It's no contest.
Two children, one 6 years and the other 9 years (they used to be mine but are now disowned), managed to enter my music room. They wanted to build a cubby house to play in while Dad was at work. Using their still developing muscles, they manoeuvred a room divider to stand next to one of the Theos speakers. After much exertion they had the divider nearly where they wanted it, but needed just one more inch this-a-way. The room divider wanted to go that-a-way, resulting in it tipping over hitting the speaker. The speaker toppled and fell, just missing the equipment stand, but the top strut hit the power conditioner, smashing it. Just to deliver the coup de grace, the room divider finished on top of the Theos.
After the initial shock had passed, both children somehow managed to right both the room divider and the speakers. They quickly left the scene of the crime, shutting the door behind them.
Some time later, Mum was in the kitchen cooking and she noticed the two children where rather quiet. She asked them what was wrong. They said "it's okay, because Dad has two of them". Mum's blood froze. "Two of what?" Both children looked very worried; "the speakers!"
Mum went downstairs and saw the dented and bruised speaker now standing up, still bearing paint marks from the room divider. She also saw the busted power conditioner, and rang dad who was on the way home from work. She didn't say what had happened, but just wanted to check to see how long the children had left to live.
On arrival, Dad was greeted at the door by the two now disowned children. They gave Dad hugs and told him how much they loved and missed him while he was at work. Dad didn't start getting suspicious until, while he was seated at the table eating, they presented him with a hand drawn card declaring their love and devotion. Without opening the card to view the contents, Dad said; "Okay what's happened?"
Mum led Dad downstairs to view the damage. It's remarkable how strong the Theos speakers are constructed. The force of the impact totalled the power conditioner, and damaged the room divider, but left remarkably little physical damage to the speaker frame. The membrane looked a little opaque, and there was a rather large indentation on one side of the panel. After checking for obvious electrical faults, the speaker was turned on a little music was played. The speaker made some music, but the soundstage was all over the place and rather diffuse compared with the un-damaged speaker.
Both speakers were taken to the Martin Logan dealer, who nearly cried when he saw the damage. Prognosis is that the entire frame on the damaged speaker has to be replaced, as well as two new panels (Theos speakers are sold as matched pair). The wood cabinet sustained some damage and either has to be repaired or replaced.
Prognosis? The speakers have been written off. It's uneconomical repairing the damaged speaker. It'll never be the same. If it was just the panels - no problems, but there's cabinet damage too. The single undamaged speaker will be sold as a centre for somebody.
I have ordered a replacement pair of speakers. I was going for a pair of Montis, but since I've taken such a hit on the Theos, I can't afford the dollars. So it's the Ethos in flame teak. They'll be here in about 4 weeks.
I'm just worried about the Ethos' bass response. But the dealer assures me that I can dial the bass in or out as much as I want, and should be easier to tune into my room than the Theos. We'll see...
Current speakers: The dealer kindly lent me a pair of Elac FS-247 floor standing speakers. They are rather attractive in the 'mocha' finish'. They feature a ribbon tweeter and custom aluminium mid/bass drivers with faceted cones not unlike a cut diamond. Build quality is absolutely outstanding. After I unpacked these little beasts I plopped them right where the Theos had been set up. I didn't change the sub woofer settings at all, and I switched them on to listen. Verdict? Nice sound. Very clear and dynamic but lacking the broad soundstage of the electrostatics. They have nicely extended bass and voices sound accurate with no bloom. Would I buy a pair if I couldn't afford panel speakers? Yes, in a heart beat. Very, very nice baby floor standers.
P.S. In fact, I like these Elac's so much, I may buy them from the dealer for use in my second system.
Two children, one 6 years and the other 9 years (they used to be mine but are now disowned), managed to enter my music room. They wanted to build a cubby house to play in while Dad was at work. Using their still developing muscles, they manoeuvred a room divider to stand next to one of the Theos speakers. After much exertion they had the divider nearly where they wanted it, but needed just one more inch this-a-way. The room divider wanted to go that-a-way, resulting in it tipping over hitting the speaker. The speaker toppled and fell, just missing the equipment stand, but the top strut hit the power conditioner, smashing it. Just to deliver the coup de grace, the room divider finished on top of the Theos.
After the initial shock had passed, both children somehow managed to right both the room divider and the speakers. They quickly left the scene of the crime, shutting the door behind them.
Some time later, Mum was in the kitchen cooking and she noticed the two children where rather quiet. She asked them what was wrong. They said "it's okay, because Dad has two of them". Mum's blood froze. "Two of what?" Both children looked very worried; "the speakers!"
Mum went downstairs and saw the dented and bruised speaker now standing up, still bearing paint marks from the room divider. She also saw the busted power conditioner, and rang dad who was on the way home from work. She didn't say what had happened, but just wanted to check to see how long the children had left to live.
On arrival, Dad was greeted at the door by the two now disowned children. They gave Dad hugs and told him how much they loved and missed him while he was at work. Dad didn't start getting suspicious until, while he was seated at the table eating, they presented him with a hand drawn card declaring their love and devotion. Without opening the card to view the contents, Dad said; "Okay what's happened?"
Mum led Dad downstairs to view the damage. It's remarkable how strong the Theos speakers are constructed. The force of the impact totalled the power conditioner, and damaged the room divider, but left remarkably little physical damage to the speaker frame. The membrane looked a little opaque, and there was a rather large indentation on one side of the panel. After checking for obvious electrical faults, the speaker was turned on a little music was played. The speaker made some music, but the soundstage was all over the place and rather diffuse compared with the un-damaged speaker.
Both speakers were taken to the Martin Logan dealer, who nearly cried when he saw the damage. Prognosis is that the entire frame on the damaged speaker has to be replaced, as well as two new panels (Theos speakers are sold as matched pair). The wood cabinet sustained some damage and either has to be repaired or replaced.
Prognosis? The speakers have been written off. It's uneconomical repairing the damaged speaker. It'll never be the same. If it was just the panels - no problems, but there's cabinet damage too. The single undamaged speaker will be sold as a centre for somebody.
I have ordered a replacement pair of speakers. I was going for a pair of Montis, but since I've taken such a hit on the Theos, I can't afford the dollars. So it's the Ethos in flame teak. They'll be here in about 4 weeks.
I'm just worried about the Ethos' bass response. But the dealer assures me that I can dial the bass in or out as much as I want, and should be easier to tune into my room than the Theos. We'll see...
Current speakers: The dealer kindly lent me a pair of Elac FS-247 floor standing speakers. They are rather attractive in the 'mocha' finish'. They feature a ribbon tweeter and custom aluminium mid/bass drivers with faceted cones not unlike a cut diamond. Build quality is absolutely outstanding. After I unpacked these little beasts I plopped them right where the Theos had been set up. I didn't change the sub woofer settings at all, and I switched them on to listen. Verdict? Nice sound. Very clear and dynamic but lacking the broad soundstage of the electrostatics. They have nicely extended bass and voices sound accurate with no bloom. Would I buy a pair if I couldn't afford panel speakers? Yes, in a heart beat. Very, very nice baby floor standers.
P.S. In fact, I like these Elac's so much, I may buy them from the dealer for use in my second system.
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... Hope everything turns out ok - its only money...just make sure you don't get something you will be replacing in the next several years...because then you'll be paying again!! tim.
