Martin-Logan quality control on high-end products

R

RonR

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I have enjoyed Martin-Logan speakers since 1989. I had Monolith Is (obviously I am not too sensitive to panel/cone discontinuity! :) then Monolith IIIs, then Prodigys (which I still own and love). A long time Martin-Logan dealer told me today that he is dropping the manufacturer because he feels the quality of the products has gone down across the board, including with respect to the CLX. He showed me a pair of CLXs manufactured in 2014 which, he said, manifest shoddy workmanship. I rocked the speakers back and forth and they did seem a little chintzy.

I have notes about advice jim Powers gave me going back to 1998. It certainly is not a good sign that Jim is no longer at ML.

I have assumed that whatever the new owner's business model with respect to inexpensive products sold in mass-market electronics stores, the company would nonetheless treat their high-end audio products produced in Canada (e.g., CLX Art) as a separate business with a traditional ML level of build quality, quality control and support. I would think it obvious that this has to be their thinking with regard to the Neolith.

Is my assumption incorrect?

Is there any factual evidence to support the proposition that manufacturing quality in even the CLX has declined?
 
Not from where I'm sitting. On my 3rd pair of ML speakers and no problems.
 
The question was not about the historical build quality or reliablity of ML speakers. The question was about the build quality and quality control of very recent production.

Were any of the speakers to which you refer manufactured in the last year or two?
 
I have not looked at their new stuff closely but I heard their new subs the sound was not as good as the decent i IMO .

BEST BUY and other chains are caring ML not the greatest news for quality.

I have no problem with my old CLXs the new ones no idea
 
Dear Garth,

Thank you for your reply.

PS: You have what I am sure is a wonderful system, and one of which I would like the sound as well. Are you considering switching to the Neoliths?
 
RonR said:
Dear Garth,

Thank you for your reply.

PS: You have what I am sure is a wonderful system, and one of which I would like the sound as well. Are you considering switching to the Neoliths?
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If I ever get to hear them I might I bought the CLXs for the sound that love has not changed. New and different are easy a long term better sound is harder unless money is really no road block.

Lot of great sounding stuff out their what works together well and in my room is harder.
 
RonR said:
The question was not about the historical build quality or reliablity of ML speakers. The question was about the build quality and quality control of very recent production.

Were any of the speakers to which you refer manufactured in the last year or two?
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No. I purchased the Summit X in late 2009.
 
Garth said:
I have not looked at their new stuff closely but I heard their new subs the sound was not as good as the decent i IMO .

BEST BUY and other chains are caring ML not the greatest news for quality.

I have no problem with my old CLXs the new ones no idea
Click to expand...

Best Buy has been carrying MLs for over 10 years.
 
RonR said:
The question was not about the historical build quality or reliablity of ML speakers. The question was about the build quality and quality control of very recent production.

Were any of the speakers to which you refer manufactured in the last year or two?
Click to expand...

Friend of mine has recent-production CLXs and has had no problems, certainly nothing like your dealer described.
 
Dear George,

I, too, am an extremely happy Martin-Logan owner (of three pairs of speakers since 1990), but that was not the question. : )
 
I have a pair of legacy ML Summits, and also recently purchased a BalancedForce 210 sub. The latter has a custom finished top, with superb fit and finish overall. Performance wise, I'm very happy with it, and plan on buying another 210 sub to better fill in a room null at my listening position. From my perspective, ML Quality Control has not suffered (though I suspect there might have been a lag when they transitioned to Canadian manufacturing). I agree that Jim Powers (? early) retirement was a letdown, but from what I've read over at the ML Owners website, the new tech support staff have been responsive and helpful.
 
That is encouraging. Thank you for your reply!

I received an email from ML yesterday. ML will be demonstrating the Neoliths at T.H.E. Show in Newport in May. I definitely will be attending!
 
Hmm, I'm not aware of any trouble with ML's high-end products. I was also not aware that BestBuy has been carrying them for 10 years. I thought it had been much shorter. Best Buy carrying any fine product gives me pause for some reason, but I don't think there is much to worry about from the manufactures of said products. Also Best Buy doesn't carry ML's full line of high-end either.
(Did you know that BB also carries the B&W Nautilus speakers, the big ones)?

I don't know the whole story behind why the OP's dealer is dropping ML. It might be a dealer relation issue and it might not. I know one high-end dealer that dropped VPI because of business model conflict, but VPI makes fine products and gives decent support.
ML also has the Paradigm line which is not in Best Buy and won't be any time soon. If I'm not mistaken I think ML/Paradigm is very picky about authorization of who carries their Paradigm line.
This is on top of the fact that ML/Paradigm has good support (better than B&W) and I have read and watched tours of ML/Paradigm and they are very proud of what they make they do pay attention to quality. Of course, what I read and saw is about 2 years old, so.....
Still, I'd like to think that they are still a proud company with traditions intact, keeping it real, keeping the jobs and manufactured in Canada.
I'm no expert, this is just my take on it.
 
RonR said:
That is encouraging. Thank you for your reply!

I received an email from ML yesterday. ML will be demonstrating the Neoliths at T.H.E. Show in Newport in May. I definitely will be attending!
Click to expand...

I didn't know ML was going to be there. They aren't listed, but of course the list may mean a whole bunch of nothing.
 
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