System #541 (SL3, Logos, Aerius I)

[tooslowmonroe]

T.Monroe
DFW area Texas USA
Front Stage: ML SL3 (L+R), Logos (Center)
Rear Fill: ML Aerius I (SL+SR)
Subwoofers: Dayton SUB-1500 (L+R)

Amplification:
Mains: Yaqin MC-100B
Center, Surrounds: Nakamichi PA-1

Analog:
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/Ortofon 2M Blue
Pro-Ject Tube Box DS (Mulland ECC83's)

Digital:
Sony Playstation IV
Oppo DVD

Processor:
Anthem Statement D2

AC:
Monster HTS3500

The Room is about 17 feet wide by about 14 deep, with standard 8 foot ceilings. The system is offset from center of room by two feet to compensate for the angled entry door.

The Mains are right at 3' from the front wall, 8' separate the Main Left and Main Right

The Mains are 9' from the seating position.

There is one Main seat, two secondary, and a fourth for conversation.

This is my main listening room, as well as my Gran Turismo playroom.

Most of the listening is normal, stereo listening.

Every once and while, the wife and/or kids will enjoy a movie up here (we have a family room on the main level that serves as our main viewing room.)

The Anthem utilizes Room Correction to tame the room to some degree.

Thanks- TooSlow

 

[TomDac]

Welcome aboard. Never seen ML's used as surrounds and positioned like that. How does it sound? Nice to see someone else with an Anthem Statement D2. Love mine!

 

[tooslowmonroe]

Yeah, about those surrounds...
The room is used mostly as listening room with an occasional movie from time to time.
I had the Aerius I's left over without a room...so I figured I might as well use them for something.
Due to the dipole nature of the MLs, they provide a strange, but very spacious rear sound stage.
I'm sure I am breaking every rule in the book...but they are set-up with the ARC and the sound in the main listening position is quite nice.
The room is too small for me to do what I really want to do, which would be to have the Aerius' a couple feet behind and a wall three or more past them much like the front. One day maybe.

On the Anthem...man is that one under-rated piece of equipment. I had read a little about them...and my McIntosh has been in the shop for over a year...I needed something for the room...and that came up locally at one of those can't-pass prices. Overall, I think the McIntosh and the Anthem have relatively close sound signatures...but when you let the ARC do it's thing...the Anthem really sets itself apart.

 

[tooslowmonroe]

Those pics are horrible. Let’s try some new ones

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bernard]

Welcome to the forum from another SL3 owner (from Canada).

I agree with you that tubes drive the SL3s very well. I used to have a Copland 50 w/channel tube power amp, which was inadequate, so I upgraded to a used pair of Audio Research monoblocks that put out 110 Watts. My speakers really sing now.

Looking at your pics I was wondering about that amp sitting on the carpet. If there are vent holes on the bottom you should raise it off the carpet.

 

[tooslowmonroe]

Thanks for the comments Bernard. Yes, cones are on order to get the amp off the carpet. I just got it and was not prepared for another amp in the system
-Todd

 

[twich54]

Todd, given your seating position (up against a wall, not good) try some absorption on the wall, your ears will thank me !

 

[tooslowmonroe]

Dave. Very good point...one that I really have not thought about up until now. I'll work on it the coming weeks and see what I can come up with...suggestions other than the gray stuff at Parts Express? ...remember, I am a frugal listener...

 

[twich54]

Todd, commercially for the $$ GIK is good IMO. If you're not afraid of a DIY project perhaps a tri-panel arrangement of 2-3 inches(thickness) of acoustic material covered in course fabric, framed in wood.

 

[Brad225]

He just might be a candidate for "Robins Flying Rear Speakers".

TooSlow, she hung her rear panels from the ceiling over her couch. Search the members systems to find hers.

Agree with Dave, absorption behind your head will make a world of difference.

 

[JonFo]

Nice system!

Based on looking at the pics and your descriptions, I have a few observations and suggestions that might help.

First, the rear speakers. I get that it's only for occasional use, but there a few simple things that could improve the results.

First is to move them further away from the seats, and to tilt them so the panel is perfectly vertical, which might require a slight riser and angle adjuster to be placed under them.
Secondly, to allow placing them closer to the side-walls, dampening of the rear-wave of the ESL is required, and there are two ways of doing this. One is to put a dampening absorber on the side-walls (offset from the wall by 2" or so). A MiniTrap HF is the perfect thing for that (I use several of them in my room).

