Low Serial Numbers on Cost Co Summits

bdmunn · Aug 8, 2006

I bought a pair of the Cost Co Summits (Serial numbers were in the 10-20 range). I was wondering what this website's opinion was on this fact.

- Could they be early prototypes or test units that Martin Logan was trying to move?
- Or ones that had problems with digital amps?

PS - They sounded great right out of the box

Brian

Craig · Aug 8, 2006

I'm sure they are production run speakers but i would not try to run them with a digital based amplifier. They are probably too young to have the redisgned control panel. However ML can confirm if it is digital amp capable or needs the upgrade. I would not be concerned with it since there is a plethora of high quality analog based SS and tube amps that will sound great with your Summits. They are still very likely to be less than 1 year old.

Zorro · Aug 9, 2006

Craig,

Correct if I'm wrong, but I think what Brian meant was that there were Summits with built-in ICE Power digital amps driving the woofers having some issues...

Cheers,

Munster · Aug 9, 2006

The issue actually occurred when you used ice powered amps to drive the speakers, the woofer would shut down.

Craig · Aug 10, 2006

You're correct. The early models have an issue of not working when driven by digital amps (ICE Power Amps). Since the woofers are internally driven by digital amps they did not work and could even be damaged when externally driven by digital amps. This is only a problem if you plan to use a digital amp as opposed to a more traditional Solid State or Tube amp, otherwise the speakers are fine. The control module can be swapped out to make them compatible with digital amps if necessary.

I would not try a digital amp on a Summit without asking ML first because you could possibly damage the speaker. ML will gladly tell you by serial number if the speaker has the new control module or not. There is no issue if a digital amp is not going to be used.