EM to Vista. Worth it?

[djc]

I picked up a pair of EM's back in July of last year and love them, but the clearance on the Vista's is attractive due to the bigger panels and ability to bi-amp.

Is there going to be that much of a difference between the two speakers? Enough to warrant switching? I don't have any takers for the EM's, so moving them would require some effort, but the Vistas can be bi-amped which is attractive.

Has anyone switched? If so, impressions?

 

[ML Goat]

I personally wouldn't . I doubt there would be that much of a difference. Plus,the EM's are newer tech. Why is bi amping the Vista's attractive? It normally doesn't make much of a diff if any. Honestly don't think you would notice a night and day difference.. JMO

 

[Spike]

Why is bi amping the Vista's attractive? It normally doesn't make much of a diff if any.

Well, I beg to differ with your opinion on bi-amping. The attractiveness of bi-amping is to allow you the choice of mating a tube amps for the panels while having a solid-state amp pulling bass-duties on the woofers. Having tubes on the panels make a huge difference in my system.

Spike

 

[projectormovielover]

Vista's have a aluminum cone, more stability due to weight of the cab and a far larger panel

 

[MPS]

I wouldn't biamp semi-active speaker like Vista, instead buy one better amp or upgrade your source with the amount saved from not getting two amps.

 

[Spike]

I wouldn't biamp semi-active speaker like Vista, instead buy one better amp or upgrade your source with the amount saved from not getting two amps.

Why do you consider the Vista to be "semi-active"? What does "semi-active" mean? I looked at the Vista's spec and could not find any mention of internal amplifier anywhere. Please clarify for the OP's sake.

 

[MPS]

Yes indeed, so Vista is a passive speaker and could benefit from bi-amping. Sorry for confusion, my bad.

 

[danvu]

Djc,
I would say that the difference between the EM and Vista is quite big. While I didn't compare the Vista against the EM directly, I had a chance to listen to the EM and then the Theos (Vista' successor) back to back. The EM while sounded nice at low and moderate volume level, it sounded a bit distorted at higher volume. The Theos on the other hand, kept its composure at any volume level, and it had a larger, wider sound stage too. I think all these are due to the bigger panel. If money isn't much of a problem. Worth the switch. Just my 2 cents.

 

[ML Goat]

That's an unfair comparison. The electromotions have more in common with the Vista than the with the Theo's. The Theo's is a $5000 per pair speaker. Vista has older tech too. I have the electromotions and mine have never distorted at higher volume. Also,what was it playing off of ? An amp,receiver? The Theo's have a powered sub built in,the Vista,Electomotion do not.

 

[projectormovielover]

That's an unfair comparison. The electromotions have more in common with the Vista than the with the Theo's. The Theo's is a $5000 per pair speaker. Vista has older tech too. I have the electromotions and mine have never distorted at higher volume. Also,what was it playing off of ? An amp,receiver? The Theo's have a powered sub built in,the Vista,Electomotion do not.

I keep hearing this "older tech" from electromotion owners lol. The Vista is miles apart from the electromotion as I heard them extensively side by side. The bass is deeper not only just from the cone but the panel too. Vista's are a higher end speaker with a higher quality cabinet and has far more weight that gives the speaker more stability thus improving on the distortion that can come from vibration. There is no new dsp tech or anything in the electromotion? There is no comparison between these two speakers as the Vista is a superior product but thats not to say that the electromotion are not great speakers because they are. I nearly bought electromotion but I saw the deal on them Vista's and jumped, if I did not I would be sitting here with buyers remorse right now

 

[danvu]

I'm with PML. Vista has bigger panel, better heavier cabinet, aluminum cone instead of pager cone in the EM, allows biamping. Even the sale assistant manager who seemed to be very knowledgeable about ML products that tried to sell me the EM also admitted that Vista was better. It's not that he was trying to sell me the Vista or anything. He actually didn't have any Vista to sell to me. He just agreed that at around $2K price, the Vista is a much better buy. But I have to say that the EM sounds very nice too. It got rave reviews from many online audio reviewers.

ML Goat, btw, Ethos is the one with internal power amp and the successor of the Vantage. Theos doesn't have it.

 

[edwinr]

I haven't heard the EM in my home, but the Theos are stunning. I was feeding them a signal through a 200 watt power amp yesterday (my neighbor's Anthem A2 via my Bryston's pre-outs)... and whoa!!!

My Bryston is great at reasonably high listening levels, but when driven to concert hall levels by a 200 watt per channel amplifier, the Theos ROCK!

 

[ML Goat]

So why is the Vista selling for 2K instead of 3 or 4?

 

[danvu]

So why is the Vista selling for 2K instead of 3 or 4?

I think it's just as simple as that the Vista has been discontinued and replaced by the Theos and ML's just clearing their warehouse. It came out 6 years ago. Wait another 4-5 years and you'll probably be able to get a pair of EM for $1K . But that's just speculation cuz at the current price, it's already a stellar speaker for the price.

 

[projectormovielover]

So why is the Vista selling for 2K instead of 3 or 4?

If you are new to ML then you probably would not know that the Vista was a bargain at $4600 and got great reviews and awards. Like danvu said they are clearing out the stock to make room for the new speakers. I have a feeling the new line of logans have a better and more profitable return for the bottom line. I think the Vistas may cost mote than the theos to manufacture

 

[ML Goat]

That's probably true.. And I am new to ML. I heard some Sonus Faber last night and wow! But for 10k,they better.. Such a smooth sound..

 

[Beachbound]

Go Vista!

I have Summit X's in my main audio system but saw the AA ad for the Vista for under 2 grand. I thought that it would be a great time to start a theater system around them. I ordered a pair (tax and shipping included) and use them for my front L and R in the new system. Now, every once in a while I pull them out and put them in my main system which is a Krell Evo set up...they are simply ASTOUNDING, and at the price, unbelievable!! I don't know how to grade them, but even with owning the Summit X's for about a year and a half...I could live with these speakers forever, with a smile!!! I guess I would give them about 75% of the X's performance...for under 2 grand!! You cannot go wrong...but feed them much more than a simple receiver, they command it!!!

 

[djc]

i want to thank everyone for their replies. I would have preferred to get the Vistas, but kept deferring as I attempted to determine my level of craziness.

My dilemma appears to have been solved by Audioholics selling out of the Vista speakers. Amazon has ONE at 2199!

 

[edwinr]

i want to thank everyone for their replies. I would have preferred to get the Vistas, but kept deferring as I attempted to determine my level of craziness.

My dilemma appears to have been solved by Audioholics selling out of the Vista speakers. Amazon has ONE at 2199!

Hi, djc.

The EM is a great sounding speaker, and in isolation, you will be very happy. I am sorry you missed out on the Vista, which is one very sensational sounding speaker. I have to say, having heard both together, that the Vista is a lot better - particularly when you push it with more demanding music and amplification. Used at normal listening levels with less demanding music, in smaller rooms, and with less revealing amplification, it is quite hard to tell the difference between the two.

If you are still keen and want to go to another level, keep looking for a pair of Vistas. If your search fails, strike now and buy a pair of Vantages - very similar to the Vistas except you have the ' advantage' (debatable) of a powered bass driver.

I do like the idea of owning another pair of Martin Logans with a powered woofer, but there is a certain purity to the idea and sound of ML electrostatics without the encumbrance of internal amplifiers.

I can only hope that Martin Logan will consider marketing electrostatics featuring the larger panel of the Summit X/Montis but with a passive 10 inch woofer...