Review after a year in...

[Narcosis]

Just over a year ago I purchased some ESL 9 Classics. Last night I was listening to At Fillmore East, absolutely digging (again) what I was hearing. I get a smile on my face each and every time I listen to these things. Even old, badly engineered material comes to life through them. And modern, well engineered content is pretty flippin' awesome. They just seem to get better and better.

When I was planning my build & informed my wife what the investment was going to be in "just a pair of speakers", she gave me one of her looks. You married folks most likely know that look. Then I took her to a listening room to experience a Mcintosh pre / Mcintosh amp setup (along with some unknown turntable) playing through ESL 9s. "They sound nice". That was it.

Our modest 5 channel setup works quite well for home theater, but the 2 channel stuff is where it's at. It took a bunch of playing around to get them positioned well, and the result is always the above-mentioned smile. I've turned a few friends on to the ML experience and the results are, more or less, "wow". I'm driving them with a Carver Sunfire "Cinema Grand Signature II" amp. Boom!

Nicely done, Martin Logan.

 

[MisterB]

Nice system. I always enjoy reading posts like this where people are still happy with their choice after a year or more. The ML panels are definitely something special for 2-channel music.

Nice to see WI represented. Former Wisconsinite here who "defected" to IL for a job opportunity some 20+ years ago. Fortunately I'm close enough that I can still spend a fair amount of time back in WI with friends and family.

Keep enjoying those 9's!

 

[JonFo]

Great to hear you are pleased with the results, these are amazing speakers.

From the pic, one item jumped out at me: Please consider placing a 4" thick absorptive panel behind that center. I can hear the comb-filtering from here. There is a very good reason the highly regarded Focus C18 center is a monopole ESL.

 

[Narcosis]

Great to hear you are pleased with the results, these are amazing speakers.

From the pic, one item jumped out at me: Please consider placing a 4" thick absorptive panel behind that center. I can hear the comb-filtering from here. There is a very good reason the highly regarded Focus C18 center is a monopole ESL.

Thanks JonFo, I will take your advice. The Theater is going to be replaced with, most likely, an ElectroMotion ESL C.

 

[Robert D]

Thanks JonFo, I will take your advice. The Theater is going to be replaced with, most likely, an ElectroMotion ESL C.

I made that move and wish I had done it years earlier.

 

[Northy]

Just over a year ago I purchased some ESL 9 Classics. Last night I was listening to At Fillmore East, absolutely digging (again) what I was hearing. I get a smile on my face each and every time I listen to these things. Even old, badly engineered material comes to life through them. And modern, well engineered content is pretty flippin' awesome. They just seem to get better and better.

When I was planning my build & informed my wife what the investment was going to be in "just a pair of speakers", she gave me one of her looks. You married folks most likely know that look. Then I took her to a listening room to experience a Mcintosh pre / Mcintosh amp setup (along with some unknown turntable) playing through ESL 9s. "They sound nice". That was it.

Our modest 5 channel setup works quite well for home theater, but the 2 channel stuff is where it's at. It took a bunch of playing around to get them positioned well, and the result is always the above-mentioned smile. I've turned a few friends on to the ML experience and the results are, more or less, "wow". I'm driving them with a Carver Sunfire "Cinema Grand Signature II" amp. Boom!

Nicely done, Martin Logan.

Thanks for the update. This is what makes this club unique . It is a testament that there is a market for people who want to recreate music in their domiciles the way it was recorded originally. And ML has nailed it very, very well. My 24 year old son is showing interest in audiophile gear and I keep reminding him this is a special journey that requires some disposable income, lot of patience to get it right.

 

[GWS2000]

Hello, I am new as of today and this writing. Long time owner of a pair of 1968 Klipschorns and Dynaco tube gear. Back in 2019, and thanks to my local brick and mortar audio shop, I made the complete turn around! Horns sold, Martin Logan Classic 9's IN, and never looked back. Per my dealer, they put the Parasound Halo A-21 amp and P6 preamp as part of the package. Later added the Dynamo 1600x with the bass kit. I can tell you via bench mark DB-A measurements and a reference orchestral recording, the Classic 9's are just as dynamic as the Klipschorns!!

I too have had a number of friends over. In my 18x24x8' dedicated space, everyone's jaw drops, even a buddy with a pair of BIG Legacy towers with new Krell gear driving them. I let everyone play music THEY are familiar with and it goes from here. I attached a photo with one of many color schemes of the space. Only the A-21 is up front with the ML's. The low audio rack is within arms reach. QUAD XLR cables and 12v trigger have to run across the room. It's all good.

Enjoy the music and your ML's !
....Gary
PS. The cap next to the turntable is my dealer...........brand new flagship store, 3 dedicated listening rooms, Neolith's are setup in one of them!

