12s when I decided to build a dedicated home theater room and system. I had the funds for more expensive and expansive set ups, but really wasnt' into our hobby as much as I am now. shortly after it's completion I was hooked and purchased a used set of Infinity IL60s, and purchased IL 20s for surround backs and Beta ES250 Dipole surrounds. Loved the upgrade. Then one day I decided to audition mid-fi speakers at Tweeter when I found the Ascents. I wasn't there for ESLs but lets just say the audition didn't take that long
I was sold in an instant. I purchased a set of Ascents and love them. I still do. Moving on to an upgraded Center from the IL 36 that now had taken up residence (part of the Interlude upgrade), I wanted the best new center I could get from ML. Enter the Stage I then wanted to upgrade within the ML line and really liked the older look more than the newer sleek look (personal preference shining through). To me, the older models are as sexy as you can get! So trying to decide between Prodigy and Odyssey I discovered a great set and dropped the hammer on them. I love the Odyssey's. These things sort of flew under the radar, but OMG they are fantastic speakers for the money. In my treated room, they need no sub to shine. The subs got upgraded two two SPL-1500Rs and a CHT, and then later a down grade to One SPL-1500R and the CHT for the rear in the current configuration. I find that is one aspect of my room I am ALWAYS tinkering with...flattest response possible with bass I can feel and not hear. Misc. components come and go so fast in my system it's hardly worth talking about. I'm just the next guy searching for his version of sonic nirvana. I am currently experimenting with DACs and speaker cable and the advantages and disadvantages of Bridging/biwiring Vs. Vertical Bi-amping (passive).

I have completely Eclectic tastes with music. I'll listen to ALL of it with a super small disclaimer that there might be a few I don't care for in the seriously heavy metal screaming dept. From Classical to Chinese folk...I love it all on a nice system. I can usually find something to appreciate from all types.
In movies I prefer Epic, Sci-fi, Adventure and action films. Anything I can be transported into another space and time is great for me! However I am married, so there are plenty of romantic comedy's gracing our theater
Cheers,
Adam :music:

Adamo said:

Wow, I just realized I spelled Ascents with two "s"s and no C....Typo!

Click to expand...

May have been my terrible spelling - fixed now.

Thanks for the additional pictures and descriptions. What a great looking room!

IF my system looked 1/10th as nice as this one...I'd quit this hobby!

Too kind Erik!
Hopefully you'll be able to get down here one day soon and we'll get some good listening hours in. I'll have the Strip Steaks ready!

Q#1: Your Stage looks like it is angled quite high towards the ceiling. Did you find that was optimal for your room? My Motif is pointed more toward the listener.

Q#2: How do you like your sub placement at the front of the room? I will probably be moving to a depth i soon and would have a similar placement due to room constraints.

tsmooth said:

Q#1: Your Stage looks like it is angled quite high towards the ceiling. Did you find that was optimal for your room? My Motif is pointed more toward the listener.

Q#2: How do you like your sub placement at the front of the room? I will probably be moving to a depth i soon and would have a similar placement due to room constraints.

Click to expand...

A#1 The Stage used to be on a center channel stand where the amps were. I had to move it to unclutter the front soundstage. The angle is where it sounds best due to no longer having absorbtion there like it used to when it was on the stand. The angle is such that I don't get any harshness because of the rear wave. Im going to be making two small absorbers to fit on the wall behind the stat panel and then I may be able to change the angle.

A#2 The placement of the subs is one of three optimal layouts for a rectangle room that I chose. It had a drastic impact on frequency response from the sweet spot. Bass has very good slam and impact and they are more felt than heard. I would choose this layout if you have a longer room and you sit around 16-20 ft back from the front wall, or if you have more than one level of seating like I do. If it's a smaller room or one level of seating, I'd probably keep it the way they used to be where there were two front wall subs and one back side wall. when seated in the first row, that was optimal.

That's a really nice setup you have there Adamo. I'd love to have a dedicated room like that. I agree about the older MLs being a sexy design and to me they're classic. I owned Odyssey's before and they are sweet with the right amp. A dedicated room is going to be one of my priorities when I shop for a new home.

hey Craig,
The Odysseys do sing pretty nicely with the Classe's driving them. Building a dedicated room was one of the best decisions I've made here at the house. I'ts like my own private sanctuary after a long day at the office.:music:

Did you DIY those panels? I just put a few together that look quite similar and saved a bundle.

I did DIY. owings Corning 703 and 705 2" and 4" wrapped in speaker fabric with a ply backer. I initially built these beautiful beveled frames for them so they would look very nice hung, but they added a lot of weight. in the end I went for the faster route.

DIY Reflection Panel

Here is a pic of one of my HF DIY Panels

very nice DTB, what fabric did you use? I went to Jo anne's fabric and picked up their speaker cloth.

I used an OC 705 off-brand, built wood frames, and pulled some simple speaker fabric bought off of ebay. It ended up looking pretty good and really helped the sound of my theater.

I'll have to try to find a pic of when I had them in the beveled frames. They looked much better than they do now, but they are in the places they should be and like you said, they make a huge difference in the room. In fact, it's simply the largest impact of anything I've done in the room. Adding superior components didn't have half the effect that the panels had. I spoke with several Pros about where to place them and sent layouts and did room calcs and in the end I need one or two more and maybe a few small diffusers on the front wall, but what a change It's been already. I'm a huge advocate for treating a room.