When I first put this system together in 1991-2, I was driving the Martin Logan CLS electrostats with a pair of 140W Audio Research M300 MkII triode monoblocks. The "subs" were a pair of Wilson Puppies driven by a Mark Levinson 23.5 through a Bryston 10B x-over. Later on, I sold the Puppies and the x-over and bought Kinergetics SW 800 subwoofers that were designed to match the CLS's (the "Mini Statement" system.) I never really liked them ;--( I recently moved into an apartment and sold all the Kinergetics stuff and my beloved ARC amps due to space limitations. Began driving the CLS's with the ML 23.5 (very nice) and was resigned to listening to the CLS's with whatever bass they could muster.
When Martin Logan introduced their own subs, I could tell from the physical layout of the three opposing woofers that they had potential, plus I just couldn't imagine Martin Logan putting more sluggish subwoofers on the market;--) I'd been an advocate of "two subwoofers" mostly for easier placement rather than for "stereo bass". But first I thought I'd buy just one ML Depth and see how it sounded. I put it in the middle, crossed over at a mere 35Hz. Incredible! Fast and seamless, just like the Puppies. The omnidirectional woofer arrangement really makes two units unnecessary for good imaging, unless you need more poop.
Four years ago, I bought a new McIntosh MC-275 MkIV in order to drive the stats with tubes again, and it's fantastic! (See my post below.) The Purist cabling and the Depth sub really completed my system to where I'm not making any changes. I have been trying different headphone gear lately -- just for fun!
So now it's summer of 2102, and due to the untimely death of an audiophile friend last year, I had the opportunity to try out some of his very fine equipment, before liquidating it for his family. Only one piece of equipment really 'stuck', and that was an Atma-Sphere MP-3 tube preamp. It is a fully balanced differential Class A design with an all-tube phonostage; 'all-tube' meaning no FET's and no step-up transformers! I'd always wanted to try a tube phonoamp, and I'd always wanted to hear what an MC cartridge (a 'balanced output' device) would sound like when amplified by a phonoamp with balanced inputs. So I got to hear both things at the same time! And now it's time for my incredible Levinson 25s phonoamp and 26s preamp to go to a new audiophile ;~) As a famous Guru said, "Once you get the message, you hang up the phone!"
So for the first time in eight years (2004, when I replaced my ARC SP-14 preamp with the Levinson 25s/26s) my system sounds brand new again! Unfortunately my own body just keeps getting older, so this might be the last time the audio system changes ;~)
Finally, a tube phonostage with balanced inputs; MC cartridge heaven! Replaced Levinson 25s/26s. I never thought that would happen ;~)
Mcintosh MC275 Mk IV -- Shuguang Treasure KT88Z power tubes
Same as the Mk V (the latest 'un-leaded' version) with XLR inputs, detachable PC, and bigger power transformer. Current power tubes are even (slightly) better than my NOS Gold Lions; and only cost $400! The amp itself is a bargain, and its 95w/ch sound is delicious ;-)
HeadRoom Home Balanced Headphone Amp
Drives headphones balanced! 'Crossfeed' feature eliminates 'hole-in-the-middle' effect common with headphone listening. Solid state.
Melos SHA-1
The classic tube headphone amp/preamp from Melos. Better sonics than my HeadRoom unit ;~)
Goldmund Studietto Mk II turntable
It's on a Target wall shelf. Has the JVC quartz-lock motor, Goldmund cones, van den Hul zirconium spindle oil. Replaced the springs with Pandafeet sorbothane isolators -- no resonance, no noise, great bass, direct drive rules!!
SME Series V tonearm
Bought in 1990. Factory serviced in 2004 and installed new van den Hul MC-150S internal silver wiring.
Transfiguration Temper W MC cartridge
0.5mV output, new double ring magnet (yokeless) design. Stunning fit 'n finish. Now broken after 150 hours. It produces an amazing black background against a sparkling top to bottom neutrality, with great transient response and holographic imaging.
Purist Audio Venustas Phono interconnect
It's totally to die for! -- Increases the sonic value of your cartridge by $5000.
Wadia WT-2000 PS-2 CD transport
Wadia's Esoteric Transport w/ the upgraded VRDS heavy-duty Teac platter.
Aural Symphonics Optimism V.2 ST glass optical cable
If you don't have AT&T inputs/outputs on your digital gear necessary for using this glass digital datalink, then you're missing an unsurpassed musical experience from your CDs!
Wadia 27 DAC
Sounds great w/ the AS Optimism 2 glass cable. May consider GNSC mods later on.
Nakamichi CR-7A audiophile cassette
Basically, a Dragon that doesn't reverse (Thank God!) Bought it new with mics and mixer yet!! Analog rules!!
