Summits

[blaffler]

Models

Simply - don't use a receiver. Try to use separates. Use a preamp with a pass-thru so you can use a pre-pro for multichannel and movies. This speaker needs and wants all the quality it can get.

Any suggestions on make and model?

 

[blaffler]

What electronics would you suggest? Makes and models?

 

[aliveatfive]

What electronics would you suggest? Makes and models?

Here's what I use: Warning - this stuff is expensive. I managed to accumulate it after years of being in this hobby. I traded an awful lot of old stuff to get to this point.)

Preamplifier: Balanced Audio Technology VK51SE (this model was just replaced with the VK52se - price $10,500)

Amplifier: Audio Research Ref 110 ($10,000)

Phono Preamp: Audio Research PH7 ($6,000)

Prepro: Rotel 1068 (under $2,000)

Amp (for center channel and surrounds): Bryston 9bsst (under $4,000)

 

[roberto]

Nice thing of the Summits...

Hola, another thing that I do like most of your new Summits is their sensitivity. You don´t need big power amplifiers to drive them, it is much better quality watts than quantity. Also, you don´t have to pay a fortune to have good gear...start with Canadian sound. The brands that are made in Canada, like Anthem, Bryston, Classe, Blue Circle, etc are very good sounding goods, and are not too expensive as others made in the U.S. Also I am not saying that they are superior, just an alternative of great sound too. Your Summits deserve better electronics than a receiver can provide, no matter the brand or the cost. Also this does not mean that you could not use a receiver to drive them, but there will be avoid a lot of their great sound potencial. Summits are not a joke. They are a very serious speakers that will show any electronics that you use...just trust your ears and buy the one that you like most. Happy listening,
Roberto.:musicnote:

 

[HsvToolFool]

What electronics would you suggest? Makes and models?

1. I just posted my system to the Members System thread. It describes my 11-year journey. I started with a receiver and SL3s and slowly built up from there. For most audiophiles, this is how it's done. Very few people can spend $40,000 on an audio system in one day. But anyone can slowly build a great system over a decade.

2. If your budget is limited, buy used gear in good condition where possible. Amps and cables especially don't become outdated like players, processors, and subwoofers. Therefore, they retain more value over time. If you buy these items used, you can usually re-sell them for what you paid.

Get to know the high-end audiophiles in your area like you. When an audio-buddy wants to upgrade, you may have first chance at his old gear. You'll also hear other systems for comparisons.

3. I haven't shopped for mid-fi gear such as receivers in a long time, so I don't have much advice there. Denon and Marantz were my favorite mid-fi receiver brands back in the day, but things have changed a lot over the past 10 years. I've always hated Yamaha gear, which sounds harsh and sizzly to me. You need to audition the gear to suit your own tastes, but that's much of the fun!

Any receiver is a temporary amp for a high-end speaker like the Summit. I would get an inexpensive 200W (or higher) receiver as a temporary solution while you learn more about the high-end market and save money. Don't play too loud and your Summits will be fine. Loud comes with better gear.

4. My second choice high-end amps after Krell are BAT (close second) and then Bryston. MartinLogan ESL speakers need very powerful amps to play well.

5. Tube amps require a special type of person, which I am not. I don't want to adjust or replace tubes every few years. I looove the sound of the big BAT and Audio Reasearch tubes, but the price and hassles keep me away.

 

[aliveatfive]

Your Summits, which have powered woofers, don't require high-powered
200+ watt amplifiers. You can do with much less. (See Roberto's post, above.) My Ref 110 (110 watts per side) Is more than enough for the Summits. Quality over quantity here!

 

[HsvToolFool]

I agree the Summit does not need a powerful amp for good, tight bass as with other ML speakers. The Summit's powered woofers help it achieve a 92 db efficiency. It doesn't take much power to play quite loudly.

However, this doesn't change the nature of ESL panels, which are current hogs. The Summit's nominal impedance is 4 ohms and drops to 0.7 at 20 kHz. I can't find a graph of the impedance across the entire frequency spectrum, but I presume it drops very quickly just below 20 kHz. Like the Prodigy, I also presume there is a dip or two into the 1 and 2 ohm territory even at much lower frequencies.

Low impedance demands lots of current, which demands a powerful amp. At least if you want to get good performance from the speaker. Our real-world listening only demands perhaps 3 to 4 watts of power, especially when a 90+ db efficiency speaker is used. But I wouldn't pair the Summit with a SET Cary 300B and expect decent sound louder than 80 db.

 

[Pcar928fan]

Low impedance demands lots of current, which demands a powerful amp. At least if you want to get good performance from the speaker. Our real-world listening only demands perhaps 3 to 4 watts of power, especially when a 90+ db efficiency speaker is used. But I wouldn't pair the Summit with a SET Cary 300B and expect decent sound louder than 80 db.

My Pioneer VSX49TX is a very powerful receiver but it just could not keep up with the ML's as well as I wanted. Of course all seven driven channels were driving ML's, so I was not giving it a break either! Not that it was bad, it just didn't have quite the punch that I was looking for.

The Rotel gear (1090 amp 380W X 2 into 8 ohms, and the 1095 200W X 5 into 8 ohms) have POWER to spare! I understand most of the receivers are not rated in the same way as power amps are either, thus the power rating is quite over stated...

 

[Joey_V]

But I wouldn't pair the Summit with a SET Cary 300B and expect decent sound louder than 80 db.

You'd be surprised..