 

[GWS2000]

Just over a year ago I purchased some ESL 9 Classics. Last night I was listening to At Fillmore East, absolutely digging (again) what I was hearing. I get a smile on my face each and every time I listen to these things. Even old, badly engineered material comes to life through them. And modern, well engineered content is pretty flippin' awesome. They just seem to get better and better.

When I was planning my build & informed my wife what the investment was going to be in "just a pair of speakers", she gave me one of her looks. You married folks most likely know that look. Then I took her to a listening room to experience a Mcintosh pre / Mcintosh amp setup (along with some unknown turntable) playing through ESL 9s. "They sound nice". That was it.

Our modest 5 channel setup works quite well for home theater, but the 2 channel stuff is where it's at. It took a bunch of playing around to get them positioned well, and the result is always the above-mentioned smile. I've turned a few friends on to the ML experience and the results are, more or less, "wow". I'm driving them with a Carver Sunfire "Cinema Grand Signature II" amp. Boom!

Nicely done, Martin Logan.

Love the simplicity! Got the same going on in my space.........NO CLUTTER (O:

 

[JonFo]

Got the same going on in my space.........NO CLUTTER

But lots of clatter, as in reverberations with those bare, reflective walls, ceiling, and floor.

I don't want to derail this thread too far, so please post a new thread with your System in our System Showcase - Show Your System forum, and we can get into possible (good-looking) ways to manage the sound in a room like that. You are lucky to have a decent-sized space and good gear, but it can sound vastly better with just a few reasonably placed treatments.

 

[msimanyi]

@JonFo Does the C34 center also suffer from comb filtering issues, or does the angle of it reduce that effect?

 

[JonFo]

Does the C34 center also suffer from comb filtering issues, or does the angle of it reduce that effect?

Like any open-back ESL setup, if sound reflects back through the panel, then comb-filtering happens. And the reflected energy, even if not coming directly back through the panel, will cause destructive interference (another term for comb-filtering) depending on path lengths and surface attenuations.

The angle just means that placement determines how much and where reflections bounce.
I'd place it to ensure that the first reflection point is at the vertical wall, not the floor, as that will cause the reflection to go down, and assuming the floor has a rug, that should dampen the reflection.

But the ideal setup for C34 is to place a 4" thick absorptive panel (with no 'limp-mass' or other inner elements that might reflect HF) directly at the first reflection point behind the speaker.
Given the cost and lovely design of the C34, I'd suggest some DIY (or a custom order) and make it something that complements the C34 design.

 

[GWS2000]

But lots of clatter, as in reverberations with those bare, reflective walls, ceiling, and floor.

I don't want to derail this thread too far, so please post a new thread with your System in our System Showcase - Show Your System forum, and we can get into possible (good-looking) ways to manage the sound in a room like that. You are lucky to have a decent-sized space and good gear, but it can sound vastly better with just a few reasonably placed treatments.

Will post new photos for you and the group in 'System Showcase'. I will be happy to show the room treatments in use Thank you.

 

[msimanyi]

Given the cost and lovely design of the C34, I'd suggest some DIY (or a custom order) and make it something that complements the C34 design.

Thank you @JonFo. Therein lies the rub. I simply can't imagine any installation that will work well, aesthetically, with my setup.

I have two hand-made Moroccan rugs hanging alongside the TV, to help with the main L/R speakers. The TV itself is an 83" and the bottom of it is maybe 2" above the C34. It seems like anything I position there or hang there is going to be more visual clutter, and even if it's effective I really don't want "bad visuals."

I'll keep my eyes - and mind - open though. Perhaps I can figure out something that has acceptable visuals and helps with the audio as well.

Mike

 

[Robert D]

Like any open-back ESL setup, if sound reflects back through the panel, then comb-filtering happens. And the reflected energy, even if not coming directly back through the panel, will cause destructive interference (another term for comb-filtering) depending on path lengths and surface attenuations.

The angle just means that placement determines how much and where reflections bounce.
I'd place it to ensure that the first reflection point is at the vertical wall, not the floor, as that will cause the reflection to go down, and assuming the floor has a rug, that should dampen the reflection.

But the ideal setup for C34 is to place a 4" thick absorptive panel (with no 'limp-mass' or other inner elements that might reflect HF) directly at the first reflection point behind the speaker.
Given the cost and lovely design of the C34, I'd suggest some DIY (or a custom order) and make it something that complements the C34 design.

There must be some kind of advantage to having the back open like that? I'd think if it's mostly negative effects then ML would just put a closed back on all of their speakers. That's the part I don't understand. Is it form over function?

If everyone is putting panels on the rear wall to absorb the sound wave, why don't they just make the speakers all closed? I must be missing something.

Aren't monopoles better?