New Summit XJR ?

[-justin-]

This will not replace the Spire, it will be a completely new model that will incorporate our DSP engine (in light of the success of the Ethos), have a similar low frequency driver configuration to the Spire but with a bump in power, and be styled much more closely to the Summit X (which is why we gave it the code name Summit XJR). It's sort of a mash-up of a few different models now that I think about it, maybe we'll call it the Frankenstein

~Justin

Correction, after talking with our sales team, this new model will eventually replace the Spire in the Reserve Series lineup, although the above still applies in regards to the build of this new model (DSP, power, styling, etc...).

Love the piano black ElectroMotion ESL, too. Getting some photographs taken now, should have something soon.

~J

 

[Gordon Gray]

Justin,

When was the Spire first introduced?

GG

 

[Feltran]

Justin,

When was the Spire first introduced?

GG

It was announced in April 2008 and started shipping a month or so after that.

 

[CCH]

It was announced in April 2008 and started shipping a month or so after that.

So now we can look forward to a seemingly endless string of Spire vs. Summit XJR threads!

 

[Gordon Gray]

FWIW, there was little meaningful discussion regarding the Legacy Summit vs the "X" or the Summit vs the Spire.

The difficulty is to have a user who has had both and has compared in a very controlled environment. Otherwise, it's not apples to apples and mere speculation.

The only comments I found of interest on the above was by Jeff D. but now that Jeff is no longer posting, I'd be surprised if you see much that you can count on.

What is unfortunately predictable is hit on the value of used Spires.

GG

 

[Jimna]

One mans loss of resell value is another mans opportunity to finally own a pair.

 

[Gordon]

Correction, after talking with our sales team, this new model will eventually replace the Spire in the Reserve Series lineup, although the above still applies in regards to the build of this new model (DSP, power, styling, etc...).

Love the piano black ElectroMotion ESL, too. Getting some photographs taken now, should have something soon.

~J

I kinda thought this was going to happen.

Gordon

 

[Gordon]

So now we can look forward to a seemingly endless string of Spire vs. Summit XJR threads!

I hope not! Perhaps we can just substitute Spire/XJR in the Summit/Summit X thread!!

I won't be upgrading the Spire anytime soon. I'm content with them and would only consider going to the CLX if I had the room. Although now that I've seen Necro shoe horn his in a smaller room than mine, I may have to rethink this!!

Gordon

 

[David Matz]

I won't be upgrading the Spire anytime soon. I'm content with them and would only consider going to the CLX if I had the room.

Gordon

I think you are right on the money, Gordon. The differences between the higher end models hybrid models are fairly small - despite all the cage match arguments back and forth. The full-range stats stand on their own and are definitely a huge step up.


The Spire, though, was kind of doomed from the start. It came out right at the beginning of the financial meltdown. Additionally, it was very close to the Summit in performance, with many claiming the Summit is a better speaker.

With hundreds of Summits having been sold during the economic boom and so many available on the used market, the Spire really had no chance despite being a fine, fine speaker.

 

[Feltran]

Wow - that piano black looks goooood.

I wonder if there is anything Martin Logan could do (paint or whatever) to make the stator/airframe glossy to match the piano black speaker case without compromising sound quality?

 

[Necrosuit]

Although now that I've seen Necro shoe horn his in a smaller room than mine, I may have to rethink this!!

Gordon

DO IT! you wont regret it.
The spire is a great speaker though. I still have mine here boxed up waiting for final payment from the buyer. I let them go for $4k only 5 months used.
I did think about keeping them for another possible system but that will be another story......Has anyone heard the new XJR?

 

[Peter Soderberg]

We have experimented with powder coated colors for the metal parts of the frames, but the stators use a nylon insulator for the stators and are part of the function of the speaker. We have experimented with colors such as white, but color powders contaminated the ovens so affected the black. Call ML for custom options.

 

[JonFo]

Back in 2007 during our factory visit with the MLOC, we saw the custom finish options on Airframes: http://www.martinloganowners.com/~tdacquis/forum/showpost.php?p=50097&postcount=7

To bad Stator color finish is hard to do, as a white stator would look really nice in some settings.

Or colored stators to match custom frame colors would be neat as well.

If limited to a few colors, here are the ones I'd like to see in addition to black: White and Silver.

That selection would allow them to be contrasted nicely with most any frame color scheme.

 

[Feltran]

We have experimented with powder coated colors for the metal parts of the frames, but the stators use a nylon insulator for the stators and are part of the function of the speaker. We have experimented with colors such as white, but color powders contaminated the ovens so affected the black. Call ML for custom options.

Does that mean that paint can't (shouldn't) be done? What I was specifically indicating that I would theoretically be interested in for my next pair of Logans was glossy black metal, whereas the current products have a matte black that I think in some lighting would look flat and sort of outdated next to a piano black case.

 

[Peter Soderberg]

As you can see in the earlier post with pictures from the factory tour, we have experimented with different colors on the frames. Unfortunatley after quite a bit of expense and efforts to create a huge custom capability, there have been very few takers so if you wish to try a color frame such as a gloss black, call ML for quotes. As to the stators changing colors, our past experience with white was dreadful as there are so many shades of white, one never had the shade and once we did white, the color would shift over time to take on a slight pink or blue tint. there is only one black, no shades so boring as it is, it is safe.