New Review of Summit X

Just got this month's issue of HiFi+. It contains a well-written review of the Summit X. The review is by Alan Sircom. What I particularly found instructive was his explanation of the Summit, Summit X differences. One of his major contentions is that the "X" improves on all the stregnths of the CLS, but also improves on all their weaknesses. He says the "X" really makes the CLS an anachronism. As for me, I can't see acquiring an "X" in place of a Summit - possibly a CLX someday.

I don't see the artical in the 09 Aug. issue.

Oops, ARTICLE!

Try issue #66. BTW - It's article!

there's a lot to be said for the new speaker, but you can still get a nice pair of CLS's for $3000, (including a new pair of panels) and that's an awful lot of magic for a low budget.

I really enjoyed the Summit X, but I think if I were looking for a high quality budget system, I'd get a pair of CLX's or Magnepan 3.6s' and round out a very nice system for around the price of a pair of summit x's...

Different customers, I think.

tonepub said:

there's a lot to be said for the new speaker, but you can still get a nice pair of CLS's for $3000, (including a new pair of panels) and that's an awful lot of magic for a low budget.

I really enjoyed the Summit X, but I think if I were looking for a high quality budget system, I'd get a pair of CLX's or Magnepan 3.6s' and round out a very nice system for around the price of a pair of summit x's...

Different customers, I think.

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Jeff, If what you wrote were only true!

aliveatfive said:

Jeff, If what you wrote were only true!

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Uh, what's not true about what I wrote?

tonepub said:

I'd get a pair of CLX's... and round out a very nice system for around the price of a pair of summit x's...

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Jeff, I think he meant your CLX typo!!! You obviously meant a pair of CLS!

tonepub said:

there's a lot to be said for the new speaker, but you can still get a nice pair of CLS's for $3000, (including a new pair of panels) and that's an awful lot of magic for a low budget.

I really enjoyed the Summit X, but I think if I were looking for a high quality budget system, I'd get a pair of CLX's or Magnepan 3.6s' and round out a very nice system for around the price of a pair of summit x's...

Different customers, I think.

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Jeff,

Speaking of the Magnepan 3.6s... how do they hold up or compare
to the Spires ? The Maggies are a 10 year old design. I've always
been impressed with the 3.6s in the dealer's showroom. They're
just so damn big and inefficient to drive. I've never heard a side
by side comparison with the Logans though.

aliveatfive said:

Just got this month's issue of HiFi+. It contains a well-written review of the Summit X.

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Would you mind providing a short summary? I don't have easy access to HiFi+. Thanks.

Sure you do. E-edition available at http://www.hifiplus.com/, where you can buy single issues.

The e-edition subscription fee is absurd, however. At least I think so.

woops, yeah I did mean CLS...

tonepub said:

woops, yeah I did mean CLS...

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What's one letter between friends?

Oh, welcome back (again!), BTW!

User211 said:

Sure you do. E-edition available at http://www.hifiplus.com/, where you can buy single issues.

The e-edition subscription fee is absurd, however. At least I think so.

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I suppose I should have said inexpensive access! I'd still be interested in a very short summary of findings if anyone would care to provide it.

CCH - I've just read it and you have missed nothing. IMHO, the review is totally boring. It says what all ML reviews (it seems - and has so for decades!) say. Briefly, it waffles on about bass/panel integration, and how they have resolved the issue this time. No - really!

I was expecting better.

It does make the point that it is a great speaker. One thing he tries to say is that it blows the CLS away - better in every respect. He also made the point that the CLS exploited a 50Hz resonance to get some bass output. The CLS was described as having "one note bass" by Martin Colloms many years ago.

Another new CLX review

http://www.absolutesounds.com/index.php?page=press_view&article_id=300

User211 said:

CCH - I've just read it and you have missed nothing. IMHO, the review is totally boring. It says what all ML reviews (it seems - and has so for decades!) say. Briefly, it waffles on about bass/panel integration, and how they have resolved the issue this time. No - really!

I was expecting better.

It does make the point that it is a great speaker. One thing he tries to say is that it blows the CLS away - better in every respect. He also made the point that the CLS exploited a 50Hz resonance to get some bass output. The CLS was described as having "one note bass" by Martin Colloms many years ago.

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Sorry, I disagree. In my opinion it is very informative. The review answered questions of mine which have gone unanswered for quite a long time. I've always enjoyed Sircom's style and hope to continue to do so. Chac'un a son gout!

aliveatfive said:

Sorry, I disagree. In my opinion it is very informative. The review answered questions of mine which have gone unanswered for quite a long time. I've always enjoyed Sircom's style and hope to continue to do so. Chac'un a son gout!

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I'm really unimpressed with what has happened to hi-fi+. If you'd like to see it challenged, with statements from Alan himself, check this out: http://www.hifiwigwam.com/view_topic.php?id=42084&forum_id=1

Enjoy.

User211 said:

I'm really unimpressed with what has happened to hi-fi+. If you'd like to see it challenged, with statements from Alan himself, check this out: http://www.hifiwigwam.com/view_topic.php?id=42084&forum_id=1

Enjoy.

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I guess the takeover by Absolute Multimedia has not made you a happy man. Quite frankly, I think the quality of the new mag (since the ownership changed) exceeds that of TAS from time to time. There has been a sharing of writers which I suppose is predicated by the terrible economy. But all in all, I do not think the transition has been unsuccessful. BTW, I have been reading the British HIFi mags for many years and I subscribe to at least 3 of them.

User211 said:

Briefly, it waffles on about bass/panel integration, and how they have resolved the issue this time. No - really!

I was expecting better.

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Great point, Justin. I can't imagine any review of ML's not mentioning this, as long as the company exists, or any hybrid electrostat for that matter. How good is the actual integration? Vantage is better than the Ascent. Spire is better than Vantage/ Summit generation. Are these incremental changes worth the extra money? People can talk and write all they want about it. The truth is that you can't really tell without listening.

The only speakers that I have heard that get it right are SoundLab, CLX, and JansZen. After hearing those, every speaker sounds disjointed. It's better not hear these, or your own speaker will never sound the same to you...

Also, we did a Summit/ CLX comparison at Wayne's house a while back. For my taste, I thought the Summit beat CLX on all dimensions other than the huge soundstage.

Thanks, Justin. 'Much obliged.