MartinLogan Purity vs MartinLogan Source vs Other???

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shine5555

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New to the Forum. I am looking for a nice upgrade to my current theater. Why?? I have no idea; just feel like it is time :D. Current setup is very good to my ears, so I would like something that is going to be a nice step up. We own a Bed and Breakfast, so I am very vain about the theater room, and want something that also looks great. I am running with Swan Divas 2.1’s for the front Left and Right, while a Swan Diva C3 is my center. Side and back, are Swan Diva 2.1’s, as well. I also have an older Box SVS PB2 Plus subwoofer. My Receiver is currently a Denon 3808. My Room Dimensions are 15 wide x 23 Long. Seating is about 14 feet from the front wall. The bottom 3 feet of the walls is covered with fabric, and about 1”inch of sound absorbing padding, behind the fabric.

Listing will be about 99.8% Home theater. We do put on some concert DVD’s, from time to time, but it is all most 100% TV/Movies. I do not care too much for 2 channel listing in this room. One big problem I do have living in the middle of nowhere; we do not have any dealers around these hills, so going out to listen to anything, is a very long trip.

Current thought pattern on the front 2. Purity for left and right = $3300.00 (from Amazon) with no external amp, or used Sources 1500.00 (Audiogon) with an Emotiva XPA2 (Power output: 250 watts RMS/ channel into 8 ohms, 500 watts RMS/ channel into 4 ohms and 1,000 watts RMS bridged.)700.00. I am not sure the Purity speakers at 3300.00 will sound that much better than the Source speakers at 2100.00?

Just to throw another option out, in the open, I am also thinking about a used set of B&W 802N’s. I have always loved them, and I think they look stunning.

So.. Those are my current thoughts; I would love to hear any feedback

Thanks,
-Scott

PS Bad Picture of the current room
common%20space%20087web.jpg
 
Here's my experience... I started with Sources hooked up to my Yamaha RX-V663 receiver. They sounded awesome and my receiver had no problem driving the Sources. Of course being that I'm never satisfied... I had to upgrade. I found a pair of used Vista's on Audiogon and found that my receiver just didn't have the stones to drive the Vista's. I decided that I needed more power to drive the Vista's so I purchased a 2 channel Emotiva XPA-2 amp for them and that did the trick. I understand now why ML adds an amp to their speakers. The un-amped Vista's require a good amp and I'm sure that if I had gotten Vantages I could have gotten away with just using my receiver.

So... If you have a receiver w/o preouts and are not anticipating separates then Sources are the way to go. If you do have preouts... then you'll be able to take advantage of the internal amp of the Purity's.

Pete


Scott... I sent you a PM. Check your mailbox.
 
There shouldn't be any difference of sound between the Puritys and the Sources, except for the sound signature provided by your external amp of choice. They are the same speaker, except one has the amp built in and one requires you to supply amplification.

If you really are not anticipating two-channel listening, you may prefer cone speakers for this application. ML's are great for home theater. I use Summits, Stage, and Claritys in my home theater and am quite pleased with the sound. But some believe that ML's just don't have quite the same dynamic impact as cone speakers for home theater use. Of course, you won't hear too much of that kind of talk on this forum because we are all die-hard ML fans. But it really would help if you could make a trip to audition some ML's before plunking down serious coin, just to make sure that you are satisfied with their sound for this application.

By the way, the emotiva amp should work great with the sources. I can't advise you on the B&W's because I have not heard that particular speaker. Good luck on your upgrade.
 
I would also recommend that you try to audition some MLs in a good set-up. In other words, MLs have to be placed properly and have to be driven properly for you to get the full effect. With that said, if you hear MLs or electrostatic speakers in the right set-up you can get hooked for life. For my ear, MLs sound the best by a wide margin. Be aware that you can become addicted to that ML sound. I started with Stylos which I still have and have kept climbing the ML mountain. Currently I am listening to CLXs, who knows what they will come out with next, but with any addiction, I just can't stop myself.:D

Now if you are really too remote and you can't get an audition, you can go the Audiogon route and at least you can buy, try and resell if you don't find what you like and overall it doesn't take nearly as much coin as buying brand new sight and sound unseen. Just make sure that you get the set-up right, which this site will help you do that.
 
If he's considering Sources and/or Purity's...

He can audition them at any Bestbuy that has a Magnolia room.

