The CLX's were unpacked last Thursday and by now they have enough hours for some preliminary observations, but I feel there are still some changes as the electronics are getting burned in. Thanks to Brian of The Mac Group here in Ottawa for getting them, delivery and helping me set them up.
Current system has them driven by my Spectron monoblocks, but I do have a Plinius SA-250 that is also poised to join in.
First impressions just reinforce the comments about these being very detailed and transparent transducers. Imaging is truly exceptional and I am not fussed about room placement at this stage - I suspect my ReQuests already gave me good clues about that, but I have pulled the CLX's a bit more forward, to be 48" from the front wall and 22" from the side walls, both of which are treated with absorbers.
How good are they in a home setting? So far I have to say that they behave impeccably, very much like a live performance sound, whether acoustic, jazz, female vocal, orchestral etc. Not agressive in any way though, best way I can describe it is being able to see and feel into the music as a performance, not a collection of individual parts - soundstage is truly realistic as you would get in a club or live venue. Instrument and vocal placement is uncanny, leading edge and trailing transients are very believable. They are truly world class for sure and for me, really room friendly. Very dynamic on HT stuff as well - finesse with power and control so that they load the room with a wall to wall sound and great depth front to back. Right now, although I think I am a vinyl die-hard, the noise coming out of my digital media is now so positively different, detailed and insightful, the music is just flowing!
I always loved my old Quad Pro 63's for their articulate mid and bass, but they had shortcomings in that they were rolled off at the top and while they had quality, they couldn't handle quantity. So I moved on to dynamic driver systems until I found a great local deal on those ol ReQuests recently, so I could decide if the Logan sound matched my needs. Clearly there is a mega change with the CLX's. Having said that, those ReQuests are very decent speakers and a great buy on the used markets compared to other options.
As to the build. looks and so on of the CLX's:
They come in cardboard boxes that are not as sturdy as they should be after shipping and handling. The speakers are wrapped in a velvet cloth and a poly liner when you maneuver them out of the box - not so intuitive despite a crude pictorial on the box itself.
The boxes are not ergonomically designed and they are cheap for a speaker of this cost - bit of a cottage industry approach imho
The manual available from the ML website is not included in the box, just a short "get you started" version.
Not really easy to unpack out of the box, again better packaging design required.
My natural cherry finish is very acceptable, and the speakers are not as intrusive visually as you might expect, or as I remember from seeing them at the Montreal show for example.
I did note after Brian had left, that the top rails on both speakers holding the panels were somewhat loose, and I discovered that you could take out some foam inserts and tighten them up with a hex key. Firstly, they should not come loose in shipping, and secondly ML might make it known in the manual or to dealers to check for this.
So, I would give ML an average mark for the "pride of ownership" on delivery.
Anyway, I am more than pleased, my expectations have been exceeded and they sound better in my home than I heard at the Montreal show, by far. I will have to work on dialing in my large 2 x 12" Focal polyglass corner loaded TL woofers, but that can come later. Speakers without woofers still sound very fullsome, but that lowest register is missing if you are used to an extended low end, as I am. BTW I don't use my Shiva sub(s) though, except for HT theater.
More critique and pics to follow - consider this an early stage preview of what is a world class speaker, can't imagine what else I would need. other than live musicians, in my own home right now.
Steve