McIntosh MR65B stereo FM tube tuner
Bought it (very) used in 2007 and had it refurbished. Total $700, more than 2X 1962 retail! Amazing sound.
Martin Logan CLS IIz full range electrostat
Owned these starting in 1991 (as CLS II's) Installed new panels 3/11 and they sound better than ever! The Sound Anchor stands improve both the bass (cleaner) and the mid/highs (transient response.) What a difference!
Sound Anchor CLS speaker stand
They get the CLS's off the floor for better staging and keep the panels from rocking, improving the transients (even when I thought they couldn't get any better!)
Martin Logan Depth subwoofer
Better transient response (faster) than the (larger) Descent due to it's smaller, lighter woofers. See my remarks below.
Purist Audio Venustas RCA and XLR interconnects
RCA (1.5m) connects phono preamp to preamp. XLR (8m - 25 feet) connects preamp to amp.
Straightwire Maestro RCA
An 8m pair preamp to subwoofer.
Purist Audio Venustas 2.5m speaker cables
My last speaker cables!
PAD Venustas/Dominus, Aural Thrills and Audio Metallurgy power cords
Purist for the amp and CDT, other stuff elsewhere.
ExactPower EP-15A / SP-15A power units
The EP is a power regenerator. It supplies the amp, sub, speakers, and the SP balanced power unit. The SP supplies the source devices.
Studiotech Performance Series shelf systems
One of audio's best bangs. Price includes shipping. Easy to assemble, great looking and solid!
This is just beautiful. With respect to speed Mark Levinson was picked as one of the best. Transients must be lightening fast with lots of reserve. I've not posted any comments but I come here often. Is that a rosewood finish on the CLS?
Hi I live in England and Iam looking for Sound Anchor Stands for my CLS's. Do you have the dimensions and some pictures of your stands so I can get them fabricated here? Thanks Rana
Digital update: I finally got my hands on the reputed holy grail of AT&T ST glass optical interconnects to go between my CDT and DAC. The Aural Symphonics Optimism Version 2 msrp $1000, which I bought from a gentleman here on Agon who had two of them. Actually AS makes one called the Exelon on special order for $4500, which additional benefits would probably be lost on my old eardrums, forget the money!
For years, I made the same assumption about glass fiber ICs as about power cords -- they're all the same. But I'd learned differently about both subjects some time ago. So when I sent my money order to the seller, I was thinking "This had better be good, or I'm really gonna be piiisssssed!"
I know that a lot of current CD transports and DACs no longer provide for ST glass optical ICs, but if yours does, especially you Wadia owners, start saving for one of these cables. The results will absolutely floor you.
Tip: Try the cable in each direction. One is a bit more analytical (my preference), and the other is a little more bloomy. Either way it's miles ahead of any other glass, coax or AES/EBU digital IC. And do use the (additional cost) I-O gel on the tip of the cable.
Probably how you managed to maintain the transparency of the CLS panels and still have enough light on the face to show the wood grain. Not easy for most people to achieve.
Thanks Albert, coming from you that's quite a complement! Now if I can just find time to take new pictures. BTW, you should know I was Minor White's teaching assistant at MIT when he was Director of Creative Photography there in the 60's.
Bill, it's all my fault, just haven't had time to update the pics. Everything you say is true. The sad part is, I've had my CLSs on the ground for almost 15 years! (until last year.) And those stands have been around for what? at least 10 years?
I never liked the look of the other stands (Arcici etc.) and never bothered to put the speakers up on blocks just to hear the difference. Dumb, dumb, dumb . . . . . . .
sorry i did not realize that you already had the stands. i just looked at the picture a did not think you had the stands. they really make a huge difference with the cls's as you already are aware of.
i had cls as well and found if you get them up off the ground it will really open up the midrange more than what they are now. i believe sound anchor still makes the stands for them. it takes a little bit of time to get used to the look but the sound improvement is worth it. with them up higher the voices will not be low to the ground but more in the middle of the soundstage. nice looking system.
Nsgarch I was a confused novice 35 years ago to the point that I never believed magazines, retailers, or reviewers. I relied on my ears not some bogus marketing scams perpetrated then (and now) by companies selling mid-fi products at hi-fi prices. Excellent components require top flight engineering, design, and materials and are generally priced accordingly. However there are companies that charge outrageous prices for their underachieving products. AQ and Nordost are 2 such examples. Once again, I've heard a ton of high end systems, have a lot of friends in the hobby, and perhaps overly critical at times but nobody absolutely nobody uses AQ cables if they are serious about audio.
