Clarity Thoughts

[MarkMM]

Has anyone looked into the Clarity's? Are they a good bang for the buck? They seem so much smaller than the Aeon I's, and not all that much cheaper (in ML terms ), $700-$1000 difference? I listened to them at a dealer, but they didn't have any other ML's to compare it to other than Mosaics.

 

[DTB300]

Personally, I like the Aeon's much better than the Claritys...but again this is personal preference.

Dan

 

[gstring]

Aeon i

I listened to the clarity's prior to purchasing the aeon i's. If you can swing the $, you will not be disappointed...Much larger sound stage with considerably smoother mids. As a closet musician, mids are where the magic happens! I wasn't sure of my decision as I did no listen to the aeons, it was an impulse upgrade to the ESL panel. It was worth every penny!

 

[Robin]

Aeon's....

I listened to the clarity's prior to purchasing the aeon i's. If you can swing the $, you will not be disappointed...Much larger sound stage with considerably smoother mids. As a closet musician, mids are where the magic happens! I wasn't sure of my decision as I did no listen to the aeons, it was an impulse upgrade to the ESL panel. It was worth every penny!

MarkMM,

My vote is the Aeon's too. I love the Clarity's, please don't get me wrong, I think they are excellent speakers. Like gstring said if you can manage the $, IMHO, go for the Aeon's...

Cheers

-Robin

 

[Reverb2009]

The Clarity is a entry level Electrostatic speaker, the Aeon is more of a reference level speakers. The Clarity is very, very, good, but the Aeon just doest it better. If you can swing the price tag the Aeon is a no brainer.

 

[MarkMM]

Thanks for the Info. New Aeon's might be a bit more than I'd like to spend since I can get Clarity's for 1/2 price. But maybe I'll see if I can find some used Aeon's.

 

[Timmerweb]

Has anyone looked into the Clarity's? Are they a good bang for the buck? They seem so much smaller than the Aeon I's, and not all that much cheaper (in ML terms ), $700-$1000 difference? I listened to them at a dealer, but they didn't have any other ML's to compare it to other than Mosaics.

The Clarity's sound great but IMHO they are too short. Once you stand up you are totally out of the sweet spot. Not a problem if you're the type to always be sitting while you're listening, but if you move around a bit more (like me) then its a serious disadvantage. Its a shame for me because the Aeon i's are really out of my budget, so that leaves my choices as Mosaics (ATF technology has better dispersion) or used (that's what I'm leaning to).


-Tim

 

[Steve]

I was concerned about the small sweet spot as well before I purchased. After owning the Clarity's for over a year, I can honestly say that it hasn't really been an issue in my listening environment. I have them tilted up slightly, which seems to adequately hit me sitting on my couch, or standing at the bar (which is about 5 ft. beyond the back of the couch). Outside those two focal points, I'm not doing any serious listening so the sweet spot is not really a factor.

Can't really comment on the comparison between Clarity and any other ML models. For me, the purchase decision came down to price, size, and aesthetics (which Clarity wins hands down IMHO). It's always going to be possible to find something better at a higher price, it's just a question of where your threshold of diminishing returns lies. Versus other speakers in the same price range (non-ML), I found nothing that could hold a candle to the Clarity's.

 

[roberto]

I was concerned about the small sweet spot as well before I purchased. After owning the Clarity's for over a year, I can honestly say that it hasn't really been an issue in my listening environment. I have them tilted up slightly, which seems to adequately hit me sitting on my couch, or standing at the bar (which is about 5 ft. beyond the back of the couch). Outside those two focal points, I'm not doing any serious listening so the sweet spot is not really a factor.

Can't really comment on the comparison between Clarity and any other ML models. For me, the purchase decision came down to price, size, and aesthetics (which Clarity wins hands down IMHO). It's always going to be possible to find something better at a higher price, it's just a question of where your threshold of diminishing returns lies. Versus other speakers in the same price range (non-ML), I found nothing that could hold a candle to the Clarity's.

Hola Steve. Nobody had said anything regarding the Xtat panel that the Clarity has. It is the same small holes that the Summit has too. This kind of new panel, has better dispersion and better performance than the old panel. I was wondering if ML will make this new Xtat panels for replace as an example the CLSs, due to the fact that the CLSs are very difficult to drive. Just talking to myself loud!...back to Claritys, they do sound great, and their proposal is big stage with a nice size of the instruments...definitively a true ML sound!!! happy listening, trust your ears,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

 

[Reverb2009]

Hola Steve. Nobody had said anything regarding the Xtat panel that the Clarity has.

Hello Roberto,

I did not think the Clarity had an Xstat panel? Yes it has the clear spars, Micro Perf, and Gen.2 ESL, but what makes an Xstat panel so special is the Vacuum bonding process, which I did not think the clarity had?

 

[roberto]

Hello Roberto,

I did not think the Clarity had an Xstat panel? Yes it has the clear spars, Micro Perf, and Gen.2 ESL, but what makes an Xstat panel so special is the Vacuum bonding process, which I did not think the clarity had?

