Former Aerius i owner from the 90's wants to dabble again

[T32803]

Back in time, in the 1998 era of audio I owned a pair of Aerius i. I drove them
with a Classe Audio CA-100/model 30 Preamp/Sony X7ES CD Player. I liked
the sparkle in the highs but some how the vocals sounded off. Bass too. Maybe
my setup or equipment. Who knows. I eventually sold them to try other speakers out.
I only listen to classic rock. The Eagles, Journey, Tom Petty, Don Henley, Boston,
Fleetwood Mac. Most are recorded hot and harsh needing a warm sounding
speaker to balance out the sharpness of the upper mids and lower highs.

I have a 13' x 14' room with the 14' right side extending 25 feet for the open dining and
kitchen. The speakers are on the 14' wall and I sit 9 feet back. Plank floors, no carpet,
leather furniture. Nothing to make the room acoustics sound warm. 9 foot ceilings.

I am buying used and looking for suggestions of what 3 models were the warmest
sounding Martin Logan models. (electrostat & woofer) I read this forum for the last
few days and read that the older models were warmer sounding. I am looking for
warmest first, convincing midrange second, decent bass third, and is the right size
for my room. I don't listen very loud since I live in a condo. I am thinking SL3
looks like the right size but I need the experienced people who heard them all to
tell me what they think. I prefer warm/organic and I avoid clinical/analytical/cold.
What are the 3 warmest electrostat & woofer models? I'd like to spend $1000 to
$3000 on the used market but I don't really have a budget in mind. Thanks for
sharing your knowledge with an old timer.

 

[Kermie]

Welcome!! I don't have alot of experience with Martin Logans outside of my Aerius speakers made in 1994. I am running a powered sub to help with the bass not that the bass is bad. The key that I have discovered, is the need to listen to them before buying. The gentleman I got my Aerius from had several sets and I was able to examine them and hear them, as they are now over 30 years old. I would agree with the warmth. As for other options, I will have the next person give you some more ideas. Have fun with your search

 

[T32803]

Thanks for chiming in. If the reading I have done is correct, the older logans are warmer while the new ones are more clinical and exacting. I am more than willing to buy and resell several used models until I figure out which one I like best, but I'd like to get a top 3 "likely good-fit" suggestions because their are so many models. And most people won't ship them so I am stuck with driving 3 hours in any direction to buy a used pair.

 

[T32803]

I remember the high-pitched twinkle of the triangles on Fleetwood Mac dancing about playfully in the air so crisp let not bright or harsh on the Aerius-i many years ago. I'd like to have 2 sets of speakers with one giving me those delicate, crisp, floating, highs that I keep remembering the Aerius-i gave. And keep my B&W 804s for the music that it does well with.

 

[Tmort]

classic rock isn’t necessarily the sweet spot for electrostatics but the bands you mention all sound pretty damn good on my classic 9’s, yes those are current model speakers but you should be able to find a used pair for around $3k+ a little. You also then can be pretty confident the panels will have plenty of life left in them. Buy an old stat and you may soon find the panels need to be replaced and your budget is screwed. I’ve found even Rush can rock pretty hard on my 9’s!

 

[T32803]

New those are $7,500 new. Not sure I will find them used for for under $5,000. Are they warm sounding like the Gen 1 Logans? People say the newer Logans are not warm but more clinical.

 

[Tmort]

New those are $7,500 new. Not sure I will find them used for for under $5,000. Are they warm sounding like the Gen 1 Logans? People say the newer Logans are not warm but more clinical.

I have seen them sell used for low 3’s, I bought mine used in that range. I can not tell you how they sound compared to gen 1 Logans, they are exacting, a poor sound source will sound poor, a great one sounds great. I think your gear feeding them has a major effect, I’ve gone tube preamp with SS amps and I think the sound is amazing.

