... I would be very interested to hear from other Preface owners (or just other ML owners) why I should buy these speakers. I do love the way they sound and I know my ears are the most important but just want some others impressions. Thanks!
I bought a pair of Prefaces that I had held off buying for almost 7 months. I am glad I finally did. Trust your ears as you said. I would love to buy the high end ML electrostatic panel, but it's not in the budget just yet. So, the ATF based drivers bring me as close to it as I can get for now.
I took my wife in to demo speakers about a month after I discovered the Preface, and didn't tell her which brand/model I was interested in. She picked the Prefaces out as her "would buy" choice as well.
When I asked her, she said it just plain sounded the best. Personally I love the speaker both from how it sounds down to the technology behind it (tech loving guy
) They have a great wide sweet spot and still sound great outside of the bubble -- guests sitting all around your living room will still hear great sound.
The ATF drivers are not only intense if you look at how they work, but they sound intense. Dark Side of the Moon (SACD) really showcases the ATF drivers especially during the clock chime sequence. I mated 3 Fresco i's with the Prefaces, which use the same size ATF drivers and a larger mid ATF driver. The 5 channel rendition is entertaining in its fresh way, like hearing the 2 channel version again for the 1st time.
How about HT use? They work awesome! They really can carry a movie just by themselves in a reasonable sized room. I was amazed how well they sounded without all the rest of the speakers you find in a 5.1/7.1 setup -- reproducing the sound of shattered glass just as well as the thunder punching sounds of a Trex running and roaring.
If you didn't catch it, the Prefaces only have one crossover point. They did well matting the ATF driver with the other speakers in the unit. They carry a punch that is defined, but not overbearing. If I want to hear overbearing deep base, I could jack up the level of my sub on the receiver say +6db and away I go.
They reproduce down to 35hz +-3db which will accommodate most all music without a sub. I have a dynamo with my setup, and have finally picked my crossover point at 60hz (receiver based bass management).
Hmm, what else can I comment on...
I wish I could comment on the speaker you are looking to get as a center channel, but I have not heard them yet.
And as a final comment, in my opinion, you can safely use these speakers in 2 channel full range mode (e.g. direct mode on your receiver) even if they are part of a HT setup. I find myself comparing how something sounds between full range and with bass management at 60hz or 80hz to the sub all the time.
I still encourage you to change them from large to small in your receiver and set a crossover for a variety of reasons that are discussed in many places. Then override the setting for 2 channel bliss when you wish.
A lot of the time, I find that I can't really tell the difference between when I'm using them full range or with the sub -- unless I tinker with my calibrated settings like jacking up the sub lvls.
In any event, I think you will be happy with them regardless of any other factor if your ears say yes! When the time comes and your ears graduate to ESL series speakers, you can easily move them to the rear channels or setup a 2 channel listening room somewhere else in the house.
Hope this helps you decide,
Jeff
