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Mnoble

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I have a pair of ML Quest speakers. I’ve had them for more than thirty years. To my ears they are magnificent. Nothing wrong with them. I listen to them every day. The thought occurred to me, what would I do if I had to replace them. They originally cost $4k. To replace them today with ML speakers and get the same great sound I figure I’d have to spend around $10k! What other options should I consider? 😎
 
Buy used Ascent 'i' or Odyssey with the clear spar Gen2 panels. Get a demo beforehand.
 
I have a pair of ML Quest speakers. I’ve had them for more than thirty years. To my ears they are magnificent. Nothing wrong with them. I listen to them every day. The thought occurred to me, what would I do if I had to replace them. They originally cost $4k. To replace them today with ML speakers and get the same great sound I figure I’d have to spend around $10k! What other options should I consider? 😎
I also would recommend replacing the panels. I have owned sequel 2, quest z, odyssey, monolith iii and finally Prodigy's. I have just the replaced the Prodigy's panels with new ones from martin logan at a cost of $2900. The set cost me $1250 for a used non working set that had one panel that I had to soldered and eventually worked but at 20 plus years I knew it was time for new panels. You are correct in thinking at $4000 what speaker will give you the enjoyment that you are accustomed to sonically.
 
I would also recommend new panels from ML. I have Odysseys in my main system with new panels (and Mundorf capacitors) and whenever it crosses my mind to replace them, I ask what am I going to get that's significantly better? My first MLs were 1990 Sequel IIs and over time I replaced the panels and caps (Clarity Cap) and when I finally replaced them in 2016 with a new pair of Theos I was most surprised not by the differences but rather the similarities in sound to my 26-year-old repaneled and recapped Sequels.
 
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I would also recommend new panels from ML. I have Odysseys in my main system with new panels (and Mundorf capacitors) and whenever it crosses my mind to replace them, I ask what am I going to get that's significantly better? My first MLs were 1990 Sequel IIs and over time I replaced the panels and caps (Clarity Cap) and when I finally replaced them in 2016 with a new pair of Theos I was most surprised not by the differences but rather the similarities in sound to my 26-year-old repaneled and recapped Sequels.
Hello Heyfey, was the cap replacement a significant improvement?
 
Another happy repaneling customer here. I bought some used Prodigy speakers about 8 years ago and had them repaneled. I had it done about 2 years ago and regret not doing it earlier. The improvement in sound for me was night and day!
 
Hello Heyfey, was the cap replacement a significant improvement?
It's very subjective, but I'd say yes. Most notable improvement was a more transparent sound, which I think are stats best attribute in the first place. The woofer stock caps really were cheap, so with the upgraded caps I haven't felt compelled to go electronic X-over for the woofers, as some on the site have advocated. I haven't yet done anything with the Theos stat caps, but I have bypassed the X-over for their woofers. Oddly, the biggest improvement I heard was from the stat panels, with (again) a more transparent, detailed sound. The only thing I can think of to explain it is that I power the Theos with a Parasound Halo A31, which operates in class A output for the first 5-10 wpc before going into class AB. Now that it is pushing only the stat panels it may be staying in class A mode (almost) all the time, at least more so than when it was driving both the woofer and stat panel.
 
It's very subjective, but I'd say yes. Most notable improvement was a more transparent sound, which I think are stats best attribute in the first place. The woofer stock caps really were cheap, so with the upgraded caps I haven't felt compelled to go electronic X-over for the woofers, as some on the site have advocated. I haven't yet done anything with the Theos stat caps, but I have bypassed the X-over for their woofers. Oddly, the biggest improvement I heard was from the stat panels, with (again) a more transparent, detailed sound. The only thing I can think of to explain it is that I power the Theos with a Parasound Halo A31, which operates in class A output for the first 5-10 wpc before going into class AB. Now that it is pushing only the stat panels it may be staying in class A mode (almost) all the time, at least more so than when it was driving both the woofer and stat panel.
I appreciate the advice and i will be changing the caps and anything else that can be done to a higher quality part. I also agree that this will be subjective but I believe the benefit even if it is small will be worth it. Thanks again.
 

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