 

[Tmort]

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details...gn=email-featured-ad-click&utm_term=650179661
Just saw these on us audio mart

 

[VideoVic]

HELLO ! I owned a pair of Aerius i bought new back in 1998 that I enjoyed for 20 years before selling them and purchasing the ESL-X, so I guess I can speak a bit about your inquiry. I listen to the same genre of music as you and I always thought the Areius I had a wondrous midrange, but always thought they were a bit deficient in the "twinkle" upper range, at least in the room I had them in and with the electronics I had them connected to (an Outlaw Audio RR2150 receiver). I did not know, at that time that they were such a difficult load for an amplifier. My ESL-X have quite a bit more "twinkle" on triangles and such than I ever remember the Aerius being capable of, but again I have new, and better electronics and cabling.

One thing I can assure you, the ESL-X image far better than the Aerius ever did, and I think Tmort has the right of it; buy the newer generation, you won't be sorry. The Classic 9's if you can find a pair in your budget, but if you can't, a new pair of ESL-X with a warranty will more than satisfy you I'll bet. They have been satisfying me for 5 years and have proven worthy of cabling upgrades (now Audioquest Rocket 88 speaker cables and Audioquest Water interconnects) and an amp upgrade (from a Rotel RB-1582MKII to a Sanders Magtech) !

 

[VideoVic]

One more thing, just an observation after reading your posts again. I believe some of the harshness you experienced in the vocals may be from your CD Player. No disrespect intended, and not to diss your equipment choices, but I've owned Sony ES players in the past and there are better choices out there. Once I made the move to Marantz SA-KI Ruby CD player I could not BELIEVE the difference in CD playback quality, especially standard red book CD's. The RUBY certainly was not cheap, but it made more of a difference than just about any other upgrade I've made. You didn't say which cables you are using, and maybe you haven't been convinced of how much of a difference a good quality cable can make but Everything impacts everything in audio, even your cable choices. Once you decide on which speakers you want to move up to, make your playback equipment your next upgrade, and make sure you've got good cables connecting everything. You'll be amazed at what you hear.

 

[Tmort]

One thing to add as well, the classic 9’s are an incredible speaker in that they’re so revealing that improvements in your system are easily appreciated. they will provide noticeable differences in your sound as you upgrade components, cables, etc. Just when you think you’ve got it sounding awesome you upgrade something and damn…I’ve moved up the ladder with my gear from the point at which I obtained the 9’s and I have to say the journey has been incredibly rewarding…you want a speaker your system can grow into not hold it back. If you buy something several generations old and with panels that are not 100% you’re not going to get that I suspect.
I also have the magtech Sanders amp, it’s your get to amp for stats….

 

[Len44]

I have seen them sell used for low 3’s, I bought mine used in that range. I can not tell you how they sound compared to gen 1 Logans, they are exacting, a poor sound source will sound poor, a great one sounds great. I think your gear feeding them has a major effect, I’ve gone tube preamp with SS amps and I think the sound is amazing.

Tube preamp with SS amps is a terrific setup for ML Speakers. Also Class A SS Amps, such as Pass Labs.

Also agree with the positive comments regarding Sanders Magtech amps, which seem just right for ML Speakers.

 

[TommyD]

I've never had any other electrostatic speakers since I purchased my ELS 9 pair almost 2 years ago, and like you I too listen to a lot of classic rock as well as just about everything else... I have enjoyed every minute of my listening with these wonderful speakers. I have these set up to perform in a standard 2 channel mode (80% of the time) as well as support a 5.1 system for when I watch movies (20% of the time). I am moving and have a need to incorporate additional installed HT speakers and the NAD M28 I had the ESL 9's connected to in a bi-amp mode did not have any extra channels for the additional HT speakers. I could have purchased a multichannel amp to cover all of the satellite speakers and left the M28 to the mains, but I also have read about the major swings between 2ohm and 4ohm on the ESL 9's. Initially I noticed a nice improvement when implementing a bi-amp configuration giving me a more rounded sound from the pair, an excellent improvement, but I have installed a Buckeye Amp Purifi monoblock for each of my ESL 9 speakers to free up a total of 4 channels on the NAD M28. The monoblocks are rated at 950W/2ohm + 500W/4ohm + 250W/8ohm, and I am literally in awe on the clarity throughout the entire range of music especially at both the high and low ends of the frequency spectrum as these are the hardest frequencies on an amp. The NAD M28 supports 4 and 8 ohms and documentation indicates the support of swings to 2 ohms is supported so I never "suffered" but the improvement I have been listening to now is far above what I expected. So, I too am a 100% fan of upgrading the amp for the ESL 9's. The M28 is no slouch, and is clean and delivers, but this has been a huge change - like every sound lit up. My monoblocks are the middle of the road entry on these Purifi implementations, so I suspect that the larger capacity amps would be worth it, especially for a big room to get filled with wonderful sound. I highly recommend the Buckeye Amp company and products. Dylan Launder, owner of Buckeye Amp is a fully engaged owner, and he creates a no-nonsense product at a great value. Your ESL 9's could truly a use a monoblock improvement, IMHO.