Hola...it´s the size of the holes (Micro perf) that makes it so special...the efficiency is about 17% better than the old way to make them. This way also, having a smaller panel, with the Claritys you don´t hear a smaller sound than others. Please, don´t get me wrong here. I also believe and hear that the Aeon i is better than the Clarity. The Clarity was design for most HT application than stereo, but you also can use them both ways. The look of the Claritys are for match a plasma screen. The panels are generation 2, vacuum bonded if I´m not wrong. All new ML are under this tech. Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

 

[Reverb2009]

Hola...it´s the size of the holes (Micro perf) that makes it so special...the efficiency is about 17% better than the old way to make them. This way also, having a smaller panel, with the Claritys you don´t hear a smaller sound than others. Please, don´t get me wrong here. I also believe and hear that the Aeon i is better than the Clarity. The Clarity was design for most HT application than stereo, but you also can use them both ways. The look of the Claritys are for match a plasma screen. The panels are generation 2, vacuum bonded if I´m not wrong. All new ML are under this tech. Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

I understand why MicroPerf is so grate, the smaller holes allow more sound to escape, and thus giving us more playable area. However the Vacuum bonding should be significant too. The Vacuum bonding should make the film tighter or more taught, like tightening a guitar string. The tighter the string the faster it moves and higher the pitch.

I was only curious if you know something I didn’t about the clarity. On ML’s web site they say Gen. 2 ESL, but nothing about Xstat? Maybe I should drop them an e-mail and Ask.

I just heard the Clarity again on Sunday with a demo of StarWars Ep.III

They are very good speakers and in some ways better then the Aeon’s, but for a bit more $$$ the bass on the Aeon is a lot better.

 

[DavidG]

X-Stat

Hi there,

Clarity has what you might call a 75% x-stat panel - i.e. it's an x-stat panel but without the vacuum bonding. Sort of half-way between the two. I auditioned both Clarity and Aeon i just over a year ago, and was lucky enough to find a dealer who would let me home-demo both speakers at the same time. Due to the size of my room, and the speaker positioning, I ended up with Clarity, simply because the Aeon i gave me some really wierd room interactions when located in the position where we wanted to put the speakers. In the dealer demo room, Aeon i sounded slightly better, but the home audition was the other way round!! The x-stat style perforations on the Clarity panel certainly gives you the sound of a larger panel, and the difference in sound at the in the dealer demo room wasn't as great as I expected it to be.

So - if you can demo at home, then you really should!!

Cheers,

David

 

[roberto]

Hi there,

Clarity has what you might call a 75% x-stat panel - i.e. it's an x-stat panel but without the vacuum bonding. Sort of half-way between the two. I auditioned both Clarity and Aeon i just over a year ago, and was lucky enough to find a dealer who would let me home-demo both speakers at the same time. Due to the size of my room, and the speaker positioning, I ended up with Clarity, simply because the Aeon i gave me some really wierd room interactions when located in the position where we wanted to put the speakers. In the dealer demo room, Aeon i sounded slightly better, but the home audition was the other way round!! The x-stat style perforations on the Clarity panel certainly gives you the sound of a larger panel, and the difference in sound at the in the dealer demo room wasn't as great as I expected it to be.

So - if you can demo at home, then you really should!!

Cheers,

David

Hola...just talked with Jim Power, and he explained to me that the vacuum bonding process at this time, only the Summits and the Vantage models are made with. Clarity is made with micro-perf stat panel, but it is made with the regular tech. Now I do know...Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

 

[Reverb2009]

Hola...just talked with Jim Power, and he explained to me that the vacuum bonding process at this time, only the Summits and the Vantage models are made with. Clarity is made with micro-perf stat panel, but it is made with the regular tech. Now I do know...Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

Thanks for calling Jim and clarifying that, Roberto.

 

[roberto]

Thanks for calling Jim and clarifying that, Roberto.

I did it with "mucho gusto"...and also, talking with Jim regarding the sale of ML CO., made me feel better now. The ML CO. is going to stay as it is, no changes what so ever in their persuit of the best speaker available!!! and everthing will remain the same. I had to take it out of my system (lol)...
Regards from Costa Rica,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

 

[garmtz]

I did it with "mucho gusto"...and also, talking with Jim regarding the sale of ML CO., made me feel better now. The ML CO. is going to stay as it is, no changes what so ever in their persuit of the best speaker available!!! and everthing will remain the same. I had to take it out of my system (lol)...
Regards from Costa Rica,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

Great news Roberto!

 

[Robin]

Jim Power's take on the sale of ML company...

I did it with "mucho gusto"...and also, talking with Jim regarding the sale of ML CO., made me feel better now. The ML CO. is going to stay as it is, no changes what so ever in their persuit of the best speaker available!!! and everthing will remain the same. I had to take it out of my system (lol)...
Regards from Costa Rica,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

Roberto,

Thank you for sharing your conversation with Jim Power. I was wondering what his take on the sale of ML would mean... It makes me feel better, when Jim say, 'everything is going to remain the same.'...

Thanks again, Roberto.

Cheers

-Robin

 

[roberto]

Roberto,

Thank you for sharing your conversation with Jim Power. I was wondering what his take on the sale of ML would mean... It makes me feel better, when Jim say, 'everything is going to remain the same.'...

Thanks again, Roberto.

Cheers

-Robin

Yes dear Robin (with all respect), I was worried about if the company was going to change. Jim said no. The first thing that Mr. Sanders asked was that the company must remain the same and the same people working in their jobs. So we are going to have more of ML so far. Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.