New Panels For My CLS's

[karma]

HI All,
You all inspired me to get replacement panels for my CLS's. Friday was delivery day. I was very excited. Oh boy!

The Big Brown Truck pulled up and disgorged a box. MY BOX.

I slid it into the listening room, whipped out my box knife, and very carefully slit the packing tape.

Inside, I found the panels. MY PANELS.

Slowly I lifted the box off and I found a....., a....., ????? a..... MONOLITH ?????????????

Actually, two!

Jim Powers apologized endlessly. Then he laughed. He said he was not worried about me. I knew what I had. He was much more worried about the Monolith owner who got my panels inside the mismarked box who he had not heard from.

It will take two weeks to make a new batch of CLSIIA panels. Then I can get excited all over again.

Nice that my speakers still work.

Sparky

 

[benleeys]

Sparky,
Did Jim say you can keep the Monoliths (since it's so expensive to ship them back to ML)?
PS: I am just quoting from typical replies from Amazon.com whenever I complain to them that I have received damaged or wrong DVDs.
Ben

 

[karma]

HI Ben,
When I realized what I had in my hot little hands, my greedy side came out. I thought, Hmm, I wonder if I can get these things to work. They fit the frames. They look great. I know they sound great. I already have subs. Maybe, just maybe, I could come out of this with a Monolith-like system.

It was a no go. I taked to ML folks about the design considerations. There is no reasonable way to get it to work. Drat!!

No, ML is more than willing to pay the return shipping. Should happen today.

Sparky

 

[amey01]

At least your CLSs still work! My Vistas didn't work out of the box and I have been without music for a week now!

 

[benleeys]

HI Ben,
No, ML is more than willing to pay the return shipping. Should happen today.

Sparky

Pity. But here's your chance to try out the Monoliths in your own setup! Let them wait. :devil:

 

[JonFo]

Sparky, did those Monolith panles have the 'Clearspar' in them?

Clearspar means the horizontal panel standoff inside the stators are clear vs black as in odler units.

 

[karma]

HI Jon,
Geez, I'm sorry but I didn't notice. I was so busy trying to figure out what I actually had that the question did not enter my head. Now they are gone so I can't check.

Sparky

 

[wink]

Sparky, did those Monolith panles have the 'Clearspar' in them?

Clearspar means the horizontal panel standoff inside the stators are clear vs black as in odler units.

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing for the new ReQuest panels. I had asked this before in another thread involing replacements and was told no for clearspar in older models.

I would love to replace mine with clearspar though...special request maybe( no pun intended)

 

[Craig]

If they make them new then why wouldn't they make them in clearspar? Everything else they make now has been clearspar for at least 2-3 years.

 

[JonFo]

If they make them new then why wouldn't they make them in clearspar? Everything else they make now has been clearspar for at least 2-3 years.

Craig, good question. The new Monolith panels I just installed did not have them (much to my chagrin), and I'd hope they were not sitting around for >3 years

[Speculation] One reason might be that the engineering for sizes that are not in common with models that introduced clearspars (Monolith, CLS and maybe reQuest) additional engineering work is required. But for models that had similar panel sizes (Sequel, SL3, Aerius), no problem. [\Speculation]

 

[C.A.P]

I installed Quest panels about 6 months ago and they are not clear. I do agree that the new technology could be done, but it would take new tooling and new patterns to cut the old sizes . Im sure the jigs they have wont work with the older designs . Cost and demand is the main reason for not doing the upgrades. There just isn't a big market for them considering that some of these designs are 15+yrs old. We are lucky they still make any replacement panel at all. Most speakers are so outdated by the time they are 5 yrs old let alone 15+yrs. That alone says a lot for Martin Logan in several ways . First, they were years ahead of the market in design, as some of these older speakers still rival today's best. Second, their customer service and waranty work is second to none ! Finally, they dont turn their back on older customers. Makes you proud you own a great product from a great company !

 

[wink]

If they're putting together NEW panels for our OLDER models and they're not just panels that are sitting around the warehouse for 10 or so years(I hope not), then it should be just a matter of replacing the solid black spacers for clear ones.........correct?

I know they call it "clearspar technology", but it's really nothing more than a plastic spacer. Whether it be clear or solid black, is there any difference other than ML wanting to keep with the retro look of the desired speaker panel?

Dan

 

[Jeff Zaret]

All,

I replaced my panels in my CLSiiZ's about a year now and I believe they not have the clear spars either. What is newer is the bonding process and the materials used which does make them better than the originals if nothing else on longevity alone.

No they are not sitting around for years. I did ask that question. Although possible I suppose, Jim P. said they keep a few on the shelves and when it is gets to one or two they make some new ones. What I do not know or really care cause I like mine, the sound was better Is there a difference in the presentation of the clear spars version the old ones to the older electronics, maybe and then maybe that is why they are not the newer design.

Just some thoughts


Jeff:musicnote: