Magnepan vs Martin Logan vs Quad..?
- Thread starter krolikgena
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DocG
Well-known member
I have only heard the Magnepan MMG and MG12 along with the Quad 57 and briefly 63s.
I would say you cant go wrong with any of them, the Magnepan speakers have deeper bass IME than the 57, but then I found the 57 fine on their own anyway. The Quads are a little more demanding on the amp as they have a very low impedance at high frequencys, where as the Magnepan speakers are a constant (resistive) 4 Ohm load so actually quite easy to drive as long as your amp is happy with a 4 Ohm load or a 4 Ohm output transformer for valve amps.
The maggies do a larger soundstage where as the 57s have a bit more focus with imaging but thats down to the driver arrays on them.
Both wont do mightly loud volumes but more than enough for most users, certainly enough for me.
I have not heard any ML speakers. Being most of them hybrid with boxed active bass drivers, I would imagine that they are not as tight/punchy in the bass or dynamic as the di-pole Quads and Magnepans.
I would say you cant go wrong with any of them, the Magnepan speakers have deeper bass IME than the 57, but then I found the 57 fine on their own anyway. The Quads are a little more demanding on the amp as they have a very low impedance at high frequencys, where as the Magnepan speakers are a constant (resistive) 4 Ohm load so actually quite easy to drive as long as your amp is happy with a 4 Ohm load or a 4 Ohm output transformer for valve amps.
The maggies do a larger soundstage where as the 57s have a bit more focus with imaging but thats down to the driver arrays on them.
Both wont do mightly loud volumes but more than enough for most users, certainly enough for me.
I have not heard any ML speakers. Being most of them hybrid with boxed active bass drivers, I would imagine that they are not as tight/punchy in the bass or dynamic as the di-pole Quads and Magnepans.
matt49
Well-known member
krolikgena said:
You can find all three brands at:
K J West One in London
Stone Audio in Poole, Dorset
Good luck,
Matt
DocG
Well-known member
Let me expand a little on my experience with these speakers. I heard the ML Ethos (€8000), the Quad ESL 2805 (€7500) and the Manepan MG12 (€1800) and 1.7 (€3000), all on different occasions, at different dealers, with different electronics.
The MLs sound very dynamic and can go pretty loud and low. Integration of the basswoofers with the panels was not an issue for my ears. What was an issue for me: harsh trebles, more prominent as you crank up the volume. And, unlike what the dealer told me, they need excellent amplification. The bass is taken care of by the inbuilt amp, but impedance drops very deep at higher freqs (<1 Ohm IIRC). So your amp needs to be stable into very low impedances.
The 1.7s sounded really gorgeous. As Hoops says, if your amp feels OK with 4 Ohm loads, they're quite easy to drive... They do appreciate high current amps though, which make them sound even better. Their major pluses are their speed and timbral accuracy. The bass is not so prominent or deep as the MLs' but of good quality.
After the 1.7, the MG12 was plainly disappointing (I heard these two on the same day) -- there's a price difference, and it shows. I really thought something was broken (amp or speakers), but it was just in a lower league.
Nothing had prepared me for what the Quads delivered. Must be the combination of ESL panels and a crossoverless design, they sounded very lifelike. Like I remembered the Maggie 1.7s, but more and better. It took me days to kick the experience! Drawbacks: don't do really loud; bass extension is limited (go for the 29s if that's an issue); and they're huge! They don't easily blend in! As for amplification: unlike other ESLs, they are really easy to drive, with 8 Ohm nominal and 4 Ohm minimal impedance. As they are inherently limited in SPL they can produce, they don't need a high power amp either.
Unfortunately, I just don't have the space to do them justice...
As always, let your ears be the judge. You're lucky if you can hear them all at once!
The MLs sound very dynamic and can go pretty loud and low. Integration of the basswoofers with the panels was not an issue for my ears. What was an issue for me: harsh trebles, more prominent as you crank up the volume. And, unlike what the dealer told me, they need excellent amplification. The bass is taken care of by the inbuilt amp, but impedance drops very deep at higher freqs (<1 Ohm IIRC). So your amp needs to be stable into very low impedances.
The 1.7s sounded really gorgeous. As Hoops says, if your amp feels OK with 4 Ohm loads, they're quite easy to drive... They do appreciate high current amps though, which make them sound even better. Their major pluses are their speed and timbral accuracy. The bass is not so prominent or deep as the MLs' but of good quality.
After the 1.7, the MG12 was plainly disappointing (I heard these two on the same day) -- there's a price difference, and it shows. I really thought something was broken (amp or speakers), but it was just in a lower league.
Nothing had prepared me for what the Quads delivered. Must be the combination of ESL panels and a crossoverless design, they sounded very lifelike. Like I remembered the Maggie 1.7s, but more and better. It took me days to kick the experience! Drawbacks: don't do really loud; bass extension is limited (go for the 29s if that's an issue); and they're huge! They don't easily blend in! As for amplification: unlike other ESLs, they are really easy to drive, with 8 Ohm nominal and 4 Ohm minimal impedance. As they are inherently limited in SPL they can produce, they don't need a high power amp either.
Unfortunately, I just don't have the space to do them justice...
As always, let your ears be the judge. You're lucky if you can hear them all at once!
bearuk
Well-known member
I love electrostatics. I had ESL 63s back in the day. When I had the space I bought the 989s, and they are the most disappointing speakers I've owned. They are always going wrong. I gave up and put them in their boxes and left them in the garage. I bought some Martin Logans and never looked back. The MLs have some vicious directionality in vertical space; if you listen to them sitting down and then stand up treble drops off alarmingly. But bass is superior and I don't miss the Quads at all.
matt49
Well-known member
Which MLs do you have?
I agree about the directionality, but once they're set up properly, then assuming you don't want to dance around the room, they're great, nay unbeatable.
I agree about the directionality, but once they're set up properly, then assuming you don't want to dance around the room, they're great, nay unbeatable.
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