(a) Transporting Vantages in a car - advice (b) Panel Age of Vantages.

[user 50334]

Hi all,

Firstly, hello .

I am new to the forums but, am a long term ML listener - although never owned a pair. I have heard Aerius I, SL3 and Aeon's. Yep, I'm an old school audiophile.

So, although I haven't auditioned them yet, there is a chance I may be buying a pair of Vantages this weekend. I have listened to a bunch of different speakers in the last couple days, and these are the only ones left for me to hear. If I decide to go ahead with them :

1. Can people please give me some advice as to how I can best "place" these speakers in my car, for transporting. I have a VW Golf Hatchback (back seats fold down) and via measurements I believe the Vantages will fit - just. (Yep, the seller doesn't have the original packaging anymore).

- Is it best to lay the speakers with the bottom (amp) down on the surface, leaving the panels "up" in the air? (Tops resting probably on the top of the driver's and passenger seat !). Should I wrap the entire enclosure in blankets/carpet or will that pose risk in something getting in the panels?

- Buying used is always a worry and I've read reports here of how finicky and risky this is with people having problems with panels "after they get them home". In short, I'm quite apprehensive about going ahead but if they sound anything like the old Aeon's and SL3's it is a sound that I love, so may be worth the risk.

2. The Panels/Age:

- Unless I'm doing something wrong, the Serial Number Decoder on this website doesn't seem to include the Vantages(?). What am I missing? Secondly the seller of the Vantages tells me the panels "were replaced 2 years ago" but .. I get a sneaking feeling given it is a known fact that ML's need panels replacing, that of course, every seller is going to say that. This could be complete bulls*t. So:

- My plan is when I see them today, is not to commit (hand over cash) but if I like them I'll say "I'll think on it overnight and if yes I'll come back tomorrow and buy". (I will do this if everything works out ) meaning:

- While inspecting today, I'll take a photo of the amp, AND panels/their serial numbers and then:

- Could you guys kindly help me identify the panels' age? To be honest the seller is asking a not-too-inexpensive amount for them (but probably fair market value), however at the price I certainly won't be able to afford to replace these panels if they fail on me in 3 months or something. I would be heartbroken both mentally and financially - these would be my only speakers I don't have a second pair laying about so failing panels would render my system "off line".

Thanks for any advice you can provide regarding points 1 and 2 above!

Cheers

 

[Robert D]

I transported my Prodigy speakers in my wife's Volvo SUV. I placed them in amp side down with the panel side up. Wrapped them in a thick blanket. You could take the panels off if you know how. I didn't do that.

Every ML speaker cabinet has a serial number code on it. The actual panel has its own number too. So there are two sets of numbers. There's a sticky thread here I think that has the information you need to decode it.

 

[user 50334]

Hey man. Thanks. So, amp side straight down onto the surface? - panel side up. Got it.

I'm about to see the speakers in 1 hour !

I will take a photo of the serial # on the panel, as WELL as the number on the back of the amp. I assume the number on the back of the amp doesn't prove much just how old the Vantage model itself is.(?)

I'll then report back here if I have no luck decoding the number on the panel because ... to reiterate my question in my post, I don't understand the Decoder regarding the Vantage. There is no "Vantage" labelled. (What am I missing?) See attached pic

Thank you!

 

[Robert D]

Hey man. Thanks. So, amp side straight down onto the surface? - panel side up. Got it.

I'm about to see the speakers in 1 hour !

I will take a photo of the serial # on the panel, as WELL as the number on the back of the amp. I assume the number on the back of the amp doesn't prove much just how old the Vantage model itself is.(?)

I'll then report back here if I have no luck decoding the number on the panel because ... to reiterate my question in my post, I don't understand the Decoder regarding the Vantage. There is no "Vantage" labelled. (What am I missing?) See attached pic

Thank you!

The panel number can be kinda hard to see, at least it is on my Prodigies.
I didn't realize that some models aren't on that decoder. Someone here probably knows what you can do to figure it out. Ron at Martin Logan might be able to help if nobody on here knows.

 

[amey01]

- Could you guys kindly help me identify the panels' age? To be honest the seller is asking a not-too-inexpensive amount for them (but probably fair market value), however at the price I certainly won't be able to afford to replace these panels if they fail on me in 3 months or something.

The panels don't tend to just "fail" one day - you are unlikely to just wake up and find the panels dead. If that is the case, something else is likely to be wrong. They tend to fade out over time, so if you are getting good strong high frequencies, you are unlikely to have a problem within at least the next few years (provided you look after them).

 

[Robert D]

How did the transportation work out for you? I hope it was easy and uneventful for you.