Electrostatic Speakers

A

ABCaudio

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Oct 21, 2014
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Hello Sharkies! Been around the forum scene for quite a while, and just joined this forum and thought I offer my thoughts on some equipment I just bought: the speakers and the cables that came with it.

I couldn’t afford brand new speakers, and thought I’d try a different type speaker as opposed to my B&W 805 Diamond speakers. My dealer has loaned me Marten Logan Quest Z electrostatic speakers, as well as TARA Labs “The One” cables for this purpose. Right away I could hear a difference in sounds between the B&W and The ML. My B&W definitely have more punch to them, and the bass is quite remarkable. (this works great when I’m listening to my classic rock collection) What I found interesting was the way the ML speakers had a sound that seemed to encompass the whole room. Like a wall of sound (courtesy of Phil Spector) If you’ve never heard a good pair of electrostatic speakers, then I’d urge you to try and listen to some if you can. Really a whole new world out there. The cables that my dealer loaned me where TARA Labs. Though I’ve heard of them before, I haven’t really seen any advertising in any magazines showing off new models etc. I saw them in Stereophile Recommended components issues. I’ve always used Wireworld cables in my system before and do love them. I will say that I immediately heard a difference when I put the TARA Labs cables in my system. The high frequencies were insane to say the least. As a matter of fact, the Marten Logans with those cables really expanded when I put Dark side of the moon on (180gm vinyl) Anyone out there have any experience with electrostatic speakers?

-Brian J.
 
Hi Brian, I've owned several MLs in the past decade and currently have a pair of Summit Xs. I also use Tara Labs The One speaker, interconnects and power cords for my entire 2CH system. For my taste I have not heard a pair of speakers which presents such a virtual live setting that is very emotional and pleasing. Congrats on your listening experience with the MLs. They are magic! ENJOY!
 
I use Acoustat 2+2 speakers with several types of cables (Audience Au24e for the turntable and phono amp, Tetra Artet for digital sources and LectraLine Xe between pre and power amps). I still use Axiom Audio speaker cable, though.

I really like the wide soundstage and imaging one gets with electrostats along with the fast transients. Bass is not bad with Acoustats, very fast and clean but not the most powerful. It does work very well for most types of music but not the best for heavy metal. I love acoustic music and vocals which sound amazing.
 
IMHO, the best electrostatics are Sound Labs. Of course I am a dealer, and thus my opinion is suspect, but the reason I am a dealer (and a dealer of nothing more) is because I truly believe they are the best and what I want to own and listen to. After more than 50 years as an audiophile, they, more than any others, satisfy my soul's thirst for music.
 
Audioseduction said:
Hi Brian, I've owned several MLs in the past decade and currently have a pair of Summit Xs. I also use Tara Labs The One speaker, interconnects and power cords for my entire 2CH system. For my taste I have not heard a pair of speakers which presents such a virtual live setting that is very emotional and pleasing. Congrats on your listening experience with the MLs. They are magic! ENJOY!
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Thank youAudioseduction, for your comments. I appricaite your remarks on theTARA Labs cables. I too love them! I didn’t mention it in my postbut also use TARA Labs The One power cable as well. I read that theyhave a new series called Evolution, have you heard them yet?Stereophile just recommended the TL interconnects, though I willnever afford their price. But if I had the money…. Ahhh! How do theSummit X’s sound?
 
Albert said:
I use Acoustat 2+2 speakers with several types of cables (Audience Au24e for the turntable and phono amp, Tetra Artet for digital sources and LectraLine Xe between pre and power amps). I still use Axiom Audio speaker cable, though.

I really like the wide soundstage and imaging one gets with electrostats along with the fast transients. Bass is not bad with Acoustats, very fast and clean but not the most powerful. It does work very well for most types of music but not the best for heavy metal. I love acoustic music and vocals which sound amazing.
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Thank you Albert.I don’t ever read about heavy metal audiophiles, but suppose thereare some out there. Me being one of them :D
 
ABC Audio - I remember my first experience with Electrostatics - the second from the top of the line Martin Logan Odyssey (the Statement I would hear later) and you practically had to scoop my jaw up off the floor the impressed me so much. The smaller ones retained some of the magic but ultimately they fell apart on amplified music and the prices were so high that giving up all amplified music was too difficult. The driver mismatch also didn't help and was for me distracting. I looked to ribbon based panels but they never had any of the ESL magic of the MLs, SoundLabs, KingSound, or Quads. KingSound I like on the more affordable end of the ESL range and SoundLab is arguably the best of the big expensive ones.
 
I have the Martin Logan CLXs and Decenti subs with Cardas clear wire Electrostatics if set up right and as good as you can afford up stream do offer some great music. I have not heard your Tara wire glad you like your Martin Logans I to think they have a lot of magic for the price. If you have the right room they are a bargain IMO.
 
