New panels for Sequel II

[Kgveteran]

Hello all, what were your impressions of your replacement panels of any ML speakers, but mostly Sequels

Also did you replace your woof’s too, ML recommended Scanspeak 10” woofs for my Sequels

thanx guys

 

[Robert D]

I replaced the panels on my 21 year old Prodigy speakers, nothing else was replaced. Sound great.

 

[msimanyi]

I replaced the panels last year on my ~1995 Aerius speakers. The improvement was vastly greater than I expected.

 

[Kgveteran]

I replaced the panels last year on my ~1995 Aerius speakers. The improvement was vastly greater than I expected.

Thats good to hear! Im not ready yet, but i would really like to upgrade the woofs too

 

[AllYourBaseRbelong2Us]

I have the original panels on our 1988 Sequel II’s and have considered replacements. Very curious if it’s worth the expense versus going a different route all together. They still sound good, but there’s that voice of doubt in my head…

 

[Kgveteran]

I have the original panels on our 1988 Sequel II’s and have considered replacements. Very curious if it’s worth the expense versus going a different route all together. They still sound good, but there’s that voice of doubt in my head…

Yup, for me the upgrade would be around $1,800 for panels and (2) woofs……

im gonna sit on that awhile. Im sure that cost couldnt get me anything close if i bought a new pair, even at cost we are a dealer. We are dealers of MonitorAudio…….

 

[Kgveteran]

I also have a concer about the XO parts. Coils are coils, but there are both poly and electrolytic caps that may need replacing, and possibly other older resistors too…..

any thoughts ????

 

[audioxcel]

Hello all, what were your impressions of your replacement panels of any ML speakers, but mostly Sequels

Also did you replace your woof’s too, ML recommended Scanspeak 10” woofs for my Sequels

thanx guys

I have a pair of early Sequels (SNs under 800). The first time I replaced the panels was about a year after buying them. There was a manufacturing problem with the early panels. ML discovered it and they covered the cost 100%.

The second time I replaced the panels was about 15 years later. I had noticed a HF drop off in at least one panel. I did the woofers too at that time just because.

I have a set of panels still in the box that I bought a couple of years ago because I knew I would need them some day and think that time has arrived. I can't hear some low level HF notes that I know are there.

In any case, I have found that new panels make the speakers sound like now again. If you have any loss of HF, it is definitely time. I think you will be amazed hearing your speakers the same as new again. The new Scanspeak woofers may be worth it too while you have your speakers laying down. I have not heard the new woofers but my gut says they might be faster and a better match to the panels.

 

[Kgveteran]

I have a pair of early Sequels (SNs under 800). The first time I replaced the panels was about a year after buying them. There was a manufacturing problem with the early panels. ML discovered it and they covered the cost 100%.

The second time I replaced the panels was about 15 years later. I had noticed a HF drop off in at least one panel. I did the woofers too at that time just because.

I have a set of panels still in the box that I bought a couple of years ago because I knew I would need them some day and think that time has arrived. I can't hear some low level HF notes that I know are there.

In any case, I have found that new panels make the speakers sound like now again. If you have any loss of HF, it is definitely time. I think you will be amazed hearing your speakers the same as new again. The new Scanspeak woofers may be worth it too while you have your speakers laying down. I have not heard the new woofers but my gut says they might be faster and a better match to the panels.

Because these are new to me and of course they are 30yrs old i have no idea what they use to be like.
Wts i do love a project and rebuilding these would be fun.

 

[audioxcel]

Because these are new to me and of course they are 30yrs old i have no idea what they use to be like.
Wts i do love a project and rebuilding these would be fun.

I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

[gvera]

How much can you sell the Sequels for?
I've just bought a pair of used Montis (from 2016) for $4000.
You would spend more than $2000 in upgrades, maybe selling and buying used is not that far.

 

[Heyfey]

My experience is I bought a new pair of Sequel IIs in 1990 and between 2005 and 2010ish I replaced the stock capacitors with Clarity Caps, replaced the stock woofers with Scanspeaks, and got replacement panels from ML. I had also refinished the Nextel cabinets and oak side rails. I replaced the Sequels with ML Theos in 2017 and was surprised at how little difference in sound quality there was between them. Actually a bit disappointed, but in a good way I guess.

