The only way to seperate any change is A/B/A. Doing this with ONE item at a time is crucial.
Summit Spike Decision
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The only way to seperate any change is A/B/A. Doing this with ONE item at a time is crucial.
Joey_V
Well-known member
Reason is because I had the DAC in my system for over a week and I cant get that sound out of my head... I guess I could try it out before the DAC arrives...
thanks Joey-
Now I have that Kylie Minogue song in MY head...Can't get you out of my head...
sleepysurf
Well-known member
Joey, I suggest you try the tilt tweak BOTH before AND after the new DAC. If you find improvement in BOTH scenarios, you'll KNOW the tilt tweak works!
Joey_V
Well-known member
thanks Joey-
Now I have that Kylie Minogue song in MY head...Can't get you out of my head...
Bet you like Kylie Minogue though, so I'm sure I did you a favor.... :cheers: .
Bet you like Kylie Minogue though, so I'm sure I did you a favor.... :cheers: .
not really....just give us a review of the spikes.
IWalker
Well-known member
IWalker
Well-known member
He said it, not me!!!
Burke
Well-known member
Burke
Well-known member
New Summits deserve new spikes
I received my new Summits Friday night. The first thing I did was to install Jason's 2.5" spikes.
I spent most of Saturday listening. I have done very little tuning but I immediately can tell that the imaging is much improved while sitting in the sweet spot, couch. This has also diminished the imaging and sound if standing behind the couch. So the sound image is closer to the floor.
Overall I love the effect, The sound of the brand new Summits is superior to the broken in pair I had from the store.
For me they are a keeper.
I received my new Summits Friday night. The first thing I did was to install Jason's 2.5" spikes.
I spent most of Saturday listening. I have done very little tuning but I immediately can tell that the imaging is much improved while sitting in the sweet spot, couch. This has also diminished the imaging and sound if standing behind the couch. So the sound image is closer to the floor.
Overall I love the effect, The sound of the brand new Summits is superior to the broken in pair I had from the store.
For me they are a keeper.
Attachments
Hey Jason, I just received and installed the spikes you sent. They do seem to help height of soundstage and image. Go figure. I just started listening so I am not yet sure whether they will affect tonal balance or bass quantity or quality. Now my Summits look like giraffes. Oh well, just one more reason for my non audiophile friends to tease me!
So, I guess this means you like them?
Gordon Gray
Well-known member
The "Blacksmith" has created a monster
I received the 2.5" spikes and installed last night. Checked vertical on both Summits tonight (currently set at 91.5 degrees of tilt) and listened to one of my reference female vocalists, which is the Jennifer Warnes CD "The Hunter", cuts 7, 9, and 10.
Well Jason, now you've done it. For purposes of background, I've had the CLS2A's, the Aerius, and the SL3's prior to buying the Summits. I've experimented with adjusting the vertical to be more or less perpendicular to the floor on these ML models and have consistently found that the vertical angle is crucial towards optimizing the sonic presentation of the ML line.
I assumed that the ML folks designed the vertical angle of the Summits, which I would guess to be at 100 degrees or so (read 10 degrees clockwise from perpendicular) for a good reason. I suspect that the "good reason" was to accomodate for a reasonable vertical dispersion given the "lower" panel height of the Summits.
Well my first impressions are as follows:
The horizontal imaging has not changed. The vertical image has move "up" the panel so it seems I'm listening to the center of the panel versus the bottom 1/3rd. The depth perspective is clearly the most significant change. With the previous tilt angle, I felt as if I was listening to a somewhat attractive but somewhat homogienized front to back presentation. With the new tilt angle, the imaging is much more exact with a significant decrease in the apparent "smearing" of voices, instruments, etc. I totally concur with Sleepy on his observations.
The most obvious example of this is the virtual elimination of any hardware / software induced "sibilance" on voices. All of the "natural" sibilance is still there but the brightness and over emphasis of the critical midrange is literally gone. This improvement allows all of the music to be heard in a significantly less "congested" and much more transparent manner.
The lower / mid bass was attenuated as a result of the increased tilt angle but I am confident that I can take care of that with the Summit crossover bass adjustments.
Not much more to say other than it validates my previous experience with other ML models and I highly recommend everyone to experiment with the vertical angle of the panels and make sure that both speakers are "exactly" the same. Closer to perpendicular the better. Very simple to verify using a piece of string, weighted at the bottom, to ensure that both panels are set to the same vertical angle.
Thank you again Jason.
GG :rocker:
I received the 2.5" spikes and installed last night. Checked vertical on both Summits tonight (currently set at 91.5 degrees of tilt) and listened to one of my reference female vocalists, which is the Jennifer Warnes CD "The Hunter", cuts 7, 9, and 10.
Well Jason, now you've done it. For purposes of background, I've had the CLS2A's, the Aerius, and the SL3's prior to buying the Summits. I've experimented with adjusting the vertical to be more or less perpendicular to the floor on these ML models and have consistently found that the vertical angle is crucial towards optimizing the sonic presentation of the ML line.
I assumed that the ML folks designed the vertical angle of the Summits, which I would guess to be at 100 degrees or so (read 10 degrees clockwise from perpendicular) for a good reason. I suspect that the "good reason" was to accomodate for a reasonable vertical dispersion given the "lower" panel height of the Summits.
Well my first impressions are as follows:
The horizontal imaging has not changed. The vertical image has move "up" the panel so it seems I'm listening to the center of the panel versus the bottom 1/3rd. The depth perspective is clearly the most significant change. With the previous tilt angle, I felt as if I was listening to a somewhat attractive but somewhat homogienized front to back presentation. With the new tilt angle, the imaging is much more exact with a significant decrease in the apparent "smearing" of voices, instruments, etc. I totally concur with Sleepy on his observations.
The most obvious example of this is the virtual elimination of any hardware / software induced "sibilance" on voices. All of the "natural" sibilance is still there but the brightness and over emphasis of the critical midrange is literally gone. This improvement allows all of the music to be heard in a significantly less "congested" and much more transparent manner.
The lower / mid bass was attenuated as a result of the increased tilt angle but I am confident that I can take care of that with the Summit crossover bass adjustments.
Not much more to say other than it validates my previous experience with other ML models and I highly recommend everyone to experiment with the vertical angle of the panels and make sure that both speakers are "exactly" the same. Closer to perpendicular the better. Very simple to verify using a piece of string, weighted at the bottom, to ensure that both panels are set to the same vertical angle.
Thank you again Jason.
GG :rocker:
Gordon,
Great to hear. Is your measurement of 91.5' from the front of the panel? Curious so I can do the same A/B/A test. I will be using a digital protractor (of course!) for this measurement. It is actually accurate +/- .001". Overkill? You bet. I love it!
sleepysurf
Well-known member
I'm still tweaking the tilt angle adjustments, but AMAZED at how much difference just 1-2 degrees makes. I remeasured the "default" tilt on the Summits, and found it to be ~97 degrees (with flat legs, on carpet). In *my* room, moving to a more vertical position (approaching 90 degrees), progressively SHARPENS and BRIGHTENS the imaging, and DEEPENS the soundstage. With Jasons spikes, I was able to achieve a 92 degree tilt, but found that a tad TOO bright. I've currently dialed that back to 93.5 degrees, which appears to give ME the best overall balance. The overall effect of tilt is also dependant on how much toe-in you have, as well as how far the Summits are from the front wall, and your listening distance. I've found it crucial to use a tape measure and digital protractor to get the EXACT same positioning for both speakers. Once you achieve it, the image just "snaps" into focus. I encourage all other ML owners to experiment with tilt, and hear what a difference it makes in their setting.
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