As you noted in your OP, one often gives up some dynamic punch with estats compared to good dynamic speakers or non-estat planars. The best and most expensive estats like the Sound Labs and something like the CLX w/sub will give up the least, but many listeners feel there is always something missing. That's not meant to discourage you, just to reinforce that your first impression was right and in time you may find yourself missing it more. That was true for me after more than 20 years with Acoustats. Myles may want to comment as well after his latest speaker change from Summit X to Magico S5. mep may want to propose that bipolars like NOLAs can offer the detail and imaging of estats with the dynamics of ... dynamic speakers, and I would certainly agree.

Electrostatics have seductive sound and you may decide their virtues (which are considerable) outweigh their deficiencies. Also, because of the eccentric impedance curve they often present to am amplifier, careful cable and amp matching can make a big difference in sound.
 
Maybe this?
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With a pair of Pass Labs xa160.5s paired up with my Summit Xs I do not experience any lack of dynamics. In fact I hear more dynamics then many non-ELS speakers that I have listened to. It’s very important to match a good strong amp to handle the radical impedance curve that the ELS speakers presents.
 
Audioseduction said:
With a pair of Pass Labs xa160.5s paired up with my Summit Xs I do not experience any lack of dynamics. In fact I hear more dynamics then many non-ELS speakers that I have listened to. It’s very important to match a good strong amp to handle the radical impedance curve that the ELS speakers presents.
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The Summit-X's macrodynamics are very good, arguably among the best of any electrostatic speaker. The Summit-X's macrodynamics are no match, however, for the better dynamic speakers. But you're paying for micro, not macro-dynamics, when you buy the MLs.
 
Myles B. Astor said:
The Summit-X's macrodynamics are very good, arguably among the best of any electrostatic speaker. The Summit-X's macrodynamics are no match, however, for the better dynamic speakers. But you're paying for micro, not macro-dynamics, when you buy the MLs.
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Myles a few years ago when I was shopping for speakers I agree with you that their were dynamic speakers that were better than the CLXs. Trouble was they were a lot more money unless I am a poor shopper . What the CLXs do good they do very well. If you set them up right in a room that works with them I do not think electrostatics can be beat at there price point.

As with all gear electrostatics are going up in price and getting better to boot. Have you heard a Dynamic speaker as good as a electrostatic at the same price point . If you could.

I agree with the short comings of electrostatics Bass, pairing with amps and size what are your thoughts
 
Audioseduction said:
In regards to bass my Summits Xs generate more bass then a friends pair of magics s5 speakers.
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That's not been my experience and many thought the bass I was getting from the Summits was quite good.

Properly set up, the Magico bass is cleaner, more linear, deeper and dynamic in my room than the Summit-X. That said I think the Summit-X is a fantastic speaker at its price. Perhaps your friend should do a little more work with positioning or room Rx. Or even speaker cables since the speakers are very revealing.
 
Audioseduction said:
I personally would put the Summit Xs agents speakers costing 5 times their price. Just my experience. I also think they perform best with SS amps.
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I agree with your sentiments. Will be interesting to hear the new super speaker when it's finally finished.

I've heard with both species. The speaker performs quite well with both. :) Depends on your preferences as I said in my Cello amplifier review.
 
I think it is largely what your ear gravitates to as to what is better and personally I fond most of the audiophile related verbiage leads many down the wrong path. Time and again I read people focusing on elements of the sound spectrum as in A has a bigger soundstage than B, or more macro-dynamics or better imaging or cleaner bass or whatever.

Most audio really comes down to one's own personal assessment of the "gestalt" of the overall reproduction. I am in the process of building an all Audio Note system and before becoming a reviewer one of their top rigs basically destroyed every system I heard before it. A decade later and 6 years of reviewing later and hearing probably 300 more systems and none of it has really changed my mind though at least now there is a horse-race. But it is a "different" sound and it's not going to grab people as it grabbed me. Electrostatics I understand at least. They present music in an electrostatic way and if you buy in then I should imagine it would be a difficult course to leave. Just as the best horns are able to do things that really nothing else does. (If I had the space and the massive bank account I'd go down that road).

But to me the arguments over - X has more bass or X has superior dynamics misses the point. Maybe. Plenty of speakers will out-bass or out micro-dynamic speakers that I like a lot more. Plenty of forests may speakers may have nicer trees here and there but the overall forest creates the larger overall impact. And price paid has little to do with the results for me. There are speakers that use fantastic lingo and hi tech drivers and they sound very impressive and I usually note something like wow what a wet treble but while it is cool and all - I notice it.

Personally, I'm a bit of a speaker slut. I have really liked some Stats and some horns and some traditional kind of LE slim tower like speakers. Ultimately, my preference for sound quality gravitates to SET amps so that eliminates a lot of speakers.
 
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