 

[T32803]

I also see that the 9's have similar specs to the Aerius-i and crossover at 380htz which is why the Aerius-i vocals were off. The SL3 crosses over at 250htz which lets more of the vocal cone out of the panel.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details...gn=email-featured-ad-click&utm_term=650179661
Just saw these on us audio mart

I stand corrected... LOL And that's a comfortable price for me. Wish they were driving distance to go hear them. I am kind of in investigation/research mode at the moment. I'm close to retirement age so I move slow with my shopping sprees..

 

[T32803]

HELLO ! I owned a pair of Aerius i bought new back in 1998 that I enjoyed for 20 years before selling them and purchasing the ESL-X, so I guess I can speak a bit about your inquiry. I listen to the same genre of music as you and I always thought the Areius I had a wondrous midrange, but always thought they were a bit deficient in the "twinkle" upper range, at least in the room I had them in and with the electronics I had them connected to (an Outlaw Audio RR2150 receiver). I did not know, at that time that they were such a difficult load for an amplifier. My ESL-X have quite a bit more "twinkle" on triangles and such than I ever remember the Aerius being capable of, but again I have new, and better electronics and cabling.

One thing I can assure you, the ESL-X image far better than the Aerius ever did, and I think Tmort has the right of it; buy the newer generation, you won't be sorry. The Classic 9's if you can find a pair in your budget, but if you can't, a new pair of ESL-X with a warranty will more than satisfy you I'll bet. They have been satisfying me for 5 years and have proven worthy of cabling upgrades (now Audioquest Rocket 88 speaker cables and Audioquest Water interconnects) and an amp upgrade (from a Rotel RB-1582MKII to a Sanders Magtech) !

It was your electronics for sure. I was using a Classe Audio pre amp and power amp and a very resolving CD player with my Aerius-i in the late 90s. swapping in other (sometimes cheaper) gear took that twinkle right out of the music. The wrong interconnects would do that too.. The power cord on your power amp makes a massive difference for bass and over clarity as well. I love my B&W 804s so I may never sell them but the Aerius-i was the one speaker that does things I look back on and say that was nice. I could live with 2 sets of speakers.

 

[T32803]

One more thing, just an observation after reading your posts again. I believe some of the harshness you experienced in the vocals may be from your CD Player. No disrespect intended, and not to diss your equipment choices, but I've owned Sony ES players in the past and there are better choices out there. Once I made the move to Marantz SA-KI Ruby CD player I could not BELIEVE the difference in CD playback quality, especially standard red book CD's. The RUBY certainly was not cheap, but it made more of a difference than just about any other upgrade I've made. You didn't say which cables you are using, and maybe you haven't been convinced of how much of a difference a good quality cable can make but Everything impacts everything in audio, even your cable choices. Once you decide on which speakers you want to move up to, make your playback equipment your next upgrade, and make sure you've got good cables connecting everything. You'll be amazed at what you hear.

That wasn't my problem. Fleetwood Mac and others sounded great. On the Journey greatest hits CD some tracks sound fine and some sound compressed and mixed with a heavy bump in the upper mid-range/lower treble. I had tried a lot of CD players on loan back in the 90s like Wadia, Meridian, Linn, Cary, Arcam Ring Dac, Mark Levinson. The more resolving a source you have, the worse a poorly mastered song will sound. I am sure low priced Sony ES players would sound as bad as any other budget CD player for sure. My X7 was a $3,000 player back in the 90s and it sounded better than the others I had tied. Then I sold it and went Analog only for many years. Then records got to be too much work and went back to digital.