Dear Gainster,
I must say you’ve been exceedingly polite and diplomatic despite an, at times, rough debate.
Yes….MLs are robust provided you avoid cigarette smoke (in fact any form of smoke or soot), aerosol sprays, heavy cooking odours and other airborne pollutants such as house dust, insects and pet hairs, and provided your cat doesn’t use them as a scratching post….
(perforation is ok, just as long as the cat is careful to avoid scratching the lacquer on the stators
)
Like the man said, panels should be good for up to 20 years but the sacrificial nature of the design means they will degrade naturally over time.
I cover mine when not in use but not everyone in your household may be as careful as you. (Almost forgot – advise your offspring not to sneeze on them. It’s a big area and MLs are good at intercepting stuff like that. Now you know why I keep them covered – it’s easier than showering
)
IMO, the only speakers that get closer to ML performance/presentation and generate a similar degree of customer satisfaction are omnis. As you are based in the US you could consider a good American speaker manufacturer such as OHM? (Say 1000s or 3000s depending on budget). The major differences, I believe, are bass response which increases with budget. Since you own sub-woofers already, 1000s could be just the ticket.
I’ve heard a few omnis but not heard these due to their US localisation. However, there’s nothing to stop you arranging a home demo to see if speakers such as this are to your taste? Being a jazz enthusiast you might like ‘em.
I don’t know if OHM Walsh drivers use the same “bending Wave” principle as the German Physics but they’re a helluva lot cheaper!
MLs have a glowing CV and I can only agree with the bulk of of the responses you’ve received. There are things that MLs can do that other speakers cannot (even certain other electrostats). This makes them an extremely difficult proposition for replacement. Once you become addicted to these properties any foibles such as positioning sensitivity become minor.
My recommendation overall would be to keep the MLs if you can (certainly not to please “us”) but don’t compromise your mental health or marriage for them.
Hope this is helpful.....