If you do get replacement panels make sure to get the panel sag gizmo from ML as the Sequel II panels most definitely sagged over time.

 

[gvera]

My experience is I bought a new pair of Sequel IIs in 1990 and between 2005 and 2010ish I replaced the stock capacitors with Clarity Caps, replaced the stock woofers with Scanspeaks, and got replacement panels from ML. I had also refinished the Nextel cabinets and oak side rails. I replaced the Sequels with ML Theos in 2017 and was surprised at how little difference in sound quality there was between them. Actually a bit disappointed, but in a good way I guess.

If you do get replacement panels make sure to get the panel sag gizmo from ML as the Sequel II panels most definitely sagged over time.

I believe there's more difference with the models that have an active woofer with DSP.
Integration between panel and woofer is improved

 

[Mirolab]

I just recently received new panels for my SL3's..... hope to install them in the next couple weeks. Once they go through break-in, I will consider upgrading the Caps..... and maybe the woofers down the line. It's unclear to me if the scanspeaks are actually any better than the original woofers, if my originals are still working fine.

 

[Kgveteran]

I just recently received new panels for my SL3's..... hope to install them in the next couple weeks. Once they go through break-in, I will consider upgrading the Caps..... and maybe the woofers down the line. It's unclear to me if the scanspeaks are actually any better than the original woofers, if my originals are still working fine.

Yup, i have two 30yr old 10” woofs currently in use in my Sequels, Listening position bass is pretty incredible musically, i’ve never pushed the panels beyond 75ish Db at the LP

the caps are both electrolytics and poly’s, bass and panel respectively

 

[Kgveteran]

I believe there's more difference with the models that have an active woofer with DSP.
Integration between panel and woofer is improved

Yeah, integration from panel to woofer seems pretty good, i actually have tone controls on my Parasound, w/remote on-off. I will use the bass tone control if the recording lacks any, its handy to just click the on/off from my lazy LP :0)

im really gonna try and justify this upgrade, but i would need to understand what the XO and electronics are actually performing and look closer to see if they need updating to.

it would be nice if ML could do this with more of a “manufacturer” refurb, and testing, or instructions gor the diy crowd

 

[Tosh]

Yup, for me the upgrade would be around $1,800 for panels and (2) woofs……

im gonna sit on that awhile. Im sure that cost couldnt get me anything close if i bought a new pair, even at cost we are a dealer. We are dealers of MonitorAudio…….

For way under $1800 you could get a pair of used Ascent 'i' with the later Gen2 panels (and the killer aluminum cone woofers).

 

[Kgveteran]

For way under $1800 you could get a pair of used Ascent 'i' with the later Gen2 panels (and the killer aluminum cone woofers).

Do they have like scanspeak special order drivers, or better yet who makes their drivers…….the metal ones you mentioned

 

[Tosh]

Don't throw good money after bad!
Start looking for some Ascent 'i'!

The original aluminum cone woofers used by ML were made by Vifa but not available on the aftermarket.
There is an 'official' replacement 10 inch Scanspeak 26W/4534G suitable as a plug-n-play woofer for sealed (not ported) models like latest SL3, all Ascents, and Odyssey, but for other earlier MLs one would need to enlarge the counterbore to make the woofer basket fit.
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...very-26w/4534g-10-aluminum-cone-woofer-4-ohm/

 

[Kgveteran]

Don't throw good money after bad!
Start looking for some Ascent 'i'!

The original aluminum cone woofers used by ML were made by Vifa but not available on the aftermarket.
There is an 'official' replacement 10 inch Scanspeak 26W/4534G suitable as a plug-n-play woofer for sealed (not ported) models like latest SL3, all Ascents, and Odyssey, but for other earlier MLs one would need to enlarge the counterbore to make the woofer basket fit.
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...very-26w/4534g-10-aluminum-cone-woofer-4-ohm/

Yeah they recommended the scanspeak 10” metal driver, i just think my panels have had enough, im not totally sold on scraping them at this point.
It would be nice to hear a new panel, but yeah what are the odds on that