Need Home Theater Advice

[bradchatellier]

Hello All,

This is my first post here. I am putting a home theater config together in my new house and listened to my first pair of ML's (and first time ESL's) last month and fell in love. Now I just have to figure what to get...

My room is 16' wide by 13' deep. The 60" plasma is smack dab in the middle of the 16' wall. I'm definitely going with a ML Motif for the center and Frescos for the surrounds.

I'm wondering if it would sound better going with Vantages as the fronts and a Depth sub, or if I should go with Summits for the fronts with no additional sub...?

I don't want to turn this thread into an amplifier discussion, so I won't mention brands now, but suffice it to say I'll have enough power to drive either configuration cleanly.

What do you think I should do?

Thanks very much for lending some kind advice to a newbie. Cheers!

 

[Jungle Jack]

Hello,
With the Summit's being recently discontinued, that would seem to be the way to go if there is any sort of closeout. I love my Vantages and supplement the bass with a Paradigm Servo 15. I would go for the Vantage option when coupled with a used or new Descent i. Otherwise, Summit would do nicely.
Good Luck,
M.L

 

[RUR]

With the Summit's being recently discontinued, that would seem to be the way to go if there is any sort of closeout....

Like this one?

We are offering closeout on or remainint Summits. They are brand new in Dk Cherry or Black. Only a few left, please call immediately to guarantee you get your pair of these awesome speakers. This is the best price there ever was or ever will be on new pairs of these fantastic speakers.

http://67.19.167.226/~tdacquis/forum/showpost.php?p=73943&postcount=1

 

[bradchatellier]

I am more concerned with quality than price, so are you saying that...

1) Vantage + Descent i would be best?
2) Summits alone would be second best?
3) Vantage + Depth i would be last?

 

[Rich]

I am more concerned with quality than price, so are you saying that...

1) Vantage + Descent i would be best?
2) Summits alone would be second best?
3) Vantage + Depth i would be last?

If you are more concerned with quality than price, then get the new version of the Summit (which should come out soon) and get two Descent i's. That will undoubtedly be the "best."

For music, the Summits alone are great. But for home theater, I recommend using them with a subwoofer (or two). Same with the Vantages. As to which is better for you (and most cost effective), that is something only you can answer. I suggest you demo the Summits and the Vantages, with and without a subwoofer. Then you will know.

 

[bradchatellier]

I really appreciate the advice I'm getting so far, but I'd like to constrain the answers to my original question: Which would sound better- going with Vantages and a Depth i, or (the old discontinued) Summits without a sub...?

I understand that in a audiophile world, I should just audition both setups for myself and ignore all other's opinions, but I also notice that everyone seems to have an opinion and I like to hear those as well.

 

[Rich]

I really appreciate the advice I'm getting so far, but I'd like to constrain the answers to my original question: Which would sound better- going with Vantages and a Depth i, or (the old discontinued) Summits without a sub...?

Under those constraints and the understanding that this is primarily for home theater, I would say best to go with Vantages and a Depth i. If the system were meant to play a lot of music, I would lean toward Summits with no sub.

You may want to consider that since the Summits are being upgraded, the Vantages won't be far behind, and you may get a better deal on them once they are discontinued. Just food for thought.

 

[bradchatellier]

Are the Summits and the Vantages the same generation? I had thought the Vantages were newer. How about the Spires? Those are pretty new.

 

[Burke]

Are the Summits and the Vantages the same generation? I had thought the Vantages were newer. How about the Spires? Those are pretty new.

The Spires and a sub, Descent i may be an excellent choice.

To get back to the original question. In my opinion the Summits sound better than the Vantages and a sub, especially for 2 ch music. But a Home Theater needs a sub for the LFE channel. So I do not see the Summits and no sub as a viable option.

So my conclusions are for HT use primarily, with a Motif and Frescos.
Get the Vantages and a Depth i (or even better Descent i).

The best HT sound: and what I believe Rich and I both have:
L/R: Summits
Center: Stage
Surrounds: Script i (discontinued) or Sources.

Good compromise is the Spire, Stage, Descent, Frescos.

--burke

 

[bradchatellier]

Thanks Burke.

At the moment I'm leaning toward Spires, Motif, Depth, Frescos.

I'd go with the Stage for center except it really is much too big (physically) for my space. I'd go with the Descent for a sub, but I've only got a 16x13 room and there's a neighbor on the other side of the front wall (which I'm about to install all kinds of sound proofing in, including the probable building of a 6" false wall).

 

[Munster]

"Are the Summits and the Vantages the same generation? I had thought the Vantages were newer. How about the Spires? Those are pretty new."

In my opinion some of the newer ML models are not neccessarily better, they are slimmer and perhaps
more stylish, but I don't consider them much improved
sonically.

 

[Jungle Jack]

Hello,
I know this is a contentious issue, but, the powered woofer section of the latest generation Logan's, makes for a profound change. The sensitivity is so much higher with the speakers taking care of low frequencies. This means that relatively low powered tube amps can be used with excellent result. Moreover, modest powered amps sound great too. The same could not be said of my previous generation Logan's.
It was somewhat strange that my Vantages are about the same size as my $2000.00 Aerius i's. However, though the same size, the Vantages are so much more dynamic.
Brad, you cannot go wrong with any of the choices described.
Cheers,
M.L

 

[bradchatellier]

Thanks again for all the sage advice everybody. If anyone is curious, I'm planning on going with a Sunfire TGA-5400 amp (five 400W channels) to drive everything. Anyone think this is overkill with the speaker config I'm looking at? There is a 5200 after all...

Cheers

 

[Burke]

Thanks again for all the sage advice everybody. If anyone is curious, I'm planning on going with a Sunfire TGA-5400 amp (five 400W channels) to drive everything. Anyone think this is overkill with the speaker config I'm looking at? There is a 5200 after all...

Cheers

Almost no such thing as overkill in an amplifier, especially a multichannel one. The TA-5200 will do the job without any problems and sound great. But the extra current reserves of the 5400 will help out when the movies get really exciting.

I would stay with your plans for the TGA-5400 until the monetary saving become a real issue.

 

[Rich]

Almost no such thing as overkill in an amplifier, especially a multichannel one. The TA-5200 will do the job without any problems and sound great. But the extra current reserves of the 5400 will help out when the movies get really exciting.

I would stay with your plans for the TGA-5400 until the monetary saving become a real issue.

Agreed. I use the Sunfire 5400 to power my center and surrounds and it is an excellent amplifier. Highly recommended.

 

[avtroll]

Get the summits, larger panel larger sound. You can always add a sub later.

 

[bradchatellier]

At the moment I'm leaning more toward the Spires with a Depth i sub for precisely that reason... larger panel, larger sound.

My neighbors are gonna love me...

 

[TomDac]

Brad, when you get it all set up, give me a hollar.. I'd love to come down and have a listen..

Tom.

 

[bradchatellier]

Will do Tom...