Old Summit - feedback wanted

[bonzo]

Please post your feedback on the old Summit. A dealer told me that Summits were a disaster, the Vantages were much better at a lower price, so now they have come out with Summit X which is really good. He seemed to think Ethos was much better than the old Summit.

I am extremely happy with the Electromotion, and if the old Summits are better than the EM ESL, than I can buy them. Someone I know is selling them for GBP 4k

 

[sleepysurf]

The dealer is B.S.'ing you. The original Summits were/are superb speakers, and still pretty close to state-of-the-art for hybrid electrostatics. I'm certainly still quite happy with mine! The Summit X was an incremental design improvement, at a higher price point. Personally, I'm waiting for the next gen "Summit replacement" (whatever it will be called) which I suspect will offer DSP crossover technology like the Montis, for even better panel/woofer integration. One could argue that the Montis outperforms the original Summits (except in the lowest bass region). I've never heard the Ethos, which also employs the newer DSP engine, but I'd be surprised if it outperforms the Summit.

If the price is right, I would certainly jump on a good pair of used Summits. On this side of the pond, they go for $4000+.

 

[FoxMulder]

The original Summits are several levels above your EM ESLs. No question.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Sounds like another stupid dealer giving terrible advice.

Having owned that speaker for some five years, I can tell you it is an outstanding product if you have the appropriate hardware and they are set up properly.

Maybe he should sell used cars. I'd suggest Yugos.

GG

 

[bonzo]

His point also was that the new ones like the EM ESL and Ethos are not as fussy about setting up. Amp matching is important, of course, and I actually liked the Quad Elite QSP poweramp which at 1200 gave me an output almost as good as a Krell integrated amp at 2800. Did not like Anthem, and Copland was good but not as much as Krell and Quad

 

[babydoc]

Please post your feedback on the old Summit. A dealer told me that Summits were a disaster, the Vantages were much better at a lower price, so now they have come out with Summit X which is really good. He seemed to think Ethos was much better than the old Summit.

I am extremely happy with the Electromotion, and if the old Summits are better than the EM ESL, than I can buy them. Someone I know is selling them for GBP 4k

I owned a pair of Summits for a few years before replacing them with CLXs. They were absolutely superb speakers, the best that M-L had made (perhaps with exception of the Statements which were in the stratospheric price range). When they were replaced by Summit Xs, a bunch of older Summits were put on the used market at very good prices. They were certainly better than the Vantages. I don't know about prices in the UK (usually marked up 20 to 40 percent over US) but event at that point, sounds like a good deal. You will definitely get much better sound than what you now have.

 

[Hocky]

I have had Summit and Summit X. The summit X are a little bit better than the legacy model, but not a lot. I think that the Summit is better than any of the other current lower models.

 

[roberto]

This dealer does not know the product that he is selling. Be careful with his advice! Any Summit is for an audio freak! You have two digital power amplifiers to drive the bass, and double 10" woofers. A control for low bass +-10dB at 50Hz, and another +-10dB at 25Hz. If you do know how to get best of these controls, you will have one of the bass performance available on these days. And the panel is the same as the Summitx and the Montis. I agreed wiith all the comments above. Just go for them. Happy listening.

 

[edwinr]

I owned a pair of the original Summits. I agree with the other comments - the Summits were/are absolutely stunning speakers and possibly the best reasonable money can buy. The only reason I sold them was because of medical reasons. But like any no compromise full range loud speaker, there are caveats. In my room I always had some bass integration problems. Even with the 25 and 50 Hz controls, the bass integration was hard to get right in my room. I reckon Summits are better in larger rooms. Just my opinion...

 

[Gordon Gray]

bonzo,

If you are buying into his advice, why did you post?

All stats, regardless of model, take alot of time to position and optimize performance.

Again, he / she is displaying their ignorance.

GG

His point also was that the new ones like the EM ESL and Ethos are not as fussy about setting up. Amp matching is important, of course, and I actually liked the Quad Elite QSP poweramp which at 1200 gave me an output almost as good as a Krell integrated amp at 2800. Did not like Anthem, and Copland was good but not as much as Krell and Quad