Opinions Martin Logan Source

I am checking on opinions as to the ML Source speaker. I have been an owner of the Magnepan and Eminent Technology speakers in the past and have enjoyed their sound I have also enjoyed and had some ML speakers in my home for demo and enjoyed their sound ( IE Clarity). One aspect of sound that I am most interested in is coherence and mid bass and mid range coupling. I thought the Clarity was closer to acheiving a good unified sound field of the
mating of the drivers ( woofer / panel). Was wondering as this aspect as well
as the spread and depth of the sound field of the Source system. One review gave these a reduced sound field than other ML systems (IE sound restricted to the system itself and not extending far from the cabinet) . I was seriously wondering as this aspect of the ML Source as it seems it should be like other ML models in creating a wide and deep sound field. I would appreciate any honest responses as I am considering purchase of these by mail in the next day or so and unable to audition. Thanks in advance


Cheers..

what's your budget like? because the things you listed that you are concerned with sort of put you into vista territory.

every time I have listened to them I thought that the bass was overpowering to the panel.but the only time I have heard them has been at a magnolia with crap for upstream equipment and armature setup in my opinion.

The Sources sound pretty amazing for a lot of things, and I've found that the bass performance depends a lot on the room, but I think midbass is probably Martin Logan's weakest point in general, and that it's more of a problem on the lower end Logans.

Sources are pretty easy to find to demo (they have them at dealers such as Magnolia) so I'd try to find them to demo.

I had a set of Sources for the rear speakers in my 5.1 system.


They were pretty good for the money. I think like any Logan the room and postion of the speaker are very important if you want to get the best out of them.

With that said, I had them in room with adequate sound treatments and they did quite well. I eventually replaced them with Vistas which have a bigger panel and eventually I will replace the Vistas with CLXs.

So you can say that I valued the Sources pretty highly.

FISH_MAN said:

what's your budget like? because the things you listed that you are concerned with sort of put you into vista territory.

every time I have listened to them I thought that the bass was overpowering to the panel.but the only time I have heard them has been at a magnolia with crap for upstream equipment and armature setup in my opinion.

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That's what I found, too. They said their latest ICE amp got it right. Sounded flat and lifeless. I have to finish follow up post on modding the Clarity. I listened to both the Source and Purity. My Claritys are now prominent in mid range and upper bass, where they were weakest. I would not purchase a Source, there is not enough to work with. The sound stage and image(modded Clarity) are wonderful in a smaller room. With the tweeks, I now have bowling alley depth that makes a panoramic wall of sound, combined with front firing sub. Basically detail mods, that would take to much effort at the factory. I think the post is at about page 9 right now. I use some nice vintage tube amps to drvie them. It really allows lucid mid range, that should be Martin Logans' strong suit.

Marktime said:

I am checking on opinions as to the ML Source speaker.

. . .

I would appreciate any honest responses as I am considering purchase of these by mail in the next day or so and unable to audition. Thanks in advance

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The source is a fine speaker for it's price point. But you need to understand that this is one of ML's low end offerings and it is not going to give you the soundfield, bass output, or woofer/panel integration of the higher end offerings. As with any audio equipment you are considering purchasing, you really should demo this speaker and compare it against others, particularly other higher end ML speakers like the Vista and Vantage, in order to determine whether it meets your needs. Because of the smaller panel, this model simply will not create as wide and deep a soundfield as the higher end ML's and it's bass integration will not be as good either. But again, for the price, it is a great speaker. The question is whether, for the money, you can live with it's weaknesses compared to the higher end MLs.

but compared to other manufactures speakers at the same price it is still great performer. I would rather own it than say a pair of B&W's at the same price just to use that as an example

FISH_MAN said:

but compared to other manufactures speakers at the same price it is still great performer. I would rather own it than say a pair of B&W's at the same price just to use that as an example

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100% agree, Hands Down!

Musically, the Source is a good speaker. They convey the essence of music like no other speakers I have listened to. I auditioned a pair of $8000 JM Labs that I found less than desirable compared to the Source. Check out Audio Advisor, they have some for $2000 with real wood veneer (very limited offering-only 20 pairs each of black and cherry were made). They normally come in a vinyl wrap.

If sound stage and depth, instument size, and standing up without losing the sound is important to you, try the Vista. I personally found the Vista to have a more satisfying warmth and midbass integration than the Vantage. Based on other's comments here, I think my experience was system dependent, so try both. I like that the Vista's bass is not tied to the built in ICE amplifier like the Vantage and others in the ML line. Again, personal preference. There are definitely advantages to having a powerful built in amplifier. I encourage audition of Source, Vista, and Vantage. If you are fortunate enough to be able to consider the Spire, Summit (X), or the CLX, then go for it!

Happy Journeys! :music:
crusty

Wow - would love my Source in a real dk cherry veneer to match my vistas. Wonder if I could send my bases back for upgrade?

Dublin25 said:

Wow - would love my Source in a real dk cherry veneer to match my vistas. Wonder if I could send my bases back for upgrade?

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Yes, that would be sweet! However, these were a special run for a dealer who recently closed. They were originally $2800 a pair. You can always see if a local woodworker can make some for you. It might be cheaper than buying a new pair.