Martin Logan sources?

[tjeter]

Hey guys whats going on this is my first thread please don't flame. I'm a very recent owner of the Martin Logan sources, they sound INCREDIBLE within in their sound field but I can't help but be bugged by the drop off in clarity when standing up or moving outside of the sound field. I'm debating whether or not I should return them to Best Buy and pony up to the Purity, or go with the Klipsch Icons XF-48BLA, or maybe any other suggestions you guys may have. Keep in mind I will have to shop at Best Buy because I have a gift card to the store. I'm hoping I'll catch some guru's attention and will get some valuable information. Thanks guys!

 

[Nikos]

Hi tjeter welcome to the club...
I have Purity, they have narrow sweet spot as well. you can adjust them for optimal listening sitting in a chair or standing in the room but not for both simultaneously.
no improvement going from source to purity in that field. I have no idea about Klipsch..

 

[JMAUSGP]

First Welcome! The ML Sources are amazingly good speakers for the money and are actually a very good place to start your ML journey. I would first search this forum for threads on placement, flash light toe-in, rake angle, laser, triangle, etc., you may or may not already have proper placement but to make a decision on whether MLs are for you, you really need to be sure that you have absolutely proper placement, not to mention room treatments, okay I mentioned room treatments, which is whole other ML experience. Anyway, with proper placement you will get a sweet spot that is as large as possible and with the correct rake angle, you can get the Source to work sitting and standing. However, with all ML panel speakers and proper placement you will have a distinct sweet spot that will be the place where you normally sit (assumption) and listen to music. Once you step outside of this sweep spot there is a drop off in what can best be described as that ML sound. Your decision should also be influenced by what you bought the speakers for, are they for listening/experiencing the music or did you buy them because you wanted music/sound in the room as filler, so you could listen to something while you work or move around the room. The point is that if your MLs are set up for a particular listening position (sweet spot), many would argue that you can not find a better sounding speaker. However if you just want sound all around the room then MLs are not the answer because that ML sound is pretty much restricted to the sweet spot. Either way be sure to enjoy the journey. Others on this forum should have some sage advice to add to this, but for now I am going back to my sweet spot.

 

[Gordon]

Hi tjeter and welcome!

Your not going to find a lot of flaming going on around here. While some debates get spirited, we treat people with respect here for the most part.

I think JMAUSGP gave you some solid advice. I'm in the sweet spot right now, and when I walk around the room the sound changes. At most I can get a 2.5 person sweet spot. If I ask my wife to dance, as long as I can hear the music it's all good!

Lots of good info here to make your speakers sound great.

Gordon

 

[Mantana]

When i auditioned the Martin Logans as a first time buyer, i listened
to the Source at Best Buy. I noticed the same loss and
significant deterioration of sound when moving
out of the sweet spot. Didn't get a chance to hear the Purity, but
i did go to another dealer and listened to the Vantages, before buying
the Spires. The Vantage was much better than the Source so far
as dispersion and moving from the sweet spot. I can listen to the
Spires and be upstairs in my bedroom and still really enjoy the sound,
so if you can afford the Vantages, that's the way i'd go if that's
important to you.

 

[motegi]

When i auditioned the Martin Logans as a first time buyer, i listened
to the Source at Best Buy. I noticed the same loss and
significant deterioration of sound when moving
out of the sweet spot. Didn't get a chance to hear the Purity, but
i did go to another dealer and listened to the Vantages, before buying
the Spires. The Vantage was much better than the Source so far
as dispersion and moving from the sweet spot. I can listen to the
Spires and be upstairs in my bedroom and still really enjoy the sound,
so if you can afford the Vantages, that's the way i'd go if that's
important to you.

I think the difference you are describing is due to the differences in the size of the electrostatic panel. The Source and Puritys share the same smaller electrostatic panel which limit the size of their sweet spot.

I noticed the same thing with the Source at BestBuy and after auditioning the Vista and Vantage at a Martin Logan dealer I chose to cancel my order for the Sources and buy the Vistas instead.

 

[JMAUSGP]

I would add that listening to MLs at Best Buy is usually not the best environment. I have heard MLs at Best Buy here in Indy and they have always been set up in a straight line up against the wall, less than a foot from the wall, with speakers on each side of the MLs. They Do Not sound like they do when they are placed 40 inches from the wall behind and 28 or more inches from the side wall with proper toe-in. I guess my point is I heard Sources at Best Buy and was not interested in them because they sounded disjointed and one dimensional. Then I heard sources at an audiophile’s house, in a room similar to mine with Proper placement, rake and toe-in and they were phenomenal. I could not believe that they were the same speaker. I bought a pair Sources and have them as the rear surround with my CLX music only system. They are raked forward and placed within a 1/8th of inch of specs. The imaging and sound stage with 5.1 or 6 channel material is nothing short of breathtaking. I considered using Summits for the rear channels which I still owned when I got the CLXs for use in my 5.1 system. Just for giggles, since I had both speakers at once, I used the Summits in place of the Sources. However, I just could not in my mind justify the sound difference between the Sources ($1200) as surrounds and the extra cost of the Summits ($6500) as surrounds. The Sources really amazed me and yes I know surrounds don't have the demands of full front channels but still it was Summits versus Sources, and you gotta be surprised they were able to compete even if it was value wise. Now if it were Vantages versus Sources and you were talking about a much smaller delta, well then you might have to go with Vantages, but hey that is all part of the ML journey right, upgradeitis is all part of the game.....at least that is my story and I am sticking to it.

