System #518 (Summit X)

[adeep42]

Member Name: Alan de Vries

Location: Fort Lee, NJ

ML Model: Summit X

Purchased: November, 2016

Mods/Changes: None yet. Power cords soon.

Associated Electronics: Conrad Johnson CA200, ifi Audio Tube Buffer, Arcam irDAC, VPI Prime Turntable, Ortofon Cadenza Bronze, Bob's Devices VPI SUT, Bottlehead Eros phono-pre, Phoenix Engineering Eagle PSU and Tach,Cambridge Azur 752BD, Apple Airport Express, Vizio E-55 TV, Furman Sound Elite 15DMi, Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote, Bottlehead Crack Headphone Amp with Speedball Upgrade, Sennheiser HD-650, Signal Cable interconnects, Kimber Cable Phono Interconnect, Various power cords.

These are my first Martin Logan speakers culminating a long interest in electrostatics. They are just breaking in, but sounded great right out of the box. I located the speakers as per the user manual Will do fine tuning shortly. Am loving the sound stage already and did turn down the bass a tad because it was sounding a bit forward.

 

[twich54]

Much better Alan, lookin' good ! ..........:rocker:

 

[adeep42]

Thanks Dave

 

[R.I.P]

Simply divine sonics to arrive soon.

Have fun listening to music!:music:

 

[stuwee]

Woof!! Dang, have fun Alan!! You have an almost perfect room for those bad boys!

And I have to say that TT rocks buddy!! I'm diggin' your headphone tube amp, I just bought a weaker version with dual WE-408A's for my new AKG 701's. I work late nights and headphones are my only way to listen without disturbing the S/O or the neighbors in the back...On my days off, trust me...All bets are off HaHa!!

:bowdown: :music: :rocker: , Craig

 

[Bernard]

Welcome!

Sounds like a great system.

I had never heard of the Bob's Devices VPI SUT. Great concept. BTW, Harry Weisfeld once told me that some people skip the connector on the tone arm box and connect the wire directly to the output RCAs. Of course, you then can't change arms easily.

 

[adeep42]

M15-Breakin progressing.I'm very happy with my purchase. Fine tuning starts soon.

Craig-I am having fun and the Summit X's do seem really well suited to my room.

Bernard-Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. VPI doesn't sell the Bricks anymore.

Thanks and best regards to all,

Alan

 

[adeep42]

Break-in complete, feel pretty confident about positioning, spiked, new speaker cables, new power cables.

Sounds great. I'm a very pleased ML owner!!!!

Alan

 

[bikerneil]

Absolutely beautiful system. Love the coordinated wood colors, nicely done.

 

[Bernard]

Bernard-Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. VPI doesn't sell the Bricks anymore.

Thanks and best regards to all,

Alan

Alan, yes I know VPI doesn't sell the Bricks anymore. I have four of them, two of which I got from Harry in exchange for my old Syrinx tone arm (he collects tone arms), after I changed to a VPI tone arm.

 

[amey01]

Welcome - nice looking system.

 

[adeep42]

Thanks all for the nice comments. The pleasure I'm getting from the MLs keeps growing.

Alan

 

[adeep42]

System #518 (Summit X) Update

Since my original post about a year ago I've made some changes. I replaced my beloved Conrad Johnson CA200 with PrimaLuna. I went with a PL Dialogue Premium pre-amp and two Dialogue Premium amps as monoblocks. No more use for the ifi Tube Buffer. I've also tweeked the Summit X's with Synergistic Research XOT's. The Summits now have Power Cords and speaker cables made by Frank at Signal Cable. All in all, I am really happy with the system as it is. It's just so musical!!!

 

[twich54]

Alan, I moved your update to your existing thread. If you want to revise your opening pics and equipment specs go right ahead, lookin' good !

 

[adeep42]

Thank you Dave.

 

[Jazzman53]

Beautiful system Alan. There truly is something magical when you combine tubes and ESL's :music:

 

[adeep42]

Thanks Jazzman. Totally agree!!

 

[timm]

Very cool. The only thing I don't like... is I can't see those dialogue premiums!! . So what did the prima Luna gear bring to the table?

 

[adeep42]

Thanks timm, I've just gotten so enamored of tubes again. Reminds me of my first mono hifi from 1959. I built an EICO 12 watt kit amplifier back then. The current main system with the MLs has a Bottlehead Eros phono-pre and Crack headphone amp that I built. My secondary system has an Audio Note Kit EL34 integrated and Audio Note Kit phono pre. Everything is just musical across the whole sonic spectrum. The midrange in both systems is just lush.

 

[RDC]

Hi Alan,

Can you please describe what the effect of the XOT transducers is in your system?

Thanks.