New speakers! --- Martin Logan

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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
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I've always loved electrostatic speakers and now I've got my very own. I was orignally going for the B&W CDM9NT, but once I heard the Martin Logan requests there was no turning back. Picked them up on saturday. Simply incredible soundstage and clarity...vocals reach out and touch you.

pic - click on zoom icon

Now I just need to find two good stereo amps for power. My single 100x2 amp just ain't cutting it with these beasts...they dip down to 1.2 ohms.:Q
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Bryston would be nice. Problem is I need a VERY capable amp in the 2 ohm area. I've always heard strong CLASS A amps are need with electrostats.

But I want to bi-amp...that is going to get expensive. I'm still on an amp quest though.
 
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sohcrates

Diamond Member
Sep 19, 2000
7,949
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Damn, congrats.

Yeah, you're gonna seriously need some heft to push those babies.

What are you looking to spend on an amp? I might have some suggestions.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
1500-2500 for amp(s).

Looks like I can get a single new amp. Aragon, bryston, b&k...don't think rotel/outlaw has the balls for these.
Or two used amps (bi-amp) of the same model, that is very tempting. Don't really want to bi-amp with a 5 channel HT amp...something about using the same power supply in a bi-amp config doesn't seem right.;)
 
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sohcrates

Diamond Member
Sep 19, 2000
7,949
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I would probably go with Aragon (that's actually what i was gonna suggest)

My old roomate was a nut and actually had both a 4004 and an 8008 (he has since sold the 4004)

You can't go wrong! CRAZY powerful...and they have that oh-so-sexy-notch in 'em!
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Thanks sochrates.

So aragon can handle to load well? Have you ever heard the combination?

Any other suggestions, specifically when dealing with the difficult logans? I check out rotel and parasound specs...doesn't seem like a good match.
 
EvilYoda

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
21,198
9
81
OMG, <droooooooooooool......>

I read about these pretty often on HTF, but it's a nice change that someone on AT gets some nice speakers. I think a family friend has had a pair for a few years, and I didn't even know (MLs, but not your exact series)

Once again, congrats. :)
 
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Mister T

Diamond Member
Feb 25, 2000
3,439
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Cuular

Senior member
Aug 2, 2001
804
18
81
I have the ML Aerius I's for my front and rears in my Home Theater, and I drive them with a set of Marantz 300DC's. Like the ML speakers the Marantz amps are OLD and come with the classic oldstyle power. Although the amps are rated only down to 4ohms, they have had no problems driving these speakers. Remember they actually run at right around 4-6 ohms through most of the sound spectrum. It is only at the really high 20+ khz that they drop to 2 ohms. So for 99% of the time they run from about 3.5 to 6 ohms, if I remember the manual for the speakers correctly. It's been a couple of years since I read it now.

I want to congratulate you on a fine selection in speakers. Good luck on getting a good amp(s) to drive them.

EDIT: Mispelled Aerius, fat fingers got in the way.
 
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CocaCola5

Golden Member
Jan 5, 2001
1,599
0
0
I would look at british amps like Exposure(know for their bass clarity), the MLs are known to make or break by the quality of their bass.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Still working on placement (about 6 hours of work so far). They are VERY picky. Even a few inches changes the sound. I've experimented with blankets and heavy quilts on every wall ala staple gun just to make sure I've got perfect placement. Once that is done I'll spike 'em down, remove the blankets and put more permanent treatments in. I've also read a good tweak for these is to add 30-40 pounds of dead weight on the woofer cavity to truly make them inert. Right now there is a semi-live front wall, with some thin blankets on the back wall...small places for early reflections on the sides. Good thing about MLs is the directed wave, doesn't have as much side interaction as domes/cones.

I am simply amazed at the amount and quality of the bass in this ML line. A single sealed 12" woofer crossed at 180 Hz fills out the low end. Run through many of my favorite recordings and am still amazed, literally hearing multiple instruments (and even mistakes by the artists :) ) I've neer heard before. Only problem is they are so revealing that any weak link in your system is immediately brought to light.

Keep the amp suggestions coming! Nominal impedance is 4 Ohms.

I like the odessy 2x stereo amp suggestion.
 
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sohcrates

Diamond Member
Sep 19, 2000
7,949
0
0
Allright, in your price range you could afford an Aragon 8008BB, then. Although folks who own the less expensive 8008ST apparently like it a lot, too.

Not that the 4004 would be any slouch either.

I've heard that the Odyssey Stratos (180 WPC, two monoblocks, something like $2000 for the monoblocks) are pretty good.

Also, in that price range, some folks are very, very big on Bryston gear

Finally, you could afford the Plinius 8200 (or it might be the 8250?) integrated, which has plenty of pep (it drove an extraordinarily-difficult-to-drive pair of Infinity Renaissance 90s last year at a "listening party" we had) and it has a *sweet* phono stage!
 
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sharkeeper

Lifer
Jan 13, 2001
10,886
2
0
Mark Levinson, Krell, PS Audio, Adcom 565 if you're on a budget!

Krell can handle extremely low Z, but you'll pay dearly for it! :)

Sometimes you can save a lot like this, for example.

Cheers!
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
2x aragon 8008 looking pretty sweet on the used market.

Too bad i've never ordered anything from e-bay. some good deals.
 
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