ESLs in now 30 hours - still dynamics & treble a bit missing!

[TatuHoo]

HI all!

I have been breaking in my new pair of ESLs now 35 hours and I am still waiting for the magical micro details to appear.

I am a seasoned ML man in a manner: I have had SL3's, Odysseys and now ESLs (the basic model).

Sound is neutral and I really like it. But liking is just not enough! Music is most important hobby to me!

With SL3's and especially with Odysseys the micro details, those frail and weak miniscule details were there to be picked up and enjoyed. But my new ESLs are not yet delivering them. Am I just too hasty? Or waiting something that is not gonna happen?

The setup driving speakers is: Marantz SM11S1 (pushes well even to 2 ohms) Marantz SC11S1 & Marantz SA11S1. All cables are top notch!

For background: when I did not have ML's I had Magnepans. So I know my basics about panels and positioning ;-). Thx!

 

[ttocs]

Congrats on the new speakers!

I'm gonna guess that more break-in time is needed. Put on Pandora for a few days.

Is the amplification the same as that used for your other ML's? And the same cables also? I know they're new, but, have you vacuumed them yet? Because you never know . . . .

 

[TatuHoo]

HI

The amplification is the same as previously. The speaker & interconnects are new, but should be rather good: RCA Atlas Element & speaker cables QED XT's.
I am afraid I need to just keep on playing the music yet another 30 - 40 hours. After all, thses are my first NEW ML's, earlier were used so they were broken in already.

 

[TomDac]

I've heard the entry level ML ElectroMotion ESL's on just one occasion and having come from Sequels, reQuests and Summits, I was seriously underwhelmed at the sound I heard from these. I'm wondering if your expectations are set too high. Thoughts?

 

[RDC]

I have no experience with your previous speakers, but I think Tom might be right.
I had a pair of ElectroMotion ESL's (not the X) on loan for a few days so I could get a good feel for them. They were demo models and according to the dealer, well burned in. I liked them a lot compared to my previous speakers. Crystal clear but bass was troublesome in my room. But then I got a hold of my Montis'. That made a big difference in sound, especially the mids and bass. That opened up the whole sound and was way more layered, coherent and detailed than the EM ESL's were. Of course there is a big price difference between them, so I'm comparing apples and oranges. But maybe you got a green apple and are waiting for it to turn in an orange, because previously you had a green orange.

 

[ttocs]

TatuHoo, you say the interconnects are new . . . have you tried using what you used with your previous ML's? I have found that interconnects can change things. In my case it was the interconnect capacitance being too high causing issues with treble.

Also, are the same speaker cables being used?

I still believe more break-in time is going to help. Like has been said, let 'em rip for a few days - really! Put them in a closet, normal volume, then raise it a bit, then a little more . . . When I bought my Vistas I ran them for days, then another full day, etc. Vistas have aluminum woofers and that's what took a while to get going the most. The manual stated 72 hours but I found that to be optimistic. For my liking, it took much longer.

 

[TatuHoo]

Hello all

The interconnects are not that new actually, they are of 6 months of age and have some hundreds of hour service behind.

Now, after some 25 extra hours later, I am happy to notice that the airy top frequencies are appearing and those micro details are becoming systematically more apparent. The airy top end is there! Also, tilting speakers a bit forward & pulling then out a bit more from the front wall helped to add clarity to mids & high mids giving better overall resolution and precision. Tonal balance has stayed nice with no apparent colorifications, e.g. like in my previous speakers Magnepan 1.7's had.

I will keep adding hours to these speakers and see where they can take me!

Thx you all!

 

[rower30]

My CLX took a VERY good while to break-in. New they were OMG weird sounding things. I did not hear the magic at all for awhile, poor imaging and the general balance was not cohesive at all. Now, nothing is better from the mids on up. ELS won't have the SLAM of dynamics, but I can take a little softer bass as long as it is tonally accurate. I use stereo B-0212 subs but they ADD to the bottom end REACH not so much SLAM as the happen up higher.

I designed special speaker leads for my system (I'm a retired Belden Advanced Product Development Engineer) under ICONOCLAST as the one's on the market aren't near good enough at real world (for audiophiles even) prices. So yes, the electrostatic speakers responded wonderfully to better designed cables. They are a pickle to design for as they will reward you, or not, with improvements. Let the speaker run-in awhile before you worry too much about ANYTHING. Once you feel they are stable, BORROW leads for evaluation. The CLX are far more revealing of leads than most dynamic speakers are, and I'm sure the other ML models are, too. Some work was done with the SUMMIT-X model, for instance.

Go to ICONOCLASTCABLE.COM for some insight on all that goes into making cables really well. The principals are the same for all cables, but the DESIGN will differ to try to manage all the variables. Every cable is different, so BORROW them first. Cables don't need to be $$$$ dollars to work but yes, really good designs are still not zip cord prices, either. You can get most of the benefits from good cables for reasonable prices. Look at the design synopsis of cables and look around for like efforts for your money.

I think you will enjoy how electrostatic speakers capture the human voice.

Galen Gareis

 

[rower30]

Do moved them OUT away from the wall behind them. More is better or tricky to get right rear wall (behind the speaker) damping will be needed. I've found SPACE is the best ticket to a good sound from omni type speaker. Don't toe in too much or the sound stage collapses. I use PARALLEL CLX, for example. The Curve Linear Line Source allows this placement. Don't be afraid to move them.

Galen Gareis

 

[TatuHoo]

Thank you for your comment! Most interesting. My ESL's keep improving, more micro details & air all the time, those minute things that add the magic to you music! I love this disease ;-). All the best to you.

 

[TatuHoo]

You are absolutely correct. I have no choice right now but to find means in my limited space. So, I have Dspeaker Antimode 2.0. room correction (brilliant box) to iron out peaks. But, I am actually proud of myself a bit, I have succeeded to find the critical frequencies being amplified by my listening room, ironed them out and now all music sounds so sweet. Be it Jethro Tull, Queen, Neil Young, or heavier like Scorpions, Accept, Van Halen, DreamTheatre, operatic Therion etc. . ML is the way to go to the music!