Can you mix ML Electrostat Mains with ML Fresco center?

[RadicalEdward]

I'm creating a new HT system, and have a problem... has anyone ever heard traditional electrostat ML mains paired with a Fresco Center? (Frescos are NOT electrostat).

When creating my first system the dealer said the front three speakers should all be ES, but I've owned Frescos and SL3's as mains, and combining the two might work. (?)

I have wall height and wife constraints keeping me from using a Theater i or similar electrostatic center.

Any thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[twich54]

Fast Eddie, FWIW, I have a Fresco as a center channel with my Vantages and I'm am happy as a lark. Keep in mind my main intrest is good two channel with 5.1 taking "second fiddle" in my system.

 

[Jeff Zaret]

RadicalEdward,
I agree with Twich54 here. THe fresco should do just fine. Yes in a perfect world the all "ES" would be nice but as you stated reality is another issue entirely. I think others have done this successfully.

Good Luck

Jeff

 

[Robin]

Fresco or Stage center...

RadicalEdward,

Welcome to the ML Club!

I would concur with Dave. A Fresco should work fine. I won't be a Theater i, but it will do nicely... You might wait till the new Stage comes out. It is supposed to be a much slimmer profile center channel speaker system with Xstat technology, one soft cone tweeter and a couple of bass reflex speakers on either side. It's supposed to be quit awesome. You could use a Fresco as an interim center channel until the Stage...

http://www.martinloganowners.com/~tdacquis/forum/showthread.php?t=1592

Good luck on your audio quest...

It is good to have you here...

 

[Jeff Zaret]

Robin,
Who told that about the Stage?
I never heard that at all!!

Jeff

 

[Robin]

The New Stage Beauty...

Robin,
Who told that about the Stage?
I never heard that at all!!

Jeff

Jeff,

Yes, Joey accepted a mission impossible and actually called ML and asked for us... Joey told us in this wonderful tread:

http://www.martinloganowners.com/~tdacquis/forum/showthread.php?t=1610

Ahhh the Stage Beauty...

 

[ml360]

great marraige

I have a fresco as my center channel and scenarios as my left and right,and I have NO problem with them not intergrating well.The fresco sounds wonderful .I'm also using a pair of vignettes for rears,which sounds good as well .

 

[socialxray]

I just posted because of RadicalEdward's avatar. Cowboy Bebop Rulz!!!

 

[stone]

Sorry to disagree with the group. I had a Fresco center paired with a set of Clarity mains. I did not care for it much. The sound of the Fresco was too different to me for any 5 channel music listening and for HT the vocals sounded as if they were coming direct from the speaker sitting above my monitor and not from the screen itself. I upgraded to a Cinema(i) and I am much happier. I later traded the Clarity mains for Ascent(i)s and I am much happier with the larger sweet spot as well. Just my 2 cents.

 

[JPL]

Fresco

While I am awaiting the Stage center channel somewhere in the near future, the shop let me try their Fresco between my Summit speakers. I can only say that sounded just awful, what a bad match. So they let me use the Cinema i instead and that is a whole lot better.

 

[mrmike]

This is all great info as I too am wrestling with this decision. If I get the Cinema i with my Claritys will the Frecos not be the ideal match for surrounds? My main interest is 5 channel music and I am not made of money and I want it now. Arrrrrg!

 

[attyonline]

The Frescos should be fine as surrounds. The timber match for surrouds is not as critical as the front three are. There are fewer pans front to back than side to side in movies. Most multichannel music is recorded in 5 channel mono rather than true stereo with realistic ambience in sides and/or rears, which makes distinguishing subtle differences in speakers difficult. Your hearing for timber change is not as critical for sounds to your side or rear as it is for in front of you. Finally, if you have the money for Frescos, you can also get the Script i which costs the same and has an electrostatic panel