Summits vs. X

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SJHart

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I'm in the process of upgrading my speakers. I'm leaning towards ML Summits, but have other brands which I need to hear before making a final decision. Brands like KEF, B&W, etc. I'm curious what others might have listened to in comparison to what your purchased and any feedback you might give me. I guess I'm not a ML Owner, so I hope it is OK to post here to get some feedback! Thanks. SJ
 
I'm in the process of upgrading my speakers. I'm leaning towards ML Summits, but have other brands which I need to hear before making a final decision. Brands like KEF, B&W, etc. I'm curious what others might have listened to in comparison to what your purchased and any feedback you might give me. I guess I'm not a ML Owner, so I hope it is OK to post here to get some feedback! Thanks. SJ

If you listen to all those others and compare them price for price and DON'T buy the ML's I will be SHOCKED! Unless of course someone at the shop you go to has not set the ML's up well...
 
If you listen to all those others and compare them price for price and DON'T buy the ML's I will be SHOCKED! Unless of course someone at the shop you go to has not set the ML's up well...

I've already heard the Summits. Personally, I've never heard a pair of speakers that imaged the way they did. I listen to mostly jazz and classical. Both sounded fantastic. Assume HT would also be good on these?
 
If you listen to mostly jazz and classical, I honestly don't believe you will find a better speaker for that than the Summit, at least not anywhere near its price range. Yes, the imaging is superb but it goes way beyond that. With proper electronics and setup, the size and placement of the instruments is perfect, the tonality lends itself to a realism that is beyond any other speaker in its class, and the dynamics and transients are spot on. In other words, more than with any other speaker, a cymbal sounds like a cymbal; a bass note sounds like there is an acoustic bass guitar in your living room, and vocals . . . well . . . the right vocals are just spine tingling. B&W, KEF, etc. are great speakers. Don't get me wrong. They are enjoyable to listen to. But the difference is, with Logans you aren't listening to the speaker, you are just listening to the music. I know it sounds corny, but it is what it is.

As for home theater, there are many others on this board that already have multi-channel systems that can describe that better than me. I am only just now putting my multi-channel system together. Again though, think dynamics, details, clarity without grain, and with a Descent subwoofer or two, plenty of slam.
 
I compared the ML Summits to:

1. BW 802D
2. Sonus Faber Cremona
3. Paradigm S8
4. Wilson Sophia

They are all good speakers!
 
Assume HT would also be good on these?

Of course...home theater is great on ML's! Keep in mind the most important speaker in an HT set up is the center speaker...most all the on screen dialog and much of the other sounds with movies come through that speaker so a VERY GOOD ONE is important. My Cinema was excellent, the Theater is better, especially for a BIG ROOM!

As for surround work, anything above a Script is probably overkill! They are filling in for effect and therefore do not get worked very hard at all. That said, you will find that the ML's produce such a realistic sound that footsteps sound JUST LIKE THEY ARE WALKING UP BEHIND YOU...can be a bit scary actually! Rain sounds like it is freaking raining in your house! I have Ascent and Script as my rear and rear surrounds but that is because I was using the Ascent as front mains in the beginning and then upped the ante to Prodigy up front...pushing the Ascent back one slot. If you are starting from scratch probably 4 Script would be more than sufficient and would save some $$$$!

LOVE MY ML HT SYSTEM!
 
Of course...home theater is great on ML's! Keep in mind the most important speaker in an HT set up is the center speaker...most all the on screen dialog and much of the other sounds with movies come through that speaker so a VERY GOOD ONE is important. My Cinema was excellent, the Theater is better, especially for a BIG ROOM!

As for surround work, anything above a Script is probably overkill! They are filling in for effect and therefore do not get worked very hard at all. That said, you will find that the ML's produce such a realistic sound that footsteps sound JUST LIKE THEY ARE WALKING UP BEHIND YOU...can be a bit scary actually! Rain sounds like it is freaking raining in your house! I have Ascent and Script as my rear and rear surrounds but that is because I was using the Ascent as front mains in the beginning and then upped the ante to Prodigy up front...pushing the Ascent back one slot. If you are starting from scratch probably 4 Script would be more than sufficient and would save some $$$$!

LOVE MY ML HT SYSTEM!

i think that if you listen to dvd audio stuff thn you would want more than a script. like a clarity or vista is what i like.. the sound is diffrent but just for movies i agree a script or some frescos or maybe even a little les.
 
Thanks for all of the feedback. I agree with the description of how the music just seems to be more "live". Instruments/Vocals seems to float with Summits. A couple of more questions! How well do these speakers hold up? I mean, should a normal person expect to have ANY issues within 10 or more years or so? Panels? Electronics? Seems like ML speakers have more components than normal speakers. Thanks.
 
Seems like ML speakers have more components than normal speakers.

The Summits indeed have more components, including ice-powered amps, and other circuit boards, plus the crossover. However, everything has a modular design, which can be (fairly) easily replaced should one of the components fail. ML has always provided superb after-market support, should the need arise.
 
i think that if you listen to dvd audio stuff thn you would want more than a script. like a clarity or vista is what i like.. the sound is diffrent but just for movies i agree a script or some frescos or maybe even a little les.

Ah, yes, if you are listening to a lot of DVD-A or SACD you might be right! I only have a couple of each of those and I don't even know where they are at right now much less who they are of, so clearly I don't spend much time w/ those formats! I need to break those out again!
 
How well do these speakers hold up? I mean, should a normal person expect to have ANY issues within 10 or more years or so? Panels? Electronics? Seems like ML speakers have more components than normal speakers. Thanks.

