SL3 makeover

[MickyP]

Finally bit the bullet and bought some new panels for the SL3s. These are 21 year old speakers and had definitely lost their sparkle. I had tried showering the old panels first, as a last attempt to get some life back in them. It seemed marginally better but if you 'listened in' different parts of the panel while playing there did seem some underperforming areas. Anyway...

Currently putting some hours on them but from the off there are chalk and cheese differences.

Gave them a paint makeover at the same time, so they blended better into the decor. :rocker:

 

[TomDac]

nicely done! I like the white.. very cool.

 

[zigman]

Finally bit the bullet and bought some new panels for the SL3s. These are 21 year old speakers and had definitely lost their sparkle. I had tried showering the old panels first, as a last attempt to get some life back in them. It seemed marginally better but if you 'listened in' different parts of the panel while playing there did seem some underperforming areas. Anyway...

Currently putting some hours on them but from the off there are chalk and cheese differences.

Gave them a paint makeover at the same time, so they blended better into the decor. :rocker:

Looking great, congrats! Like having brand new speakers without spending 3x more.

Really like the color, great work on the paint!

 

[Brad225]

Nice job Micky, they look great.

 

[timm]

Finally bit the bullet and bought some new panels for the SL3s. These are 21 year old speakers and had definitely lost their sparkle. I had tried showering the old panels first, as a last attempt to get some life back in them. It seemed marginally better but if you 'listened in' different parts of the panel while playing there did seem some underperforming areas. Anyway...

Currently putting some hours on them but from the off there are chalk and cheese differences.

Gave them a paint makeover at the same time, so they blended better into the decor. :rocker:

View attachment 20088 View attachment 20089

awesome!! No idea how much they are charging for panels these days - but they look great.... and I'm not sure what 'chalk and cheese' differences mean..... lol.....

 

[JonFo]

Great job Micky, looks good!

Did you update the woofer as well? Might be worth doing that, as the old woofer is probably underperforming.

 

[MickyP]

Hi Jonathan

Yep, woofers were done first and the cavity re-packed. Managed to sell both of the old ones, which weren't a matched pair.

Quite pleased with the performance and looks. Just putting some hours on them, then I'll start on the positioning and fine tuning.


But I don't want to ever do that again...

 

[JonFo]

...
But I don't want to ever do that again...

LOL, I totally understand!

Thanks for the added detail, and enjoy your 'new' speakers.

 

[Mirolab]

I'd love to hear a bit more elaboration on the sound of the new panels (and the cost). I have SL3's that were unlistenable about 3 years ago. I pulled the panels and washed them. That improved the sound tremendously, and they are enjoyable now, but I'm not fooling myself..... They losing detail, and one panel buzzes a bit with certain harmonics. Plus I've got the woofer switch in the -3 dB position, and they're still quite bass heavy. Despite all that... they still have some magic in them! I'm seriously considering new panels.

 

[MickyP]

I tried washing mine and didn't seem to do much. At the end of the day they were 20+ years old.

Panels cost me £1700-ish (I'm in the UK). Not hard to fit but all speakers of this size need some man handling. And the new panels aren't quite a colour match to the woofer grille, which ML warned me about and it's never bothered me.

New sound is more integrated, uniform - and no clicks, buzzes, glitches etc. Very pleasing job.

You need to make a call on whether you want to keep the speakers. I suppose you'd be able to ask more when you sell them with proof of new panels.

 

[peacefulcargo]

SL3 were my first Logan, lovely integrated speaker.

 

[Mirolab]

What did you do about the adhesive rubber/foam strips that support the woofer grille? I've had mine apart, and the adhesive has turned to goo... It's like tar now, and very hard to clean up. The rubber strips are hardened. I used some weatherstrip foam to help seat the grill, and it's just OK, but not the best long term solution. If I buy new Stat panels, I want to have a good solution for remounting the woofer grills. Do you know if M-L sells the rubber/foam spacer material?

 

[MickyP]

Hi

Think I just used some self-adhesive felt. I hot glued the bottom of the grille on the inside to stop them moving. I'm sure ML would sell replacement seals - they always responded to my emails the next working morning.

Good luck.

 

[Targett]

Did you source the panels from ML in the US or from the UK importer? I’m considering doing the same for my ageing Aerius.

regards,
Dave.

 

[MickyP]

I ordered through a dealer - Absolute Sounds, although note sure if they're still a dealer. I think ML will push you to go through a dealer. With AS you pay a deposit when placing the order and the balance when they're shipped to the dealer. I managed to sell my old panels for a £100 on fleabay.

Waiting time was eight weeks or so. They come with panel seals and instructions. I think there are two and three wire panels (or three and four. Sorry can't remember!) But one panel fits all.

 

[Lightloopy]

Did you audition any newer ML's like the ESL 9 or 11A as a replacement for the SL3 vs replacement panels. If so, what were your impressions?
Beautiful job on your speakers.

 

[MickyP]

There was no real science involved, although I did note some new ML models had smaller panels, which put me off going down the new route - probably wrongly!

I still have their predecessors, Kef R900s in their boxes in the spare room. I like these a lot, too, although they're more of a thuggish sound whereas the MLs have that lovely floaty, intimate midrange. Prior to that I've had Kef Q900s, Kef Q500s, QA something or others, Gale GS401As (loved these), but each speaker has a strength and, usually, weakness. Everyone is a compromise. At the moment the SL3 compromise sounds pretty nice to me.

Edit to say: I love the white finish on the SL3s and thought them too severe in black.

 

[Mirolab]

I'm considering new panels for my SL3's over new speakers mostly because, after 25 years, I still love the LOOK of my SL3's! They've got the golden oak trim, and they look stunning in my room with lots of wood furniture. The new ESLs have a VERY deep woofer cabinet that looks strange to me. I understand its purpose, to create the cardioid radiation pattern, but I don't have the space for that. The 10" sealed woofers in the SL3's are quite adequate in my room.

 

[MickyP]

Cheaper too!

 

[MickyP]

I'd love to hear a bit more elaboration on the sound of the new panels (and the cost). I have SL3's that were unlistenable about 3 years ago. I pulled the panels and washed them. That improved the sound tremendously, and they are enjoyable now, but I'm not fooling myself..... They losing detail, and one panel buzzes a bit with certain harmonics. Plus I've got the woofer switch in the -3 dB position, and they're still quite bass heavy. Despite all that... they still have some magic in them! I'm seriously considering new panels.

Missed this.

Re bass. I live in a teenyish UK home and I think these speakers need a bigger territory to sound best. But I can't help that. :-(

I use mine at -3db but they are VERY sensitive to positioning - .5 cm nearer to the wall can make a huge difference. Mine are about 2 feet from the rear wall. I have tried over-toeing in and over widening (and logging the dimensions) and it takes an age to get them just so. Worth persisting with though.

Good luck!