Alternatively, since you have an Aerius model, ASC used to make a back-box for them that would mitigate the rear-wave. Pretty slick, you might be able to find some new-old-stock of these for a good price. Here is a thread where they were discussed: http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?1942-Has-anyone-ever

And a pic of them

 

[tooslowmonroe]

Thanks for all those that have offered up suggestions and comments. I greatly appreciate all the interest.

To date, I have been able to get absorption panels behind the listening position.

The rear fill speakers have been moved farther from the listening position (as far as I could, I am fighting some double french-doors at 45 degrees to the left of that seating position...)

The tube amp is now on spikes. It does not have venting on the bottom, but the airspace now should help keep the whole chassis cooler.

I've also been doing a little experimenting with the pre-amp section of the little Yaqin amp...and have a stash of the 12AX7's from my phono pre-amp tube-rolling experiments. Right now, a set of NOS Mullards seem to have added a little bit of sparkle that seems to be missing as the little tube amp struggles with the upper octaves (where the SL3's get hard to drive...)

For me...my room is sounding so good right now...I am pulling CDs out of storage that have not been heard for a long time. The wife even noted this weekend that there is music in my room that we have not heard for the better part of 10+ years.

It feels good to have it dialed in enough that music is again giving me that tingling sensation that it should...like the first time I heard it either live or on a nice high-end system.

Thinking about the future...I am loving the tube sound on the SL3's...and I am contemplating doing another of these small Yaqin amps, and then bi-amping the SL3's...that would then allow me to add an active crossover on the woofer as some have suggested...and it might free up just enough watts to really bring the panels into their own.

That's a pretty big leap for me...especially when I take into account this is a second-level room in Texas...where we regularly get 100+ degrees in the summer. The tubes today are a welcome partner fighting off what winter we get in Texas...not so sure how I will feel about them in the summer heat.

Anyways...that is all for another time...for now, I'll continue to dust off some CDs and albums and just enjoy.

-Todd

 

[Spike]

and I am contemplating doing another of these small Yaqin amps, and then bi-amping the SL3's

Why not try it now by hooking up the Nakamichi to drive the woofers and leave the Yaqin for the panels? I'm currently bi-amping (passively) and am quite happy with the result.

 

[tooslowmonroe]

FOR SURE! I guess I have two channels just sitting there now. I'll play around and see what happens. I guess I had a mental block about mixing the two...but that actually may work really well. I'll see if I can make some time this weekend to play around. Thanks for helping me see the obvious. -TooSlow

 

[tooslowmonroe]

HUGE UPDATE. System 541 in new room.

Good Day ML Family.

During 2020, the wife and I decided to find a residence that met more of our (her) needs. My room has thus been moved and several updates have occurred during the move.

I tried to keep as much as I could the same, as I was very pleased with my room as it was in the old house.

Here is the update:

T.Monroe
DFW area Texas USA
Front Stage: ML SL3 (L+R), Logos (Center)
Rear Fill: ML Aerius I (SL+SR)
Subwoofers: Martin Logan Dynamo 800x (x2)

Amplification:
Mains: Jolida JD 1000 BRC (2x100 all tube goodness)
Center, Surrounds: Arcam Receiver

Analog:
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/Ortofon 2M Black
Pro-Ject Tube Box DS (Mulland ECC83's)

Digital:
Sony Playstation IV
Oppo DVD

Processor:
Arcam Receiver

AC:
APC H15 (x2)

The Room is about 12 feet wide by about 17 deep, with 11 foot ceilings. The system is centered on the short wall.

The Mains are right at 3' from the front wall, 6' separate the Main Left and Main Right

The Mains are 9' from the seating position; the rear wall is now 4 feet behind the listening position.

There is one Main centered seat (that doubles as my cockpit for Gran Turismo racing), and two secondary seats.

This is my main two-channel listening room.

Most of the listening is normal, stereo listening.

Every once and while, the wife and/or kids will enjoy a movie in here (we have a family room that serves as our main viewing room.)

I took the advice of the forum and there are sound absorption behind the listening position as well as in all the corners at the ceiling.

I really love the sound of the room.

Thanks- TooSlow