Krazikiwi
Well-known member
1. Member Name: F Jeff
2. Location: Middle Earth, New Zealand
3. ML Model(s): Ascent i
4. Year Purchased: 2005
5. Mods/Changes: none
6. Associated Electronics: QUAD 67 CD, QUAD 66 FM tuner QUAD 66 pre amp, QUAD 2x 606 power amps, Krell and AudioPlan cables
7. Comments and/or stories about your Martin Logan experience: So I am a hopeless case when it comes to QUAD gear, owning 4 generations of QUAD technology, all of them driving ‘stats’ of some kind (excepting the QUAD 405 amps currently driving KEF Q7’s). The 2 sets of Magnapans I used to own were driven by QUAD 303 and 405 amps respectively before making way for a QUAD 606 amp. When the ‘Maggies’ finally lost their mojo (I had already repaired and rewired the treble panels once before) it was time to buy a new pair of Martin Logan Ascent i’s.
Knowing the deathlike current sucking attributes of ML, I bought a second QUAD 606 amp so I could run the ML Ascent i’s bi amped and get more power into them. It would be fair to say that the Ascents i’s are delivering only 90% of their capabilities with the current dumping design the QUADs provide but the amps are unconditionally stable whatever the load. All generations of QUAD amps have their sonic DNA anchored in the valve sound of the original QUAD 22 amps, these 606’s are no exception and the result is a warm midrange with relaxed delivery on wood and wind instruments. Voice and piano are unhurried and full of timbre and body. To be fair, dynamic range is muted with highs a bit rolled off and there is none of the kick in the bass that say big muscle American amps deliver with MLs.
This system is in the dining room, sadly against the wall and in corners, not at all ideal but it really is a background system that I wanted to create to relax to with food, friends and family. It doesn’t draw attention to itself as a system and many a good evening has been had enjoying music and conversation over Italian reds and pasta. The natural delivery of instruments and voice is its strong suit and it is quintessentially British in its tonal signature.
It is my experience that the British concentrate their efforts in getting the midrange as natural and right as they can, often at the expense of high and low registers. The Germans love their technology and refinement to the point of absolute hifi transparency and ‘air’ over natural timbre of live instruments. American makers of hifi bring enjoyment to owners by their emphasis on dynamics and speed of delivery and damn the sonic consequences in my opinion. The Japanese seem to be fanatical in the materials used and finish to create a homogeneous delivery across the entire frequency spectrum, some would say with no ‘character’ but with fastidious attention to inner detail.
As always, Martin Logans are a ‘window’ to the gear driving them which I think makes them ideal carriers to show off different countries’ hifi equipment, their cultural touchstones and aural DNA.
Me? I like them all but think my Jeff Rowland/ML system combines all of the above in one system, none the less this QUAD/ML system is my modest homage to British hifi and music articulation UK style. A bit like cars really, each culture wants something different.
my 5c worth
Fjeff
2. Location: Middle Earth, New Zealand
3. ML Model(s): Ascent i
4. Year Purchased: 2005
5. Mods/Changes: none
6. Associated Electronics: QUAD 67 CD, QUAD 66 FM tuner QUAD 66 pre amp, QUAD 2x 606 power amps, Krell and AudioPlan cables
7. Comments and/or stories about your Martin Logan experience: So I am a hopeless case when it comes to QUAD gear, owning 4 generations of QUAD technology, all of them driving ‘stats’ of some kind (excepting the QUAD 405 amps currently driving KEF Q7’s). The 2 sets of Magnapans I used to own were driven by QUAD 303 and 405 amps respectively before making way for a QUAD 606 amp. When the ‘Maggies’ finally lost their mojo (I had already repaired and rewired the treble panels once before) it was time to buy a new pair of Martin Logan Ascent i’s.
Knowing the deathlike current sucking attributes of ML, I bought a second QUAD 606 amp so I could run the ML Ascent i’s bi amped and get more power into them. It would be fair to say that the Ascents i’s are delivering only 90% of their capabilities with the current dumping design the QUADs provide but the amps are unconditionally stable whatever the load. All generations of QUAD amps have their sonic DNA anchored in the valve sound of the original QUAD 22 amps, these 606’s are no exception and the result is a warm midrange with relaxed delivery on wood and wind instruments. Voice and piano are unhurried and full of timbre and body. To be fair, dynamic range is muted with highs a bit rolled off and there is none of the kick in the bass that say big muscle American amps deliver with MLs.
This system is in the dining room, sadly against the wall and in corners, not at all ideal but it really is a background system that I wanted to create to relax to with food, friends and family. It doesn’t draw attention to itself as a system and many a good evening has been had enjoying music and conversation over Italian reds and pasta. The natural delivery of instruments and voice is its strong suit and it is quintessentially British in its tonal signature.
It is my experience that the British concentrate their efforts in getting the midrange as natural and right as they can, often at the expense of high and low registers. The Germans love their technology and refinement to the point of absolute hifi transparency and ‘air’ over natural timbre of live instruments. American makers of hifi bring enjoyment to owners by their emphasis on dynamics and speed of delivery and damn the sonic consequences in my opinion. The Japanese seem to be fanatical in the materials used and finish to create a homogeneous delivery across the entire frequency spectrum, some would say with no ‘character’ but with fastidious attention to inner detail.
As always, Martin Logans are a ‘window’ to the gear driving them which I think makes them ideal carriers to show off different countries’ hifi equipment, their cultural touchstones and aural DNA.
Me? I like them all but think my Jeff Rowland/ML system combines all of the above in one system, none the less this QUAD/ML system is my modest homage to British hifi and music articulation UK style. A bit like cars really, each culture wants something different.
my 5c worth
Fjeff