 

[tonepub]

But the CLX has a much bigger sweet spot.

Bigger panel = bigger sweet spot.

Unfortunately with the Purity, there is a small panel, so you are stuck
with optimizing them for that one spot. Great sound in that little spot though...

 

[Nikos]

But the CLX has a much bigger sweet spot.

Bigger panel = bigger sweet spot.

Unfortunately with the Purity, there is a small panel, so you are stuck
with optimizing them for that one spot. Great sound in that little spot though...

exactly. purity and source have the same panel. you must be able to live with a small sweet spot. if you can not, they are not for you.

 

[FISH_MAN]

Hey guys whats going on this is my first thread please don't flame. I'm a very recent owner of the Martin Logan sources, they sound INCREDIBLE within in their sound field but I can't help but be bugged by the drop off in clarity when standing up or moving outside of the sound field. I'm debating whether or not I should return them to Best Buy and pony up to the Purity, or go with the Klipsch Icons XF-48BLA, or maybe any other suggestions you guys may have. Keep in mind I will have to shop at Best Buy because I have a gift card to the store. I'm hoping I'll catch some guru's attention and will get some valuable information. Thanks guys!

please do not return them I think what you are hearing when you get up is what other speakers offer you have just been spoiled by the sweet spot!can we see a pic of setup and environment ?

I personally listen while seated anyway. or at least that is when I am critical of the sound

 

[tjeter]

unfortunately I don't have any pictures of my set up, but after reading post from you guys.. It may be my room is just too small I really don't have the space to have these bad boys 40 inches from the wall or even more than 10 really. I'm a college student and these speakers are absolutely incredible within that sweet spot i really can't afford much more. As I was telling my buddy at school if I had a dedicated room for movies an electrostatic would be my number one choice but since my room is so open I feel a loud speaker will suit my application. Also my roommates and I listen to a lot of different types of music while moving around and have friends over constantly and we hardly ever sit down. Trust me, when I shop for another house, as bad as this sounds I'll be shopping with the intention of looking for a good room to throw some ML's more than a bedroom. I just ordered a pair of Klipsch Icon XF-48 they will definitely suffice, I really wish i could afford a better pair of ML's, but I'm not made of money. At age 21, I'm grateful I can even afford the Sources or these Klipsch speakers; you know what they say patience is a virtue. I just need to find the right room first. I appreciate the information, kindness from everyone on this forum and it won't be ever be forgotten. Trust me guys I WILL be back!

 

[tjeter]

Just a heads up, I'm returning these speakers to the Best buy at North Lake in Charlotte, North Carolina. If anyone would like to purchase them I've used them for about 20 days maybe. They'll mark them down by ATLEAST %10. I paid $1099 each.

 

[Mantana]

I just ordered a pair of Klipsch Icon XF-48 they will definitely suffice, I really wish i could afford a better pair of ML's, but I'm not made of money. At age 21, I'm grateful I can even afford the Sources or these Klipsch speakers; you know what they say patience is a virtue. I just need to find the right room first. I appreciate the information, kindness from everyone on this forum and it won't be ever be forgotten. Trust me guys I WILL be back!

If you're buying from Best Buy you should check out the Definitive
Technology Mythos STS towers. They look very similar to the Klipsch,
but have earned rave reviews in Stereophile, Soundstage, and others.
Retail for 3k though, but you might get them on sale. They're $500
more than the Klipsch speakers.

 

[tjeter]

Yep, I saw those at Best Buy but I just can't afford that hike. I listened to both of them, and the differences between the two just didn't really do it for me. At least for the extra $500 difference, I feel like i could spend it elsewhere.

 

[itzpms]

Hi tjeter and welcome!

Your not going to find a lot of flaming going on around here. While some debates get spirited, we treat people with respect here for the most part.

I think JMAUSGP gave you some solid advice. I'm in the sweet spot right now, and when I walk around the room the sound changes. At most I can get a 2.5 person sweet spot. If I ask my wife to dance, as long as I can hear the music it's all good!

Lots of good info here to make your speakers sound great.

Gordon

my grandmother told me to treat people the way that i want to be treated.
i like mine for movie listening. yes, the "sweet spot" is the ML experience.
i agree. the ML line is not for booming the room.
good luck. does your best buy have a magnolia listening room??

 

[tjeter]

Yep, the Best Buy down the road does have one. It is a sound proof room, so it's going to make a big difference compared to a normal living room that connects to say; a kitchen or dinning room. I already put in my order for the Klipschs i debated between the Vienna acoustic Morzats, Klipsch XF-48 or the Definitive Technology STS. For the living style of my roommates and I these will work better than the ML's. I feel when you buy this type of high-fidelity speaker (ML), you need to either "go big or go home" and currently I can't afford to "go big". But rest assured I will be back for those 25th anniversary CLX's :clap: just kidding, but thanks again everyone!