Newbie in UK with SL3s

[Freejon]

Hello from the New Forest, where I have recently become the happy owner of a pair of used but immaculate SL3s. I am in love. My room is much too small for an ideal setup, but even so I get quite decent imaging and good bass. I haven't spiked them yet, and will probably get some improvement there. My amp is a classic valve, the Radford Renaissance STA50, which drives them very well. I have heard them with the monoblock version of the same amp, which gets a tiny bit more detail and a little extra bass tightness, but the difference is quite small.
I have always liked speakers that are revealing and without coloration, and I have had some quite decent ones in the past, but nothing to compare with these. I adore the clarity and the cleanness of the sound. I wasn't sure if the sub would completely integrate with the panel, but it seems to me that it does so very well. I don't do heavy metal, and there are probably speakers which will deliver more power-slam, but for the classical, jazz, jazz-rock and acoustic stuff that is my core diet, these are fantastic and I doubt I could get significantly better without spending 10 or 20 times more. I expect to own them for a very long time.

 

[TomDac]

Welcome aboard, Freejon. Glad you found us and glad you are in love!! It's a good thing, isn't it?

:music:

 

[tsv_1]

from the New Forest to the gnarly wood of MLO... we welcome you to panel-land.

 

[Krazikiwi]

Welcome to the troop,

Get spikes ASAP, tightens the bass beautifully, I actually use 3cm granite under them, a copper coin under spikes and you are away laughing. SL3s like current. Keep your hands on your holiday money! Before you know it another amp will appear

Fjeff

 

[Freejon]

Possible bi-amp ing approach

Thanks to all for the welcome. FJeff, I might have bought the monoblocks if I had felt they were quite up to spec. I didn't. But I do have a Radford SPA-50 - the transistor equivalent of the valve amp I am using. When it comes back from refurbishment, my next experiment (after spikes)will be to bi-amp, using the solid state for the bass and the valve for the panel. If I can get the balance right between the two amps, that might do the trick for delivering increased current. At 1/5 the price of the monoblocks.

Jon

Arcam CD23, Tag McLaren PA10 preamp, Radford STA-50 into SL3s

 

[Gordon Gray]

Hi Jon,

See my thread in the "tweaks" section for other fun stuff you can do with your SL3's.

GG

PS: Located at the top of Page 2.

 

[Rehan Azim Hashmi]

Welcome to the Martin Logan Owners community.

The SL3's are audiophile speakers. I have had the experience to listen to them in a very good system. Happy Listening!

 

[thazeldean]

Hi Freejon,
Welcome from the land down under where women glow and men chunder. We also listen to the great ML speakers. Happy listening.
Tony.