IMO... the ML's are great for home theater. Any cone speaker/sub combo will give you great big booms and pops but where the ML's excel is in the highs and mid's where things like spent cartridges and glass is tinkling. In addition... most movies aren't just effects but dialog and the score is generally symphonic so ML's will really excel in that area as well. :music:
 
Thanks all... So far I am thinking along the lines of just waiting for some Purity speakers to go on Audiogon, or back to the B&W 802's. I want something that looks great, and the guest at our B&B to be "wowed". We do have a Best Buy that has opened, in the Area, but no Martin Logans. I did a search and the closest place is about 2 hours away, one way. I have heard ML's before, many years ago, and was "wowed", I have also heard the B&W 802's, and was "wowed". The 802 demo was for music and not Theater. I plan on a very nice Center, to match either choice I make.
 
Nothing wrong with Vistas :). I need to look at the size. I do not want them to own the room, size wise. I love the look of them, but have to make sure they do not look to Big in my theater. We have a lot of older guest to the B&B, and I do not want to be the guy with the huge speakers in the theater room.

With the vistas, I would have to get the Emotiva amp. Are the Vistas head and shoulders above the Purity? How is the mid rage (voice)
 
Last edited:
Rich said:
There shouldn't be any difference of sound between the Puritys and the Sources, except for the sound signature provided by your external amp of choice. They are the same speaker, except one has the amp built in and one requires you to supply amplification.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how true this is. The Source has an 8" woofer not dual 6.5" aluminum woofers like Purity and they look like they have different panels. Source has black spars and Purity is clear. I noticed a better sound with the Purity over the Source..I'm not sure how much of that was amp related though.
 
shine5555 said:
Nothing wrong with Vistas :). I need to look at the size. I do not want them to own the room, size wise. I love the look of them, but have to make sure they do not look to Big in my theater. We have a lot of older guest to the B&B, and I do not want to be the guy with the huge speakers in the theater room.

With the vistas, I would have to get the Emotiva amp. Are the Vistas head and shoulders above the Purity? How is the mid rage (voice)
Click to expand...

Yes I am quoting myself.... Looking at the specs, the vistas are only 5 inches taller... In pictures, they just look a lot taller. I guess now I need to compare Vistas to Purity
 
I think it really comes down to your budget.

You can spend $1500.00 on Sources and just hook them up to your receiver.
or couple them with an XPA-2 for at total of $2200

...which BTW would kick the crap out of a set of Purity's

Or you can spend $3000 on Purity's

Or... You could get used Vista's for around $2500 but you'd definitely need an amp and that would up the cost to around $3200.

I always try to keep this in mind when I make spending decisions...

"Better is the enemy of good enough"
 
shine5555 said:
New to the Forum. I am looking for a nice upgrade to my current theater. Why?? I have no idea; just feel like it is time :D. Current setup is very good to my ears, so I would like something that is going to be a nice step up. We own a Bed and Breakfast, so I am very vain about the theater room, and want something that also looks great. I am running with Swan Divas 2.1’s for the front Left and Right, while a Swan Diva C3 is my center. Side and back, are Swan Diva 2.1’s, as well. I also have an older Box SVS PB2 Plus subwoofer. My Receiver is currently a Denon 3808. My Room Dimensions are 15 wide x 23 Long. Seating is about 14 feet from the front wall. The bottom 3 feet of the walls is covered with fabric, and about 1”inch of sound absorbing padding, behind the fabric.

Listing will be about 99.8% Home theater. We do put on some concert DVD’s, from time to time, but it is all most 100% TV/Movies. I do not care too much for 2 channel listing in this room. One big problem I do have living in the middle of nowhere; we do not have any dealers around these hills, so going out to listen to anything, is a very long trip.

Current thought pattern on the front 2. Purity for left and right = $3300.00 (from Amazon) with no external amp, or used Sources 1500.00 (Audiogon) with an Emotiva XPA2 (Power output: 250 watts RMS/ channel into 8 ohms, 500 watts RMS/ channel into 4 ohms and 1,000 watts RMS bridged.)700.00. I am not sure the Purity speakers at 3300.00 will sound that much better than the Source speakers at 2100.00?

Just to throw another option out, in the open, I am also thinking about a used set of B&W 802N’s. I have always loved them, and I think they look stunning.

So.. Those are my current thoughts; I would love to hear any feedback

Thanks,
-Scott

PS Bad Picture of the current room
common%20space%20087web.jpg
Click to expand...

Why not keep it all Swan? A Denon is slightly warm sounding and probably a goodmatch for Swans. Maybe a 6.1? Just keeping it simple.
 
When you have a surround system it kind of de-emphasizes the sweet spot like you have in a 2 channel system. It is more important to get as much of an ML tonal match on the surround system as a whole.
 
JMAUSGP said:
When you have a surround system it kind of de-emphasizes the sweet spot like you have in a 2 channel system. It is more important to get as much of an ML tonal match on the surround system as a whole.
Click to expand...

thanks for the info, I know nothing about home theater etc...
 
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