Mattheus, you have a beautiful and revealing system. All the more reason you're going to freak out when you install the PAD phono cable. You ask how I describe the sound? Well, at the time I installed the PAD Venustas phono cable (which had belonged to Jim Aud the owner of PAD,) it was already broken in (yours may need some time.) I had a vdH Frog. After I put in the cable, it sounded like a Colibri! That's the best I can tell you!
If your experience is like mine was, (and especially with a system as good as yours) you will want to eventually replace all your cable with PAD (e-mail me separately if you would like the name for a good source)
PAD has a proprietaty process which uses cryo and magnetism at the same time and it's different from other cryo processes. So the cable is extremely "fast" (almost no time smear) yet neutral, not bright and thin like Nordost, or "bloomy" like Cardas. Also, it's EXTREMELY QUIET. Probably due to the Ferox shielding material.
I replaced my (not so bad) Straightwire Virtuoso speaker cable with Venustas after replacing all the other system cables with PAD. It was really amazing to hear even more high end definition, and overall transient response -- and believe me, you can hear those differences very easily with electrostatic speakers! I think you will be happily surprised.
I ordered a new Venustas phono cable at a sharp price, but never heard the cable (nor any other PA... shame on me). How would you describe the 'sound' of the PA Venustas (phonocable?)Die sthe cryogenetic treatment have an hearable effect?
Did you ever compared the Venustas with Nirvana SL speakercable?
My system : http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vdone&1123459787&read&3&zzlMattheus&&
AWESOME, AMAZING, WOW! That is a really nice set-up you have there, and I bet it has jaw-dropping dynamics! I have a very modest and humble system that makes me smile wide, my lips would meet my ears if I heard yours!
Brian, I am thinking of doing what you say (Dominus), and using the Venustas PC on my CD transport.
As for the ExactPower: My whole system only draws 400 watts, but when I moved into this apartment I thought I would certainly need them (the EP and the SP) due to crappy apartment wiring. However, one day, I found an unused 20A circuit much to my delight (an outlet for a non-existant garbage diposer!) and promptly fabricated a 20 foot 10AWG umbilical from it to the EP-15A. Which services my main amp, 2-CLS's, Depth sub and, via another 15 foot umbilical, the SP-15A for all the source equipment. This is how ExactPower recommends using the two together.
I have not changed the outlets on the ExactPower units, but I have added Stillpoints "ers" material inside the cabinets in a strip right above the outlets. BPS already does this with their units, and I'll be talking to ExactPower about doing th same in the future.
Looks like a killer system,the only thing I would suggest is replacing the Purist Audio Venustas power cord on the amp with a Dominus power cord. There really is no comparison between the too. The Dominus is a great cord. How do you like the ExactPower EP-15A ?? I replaced the outlets in mine with Albert porter's cryoed Hubbel outlets,made a very nice improvement. again great looking system I bet it sounds as great as I looks. regards Brian
Ncaudio, I did some extensive research on dipole bass in the wake of your comments. It reminded me of some methods we used to create acoustic enviromnents at MIT in the 60's using null points etc. while studying human stereophonic perception. It certainly has it's advantages, especially in the typical domestic living room where standing wave modalities are easily generated by single phase drivers.
I haven't yet posted pictures of my current system configuration, however, the speakers are freestanding roughly out in the middle of the room with the single omnidirectional (3 - 8" drivers 120 degrees apart) sub exactly in the middle of the room and (of course) right between the two electrostatic panels.
The room is about 12 x 24 but has a ceiling that slopes up 2-1/2 ft from one end to the other. So it may be the ceiling, but the sub doesn't seem to excite any noticeably strong nodes anywhere, except of course you do get the normal bass reinforcement when you put the back of your head against one of the end walls!
I wonder if the center location and the directionally uniform output have something to do with the incredibly smooth room response.
NsGarch, I think you are correct, he was referring to dipole in general, not specifically bass, but with regard to dipole bass, I will stand by my post as to how it sounds compared to IB and monopole. Read up on the linkwitz website, basically they activate room problems to a much lesser degree than monopole due to the way that they operate and load the room. Just listen to a well executed dipole bass setup and judge for yourself. Without knowing what something else sounds like, you can't know how it compares. You can build the Linkwitz dipoles for $600 in drivers (for a single pair) and double that for stacked pairs, plus a weekend in a woodshop plus about $40 in MDF. You will also need a way to EQ it like a Behringer DEQ, but then you can also EQ the system for flat response at the listening position. Most rooms are + - about 20 DB from 20-120 HZ without eq. Dipole bass takes a little getting used to, but most all monopole bass sounds muddy and "room filling" by comparison.