Smoke free environment where you are not leaving the windows open all the time and/or EVER spraying stuff on the panels (or really even close to them within 12 hours of having listened to them) they will last for MANY, MANY years, if not decades! There are folks on this list listening to ML's that have the original ESL panel that are more than 20 years old I think!
 
I'm in the process of upgrading my speakers. I'm leaning towards ML Summits, but have other brands which I need to hear before making a final decision. Brands like KEF, B&W, etc. I'm curious what others might have listened to in comparison to what your purchased and any feedback you might give me. I guess I'm not a ML Owner, so I hope it is OK to post here to get some feedback! Thanks. SJ

Gotta say - if you are listening to Summits - the only speaker that might make you think twice - depending on taste etc... is the Magnepan 20.1. I would definitely listen to a pair. If I were upgrading - it would be between the summits and the 20.1... Honestly, I could not tell you what I would pick.....
 
Gotta say - if you are listening to Summits - the only speaker that might make you think twice - depending on taste etc... is the Magnepan 20.1. I would definitely listen to a pair. If I were upgrading - it would be between the summits and the 20.1... Honestly, I could not tell you what I would pick.....

Agreed, I would add the Quad 2805 ($9000) and the 2905 ($11,500) which IMO have a more accurate midrange than the Summits (flame proof suit on) but don't have anywhere near the bass. Highs about equal. Vandersteen Quatro ($6700) would also be on my shortlist as would Audiostatic DCM 5 (circa $11,000).
 
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Agreed, I would add the Quad 2805 ($9000) and the 2905 ($11,500) which IMO have a more accurate midrange than the Summits (flame proof suit on) but don't have anywhere near the bass. Highs about equal. Vandersteen Quatro ($6700) would also be on my shortlist as would Audiostatic DCM 5 (circa $11,000).

Excellent additions... I guess my point was -- if you like the planar/stat sound - sure listen to a KEF or B&W - because it is truly a night and day experience (IMO of course) -- but listen to some other companies that offer something similar like a Quad or a Maggie... I would think that if you listened to Quads/Maggies/MLs .... you will find nuances between the 3 that you like/dislike etc.... One might play one type of music better than the other...one might be more dynamic ... one might be more realistic...one might give you more of 'the singer is in the room' feel etc..... Then when you walk out of the store - if your knees feel weak....you know you have found something that is right!!! I'd listen to the 2905/Summit/20.1....oh what a fun decision......:)
 
I recently purchased a pair of Summits but also listened to a bunch of alternatives including the Wilson Sophia and Watt/Puppy, as well as a an X2. I also listened to the flagship Maggie and the B& W 800 and 802. The Wilsons perhaps play louder, The Maggie had a bit taller soundstage and the B & W's had a warmer tonal balance. Factor in cost, looks and my prior experience with ML's (I own a full blown ML 5.1 setup in the video room) and the Summits were a no brainer for me. Hope this helps.
 
I recently purchased a pair of Summits but also listened to a bunch of alternatives including the Wilson Sophia and Watt/Puppy, as well as a an X2. I also listened to the flagship Maggie and the B& W 800 and 802. The Wilsons perhaps play louder, The Maggie had a bit taller soundstage and the B & W's had a warmer tonal balance. Factor in cost, looks and my prior experience with ML's (I own a full blown ML 5.1 setup in the video room) and the Summits were a no brainer for me. Hope this helps.

How did the X2 sound?? Sorry for the slight thread derail.....
 
The best I have ever heard speakers sound. connie j flagship electronics, a DCS stack as a source, Shunyata cable loom. Simply stunning! I heard this setup when auditioning the Ayre C5 which I ended up buying. Heard at ne plus ultra audio in Austin, TX. Casey McKee wanted me to hear "the good stuff". His shop is located in a Victorian mansion in downtown Austin, TX. One bit of weirdness about the X2's-when you sit infront of them the top sticks out a bit and I got the feeling they were about to fall on me. Creepy! But if I had 125K to **** away I'd buy them!
 
The best I have ever heard speakers sound. connie j flagship electronics, a DCS stack as a source, Shunyata cable loom. Simply stunning! I heard this setup when auditioning the Ayre C5 which I ended up buying. Heard at ne plus ultra audio in Austin, TX. Casey McKee wanted me to hear "the good stuff". His shop is located in a Victorian mansion in downtown Austin, TX. One bit of weirdness about the X2's-when you sit infront of them the top sticks out a bit and I got the feeling they were about to fall on me. Creepy! But if I had 125K to **** away I'd buy them!

Damn............
 
Heard at ne plus ultra audio in Austin, TX. Casey McKee wanted me to hear "the good stuff". His shop is located in a Victorian mansion in downtown Austin, TX.

I would LOVE to go there, but they are by appointment and I suspect they are NOT wheelchair accessible, or not VERY accessible anyway. They also sell MBL stuff if I recall correctly. The only place in Austin that does. I am SOOO jonseing for some MBL 101's w/ a pair of 9007's!
 
I recently purchased a pair of Summits but also listened to a bunch of alternatives including the Wilson Sophia and Watt/Puppy, as well as a an X2. I also listened to the flagship Maggie and the B& W 800 and 802. The Wilsons perhaps play louder, The Maggie had a bit taller soundstage and the B & W's had a warmer tonal balance. Factor in cost, looks and my prior experience with ML's (I own a full blown ML 5.1 setup in the video room) and the Summits were a no brainer for me. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I really appreciate the feedback.
 
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